I want the answer NOW!

Did you know that many fruits are picked green so that they can be shipped without as much spoilage? Prior to putting them on display some are artificially ripened. Bananas and tomatoes, for example, are exposed to ethylene gas to give them the yellow and red color we expect!  There is a difference in the natural process and the ‘forced’ one however. Some tomatoes are sold as ‘vipe ripened.’  And there is no comparing a supermarket tomato to one freshly taken from the vine in the backyard garden. 

Hannah Anderson borrows the practice of artificially ‘ripening’ fruit to meet consumer expectations to illustrate the way that so many of us demand almost instant maturity of understanding from the Lord. She writes that “while Jesus is concerned that His disciples grow in their understanding, He is also comfortable with them not knowing ALL things- in part because they are not ready for more knowledge yet.” (Humble Roots, Moody, 2016)

Each of us lives through times when we have BIG questions.
Why did that happen? 
How could this be good? 
Is God unfair? 

In the crisp sunshine of a New Jersey Fall, with beautiful color around me, yesterday morning I stood at Bev’s grave with tears streaming down my face. I sobbed and choked, asking God to help me to make sense of her death. “Where are You? Do you care about me at all? How can I possibly believe that You are good and loving when You allowed her so much pain and took her home leaving me so alone, so sad?”  It would make a nice story to say that the Holy Spirit showed me a great passage that answered all those questions, but it would be untrue!  I stumbled to my car to wipe away tears, my heart still broken.

What I do know is that my faith is ripening naturally, unforced.  I would like Him to accomplish His purposes quickly, but He seldom does. Time passes, events flow around us, and gradually we become more like Jesus. I can tell you, with great assurance, that things that have broken my heart in the past are now memorials where I see Him at work. But, making any sense of those moments required years to pass, perspective to develop in me and for me.

Let’s be clear about one thing. Life is not as simple as we would like to think.  Christians, especially, love to draw straight lines of ‘cause and effect,’ as if things that happen can be reduced to a single catalyst. Spiritual immaturity is revealed when we praise God when we think life is good and blame Him when things are not as we want.  Let me use Bev’s death from cancer as an illustration of the complexity of life. Only God knows, literally, what combination of environmental factors, genetic issues, and nutrition contributed to her body’s failure.  Or this - Who knows what stirred the winds of the deadly hurricane that blew across the Caribbean and up the US coast?  Did God simply decree the death of hundreds in Haiti only to spare West Palm Beach, Florida with a wave of His hand? Some think this way, and reveal an immature faith in so doing.  Who knows all the factors that create the weather as well as the sociological choices and history that make some populations so much more vulnerable than others?

It is not that God is incapable of healing cancer or directing hurricanes. He IS God! But, He has also given us (all of our lives are intertwined) choices to make. Those choices can lead us to life or death. And, we individually, bear the weight of choices made by others, too. Our freedom can be a great blessing but it also makes terrible suffering possible.

Our response, Jesus says, needs to be like that of a trusting child. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3-4, NIV)  A child is willing to learn, knowing that she must trust parents and teachers about things she cannot yet grasp. The life of a teenager is often complicated because he makes foolish choices, thinking he knows so much more about life than he actually does. Are you willing to trust the Lord like a child?  Jesus promises that when the Spirit comes, He will guide us into all truth.

With maturity comes greater capacity. Greater understanding increases both strength and productivity. However, that maturity cannot come without today’s lesson. A first grader must learn that 2 plus 2 equals 4. Mastery of the basic is the foundation for doing algebraic equations in ninth grade.  Our spiritual life is similar, though less linear. The Word reminds us of the discipline that is absolutely necessary. (Do not equate discipline with punishment.) We read “we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  (Heb 12:9-11)

Meditate on the wisdom of the Proverb. God calls us to faith. "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track." (Proverbs 3:5-6, The Message) As you trust, always remember to factor in the improbably, the impossible, the unimaginable. 

Here is a word from the Word. Let’s believe it and wait for faith to ripen!  "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,(things beyond even our imagination!)  according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, KJV)

_________________

You can be different!

Twice this past week I was called about marriages that had run into difficulty. Misunderstandings and missed expectations were the garden in which bitterness and brokenness had taken root. People once in love told me that they were ending their relationship.  When I suggested that love could be rediscovered, that with hard work, their marriage could be a place of fulfillment, I was met with disbelief, even something like scorn. To suggest that divorce is not the best choice, that working through the sadness instead of ending the marriage, is counsel that is often rejected – even by Christians – as ‘old-fashioned.’  I have been accused of being too wrapped up in religious rules when I encourage hard work on saving a marriage. Before you conclude that I simply don’t ‘get it,’ let me assure you that in spite of a long and mostly happy marriage to my late wife, there were times when both of us wondered why we had married ‘that person!’ 

