Too Important to Forget

7.31.2010

John 2:22 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (ESV)

The Book of Psalms is divided up into 5 books. The last of these books begins with Psalm 107. This particular psalm speaks of deliverance and the reaction of God’s people under oppression, in prison, and in sin, and in everyday life. In each situation they came to the point where they remembered God, cried out to Him, and experienced His salvation in deliverance.

Later in John’s gospel we read that after Jesus was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered what He’d previously said and it bolstered their faith in Him.

Much of our lives as disciples of Christ simply boils down to us remembering who God is and what He’s doing on our behalf regardless of whose fault it is we’re in the situation we’re in. And sometimes it requires awful tough stuff to get us to remember but God loves us too much to allow us to forget. His salvation is too important to forget. His love and His ways are too important to forget.

John said, “…and they believed in the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” Psalm 107 ends with this: Ps 107:43 "Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord." (v. 43) As I must attend to the shadows in my life I must also remember the good and great things the Lord has done and does – I must call to mind His word and His great acts of deliverance in my life. If I’m wise to remember; I’m a fool to forget…

Father in Heaven,

How great is Your salvation! How wonderful and marvelous are Your deeds to me, a weak minded wandered who routinely forgets who he is and what You’ve called me to be. Fill me with Your Spirit this day to remember how good and kind You’ve been to me, and how many times You’ve rescued me from trouble – self-inflicted or otherwise – In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Sought Out

7.30.2010

John 1:1818 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. ESV

The middle of the name James is the word, me. The epistle of James is about me – not me personally – but the me I’m supposed to be. The middle of the name John is the word, oh. As in, ‘ ‘Oh, so that’s what He meant!’ Today, in reading Isaiah 63, I saw some names given that are what the people of God will someday be called because they will receive the recognition due them by their devotion to and relationship with Him. They are called, The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord, Sought Out, and A City Not Forsaken. In light of these names, today I want to remember one in particular: Sought Out.

John said, No one has ever seen God; the only God who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known. He God, has made Him, Jesus known. He Jesus, has made the Father known. Jesus and the Father are in the business of seeking out those who would know them. Jesus and God, by the Holy Spirit are seeking out the Sought Out; who will one day be recognized globally as, Sought Out.

Since before I was born, I have been sought out by God – He’s loved me since before I was born because He sees me in my future. I have been and will always be, sought out. Makes me want to cry as I think about how terribly I’ve responded to His incessant seeking over all these years.

At this moment I am thinking about a previous moment in my yesterday that I wish I hadn’t had. I was caught red-handed and open-mouthed in the process of bad-mouthing someone. He knew it and so did I. I wish I hadn’t done that because today I read that I am Sought Out; I am called to be Sought Out and because my other name is The Holy People. Because He has made Himself known to me, I am to live as Sought Out and behave as The Holy People. Sought out holy ones don’t bad-mouth…

Lord God,

You have made Jesus known to me because You sought me out to know Him. Jesus, You have made the Father known to me because I am Sought Out to know. Lord, forgive me for acting Resistant when I am called Sought Out. Break me of my stupidity and may my life ever-increasingly be a reflection of You because You have made me The Holy People. In Christ, amen…

Attend to the Shadows

7.29.2010

2 Peter 3:14 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

As I read the Jesuits at Sacred Space, I have been reminded over and over how important it is to attend to the shadows in my life. While it is true that the light of Jesus Christ shines from heaven by His Spirit into my being; it is also true that there are places in me that are dreadfully dark and gloomy and still in need of His light, His life, and His revelation. These dark and gloomy places manifest themselves in my behavior, speech, and attitudes; they manifest themselves in my habits and preferences; and in my thirst for control. These dark places are the shadows to which I must attend so that on that Day when I am found by Him, I’ve been diligent and determined in addressing and eradicating them.

Throughout the New Testament are many commands to get rid of this and/or to avoid that. Those are things I must do. All throughout the New Testament I am told to love, to be holy and such – I am to do them with the Help of the Helpless – the Spirit of Christ within me. That practice is the practice of attending to the shadows; and that I believe is what Peter addressed in the above verse.

How I attend to my shadows speaks of the strength or weakness of my relationship with Christ. If I am needy, hungry, thirsty and tired in my shadowland, then I am driven to do something about my pain or pangs. If I am comfortable, then I am probably complacent.

Lord God,

You are the light of the world and the light in my heart. As I live each new day I realize my need for Your illumination and my transformation and the attention I must daily give to the shadows in my soul, my personality and my perspective. Help me Jesus, I pray in Your Name. Amen.

Note to my readers:

You can visit Sacred Space at: http://sacredspace.ie/ I hope you enjoy your stay…

On Purpose

7.28.2010

Isaiah 56.6 "...everyone who keeps the Sabbath..."

What was the purpose of keeping the Sabbath – what’s the big deal? We might ask the same thing of the marriage ceremony; of the baptismal act; of the sacraments – what’s the big deal? It’s not so much what we do, but what is represented by what we do – i.e. the reason behind what we do – that matters.

