Dreaming of Spain

12.3.2010

Romans 15:23-24 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.

I don’t, but I want to; I want to live as Paul lived and accept the mission as Paul accepted it: living each and every day to preach Christ in ever widening circles of influence and when those places of influence get filled up, to share Him in more and more places where He is not named. Paul dreamed of Spain.

I need to see my life as Paul saw his: preaching Jesus and witnessing to others as a  normal, everyday, godly lifestyle. Paul loved what he lived and lived what he loved. Paul understood the answer to man’s dilemma and used each of his days to tell others about the Lord. Paul’s mission field was wherever he was that day. His dream was always the next mission field tomorrow (whenever and wherever that would be.)

My current mission field is a small community in northeastern Oregon. Yes, I’d like to travel to Uganda to see B & V; yes, I’d like to accompany PC out of the Philippines; but today’s mission is right here where I live and hopefully not interfering with all the others who look at Baker City the same way. I think there’s plenty of room…

Father in Heaven,
You’ve planted me here, and here may I bloom and grow for You. I dream about other places but I like having influence for Your Kingdom right here in my town – amen…

Progression

12.1.2010

Romans 5:3-5 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ESV

Last night I read the blog of a dear friend whose husband is suffering from some, as yet, unexplainable malady. They just don’t quite know what’s wrong with him. It would be an understatement to say they’re concerned over the current set of circumstances. Now if given the choice to have this taken away, I believe they’d do so, but in the midst of their trial of affliction and the unknown, there is a spark of hope brightly shining. And they recognize Jesus is with them no matter what.

It’s not my intent to define what Paul calls suffering in this passage because I know unbelievers suffer just like believers. I don’t want to say that suffering is just spiritual either, because whatever happens to us in life is spiritual in the sense that we have a spirit and are spirit beings.

So, suffering in whatever sense, is a part of a progression that ought to lead us to holiness, godliness and love. The reason the saint can rejoice in suffering is because he sees God in it and knows that God lovingly uses it to effect holiness and righteousness in His children. And Paul doesn’t say it can; he says, it does.

Today, wherever we are and whatever our suffering, we must cling to the truth of the Lord’s reign in our hearts. He’s in control and that ought to make us immensely happy – joyful to the point of crying out. Suffering is a normal part of the progression; and in the saint leads to a life worth living here as we wait for life worth living there…

Father in Heaven,
May suffering have it’s share of the progression of my life; may it produce endurance, character, and hope. May I not fear but only trust that You love me and that all things work together for good for those who love You – amen.

Strong Faith

11.30.2010

Romans 4:20 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God… ESV

This verse doesn’t say that Abraham didn’t have mistrust; it is obvious from his story in Genesis he did. What it does say is that any mistrust Abraham had didn’t make him waver in his faith in God’s promise, and over time his faith in God only grew stronger; and every time it did God got all the glory. That is the life of Abraham, the father of the faith, and the example for everyone who follows in his footsteps.

Whatever is going on in our lives (past, present, or future) is there to help us grow in our faith because with strong faith comes rich reward. And with rich reward the ability to walk through life the way Jesus Himself did, by the Spirit and in complete trust in God. And God is all about strong faith because there are things that God wants to do through each of us that will take strong faith to accomplish because without strong faith is the weakness of unbelief.

I think strong faith ultimately withstands the whining, wearying, wasting effect of worry. When we worry we are primed to give in to the notion that God is somehow limited when it comes to our circumstances. He might take care of everyone else but when it comes to us, somehow He’s limited. When worry shows up is when we need to remember that life was intended to be lived out on the balls of our feet in action, not on our heels in reaction. Strong faith will even kill worry.

The lesson for me today is to not waver and give God the glory. I am to pray, praise and thank Him for what He’s doing in me, for me and especially – in this world of doubt, mistrust and worry – through me.

Father in Heaven,
Every day is a brand new gift from You to walk as Abraham did, strong in faith. My prayer today is thanksgiving that You are with me and I am in You. My petition is, help me this day to live on my toes in faithful action rather than on my heels in worry – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Behavior and Belief

11.29.2010

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. ESV

There are two separate principles at work here; the first is how they walked according to how they were taught; and the second is their pleasing God by trusting in Him and all He’s done on their behalf.

Often we get the two confused and turned around. We think we can please God by how we act and so we attempt to act properly. But when we came to Christ did anyone ask us to behave or were we asked to believe? You can always spot religion because it’s all about behavior. Salvation is based upon belief in the finished work of God through Jesus Christ.

Marriage is all about belief, not behavior – at least it’s supposed to be. My relationship with my wife is built upon a promise given to faithfully be her lawfully wedded husband for better or worse, in sickness and health, in wealth and poverty, loving only her until death. Marriage is a relationship built on a promise, not how often I take out the garbage. My behavior may set the tone of our ability to get along, but it isn’t the foundation of marriage – belief is.

My relationship with God is not based upon my behavior (thank You Lord!); my relationship with Him is based upon a belief that He is who He is and He loves me for who I am. Behavior is based upon belief not the other way around. We walk as we ought because we believe in Whom we believe.

