If My People

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  This is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, 2 Chronicles 7:14.  In the verse right before it God talked about drought, locusts, and pestilence being the problems that would prompt His people to pray.  The occasion was the temple dedication.  Solomon had spent years constructing the temple his father David had planned for, and the time of blessing and dedication had arrived.  In the larger passage before this verse Solomon asked God to always have His eyes and ears open to this temple so that when His people experienced hardships of any kind they could pray toward this holy place and God would hear them.  God spoke to Solomon in the night and assured him that His eyes, ears, and heart would be attentive to the prayers offered in and toward this place.

He also assured him that if he turned from God to idols, God would uproot him and his house from the land.  Sin separated Israel from God's continued blessing.  Centuries later Israel and Judah were defeated and taken captive to Babylon, yet God renewed this promise.  In Jeremiah He promised to gather them out of all the lands to which He had driven them, saying, "Than you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

 Today His people can still reach His heart.  We no longer have to pray toward a temple because we have direct access to God Himself when we pray.  Drought, locusts, and pestilence are still real problems in parts of the world, but hardships cover the globe in many forms.  The nightly news is rarely good news.  There is violence, evil, tragedy, and sickness everywhere.  Our land and our world needs healing, and many are held captive by sin.  But God's solution has not changed.  If His people, born-again Christians, humble THEMSELVES.  Nowhere are we instructed to correct or humiliate the world; we are to humble ourselves.  And pray.  Pray, not just complain, not just rant, not just petition or boycott or picket, not post really clever insulting statuses on social media, but really pray.  Seek His face.  Meet with Him face to face, however long it takes to see things from His perspective.  Turn from OUR wicked ways.  How long is that list.?  Do we turn from just our most wicked ways?  Does He really mean all wickedness of thought, word, and deed?  Are we willing to turn our backs on all our stuff and selfishness for the sake of the world?

If we will, THEN He will hear, forgive us, and heal our land.  I think it's time to stop trying other solutions of our own making and follow the instructions He's so clearly given us.  The eyes of the Lord move throughout the world looking for one heart, one man or woman whose heart is completely His.  For that one person He will move heaven and earth.  How can we ever know how much difference your obedient prayer will make, or mine?  When we obey and do our part we find ourselves covered in the full armor of God which will enable us to stand.  Stand.  Stand and pray.  Pray with our minds and in the Spirit for all His saints and for His kingdom to come.  We will be led by the Spirit of God who is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; not boastful, challenging, or envious.  Let us join His ranks in humility, grace, and prayerful attention.  Let's allow His love to be poured out through us by the Holy Spirit on a world that cannot fathom anything but strife and conflict.  Let's not wait until we see others agreeing with us or until a "movement" is organized.  Let's join Him now on His terms to pray for the world around us even if we feel alone.  He will raise His army on their knees.  Every battle is the Lord's, and He always wins.

2 Chronicles 7; Jeremiah 29:10-14; Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 John 5:13-15; Ephesians 5:15-17;

Ephesians 4:20-32; Psalm 19:14; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Ephesians 6:10-18; Galatians 5:22-26;

Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:13-14; 1 Samuel 17:47

Even If

We are so often overcome.  Our daily lives balance on a precipice of our own making, and we are just fine as long as nothing upsets that tension.  We juggle marriage, children, work, home, personal care, rest, never-ending schedules from every possible source, church, community, extended family, interests, recreation, entertainment, trying to make God the ruler over all these areas...all while trying to give the impression that life is manageable and we've got this.  And we pull that off most of the time.

So it's no small wonder that when we are honest with ourselves we feel more overwhelmed than we care to admit.  At times we feel inadequate for the task of daily living, and feel ourselves falling over the precipice when extra challenges arise. It's easy to blame ourselves and try to be stronger, but the truth is, we are more weak and frail than we know.  We have no power against the natural progression of time, no power to actually determine the quality of our health, nor the ability to guarantee the outcome of our lives.

Isaiah spoke about the plight of His people who found themselves in captivity or hardship at the hands of an enemy.  As a nation, Israel had been unfaithful to God, and He eventually sent enemy forces to capture their kingdom and reduce the people to captivity.  Yet He heard the cries of each heart that turned back to Him, and He never deserted them in the midst of their suffering.  He said, "Can plunder be retrieved from a giant, prisoners of war gotten back from a tyrant?  But God says, 'Even if a giant grips the plunder and a tyrant holds My people prisoner, I'm the one who's on your side, defending your cause, rescuing your children.  And your enemies, crazed and desperate, will turn on themselves...'  (Isaiah 49:24-26 The Message)




We face giants and tyrants every day.  Some appear and leave again in a few minutes, while others live right with us, holding us in their grip year, after year, after year.  Some of them we invited into our lives and now we are helpless against them, while others invade with the force and suddenness of a spring storm, leaving devastation as they pass.