The question in Isaiah 56 is that of natural born vs. adopted, and the great equalizer is relationship with God. The foreigner in verses 56.3-5 questions his standing before God because he isn’t a Jew, i.e. one of God’s people. There is a separator in his mind that he can never overcome because of his racial heritage. Equally the enuch sees his physical limitations and decides because of cultural bias there must be spiritual limitations as well. God says in response, “It isn’t those who are born citizens or complete physically who matter – it’s those who keep My Sabbath."

Keeping the Sabbath was the litmus test of one’s devotion to God – it was the willful and intentional ceasing of the pursuit of earth in order to dwell with all of one’s being on the pursuit of heaven – if even for only a day a week. To God that meant everything because it revealed a heart of obedience and a heart of devotion that He would not overlook; that He would honor.

It’s not so much what I do, but what is represented by what I do – i.e. the reason behind what I do – that matters to God. Paul said this: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Co 10:31) My job if you can call it that is to keep at my relationship with God and all that I do in life is for His glory – that’s a pretty good reason for everything…

Father in Heaven,

You’ve called me to be holy in all I do, and to set apart periods of time each week, month, and year to devote all of my being’s resources to concentrate solely and wholly upon You. I am refreshed and You are blessed when I do – it represents a heart that is fully devoted to You. May I practice this, preach this, and by my example teach this to others that my life may be lived on purpose for Your glory – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

The Illumination of You

7.27.2010

2 Peter 1:19 19 And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ESV

The day dawning and the morning star rising in the heart is a perfect picture of salvation – it’s when the sinner begins to see the big picture and says something profound like, “Oh, I get it!” And in the heart of the believer, it’s when he says, “Whoa, I never realized that!” and makes appropriate life-changes. Either way it’s the new beginning of relationship or the new beginning of understanding.

That’s why diligent, thoughtful, and regular Bible reading is so important; that’s why actively listening to expository preaching is so important. That’s why deep discussions about spiritual things with other believers are so important. It is the prophetic word to which we all do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place. The light of the knowledge of God shines in our hearts as we give Him our attention.

But with those things must be a hunger and thirst for action – I will do what I read; I will live as I am directed. I will follow God through His word, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Reading without doing is dead. Listening without applying is dead. Faith without works is dead. The truth must be making a noticeable difference in my life or something is wrong. I must read and heed or I’m just fooling myself…

Father in Heaven,

Today Your word is like the day dawning and the morningstar rising in my heart, I see again, more of the big picture that only the light of Your word reveals. Lord, may I walk ever toward the light and attend with all diligence to the shadows that I may reflect in all that I am, the illumination of You. Amen.

Return of the Jedi

7.26.2010

1 Peter 5:6 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ESV

To humble oneself, is to calmly and fearlessly entrust control to someone else. We seem so afraid of giving control to God for fear that He’s going to make us do something we don’t want to do. That is the terror of our fallenness.

Peter's case for humility says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble; God gives His divine affection and favor to those who trust Him but makes the way difficult for those who don’t. But we must remember that there is no such thing as a senseless act of kindness nor is there humility without reason because Peter says, ‘…so that at the proper time He may exalt you…’ Humility is not mindless – it has an end in sight; the exaltation of God on those who faithfully, and willingly, submit to His rule and authority; those who will be rewarded with exaltation, and will then understand how to dispense God’s rule and authority. Like the fictional Star Wars’ Jedi that were brought up under discipline and devotion in order to be entrusted with leadership, people who humble themselves under God’s mighty hand are those who will be trained by discipline and devotion and then able to lead accordingly in the new heavenly era.

Humility requires devotion and discipline. Humility requires loving God regardless of cost, and unswerving allegiance to His cause. And to the one who does…exaltation at the proper time. O, let me be in that number, when the saints go marching in…

Father in Heaven,

You have asked for every single area of my life that You may rule and reign therein. May I humble myself under Your mighty hand entrusting all I am and have to You that at the proper time I will be – not be set free from humility – exalted for having given You my all. Amen.

Armed and Suffering

7.25.2010

1 Peter 4:1 4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ESV

Several years ago I preached through the first epistle of Peter. I have to admit I preached mostly theory, and little practice – at the time I didn’t recognize the magnitude of the mentorship of suffering. I was armed and dangerous with knowledge I had not yet lived out. Today I would preach the letter differently.

Jesus Christ willingly suffered because He saw and understood the true purpose of suffering. Suffering is not for the weak minded or mentally deficient. Suffering is not for the self-centered; one’s suffering is for the benefit of others and is the only sure-fire way to eradicate the nuisance and pestilence of sin and self-centeredness. Suffering with God is supposed to draw us closer to God.