Father in Heaven,
You are interested in my holiness but that is only through faith in Your finished work and my accepting it; trusting in all You’ve done. Help me to walk today in belief and because I do may my behavior lend credence to what I believe – in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Stuff and Circumstances

11.28.2010

1 Thessalonians 2:18 18 ...because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. ESV

Hmmm, whatever do you suppose Paul could’ve meant: Satan hindered us? There’s a lot of theology at stake here; I mean if God is large and in charge and Paul wanted to visit them again and again, what could it possibly mean that Satan hindered [them]?

To me, there are two possibilities that are shared in this passage: one is Paul in fear and worry wanted to visit them (v. 2.18); and the other, “Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you...” (1 Th 3:11).

Sometimes timing is everything. Sometimes the car has a dead battery; sometimes the kids get sick – sometime stuff happens. I think Paul had to stand back at times and declare that despite his best efforts, Satan hindered him. I tend to think Paul was a little impatient in this situation or a little anxious when he shouldn’t have been and as a result God allowed stuff and circumstances to get in Paul’s way, in order to show Paul His sufficiency, and Paul’s own motives.

I lean toward this way of thinking because Paul made the statement: “Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you...” Maybe Paul realized he wasn’t going anywhere until God did the directing – and anxiety and impatience were not going to be the mediums to get the job done but patience and trust were.

For over two years now we have tried to sell our house and tried to change our living situation and have been hindered by circumstances beyond our control. I think I’m finally getting to that place of saying, Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, meet all of our needs according to Their majestic will and purpose; and may we be amazed at how They do so… Trusting is so much better than worrying…

Father in Heaven,
You are never hindered. Maybe You were dealing with Paul – probably one of the greatest saints ever – who possibly was struggling with doubt, worry, fear, and self. Maybe he was hindered until he redirected his focus and his faith back to You. May I do the same; and thank You that You are always Large and in Charge – amen.

When Our Hearts Go South

11.27.2010

Matthew 26:14 14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests... ESV

Judas had developed a nasty habit of criticizing Jesus. Jesus was not acting the way he wanted Him to act and so Judas began to keep score. Perhaps Judas thought Jesus was a hypocrite, saying one thing and doing another. Perhaps Judas just got tired and irritated every time Jesus came up with one more of His answers. Maybe Judas was jealous. Maybe Judas tried with all his might to catch on to the Messiah but just couldn’t accept Jesus’ personality. I think it was a combination of all this, and the fact that Judas was a thief (see John 12.1-8).

What happens when our hearts go south against a leader? What happens when we just grow tired of the boss or the teacher or the pastor – or the mentor? It happens. What happens when our heart leaves and the guilt over its leaving stays? Sometimes the ego cannot bear admitting defeat and will hang on when it’s apparent to everyone else it should’ve left as well. I think that was Judas. I think he got caught up in something that he couldn’t control but initially thought he could. And when his Leader started saying things about crucifixion, he bailed in his heart…

I’ve never betrayed anyone like Judas did, but I have bailed in my heart… numerous times. I have been guilt ridden over my heart leaving but my stubbornness remaining. (Nobody really wants to hang around a cantankerous mule). There’s usually a tipping point, and for everyone’s sake, including my own, I need to pay attention to it. But when I do I need to remember that like two people who remain miserably married until the kids are gone, then divorce, the sham will at some point be obvious to everyone.

I think communication is vital. I think grace is essential. I think our hearts – mine and yours – are desperately fickle and often very misleading. I think a godly community of saints is the only place to deal with the tipping point and where we can deal with it when our hearts go south.

Father in Heaven,
You are good and merciful, and You are compassionate and loving. You know I struggle sometimes. Help me to be honest with how I feel and Help me to give all of my heart to You when it feels like it wants to leave. I’d rather have a tiny portion of Your grace now than a whole bunch of remorse later. Amen.

Risk

11.26.2010

Matthew 25:35-36 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ESV

If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is counterintuitive then the Kingdom of God is a place of great risk. Imagine, in this day of mistrust and suspicion, inviting a stranger into your home with your wife and children and giving him a place to stay. Imagine in this day of poor economy and recession taking out of your own and giving food to the local hungry and thirsty. Imagine in this day of morbid fear over germs and flu approaching a dirty, filthy naked person, offering them a bath and some of your clothes clothes to wear. Imagine going into a room with someone in the last stages of AIDS, and sharing the remaining few hours of their life as their body tries to void itself of the disease through their bowels. Imagine going to a jail or a prison and visiting someone who is guilty and convicted and remaining friends with them. The Kingdom of God is a place of great risk to reputation, health, safety, and resources.

The late John Lennon (truly a beetle, not a Beatle) sang selfishly of imagining a world of no religion – he couldn’t risk religion and its demands on his time, talents, and treasures. Imagine ministering to the homeless, sick, imprisoned, and impoverished and never once receiving a thank you; but eagerly, joyfully awaiting a day of hearing these words: ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ (Mt 25:34 ESV)

I must risk in order to hear these words; words that will mean more to me than any prize earth could ever offer. I must risk...

Jesus,
Lord, You have called me to risk it all for Your sake and the Kingdom. Help me to see my life the way You do and to live as Your Gospel demands and Your love commands – Amen.