In the Gospel of Mark chapter five we read three stories in quick succession of giants and tyrants that people were helpless to fight.  The demoniac had been living in the cemetery possibly for years.  Every human effort had been made to help or restrain him to no avail.  Hopeless.  Jairus had a twelve year old daughter at death's door who, in fact, died before Jesus could get to her.  Hopeless.  The woman in the crowd had been sick and bleeding for twelve years.  Not only had doctors not helped, they had taken all her money and left her worse off than before.  She did not even feel worthy to speak to Jesus and ask for help.  Hopeless.

But we have cause to hope.  Each of these desperate people did the same thing when they saw Jesus.  They ran to Him and fell to their knees.  They knew they were helpless and undeserving.  They submitted to His authority and begged for His mercy.  The demoniac was delivered, clothed, sitting in his right mind, and sent back to his own people to tell about God's mercy.  The woman was recognized, her healing confirmed, and sent to live in peace.  Jairus saw his daughter raised from the dead and his fear turned to joy.

We can't face the things in our paths.  We aren't meant to.  But no matter what giant or tyrant we face God has not left us to stand alone.  We can come to Him, fall to our knees, submit to His ways, and ask for His mercy.  He may deliver us quickly or He may keep us where we are.  But even in the midst of trial He is the one who's on our side, defending our cause, and rescuing our children...right now in the present tense.  Even if the giant and tyrant remain, He is working on our behalf defending and rescuing us and our children.  Our only part is to run to Him and fall on our knees, asking His mercy.  He has engraved us on the palm of His hand, and He will not forget!

Isaiah 49; Mark 5

Praying Our Deepest Desires

In my Bible reading right now I'm using a method that I've really liked over the years.  I divide the text into five sections:  history, (Genesis-Job), poetry (Psalms-Song of Solomon), prophecy (Isaiah-Malachi), Gospels & Acts (Matthew-Acts), and Epistles & Revelation (Romans-Revelation).  If the goal is to read through the Bible in a year, you read two chapters of history, one chapter of poetry, one chapter of prophecy, and one chapter of either Gospels or Epistles five days a week.  That leaves you with some breathing space for missed days through the year.  Whether you keep a schedule or not, I like reading from different sections simultaneously because I don't feel like I'm in just one view of God's word for a long time.  The other thing I like is sometimes what I read in one section makes what I read in another richer and deeper; it's amazing how often they can go together.  You might think one Spirit wrote the entire Book!  Duh!

Today I read about part of Joseph's story.  He'd been hated by his brothers and sold into slavery.  He was bought by Potiphar, and God favored him so well that everything he did prospered.  Potiphar put him in charge of all his affairs, but he was still a slave.  Unjustly accused, he was sent to prison where, again, God's favor rested on him, and he eventually managed the entire prison without oversight.  But he was still a prisoner.  I don't know how many years Joseph spent as a slave and then a prisoner before God delivered him into a position of being ruler in the land, second only to Pharaoh, but I am sure that Joseph did a lot of praying in those years.

Jumping ahead to my reading in Matthew, Jesus often encountered people who were in desperate need.  Sometimes the need wasn't immediately obvious, but most often their plight was crystal clear.  They were crying out to Him because they were blind, or lame, or deaf, or ill, or demon-possessed.  Sometimes the crowd objected to the interruption of their cries, but Jesus never did.  Yet when He spoke with them He would often ask, "What do you want from Me?"  Really?  Jesus, isn't it obvious?  I'm blind, or lame, or.... What do You think I want?

These readings reflect some truth to me about prayer.  God knows what I need before I ever ask, yet He wants me to ask.  He wants me to realize that what I need can ONLY be provided by Him.  As I begin to pray, very often I know exactly what I want.  I would suppose that many of Joseph's prayers began with, "Please, Lord, set me free from this slavery or prison!"  But as I spend time speaking back and forth with God, He often shows me my deeper need and desire.  Perhaps Joseph's prayers would change to, "Please, Lord, use me as a slave or prisoner.  Help me to walk with integrity in this place.  I trust Your ways and timing."  I know my prayers can go from what I thought I wanted to what I really need and the far deeper desires of my heart for His glory to be shown through me, Jon, and our family.

What holds you in captivity?  What do you want from Him?  You must ask.  Never be afraid to ask your Father for the desires of your heart, and also be willing for Him to refine those desires over time into His own.  He will never let you go unheard, unanswered, or uncared-for.  His timing is perfect.

Genesis 39-40; Matthew 20:29-34; Matthew 6:32-33; Matthew 7:7-8

A Good Fit

It's Christmas, and I get all sentimental and stuff.  Actually, I am becoming more sentimental all year long.  I reflect more; I feel more; I both laugh and cry, a lot.  Sometimes it's awesome.  I appreciate simple, quiet things, and I'm easily at peace.  It doesn't take much to entertain me and make me laugh, and since my memory isn't what it used to be, I get to enjoy the same things over and over.