Well, why not be a masochist? It’s because the pain of suffering with God is part of the process of learning to leave the results to God, not just scratching at some internal itch. Like anything else on earth pain can be used as a tool or a toy (or even a weapon) to manipulate and deceive. Suffering at the hands of God (yes, I just said that!) is the truest and most effective way to surrender control to God and walk humbly by His side. If suffering does not drive us to God, either it’s not working or we’re not…

Father in Heaven,

Suffering is not a bad thing – how I must learn that! Suffering is a blessedness that is lost on mankind because mostly our hearts are lost without You! Lord, may I see the true benefit of suffering and embrace its cleansing power on my mind and heart as I deny myself in its midst, take up my cross, and follow You. Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever – amen.

Obvious Hope

7.24.2010

1 Peter 3:15 15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; ESV

The reason they ask is because it's obvious… that we are either lunatics and insane, or we are people of substance. Hope should be more than wishful thinking; it ought to be the engine of how we conduct our living.

Consider the hopeless – he has nothing to look forward to except another day of the same tasteless gruel of his life. He sees no future and every new day is the same as the last one and someday somehow it will all end but he has no idea how, or when, or most importantly, why.

The hopeful on the other hand, live life abundantly in response to God’s multiplied and magnificent promises; they are enabled to enjoy His presence not only for the present but His promises for the future. And that should be obvious. When everyone else is crapping their pants over the current crisis the hopeful ought to be cool as the underside of the pillow; unshaken by the momentary madness. That ought to get some attention.

So, I need to make up my mind and practice the presence of God by Whom, through Whom, and for Whom are all things always. I need to remember my Savior and trust Him unswervingly when the situation is critical and others are falling apart because of fear and frustration. My hope in the leadership and faithfulness of God ought to cause me to be so relaxed that others cannot understand it or stand it – they have to ask, “What’s up with you!?”

Father in Heaven,

You are in control – how long 'til I learn that, and live it. By Your Spirit, help me not to get worked up over the national debt, or who overtakes us, or if I’m employed or not – God may I live in Your presesnce every moment and trust in Your leadership to see me through every tomorrow. Yours is the power and the glory forever and ever – amen.

What He Promises

7.23.2010

2 Kings 20:9 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”

Sometimes there is no substitute for a thoughtful, unhurried read in God’s word; it’s remarkable the things one sees when one does. Okay Paul, what did you see? Well now that you’ve asked…

First, Hezekiah in my mind was, The Praying King. He walked in the ways of the Lord and honored Him to the best of his ability; and Hezekiah prayed. I think this is why God was so pleased with him; Hezekiah set his heart to be obedient and to lead his nation to do the same.

Second, when Hezekiah prayed, stuff happened. He prayed and God turned back the Assyrians and punished them for hasseling His people. And because Hezekiah (apparently) prayed publicly God responded heroicly; and in return honored His chosen leader abundantly.

Third, and here is what is important among all the other things in Hezekiah’s life and leadership: This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing He has promised… you choose the sign! I figure it took about thirty to forty-five minutes for the sun to go backwards 10 steps that day. I figure there were others who witnessed this and I figure the sign was not just the orbit of the earth, but that God healed Hezekiah and allowed him to reign another fifteen years. God always does what He promises for the sake of His people.

I am called to be a praying leader like Hezekiah. I am called to walk in holiness and do good like he did. I am called to trust God in seasons of severtiy like he did and trust that God’s sign to me is that He will do as He has promised in His word. (I can just imagine what was going through Hezekiah’s mind as he watched the shadows reverse!)

Father in Heaven,

You always do what You promise. You always come through for Your people. Help me today to take this truth and let it be the anchor of my soul and let it be the sign to me of Your love, Your truth, Your righteousness, Your faithfulness, and Your presence – in Christ’s Name, amen.

Scoring Points with God

7.22.2010

Isaiah 37.21 Because you have prayed... ESV

Many people feel the need to try to score points with God – the sum total of their belief is this: if I act good enough, do good enough, and go to church often enough, I’ll gain God’s approval and He will take care of me. There is no such thing. We cannot live long enough, or do good enough ever to gain God’s approval because God doesn’t relate to us on the basis of merit; God only relates to us on the basis of love.

That being said, if there was such a thing as gaining point with God, I think it would be based upon this: because you have prayed. In Isaiah’s account of Hezekiah’s issues with the Assyrian invasion God respond to the praying king by saying, “Because you have prayed…” Hezekiah could’ve formed an action committee; he could passed a resolution. If he was around today, he would’ve got the U.N. involved. But he chose to pray to God for salvation and God responded because he did.

Prayer is often not our first response – it ought to be. Prayer is hard work – especially in difficult circumstances. Prayer requires faith in a God who responds to the prayers of His people. Prayer pleases God because it invites Him into the conversation. I am going to bet that life will be different or I will be different because of prayer and one day in Heaven I will hear the Father say, “Because you prayed…”

Father in Heaven,

You are not impressed by my resume or my experiences – but the truth is You are pleased when I pray. Hezekiah was a good leader because he prayed and prayer is a vital part of my relationship with You. Here’s my prayer today, help me. Here’s my prayer today: I put my trust in You to respond and to lead me to where I’m supposed to be. You are God and You answer the prayers of Your people – Thank You! Amen.