Let me hasten to say that divorce is just one of those sins that we have ‘normalized.’  Greed is another. Selfishness, dressed up as self-fulfillment, has become quite acceptable, too. Laziness, in the guise of leisure, is a sin almost no one ‘sees’ anymore.  Christians must be different.

Are you one of those who wants the benefit of God's grace through Christ without becoming a disciple?  Do you resist the disciplined life that leads to transformation?   Dr. Gayle Beebe warns of losing our ability to see our way to what right because of the fog that surrounds us. “There is a cultural malaise that touches us all.  … We have become completely accustomed to the normality of dysfunction.  The constant stream of scandal, broken lives, and mayhem of every sort elicits barely a yawn from us.  We have come to expect little else … This overall life dysfunction is so pervasive  in our culture is it nearly impossible for us to  have a clear vision of spiritual progress.  Shining models of holiness are so rare today.” (Longing for God, 2009) 

All Christians want to have the hope of Heaven at the end of this life, but many try to reserve the right to live at the fringe of the will of God along the way.  Many are deceived by a diabolical life that insists that life as a Christian disciple will be a dull, joyless, and colorless; an unending slog through religious duty and constant suffering.  I recall reading the slogan on a T-shirt  - "See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. - Have no fun!"  and wondering if it was meant to be funny or a statement of the wearer’s philosophy of life? Genesis tells us that Eve allowed the serpent (used by the Devil) to convince her to believe the lie that she could only know happiness if she discarded the will of God. He told her - "You will be like God, knowing good and evil."  His lie caused her to throw away her perfect relationship with her Father and Creator.  Yes, she was ‘enlightened’ and the loss of innocence introduced her to a terrible reality!

Are you convinced that there are things you must do, places you must go, in order to be happy?
Does God, the Holy Spirit, invite you to walk away, and yet you find yourself so attracted to those things that you refuse to turn away?

When we become disciples of Jesus, making the daily choice to respond to God with obedience, we find rich rewards including these things -
A disciple is blessed with …
 

• Serenity because he finds authority over sin and evil and is spared the consequences that of disobedience which is always bitter after the initial illusion of sweet satisfaction.
• Transparency because he has nothing he must hide from the scrutiny of others.
• Guidance because he hears the voice of the Spirit more clearly, and thus, lives purposefully.
• Esteem because his life lends light to the world where he walks, helping others to see their way out of confusion.
• Trust because he can be a 'friend of sinners' without becoming a participant in their ways.

In case you think I am writing from some lofty perch of perfection, think again!  I know the lure of temptation, feel the pull of sin’s seduction. And, I have fallen hard, more than a few times in my Christian life. God does desire that we live a holy life and He matches His call with amazing grace.  He entered this world and experienced every temptation you or I have known.  When we fail, we must not allow shame to cause us to run away from Him. Instead we run to Him and there, in repentance, we are both forgiven and healed!

Overcoming temptation can be a long, hard fight! But, we are not in it alone. Holiness (belonging to God and doing what He desires) is both God's work and ours! We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis in order to live a holy life. There are choices to be made - sometimes painful, sometimes difficult, sometimes provoking scorn from others - that allow the transformation to continue in us.

Christian, you can be different. Indeed, we must be different for we are God’s own people, invited to the ‘beauty of His holiness.’

Here's a word from the Word. Think deeply and prayerfully about the application to your life today.  "But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation."  (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8, The Message)

___________

Lord I Need You

Lord I come I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

And without You I fall apart

You're the one that guides my heart

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

Where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

Christy Nockels | Daniel Carson | Jesse Reeves | Kristian Stanfill | Matt Maher

© 2011 sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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CCLI License # 810055

'til the storm passes by

A man visited our little church when I was a teen and the song he sang that day has stuck in my head. I can hear his gravely voice singing, “’Til the storm passes over, ‘til the thunder rolls no more … Hold me fast, let me stand- in the hollow of Thy hand. Keep me safe ’til the storm passes by.” Ted was not much of a singer, but I suppose it was his earnestness that made that old song so memorable for me. As he sang it, tears streamed down his face. Even though I was young, I knew that it more than a song to him. It was a desperate plea of his heart. Who knows what storm he was enduring?

Last night, as I waited for news from Florida where three of my four children live, the song looped in my mind, a prayer for their safety. Imagine my joy this morning when text messages announced that they are fine, their businesses intact!  The hurricane moved several miles to the east, sparing their area from devastation.