Other times, there are downsides.  I can't hear a moving song without tearing up.  I can't watch TV shows or movies that have any sentiment at all without the tissues close by.  I can't even get through some of the commercials, although there are far fewer good ones these days.  When I think about how blessed I am I more often end up in a puddle than in what looks like joyous celebration.

One problem I encounter if I reflect too much is feeling like I've failed to live up to the standard of fruitful living that is commonly presented to us as Christians.  You've heard the messages..."Noah, Abraham, Joshua, David, Daniel, Deborah, Elizabeth, Mary...take your pick...was just an ordinary person like you.  He/she had faults just like you.  But when he or she surrendered fully to God, He did miraculous things, and He will do the same with you."

Will He?  Really?  He certainly may, but that choice is His alone.  I would propose that in the many centuries that people have walked with God there have been millions upon millions who surrendered their lives completely (no one perfectly) to the best of their understanding.  Only a handful of those have names that we recognize or that were ever recorded on this earth.  God has His own timing, purpose, and economy in using our lives.  Some are known and bear amazing fruit.  Others may be obscure and simply bring pleasure to His heart.

I would never weaken the argument for a complete surrender.  We must examine our hearts and keep them in a state of surrender to the Lord.  He promises that a life filled with His Holy Spirit will flow with living water, but He doesn't promise that it will be what we would call miraculously fruitful.  Maybe we need to reexamine what we think is miraculous...

The Creator of the universe becoming a baby in a manger.

The Lord of heaven living a sinless life so that He could die for our sins.

Resurrection.

Forgiveness.

Jesus giving us His Spirit to live in and through us.

A life graced with people to love and who love us.

Any measure of good health.

The privilege of prayer to an Almighty God.

A warm house and food on the table.

Opportunities to share what we've been given.

Difficulties that teach us to lean hard and trust His love.

These are the things that are miraculous.  Will a life marked by these miracles look impressive to man's eyes? Probably not, but God asks for our hearts not our efforts.  He has completed the requirements for us with His own blood.  He creates each of us for His own purpose and will complete what He has begun in us.  We should be open to possibilities, but He designed that we be free to be the people He created us each to be.  Our lives should be a good fit, with an occasional stretch, and filled with His joy and peace even in the midst of challenges.

If, like me, you sometimes feel "less than" you thought you should be, stop yourself.  Look again and see the amazing things God has done for you and in you.  You are His joy and delight, and He wants you to rejoice!  Not only at Christmas! 

Romans 9:20-21; 2 Corinthians 5:5-9; Romans 12:1-2; John 7:38; Romans 8:32;

Philippians 1:6; Galatians 4:16-18; Zephaniah 3:17; Philippians 4:4

The Light and the Dark

The world is a tough place sometimes.  We have good days and many blessings, to be sure, especially living as Christians in the United States.  But we don't have to look far to see a darker side of life around the world and here as well.  Poverty, abuse, disaster, tragedy, corruption, violence, and sin are parts of our daily exposure unless we live in a cave or a hobbit hole.  (I really wish I had a picture of my own hobbit hole right now.)

When the world and sin press in close to home, it feels much more personal.  How do we answer and live in these times?  We want to protect, and sometimes we just have a gut reaction of anger, indignation, or fear when we feel we can no longer do that.  I get it.  We want what is right and pure and holy to prevail.  And it will.  God wins.  I promise.

However, when we live by that initial reaction I think we give power away to sin and to Satan.  We, ourselves, have sinned in thought or in word and have confirmed the accusations of many who observe and judge us at that moment.  We do not participate in God's kingdom victory by our own wits and reactions.  You "Star Wars" fans remember how Luke opposed the dark side, but in opposing it, actually gave in to its influence through anger.  Suffice it to say that love and mercy must rule our hearts.

Christ is the light of the world, and if we have repented of running our own lives and given Him that place, then we are filled with His light and life.  So let's live like it.  I am speaking to myself as much as anyone else here.  We should be seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, enabled to live carefully and wisely, determining His will before we speak or act.  God has made every provision for us to live this way, and it's really not optional.



Speaking about the sin we see around us can become a slippery slope into our own pit of gossip, condemnation, and judgment.  Instead, God tells us to live out His light, light which exposes and overcomes darkness simply by being light.  The essentials of living out the light are blessedly few.

Keep being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Be full of joy.

Be thankful for everything and say so.

Put on Christ and His armor and stand, just stand.

Pray in the Spirit at all times,

on every occasion,

for everyone, everywhere.