The Prayer of Faith

7.21.2010

James 5:15 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ESV

The story of King Hezekiah in the Old Testament (found in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah) is the story of faith in the face of overwhelming circumstances. It is the story of obedience, pride, humility, and prayer. Hezekiah was an overcomer despite his shortcomings. Hezekiah was a man of godliness, faithfulness, and prayer – not bad qualities for a king.

In his New Testament book, James tells us that the prayer of faith will save. I usually look at this above verse and focus in on the healing of the sick; but today I look at the effect of prayers offered in faith in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Sickness often undoes our faith; we get sick and begin to think we’ve sinned in some manner and God is punishing us by making us sick. We tend to focus in on our behavior as a result and then try to make the appropriate corrections we feel will win us back God’s favor we feel we’ve somehow lost.

That attitude is unbelief and wrong belief. That is when we need the prayer of faith and, as Paul wrote in Philippians, receive the peace of God that passes all understanding.

The prayer of faith is what I should pray (must pray) in good times and bad; in seasons of both sin and righteousness. The fact that I pray in faith at all is a good indication of where my heart really is. The prayer of faith saves me from unbelief and brings healing to my attitude which often wanders off into the “slough of despond” where I think I need to win back God’s favor by just being better.

Father in Heaven,

It is with a sad and repentant heart that I pray today the prayer of faith. I thank You for Your love for me for who I am now, not for what I’ll someday be. May I focus my attention on Your presence today and walk humbly by Your side as one being taught that I may learn more about Your love and experience more of the freedom You purchased for me in Jesus Christ – in His Name, amen.

Simple and Straightforward

7.20.2010

2 Ch 31:18b ...for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy.

Sounds pretty straightforward to me – they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. Seems there are some basics that need to be followed or adhered to:

1. Know God. Do whatever it takes to know God and to keep knowing Him more and more.

2. Faithfully keep oneself holy. A full-time job

3. Lead one’s family faithfully in godliness – another full-time job.

4. Work one’s job, employment or vocation. A full-time job.

5. Give one’s life to the last breath to serve and exhalt the Lord – a full-time job.

The priests of Hezekiah’s day were inspired by a leader who pointed them to God, reminded them of their calling, and equipped them to serve fully-devoted according to the original intention of the Lord written in their Law.

Christian’s today need to be inspired by their leaders who continually point them to God, remind them of their calling, and equip them to serve in a fully devoted manner according to the lifestyle of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible and the trachings of the New Testament.

It’s really simple and straightforward. Keeping oneself holy is not rocket-science; it’s an attitude of holiness as a response to the love and grace of God.

Father in Heaven,

As they were faithful in keeping themselves holy, so will I. I give over all that I am and have that I may gain all that You are to live and serve You in this world as long as my life lasts – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

True or False

7.19.2010

2 Kings 17.15 They went after false idols and became false... ESV

If God has a goal, it’s that we become true; it’s that we experience true life, true relationship, true healing, and true love. God doesn’t make junk and He desires that we humans rise to the level of His creation, not to the point of our limitations.

The fall of man in the garden is way more than a simple single disobedient act – it was the collapse of a dream – God’s dream. To be sure, God wasn’t surprised or disappointed, nor was He wringing His hands over the vulnerability of what He had just made. But God’s initial dream collapsed when one person said, I’ll do it my way, and in that simple single act became the opposite of true - she became false; and her husband followed right after her.

History tells us, if we care to listen, that going after what is true is not the MO of mankind; mankind because of sin always goes after the false; because mankind is false…except for those whom, by God’s grace and presence have, by faith, become true. Whatever we go after is what we become.

So I go after God because He has allowed me to see what is true and given me the ability by His Spirit to choose what is true. I still have my false moments, but by His grace I am a new true person in pursuit of all that He has for me.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for saving me from all that is false. To me that sounds too big and too true to be true but it is true and it’s all from You. Help me to realize the freedom You’ve given me more and more; and to go after You and continue to be true – I pray in Jesus Name, amen.

A Posture of Poverty

7.18.2010

James 2:5 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ESV

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt. 5.3 ESV) There is a blessedness in poverty that we should be quick to pay attention to. God doesn’t choose someone just because he is poor, God chooses those who disregard the riches of earth and appropriate the infinite riches of heaven. It’s a matter of choice; God’s and ours.

My faith is weakened every time I make a choice for earth. (Unfortunately, I’m guilty of having made those choices for years now…) What good is the amassed wealth and goods of this earth if it hinders my relationship with God? Poverty is a choice and the financial blessing we enjoy can quickly become shackles if we’re not vigilant as to what they can do to us.

So as I see it, my faith is strengthened, nurtured, and caused to grow when I willfully and diligently keep my perspective heavenward and keep the stuff of earth in its proper place. It’s my choice to keep a posture of poverty lest I become enslaved to all the world calls important: possessions, position, and performance. And God has chosen those who are free from the mesmerism of materialism to be rich in faith… and as the prophet Daniel said, “…but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." (Daniel 11.32b ESV) That, for me, can only be accomplished through richness in faith.