Lives like that have power, His power.  They give off a fragrance that will cause some to shrink away, be repulsed, or be opposed to that power; some fear the light more than what may lurk in the familiar darkness.  Thankfully, that is not our responsibility except to pray for them.  In other lives that power and fragrance will be the first pure breath of life they have ever experienced, and they will be drawn to Christ, to light, and to freedom.  Thankfully, that is not our responsibility, either.  The Lord is perfectly capable of accomplishing exactly what He desires with our lives, but only if we let Him have His way.

Thank You, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, that You have provided all that we need to live Your way.  Thank You that You are never caught off guard, never wringing Your hands, and never wondering what You should do next.  You are in control of all things everywhere whether we understand them or not, and Your kingdom reigns both now and forever!  All praise to Your holy name!

Ephesians 4, 5, and 6

Promises

We were recently on a trip to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park with Kelli's family.  Neither of us had ever been there before, and it was beautiful.  We saw lots of wildlife, especially buffalo, and the scenery was not only amazing,  but restorative.


Seeing God's beautiful creation always brings such wonder and rest

to my soul.  Another reason to love the fall, as if I needed one!

We drove through the Tetons a couple of days and each day was so different.  The first morning a few clouds cleared to a crystal clear view of the peaks.  So high, so strong, so powerful, so enduring.







Late in the day we drove back past the range along another road with a different vantage.  Heavy clouds began to move in over the ridge, dark with rain.  The tops of the peaks were obscured and you could no longer see their defining shapes as they blended into the dark clouds.  There was lightning and rain as the storm moved through with a different kind of power.

The second day lighter clouds were more settled along the tops of the mountains and the strong shapes were lost in the gray of the sky.











It's a lot like seeing God's promises.  On a clear day, free of trouble, we can see those promises of peace, strength, love, and well-being standing so tall.  They look immovable and rock solid.  We can look from different angles and see new details and wonders of God's grace, provision, and sovereignty.

Then a haze descends over the land---busyness, distraction, fatigue, poor habits, and bad patterns.  Soon clouds settle in over the peaks---sin, upheaval, chaos, monotony, or discouragement.  Our view is lower and the promises are obscured and vague.

Then comes a day when the storm comes charging over the peaks---illness, death, tragedy, grief, loss, setback, failure, betrayal, or mistreatment arrives in our lives with a power that shakes us to the core.  God's promises blur and seem to disappear as darkness swallows up the peaks, the mountains, the entire landscape, and all we can see is the storm.  "Where is God now?" we ask.  "Where are His promises?"  We look every direction and see nothing to help us focus our minds and hearts on His goodness.

Yet in all these things have the mountains moved or have God's promises changed?  No.  Even the clouds of the storm can be the approach of His feet as He draws near.  We must intentionally choose to see His presence in the storm.  We must know that He loves us, and even this storm cannot overcome His hands and feet as He draws near to hold us close.  We are under the shadow of His wings, protected, comforted, nourished, and never ever forsaken.  We must choose to stay there no matter how loudly the storm is raging.  His promises are solid, true, and real even when completely hidden from our limited sight, and they are fulfilled in His presence.  He will never leave us or forsake us.

The Hem of His Garment

The hem of His garment...the slightest touch of faith has the power to heal and restore all that is broken in us.  But how do we
approach Him?  We see Him working on behalf of others.  Their
needs seem greater than our own; should we even bother Him?
Do we come to Him with a hand stretched out in faith, trembling,
anticipating that His grace toward us will be all we need?  Or do
we hesitate and look for some guarantee that we will receive what
we want, never venturing or risking anything, carefully measuring, weighing, and counting to be sure it doesn't cost us to trust Him?

Let us be willing to receive what He knows we need with gratitude, thereby releasing the power and fragrance of Christ in our circumstance.  Healing, deliverance, or restoration can look very different in different situations.  Will we trust Christ to give to us, to be to us, exactly what we need the most?

From our perspective the physical healing seems to be the miracle, but in reading the Gospels we find that Jesus would very often forgive the sins of the sick person first and then heal to demonstrate that He had the authority to forgive.  In His view it would seem that the state of our soul takes priority over the state of our health.  We should ask for healing, but we must also be willing to repent of any sin the Lord would point out and receive His forgiveness and cleansing.

Even with my aches and pains (which are minor compared with many); I stand in far greater need of forgiveness and cleansing than I do of healing.  Father, are You using the physical maladies to point out the spiritual ones?  I tend to think the answer to my health lies in my physical state and would be remedied by physical healing.  I think I may have had it all wrong.