Father in Heaven,

As You direct and as I am being taught to pray, keep me from the pull of materialism and worldly wealth and give me wisdom to walk in true poverty which craves not a bigger paycheck, but a richer, deeper faith – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Heed the Word

7.16.2010

Hebrews 13:5 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ESV

Among the exhortations of Hebrews 13 this one stands out fairly easily. It’s difficult to embrace in this age of affluence even in the midst of a shaky economy. Money brings a measure of power; and power brings a sense of control; and control feeds an attitude of self-sufficiency; and self-sufficiency leads brings on a false freedom that leads one away from God, for that one then has no need for God. I can’t think of one person I know anywhere who isn’t affected in some way with money. Most are more affected with the negative than the plus…

I look at the life I’ve lived thus far and it has been one purchase plan after another. I’ve moved twice in the past year and the task of lugging all of the crap I have from one place to another, is both tiresome and disturbing – Where did ALL THIS STUFF come from!!!? I keep thinking I’m getting better and I realize I’m not. As the Apostle wrote in Romans 7.24, Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Keeping my life free from the love of money is not impossible but it is – at least for me – difficult. I’m surrounded by countless others who are just as enslaved as me; it’s all I hear us talking about as Americans and advertising and enticement is unceasing. It’s time to heed the Word.

Father in Heaven,

You have said that I should keep my life free from the love of money and You know how much I struggle with that; but today I return in humility to Your command and offer all I have back to You. Fill me with love and enthrallment for You that my love and desire for the things of this earth may grow strangely dim in the light of Your glory and grace – amen.

A Struggle And Striving

7.15.2010

Hebrews 12:14 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. ESV

To strive for peace with everyone means mainly to live at all cost as far as I am able to be at peace with everyone I encounter at all times. It doesn’t mean there will be mutual peace it just means that I am responsible to God to live at peace and not harbor enmity in my heart. I can’t control the other person but I can control me.

And to strive for holiness means I am different from the man of the world. The man of the world is caught up in possession, position, and performance – I am to be caught up in God’s word and His will. Holiness is living differently from those who don’t know the Lord. Holiness means faithfully and quietly enduring the hard times and trusting God in the midst of them that His will may be accomplished in my puny little life. ...but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pe 1:15-16 ESV) The only way to relate to a Holy God is to be holy oneself…

All this means I must be careful to make daily assessment and correction to the behavioral patterns I have and try with all my might (strive) to live like God – not as God but like Him. And how does God live? God loves. I cannot live as God loves and hate people. I cannot live as God loves and remain contentious. I must get into the groove of God’s goodness and do everything in my power to stay there; by loving, living, and learning to live holy as God is holy.

Father in Heaven,

This can only be done as You guide me by Your Spirit. This can only be done as the Spirit of Christ within me reveals Your way and causes me to live in it by showing me the dire consequences of living without Your love. Fill me with love Father and may my life be a struggle and striving for divine love and holiness – in Jesus I pray, amen.

Uh, Yes It Does

7.14.2010

Hebrews 11:16 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. ESV

I’m not sure how we ever came up with the term, “it doesn’t get any better than this!” I hear that a lot. I usually hear this during a good meal, on a good bike-ride, or on a good hike; or when things are being accomplished with relative ease. I wonder what the people who live in the squallor, poverty, and oppresion of third world countries say – I wonder if they make the same assessment.

It appears that God’s people of old said something to the effect of, “Uh, yes it does – my promised home is way better than this.” When I read through chapter 11 of Hebrews I get a different life perspective from the accounts of the people mentioned there. They were people who intensely desired and focused on that better country – the one God made for them and the one in which they would one day dwell. Their best and joyous day on earth ever, would amount to complete and utter misery compared to the worst day there.

Reading Hebrews 11 you might think that the people mentioned therein were all mentally deficient or certainly deluded. But they lived faithfully in faith in the face of a world that claims there is no God. And according to the writer of Hebrews they all received what was promised posthumously like we today received it prehumously so that together we all get the promises in the same way, by faith in Christ.

Father in Heaven,

It doesn’t get any better than that – by faith in Christ. That is the way I am to live in this world and that is my protection from getting too caught up in what I think are the good things this world has to offer. May I live by faith with my eyes focused upon that city where I will soon dwell, and can say in all truth, it doesn’t get any better than this! In Jesus’ better Name, amen.

The Focus and Vocation

7.13.2010

Hebrews 10.25b ...but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We are to be looking for the Day and encouraging one another more and more with each passing day. Says so right here.

So that must mean that the focus of life is the Day and the vocation of life is encouragement. I am to continually keep my eye on the coming day of the Lord – not a date on the calendar, but the reality of its coming. For God has said that He won’t let this thing go on forever – it’s not the way He intended. He is coming back to put everything back in its proper order and then allow His true children to care for it under His quidance.