It now seems so clear that there is sin that I have excused to my own harm.  Self-indulgence and self-consciousness are simply parts of the self-life and are actually dead in Christ when I will reckon them so.  Focusing on me is a sin, a spiritual sickness that must be repented of, rooted out, and kicked to the curb.  I have no power whatsoever to do that, but the all-powerful blood of Jesus has overcome sin's legal hold on me.  He has purchased me back from the marketplace of sin, and His Spirit lives in me with the same power that resurrected Jesus from the dead.  The transaction has been completed; I must learn to live according to this truth.  I am fully His and need never again bow my knee to the master(s) I used to serve.

Free me, Holy Spirit, from the attachments and habits that were born in slavery that I may serve You in true freedom.  Open my eyes to see that You have accomplished all things and will keep perfecting me as I learn more and more how to yield to You in every area.

Will physical healing follow?  That I leave in Your hands.  I will continue to ask, knowing You will answer with the very best for me and for Your glory.  My desire is to serve You fully and abide in You, demonstrating Your love, bearing fruit, and praying effectively in Your name and for Your will.

I believe that my needs are important to You as I reach now for the hem of Your garment, fully assured that what You have for me will meet the need of my moment and the needs of my life.  I reach...and You are there.

Luke 9:40-48; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; Matthew 9:1-8; James 5:14-16; Romans 6

Ephesians 1:18-21; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:4-10; Galatians 5:1; John 15

A Familiar State of Affairs

The Gospels quote Jesus as saying, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me."  Selfish is such a familiar word.  It has been around since Adam and Eve first tasted the fruit.  We've known about selfish for as long as we can remember.  From the time we and our peers discovered the concept of "mine", we have found ourselves often on both sides of that tug of war.

As we got older and our circle of acquaintances grew, we found out that some people had a particular tendency for selfishness.  They were the bullies on the playground, the kids who had to make everything about them, and the ones who needed and got all the attention.

Now that we've grown up, selfishness may be a bit more refined, but is often even more deeply ingrained in "those" people.  We can identify it in the lives of others, but we're pretty sure that we are better than that now.

What does it look like if we break down the word a little differently?  Instead of selfish, let's say self-ish.  It is something that reeks of me, anything that serves me, makes me look good, earns me respect, gets me attention, promotes my agenda, or benefits my interests.  The list would be very long.  It is impossible for us to completely purify every motive and disentangle ourselves from our self-stuff.

We can, however, turn our self-ness over to the Lord.  Matthew 11:28-30 says we should bring our burden to the Lord (turn from our selfish ways), take His yoke (take up your cross) which is custom made for Him and each of us to wear together.  We let Him lead and pull the weight (follow Him) finding rest for our souls.  He will be faithful to show us when we fall into serving  ourselves if we have surrendered our wills completely to His.  We give up our lives for His sake and we gain a life saved to something far higher and bigger than we could have ever imagined.  Let's help each other serve His ways over our own.

Mark 8:34-36; Luke 9:23-25; Matthew 11:28-30

When the North Wind Blows

Here in Iowa we know about wind.  Almost every day the wind is a substantial component of our weather, at least during the daylight hours.  Overnight it may settle down, but during the day you better plan on holding onto whatever is in your hands.  We don't get too excited about how hard it blows until it begins approaching 30-35 miles per hour.  Those are the days we call windy.  If you have a flag or a kite there's a very good chance you will be able to watch it fly on most days.

The kind of wind that really gets our attention is a cold north wind.  On any given winter day with a cold north wind blowing, the countryside is spotted with cattle and horses living in the open.  They stand facing south, their backs to the biting wind.  Their response is a reflex to protect themselves.

It's the same reflex we employ when we are threatened.  It may be a cold north wind, a driving rain, a possibility of danger or injury, a painful relationship, even a hurtful word, or an unexpected betrayal. When we face these things our first reflex is to turn our backs, literally or relationally.  We shield our faces and our vulnerable feelings from the attack and harshness that we encounter by turning away, covering up, putting up walls, withdrawing, avoiding, and even ending relationships.

We've all been there.  Your friend suddenly cut ties with no explanation.  The person you trusted betrayed your confidence and blamed you.  Someone embarrassed you with your past and seemed to think it was entertaining.  Tragedy hit, sickness entered, financial plans fell through, your integrity was questioned, the storms of life have hit, and you want to defend yourself.

There is a better way.  Living in Christ, the truth is that we are covered front and rear from every assault of every kind.  We have been given the belt of truth to hold us steady and the breastplate of righteousness to protect us where we're vulnerable.  Our shield of faith and helmet of salvation defend our hearts and minds from being misled and deceived about who we are and how much God loves us.  The word of God and prayer help us hear from God and give us truth to measure all other things by.  The Lord Himself both goes before us and is our rear guard defending us from what we cannot see, from the attacks that try to sneak up on us or invade full force from our blind side.  These attacks must come though Him before they can touch us, and if He allows them He causes them to work for our good even when we can't see it right away.

If we insist on defending and protecting ourselves, we are the only defense we have.  We have stepped out from under His shelter and protection and we are limited to our own wits and devices.  We can rest, instead, in the knowledge that our Lord is in control of even the things that make no sense to us.  He treasures our willingness to walk where we cannot see with only the touch of His hand and the light we need for the next step.  We need to help and support one another when these challenges come by praying that we walk in God's truth and trust in His love.  We must encourage each other to trust that He loves us in the face of all evidence to the contrary, and pray.  Pray for all.  Pray hard.  Pray long.

Isaiah 52:12; Isaiah 58:8; Ephesians 6:14-18; Romans 8:26-28; Luke 21:14-15;

2 Corinthians 10:17-18; Psalm 28:6-9

Clean

Fall and spring house-cleanings are regular events I grew up with.  The drapes come down and are washed or run through the dryer; the windows are taken apart and cleaned; ceiling fans (all of them this time) are dusted and shined; beds are completely stripped down and deep cleaned; furniture that can't be moved is climbed over and under to vacuum around.  It's general chaos that finally results in almost everything back in its place and a comforting sense of accomplishment.

Every once in a while there is a special project that gradually presents itself.  I had one this year.  I had a surface that has been my nemesis for some time.  I had tried every cleaning product and strategy in my arsenal to overcome it, but it had become clear to me that it was just worn out and would need to be replaced.  Still, every day I had to deal with it, and, while trying to be patient, I couldn't wait for the replacement day to come!  Then I stumbled upon something I had not tried before, and, since it was to be replaced anyway, I knew I had nothing to lose.

So I set to work, one little piece at a time.  I could hardly believe what I was seeing!  It was hard work, but there was progress!  I stayed at it over and over, and the surface kept improving.  While there was indeed some wear and tear, the biggest problem was actually a fine layer of grime.  I couldn't decide if I was more elated or embarrassed!  I still don't know how an area with that much traffic and getting cleaned up all the time could accumulate immovable grime!

And then, it hit me.  My heart is just like that.  It's been made new by Christ, and the Holy Spirit lives there.  Yet sin can find a way to put a film over my heart that I don't even see.  The heart gets worn down by the constant assault of the world and by the tiniest little harmless sins that I may allow.  I keep on loving God; I continue to read the Word; I keep doing my best to live righteously and confess my sins.  It seems to me that everything is going just fine, and I'm pretty sure that the things that are wrong are just the effect of living in a fallen world; it will all be set right when all is made new, right?

Christ has called me to something better.  I can choose to live in such a vital union with Him that He can press His values into my heart and life.  He will usually do this by His Word, so I need to read it with a quiet, tender, listening heart.  When He reveals sin, I must call it sin as well, and forsake it.  Excusing it is never an option.  Little compromises, personality weaknesses, and harmless vices all create wear patterns in my life, and the grime settles and deepens into my heart.  It becomes so much a part of me that I don't see it at all.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is not deceived.  He will be faithful to point out sin in my life and bring me under conviction.  I hope to be just as faithful in repenting and forsaking the sin He reveals.  It may require some sacrifice or pain, but in His kindness and patience He will see me through.  It can be embarrassing to admit my sin, but it is so much more elating to give glory to His mercy and forgiveness.  When I begin to truly see what He has done in dying for me and offering forgiveness, the joy can't be matched!  He will create us together to be His bride, perfect, without spot or wrinkle, sanctified, cleansed by the washing of the water with the Word.

Trees

I love trees.  I love the infinite variety.  I love how God made different kinds for different purposes.  Some grow fruit; others yield syrup; many provide material for homes and shelter of all kinds, and others, are perfect for treehouses and tire swings.  Some are best in the fall for their rich colors and crunchy leaves, while others are full of beautiful blossoms in the spring.  All give their own kind of shade, protection, and habitat for a host of God's creatures.  Some are so delicate they weep over the ground they cover, while others are massive, towering strong and proud, commanding the awe and wonder of all.

I love that most of them go through seasons, and some stay the same year round.  I love how they grow according to their particular environments.  They lean according to the prevailing winds; they tip away from a neighboring tree to make room for their own growth; they seek the sun; they put down roots as deep as they need for adequate water and strength.  Trees are sensitive to the gentle stirrings of a slight breeze and yet withstand tremendous strain when assaulted by fierce storms.

When a tree is harvested to fulfill a new purpose, the cross-section reveals many things about its life.  The rings tell its age.  If the tree has been injured, a mark is left behind which is grown around and later can add to the beauty of the wood.  A healthy tree can withstand these injuries and grow strong, but a diseased tree may weaken and rot over time.  The weakness may not be evident until the force of a mighty storm comes which breaks it at its vulnerable spot.  It is when the tree comes down, whether by harvest or storm, that the truth of its life, health, and strength is known.