Last night I had a dream wherein I was being challenged by an offended employee for a mistake I didn’t make. I found myself in my dream getting defensive and when I discussed it with my supervisor he said, “We hired you to handle situations like this!” When I woke up, I realized defensiveness is not the way to inspire people and that true leadership would agree with the issue, encourage the offended, and seek to correct the issue. And true leadership would thank the employee for the challenge and take the matter to heart in the attitude of: how could I have done this better?

My brothers and sisters in Christ need more than challenges and criticism – they need encouragement and all the more as they turn their eyes (and way of life) toward the coming Day when Christ returns to inaugurate the new Kingdom, the new earth and the new heavens – what a day that will be!

Father in Heaven,

You correct and encourage me everyday – that is Your manner as I see it. Father, help me to be an encouragement as I look for the coming Day and as I help others in the meantime. Life is full of issues and how I learn to handle them can be like a breath of fresh air to someone who’s caught up in the midst of them. May I encourage, and all the more, as I see the Day approaching – in Jesus I walk and pray – amen.

my Example

7.12.2010

Isaiah 11:3 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear... ESV

OMG! What a statement with massive implications! This was the attitude of Jesus as our Savior and Messiah.

First, His delight was not power or prestige but complete and unswerving obedience to God the Father – fear of the Lord. That is what His primary goal and life’s purpose was – to delight in doing exactly and only what Father God told Him to do. In this, He is my Example of daily living.

Second, He would not judge or decide by what His eyes saw or what His ears heard. Truly, Jesus had his own opinions of the world around Him but those opinions were never a part of His conversation with God His Father. Only God’s opinions mattered to Him and that is how He could truly love people and accept the mission that was given to Him. In this, He is my Example of normal ministry.

I marvel at the visions of Isaiah and other prophets who saw the disaster of their nation’s misguidedness and the dreadfulness of their culture’s ways but were courageous in keeping their eyes steadfastly upon the Lord in all circumstances and as a result saw the majesty and grace of God in promising an infinitely better day when their future countrymen would be cared for by God in ways that would satisfy their deepest needs. I expect from God through Jesus Christ nothing less…

Father God,

Only You can satisfy the human heart with what it takes to love You so obediently and rightly. Help me God – show me my deficiencies and lead me in the way everlasting that I may be healed to live as my Example – in His perfect Name I pray, amen.

Daily to Live

7.11.2010

Isaiah 8:17 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. ESV

Here is your ministry description: You are called by God to announce to your nation their godlessness and sin and the resulting invasion of a foreign nation who is going to slaughter multiplied thousands of your countrymen and take the remainder (i.e. the ones deemed worthy of salvage) into captivity to make improvements to their social, political, and religious infrastructure. You are to address your message to kings and commoners alike and everyone in between; you probably won’t survive your mission. And your family will be ostracised and harassed because of what you say. You will not preach peace, you will only tell of a coming day when the Lord relents and brings home only a select few to resettle the land.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Hebrews 8:10 ESV)

I am not called to prophecy as Isaiah or Jeremiah or any of the others who stood and spoke God’s word and paid the price for obedience. But I am called daily to live in fellowship with Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit to speak and live the truth in front of all I come into contact with. And despite the chaos I see currently in our society and nation I am to live in this posture: I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in Him, for the fulfillment of His future promises of restoration of all mankind – and especially to the house of Jacob.

Father in Heaven,

You promise salvation and restoration and though it isn’t fully here in our experience, it is fully underway; and so unitl it happens completely in our experience, I will hope in You and I will wait for You and live according to what You say and who You are – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

The Priest Forever

7.10.2010

Heb 7:28 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. ESV

It behooves us to listen to God. As I’m reading this passage in Hebrews this morning, I’m thinking about the order of things and I realize that the word of the oath was after the writing of the Law. What is quoted earlier in this chapter is a verse from Psalm 110: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps 110:4 ESV). Psalm 110 was written by David who lived centuries after the Law of Moses was given to the people in their journey in the wilderness. What David said in Psalm 110 nullifies the Levitical Law and the Levitical priesthood. It wasn’t that the Law was wrong – it was that God intended us to be led by another more perfect priesthood through the Person of Jesus Christ – the Priest Forever.

God never changed His mind because He never intended His people to be ruled by law; He intended they be led by love; His love in them and for them; and their love in response. And in love and through love God’s people are to get to know God’s heart and walk in His ways so that their lives make a difference in this dismal world of inconsistencies, lies, and ever-changing and increasing rules.

Yes, I must listen to God because in His word – His communication with me – I find out that as important as the Law was, it doesn’t hold a candle to the magnitude of His love for us in Jesus Christ. And the love of God predates the Law of Moses by eternity past so that I may walk forever in His love through eternity future…thank You God!