We are like them is so many ways.  We are each uniquely created for a particular purpose.  Even in a group called together to a common purpose, we are each different as to how we approach that purpose.  Some of our lives yield very tangible results that can be measured, weighed, stored, hammered, nailed, and put to good use.  Some of our lives offer a refuge, a safe place, a compassionate ear, and a shelter to the smallest and weakest of God's people, weeping and rejoicing with others.  Some of us are best when providing that treehouse or tire swing.

Most of us go through seasons.  We have times of new growth in a new truth or service.  We move through periods of maturing and come to a point of seeing results.  Often we have down times of rest and recuperation before the cycle starts again.  There are some who are steady and green and full their entire lives.  They provide wonderful protection from the howling winds that would overtake the souls of those they stand watch over.

We each come through life with a different set of circumstances which have molded the direction of our growth.  Prevailing winds may have bent one's soul a certain direction while another grew in an environment that forced it to reach tall and straight to find the sun.  Each of us has experienced hurt, injury, and pain of one kind or another.  If we allow bitterness and don't let God keep our hearts open to His love, the result will be rot and decay that leaves us vulnerable when the storms come.  He provides Himself as our refuge and healer to restore all that would try to break us.  Our responses to the winds that blow through our times are all affected by our differing purposes and history.  God makes it that way for a reason.  He uses all of us in individual ways to meet individual needs in individual lives.


We many times never see the true beauty of a life until it is over, and even then we don't see it fully.  We will see some lives that were touched, the stability and strength of a family and home, the love that was faithfully shown in difficult circumstances, or the benefits provided by generosity to others.  But later the time will come when all things are revealed and the Lord places His value on our lives.  We may see an injury that the Lord healed and touched to become something beautiful and useful.  We will see how the things we thought were weaknesses were really the instruments God used to make Himself known to others who were struggling.  Our hurts became the pathway of blessing and strength in maybe just one life which was watching from a distance.


We will not know these things fully now, but we can live with hearts full of hope.  We will trust that He has planted us right where He wants us, and that He is forming us to be exactly the kind of person He desires for the purpose that only He may see.  Let us live in joy and peace, accepting and loving each other for the beauty He has created in us.  We are the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified!

Never Give Up!

Time goes by.  That prayer burden that you had for a particular person remains, but the passage of time without change has you wondering if you should let it go or keep praying.  There are many reasons why we pray for another person...maybe he or she has a health concern, a financial crisis, or a relational challenge.  Sometimes it's hard to know what God's will is in the situation which makes it harder to know if you are praying in the right way.  Hang in there...keep asking God to lead you and He will show you how to pray as you go.

There is a notable exception in this uncertainty.  When God puts it on your heart to pray for someone's salvation you know for certain that you are praying in His will.  He wishes no one to perish and died for the worst of sinners.  No matter how much time goes by and how little progress you can see, you know that God's heart has not changed.  Even if you have prayed for this person for years without result and time seems to be running out, don't ever give up.  We have no idea what God may still do or how He may reach through to touch that person's heart even as life comes to a close.

The fulfillment of God's plan is never our responsibility, but participating with Him as He works through the prayers of His people is our highest privilege.  He intends great things and has partnered with His people's prayers to reach the world.  Don't miss out; don't ever give up; keep on praying for His redemption to be made real in someone's life.  Let the life of the Great Intercessor abide in and pray through you for the one or several in your life, and never, ever give up!

Grace Over Performance

A few days ago I read an interview with the grandson of Billy Graham, TullianTchividjian.  He's written a book named "One Way Love:  Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World".  I'm putting a link to the article here

http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2013/10/02/tullian-tchividjian/

The interview focused on the failure of the church to share the good news of grace in favor of setting standards of behavior modification which results in legalism and desperation.  I must heartily agree.

No matter how convinced I am about the truth of God's grace filling all things and being sufficient to meet and redeem every sin and evil, I can so easily find myself thinking in terms of my own works and performance.  Am I the only one? Having an intimate relationship with Christ is not achieved by more Bible reading, more prayer, or more church attendance and service.  We think that God will be more pleased with us if we work harder, improve our character, give more of our time, clean up all our personal habits, become kind, patient, and just like Jesus.  But all we succeed in doing is living by our own strength, which only lasts about 27 1/2 minutes on a good day.

When will we be completely convinced that what matters isn't what we do for God, but what He's already done for us?  He has accomplished all and offers it to us freely by His grace.  He gives His very own Spirit to move right in and take over, and if we would follow His voice all of God's will would be fulfilled in our lives.  It's His work in us, and we can do nothing of value that contributes to the outcome.  

The best we can do is to stop trying and fall into His arms of grace which never fail.  Let's admit our weakness, our failings, our sin, and our inability to be faithful and come humbly to His grace which will provide all for us.  Blessings and grace to you all!

Good Is Coming

I added a quote to my quote page the other day.  It goes like this:

"Yet I believe that good is coming to me--that good is always coming; though few have at all times the simplicity and the courage to believe it.  What we call evil, is the only and best shape, which, for the person and his condition at the time, could be assumed by the best good."  by Anodos in "Phantastes, a Faerie Romance for Men and Women" by George MacDonald.

I don't know about you, but I have to read that over a few times. The story is a fantasy adventure that takes Anodos through Fairy Land where his experiences challenge everything he had ever known as reality.  Along the way he grows and becomes a very different person by walking through the hardships and joys of this path.  Very often he was in despair and gave up hope of surviving, but in the end he can say that "good is always coming".

I also just finished the new book by Philip Yancey, "The Question That Never Goes Away".  It revisits the question he addressed decades ago, "Where Is God When It Hurts?"  He gives no pat, safe answers to the dilemma of suffering, but he does assure us of God's presence in the midst of it all.  He is the God who understands suffering and pain.  As God the Father, He lost a Son.  As Jesus, He laid down His life in incredible suffering and injustice.  He truly knows and stands with us in the midst of any and all pain.

And, yes, good is always coming.  Eternity holds more than we can ever dream, and all of this life with every pain and trial will be redeemed for good fully and forever.  Rejoice and be blessed!!

Freedom

It's Memorial Day, a day when we are all reminded of how expensive our freedom is.  It has cost the lives of millions of men and women over the centuries, and it continues to be costly today.

In terms of our salvation we know that freedom for us meant Christ's death on the cross...the ultimate price paid by the sinless Son of God.  There is another level of freedom we are meant to enjoy as God's beloved children.  We should be living lives that are free from the entangling grip of sin tripping us up in our daily lives.  We know how we should live, so we redouble our efforts and try harder.  We hopefully come to learn that our own efforts are worthless and we need to depend on Christ's life in us to live as we should. 

There is an example in the history of Israel of this kind of daily challenge to trust the Lord.  As the people were being led to their new promised land they were fully aware of the promises that God had set before them of a land of freedom and provision far greater than they had ever known.  Yet as soon as they experienced hardships of needing water and craving familiar foods, they're first reaction was to say, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt?"  They actually preferred to return to lives of slavery and bondage rather than adapt to changes in their appetites and comforts.

Are we so different?  We like what we like, and we want what we want.    We proclaim that we will follow Christ as He leads us into freedom, but when we are made uncomfortable we have a real decision to make.  It requires a strong faith that God's way is higher than ours and true surrender of our own agendas to follow Christ into all He has purchased for us.  We will only be able to lay ourselves aside moment by moment if we remember how great His love for us really is.

To Move or Not to Move

Do you like to know the plan?  Are you uncomfortable with uncertainty and not knowing what to expect from day to day?  Me too.  Part of my reading this morning was Numbers 9 where the Bible tells about the tabernacle, when completed, was filled with God's glory.  By day the tabernacle was covered by the cloud, and by night by the appearance of fire.

 As long as the cloud and fire remained over the tabernacle, the camp stayed in place.  If, when morning came, the cloud had lifted, they broke camp and moved where the cloud led them.  That sounds very nice and all, but can you imagine living this way?  They never knew how long they would stay in one place...overnight, a few days, months, or a year or more.  Not much room for planning ahead or putting down roots.  You wouldn't be getting too attached to your surroundings. 

I'm not saying that we need to live that radical a lifestyle, but can we aspire to be open to God's leading day by day, moment by moment?  Can we begin to agree with Him not to move ahead without His direction, and to not hesitate when He shows the way?  Let's seek His heart and mind about how He would have us live every day, every hour, every minute.  He has had lots of practice and will be faithful to lead.

Arise, Shine

One of the passages I read this morning was Isaiah 60, and it starts with this verse..."Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you."  The words that grab my attention are arise and shine.

Arise...get up, stand firm, meet the situation, open your eyes, open your ears, take stock of your resources, determine your position. 
Shine...praise Him, trust Him, leave all your cares with Him, depend fully on His life, give freely, give fully, rejoice, give thanks, pray always, love others, bless others, reach out.

This is how we are to live.  We are to arise and shine.  Every day.  All day.  In every circumstance.  In every joy.  In every pain.  In every trial.  In every temptation.  In every sorrow.  In every blessing.  In every victory.  In every answered prayer.  In every uncertainty.  In every disappointment.  In every dream.

How easy it is to live in the pit of our own making.  We forget how blessed we are and wallow in self-pity or despair while the Lord waits for us to step into the life He has provided in His Son.  In Him we can indeed arise and shine in every situation we face.  Trust all that God has provided and rely upon Him.