Father in Heaven,

You are my God and You have many things to say that straighten out my crooked thinking. I am draw to rules because that is the way I was raised from infancy. But You call me to love because that is what You intended for me from all eternity. May I listen, learn, and love according to Your heart – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Above and Beyond

7.9.2010

Hebrews 6:11 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end... ESV

What does hope in action look like; how is it displayed in everyday life? Why does the New Testament speak so often of hope? Because true hope is the result of true belief. Hope is the process, posture, or perspective that there is a promised goal or result that is truly going to happen at some point in the future. What we hope for in Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises of eternity in His presence. Hope is not fickle and unbelieving wishful thinking - like I’d like to win the lottery (I think); hope is a fixed attitude that what God has promised will truly come to pass, and hope is my responding properly and living accordingly to His promises.

There ought to be a focus in my eye as I live out my remaining days here upon the earth. There ought to be a continual looking above and beyond the ebb and flow of earthly life to that of eternal life because God has promised it to me because I believe Him. I don’t place my belief in the government and what it promises because governments fail, change, and go away. But I do place my trust and my fully assured hope in God and in what He promises because His promises are as good as having them already; His promises are an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for [us] (1 Peter 1.4).

Hope in action is a life unservingly lived in a fixed believe in God’s promises and patiently waiting for them to come to pass – period. The full assurance of hope is that my God can never go wrong…

Father in Heaven,

You have promised, so I will live. Lord, You are helping me to unlearn all that I have come to believe is true and only live by what You reveal as true. Your Spirit is my Teacher, and Your word is my Guide. And by Your promises through all my experiences I will thus live and abide – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Practice Practice Practice

7.8.2010

Hebrews 5:14 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. ESV

Ask mommies of young children and they’ll tell you babies love their milk (or formula). But you watch young children when they develop a taste for solid food and man do they begin to chow down! Their hunger drives them on…

Babies in the Lord are often a different breed however; they seem to love milk and don’t want to progress past it – they don’t seem to want to grow up. And can you blame them; this world is evil and difficult to live in and more often than not church is a place to hide from the sin and evil of life and feel better for a while. And while we don’t let babies play on the freeway, the Scripture makes it clear that we are to have our powers of discernment trained by constant practice and exposure to the Word so that we’ll be able to discern good from evil.

So the battle never lets up and the issues of life are, at best, only kept at bay. So by God’s word and constant practice, we are trained to overcome by not taking the battle on ourselves, but by allowing God to work through us in every circumstance by His word so that we can walk as mature and well fed and not get defeated by the ugliness and evil of everyday life.

And just to read God’s word is only the beginning – putting it into practice, practice, practice – is the only way to survive; so I must allow God to teach me that I may live a worthy life by obeying and putting into constant practice the things I read in His word into my daily experience.

Father in Heaven,

May Your word have it’s way in my heart and may my appreciation for it grow and grow day by day. The days are indeed evil and I must learn to discern good from evil because often they look very similar to the untrained. Help me to glean truth and encourage my brothers to do likewise – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

A God Who Does All of the Work

7.7.2010

Hebrews 4:10 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. ESV

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:3) God served mankind by creating the heavens and the earth and the Scripture says He did all that in six days and then rested from His work on the seventh. God didn’t rest because He was tired; He ceased creating because it was done.

Man works to repay a debt he can never ever repay; and so he works and works and tries to repay it, but he can’t; so he continues to strive and toil and work. But God says, “Rest in Me!” so that man can find his debt paid-off and the way made for him to rightly relate to God and accept the pay-off of his unpayable debt. There is no longer a need to pay a debt that has already been paid if man could only believe… but he can’t because he cannot accept a God who does all of the work for him.

Resting in God is my accepting that His work of redemption is done. Resting in God is my accepting that the debt I owe is fully repaid. Resting in God is my accepting life from Him through faith in His finished work in Jesus Christ. Resting in God is my ceasing from trying to find righteousness in and of myself and simply accepting His through Christ. Resting in God is the gift of relationship with God by faith and the freedom to finally stop trying to impress Him (and whoever else) with what I think I know and what I think I can do.

Father in Heaven,

You made sure that a rest remains for Your people by finishing the work for us. You knew we could never repay our debt and You knew we would not stop trying to do so. Today, I again accept Your free gift and realize how I have (again) been trying to impress You rather than simply accepting You for who You are and what You’ve done. Thank You for the rest that is mine in Jesus Christ – may my life be a reflection of that truth today – in His Name, amen.

Keeping the Conversation Going

7.6.2010

Hebrews 3:13 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ESV

We have a responsibility to stay connected to one another because we cannot exhort one another every day if we don’t see one another or speak to one another every day. The Christian life is an open life that allows interaction with one another to keep the faith and the conversation going.

The writer of Hebrews was addressing a group of people who were in community and he urged them to cling together so that if nothing else they could detect, correct, and protect against the hardening of the heart brought on by the deceitfulness of sin. But that meant being in community and helping one another daily – something our culture doesn’t readily understand…

I am to seek a group of people to be with and around that I may exhort and be exhorted. I am to live in community with other believers in my day and in my town that I may help keep the conversation going. I must care and know that I am cared for because without the care and correction of others I’ll tend to get off the path and wander and who knows where I’ll end up? I must strive to live a connected life and be willing to submit who I am, what I do, say, and think so that my life helps build the Kingdom up and not tear it down.

Father in Heaven,

You’ve called all of us to stick close together and keep the conversation going that we may live the lives You’ve called us to and reveal our faith to others by doing so. Help me to do this – to find those who don’t want the conversation to die and who want to live as a band of brothers detecting, correcting, and protecting against the insidious deceitfulness of sin – in Christ’s Name, amen.

Dependence Day

7.5.2010

Hebrews 2:9 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. ESV

God never intended for His creation to die – that just isn’t His way. When God creates His creation lasts forever. But when our first parental units – Adam and Eve – sinned, death was introduced into God’s creation – not because of God but because of sin. And so as God created man who then sinned; eternal death was the only result of sin.

So God reversed the order by sending His perfect and eternal Son into the present death of the world so that by His death life would return to those enslaved by the sin of our first parents through their discobedience. He tasted true death in order that true life would then be available to all who believe. That’s something worth celebrating.

Yesterday, July fourth in the US we celebrated Independence Day. Today we must remember and celebrate Dependence Day – the Day that Jesus Christ tasted death for all who believe. He, who for a little while, was made lower than the angels, so that by the favor of God for His creation, He might taste death and open the door for true restoration and eternal life for everyone.

Lord Jesus,

Today, I celebrate what You did for us by giving Your life to make it possible for me (and everyone else who believes) to have eternal life. God, help me to celebrate my dependence upon You for doing what I could never do and giving me what I could never have apart from You. May Your Name be forever praised, amen.

The Dominion of Whores

7.4.2010

Hosea 1:2 2 "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” ESV

What does a godly man do when God orders him to do something so culturally and socially unacceptable? Well, by virtue of the fact that he’s a man of God, he does; he obeys. When I read this today I thought to myself, “God commanded Hosea to take a wife from the dominion of whores; for surely whoredom is the domain where whores are.” Dominion is such a big word.

Throughout the Bible we repeatedly see the people of God giving themselves over to false worship and false gods. And everytime they do, God is insulted and they suffer tremendously for it. And every time they do, after all He’s done for them, they forsake Him and run after their selfish cravings, ravings, and depravings. Their acts were as dispicable as becoming prostitutes; living so to speak, in the dominion of whores. BTW: whoredom is the epitome of dirty, impure, immoral, and diseased desperation to have it our own way. It is like a marriage all in white exchanged for the filth of raw sewage. And Hosea, by obedience to God, became the sermon illustration that God was making to His people.

First, I ask myself, what would I do? Then, I quickly rejoice that I wasn’t asked to do what Hosea was asked to do. Then, I examine my life and take a serious look at where I might be a-whoring in some innocuous looking and subtle way perhaps because of my culture, my citizenship or something like that. And then I realize that unless my allegiance in all I do, say, and think is to God then I’m exchanging God for something else and wind up with the moral and spiritual equivalence of filth, impurity, immorality, and diseased desperation of having it my own way.

Father in Heaven,

You know all and You know my heart. Please show me where I am exchanging Your goodness, glory and presence for the dominion of whores. Cleanse me and help me I pray – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

When Fashion was King

7.1.2010

Isaiah 3.22c "...and the handbags..." ESV

Perhaps it’s because I spent so many years in department stores that I have an appreciation of the word, handbags. In that industry (if you can call it that) we sold handbags, not purses. I think the word ‘purses’ is a fashion faux pas. Most all of the women I know today would tell you they carry a purse and scant few would use the term, handbag. So what, pray tell, does this have to do with us, Paul? I’m glad you asked.

As I began to read Isaiah’s prophecy today I noticed right off the bat that his language was very accusational. I’m not sure we’d like Isaiah preaching to us nowadays, he seemed to be so negative. We do have to remember however that Isaiah was representing God and speaking what God told him to say to the nations of Israel, and Judah. (The sad irony is that the two were supposed to be one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all…)

But they had abondoned all that business about loving God and loving people and decided that life was more like a fashion show and that Gucci, Pucci, and Yves St. Laurent, and Dooney and Bourke, were more important than anything else. Life to them had boiled down to what one looked like, not what one was… They would’ve loved Sex and the City; they lived it.

When my relationship with God becomes more about me and less about Him it becomes no relationship at all and that’s what Isaiah was criticizing his people for – they’d left God out of the picture and had embraced the gods of affluence and leisure. As a result they became a nation of haves and have-nots that cared little about their souls and very little about the foundations of who they were before God – a nation of humbly righteous people who loved and obeyed God and took care of each other.

Sound familiar? It should, it’s us.

Father in Heaven,

You never called Your people to get hung up on the goods of this world but to live good lives. Maybe today, by Your grace and presence, I could live a little more like the believer You’ve allowed me to be and see my life as more than what I can get with my employee discount. Draw me close to You Lord and help me to keep my pursuits anchored in the realm of righteousness and good works – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.