Storms are part of life, aren’t they? And they do not not always come as wind or rain!  Relationships become stormy, full of angry words and tempestuous emotions. 
Health fails and we go through the storm of pain and sometimes even death. 
Temptation comes, blowing over us. 
Doubt and fear comes like a tornado, ripping at everything we thought to be secure.

And, we are not always brave, are we? Jesus’ disciples experienced a storm even as He slept in the back of their boat. The real danger brought acute terror. "As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”  (Luke 8:23-25, NIV)  That storm story comforts me by reminding me that my Savior is the Lord of all the storms.

But, He does not always choose to calm the winds, does He?

Luke wrote of a storm that caught up another boat, this one carrying Paul to Rome for his trial. For days the storm raged, the ship driven by the winds, cargo jettisoned, sailors fearful. Finally, after two long weeks, the ship ran aground and the waves beat it to pieces on the shores of Malta. Paul survived the wreck. We might ask where the Lord was for him. Why did one storm hear the Lord’s voice and cease and another blow over one of His children for two weeks and destroy the ship? I wish I knew the answer!

The hurricane that shifted a few miles east  last night, leaving West Palm Beach without serious damage, also caused several hundreds of people to die a day earlier in the Caribbean islands. It continues to blow along the coasts of Florida with catastrophic damages still possible.  We tend to rush to judgment, forming quick opinions about the faith and/or prayers of those who are spared and those who suffer. Over two years that Bev and I lived in the tempest of her cancer that ultimately ended her life here on earth, my faith was battered. Why wasn’t she healed? Was my faith inadequate? Did we do something that caused the Lord to refuse our pleas?  Those questions are not the right ones for people in storms. Our focus in not on ourselves, but on Him. Our faith does not rest on ‘’faith” but on His Person.

And we hold onto hope – that He is the Lord who delivers some of us from the storm and walks with others through it. Sometimes He speaks to the wind – Be still! - and sometimes He speaks to our heart- Be still!

Will we trust Him ‘til the storm passes over? The word from the Word is a story about the purposes of God. If you are looking for simple answers, it is not a story you will like. If you want a faith that rests solidly on the Person and Purpose of God, then read on and let your heart be comforted.

"Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. 
His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”

Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.

We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.”

He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man’s eyes, and said, “Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “Sent”). The man went and washed—and saw. Soon the town was buzzing." (John 9:1-8, The Message)

“Look for what God can do!”  For some, He stills the storm. And some, He leads through the storm. Lord, find us faithful, wherever You may lead. Amen.

____________

'Til The Storm Passes By

'Til the storm passes over
'Til the thunder sounds no more
'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast let me stand
In the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by

In the dark of the midnight
Have I oft hid my face
While the storms howl above me
And there's no hiding place
'Mid the crash of the thunder
Precious Lord hear my cry
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by

Many times Satan whispered
There is no use to try
For there's no end of sorrow
There's no hope by and by
But I know Thou art with me
And tomorrow I'll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies

When the long night has ended
And the storms come no more
Let me stand in Thy presence
On that bright peaceful shore
In that land where the tempest never comes
Lord may I dwell with Thee
When the storm passes by

Mosie Lister © 1973 Mosie Lister Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
Southern Faith Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) CCLI License # 810055

Those Muttered Prayers

“Oh, God.” The words were a sigh of my soul, yet they were a prayer from my heart that looked to Him for strength. Sometimes our deepest prayers are those that are simplest, almost wordless. Ever see two people deeply in love look at one another? As their eyes meet, a message transmits affirming, longing, loving. Bev and I communicated across crowded rooms that way.  When I was preaching, our gaze would meet and I could ‘hear’ her saying, “I believe in you!”  I would see her show up at an event and my look told her, “You’re my beautiful lady!”

David wrote of coming before the Lord in the early morning. He was beaten up by foes. Remember, he was a king and nobody leads without making some enemies along the way. The opening words of his morning prayer inspire me. "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray." (Psalm 5:1-2, NIV)  “Consider my sighing.”  David’s words in the Hebrew song were much richer than our English translation.  A more literal translation would be “Lord, understand the meaning of a my heart’s murmurs, my muttering about these things!”  Many enemies, many leadership challenges, many problems to solve left his soul heavy, his prayers more like quiet sighs!   Oh friend, I know that place, do you?

Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit is present in those moments. "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God." (Romans 8:26-27, The Message)

Prayer is sometimes just that upward gaze that waits for His Presence with the sure knowledge that He is listening and that He knows us. What comfort there is in simply being known.  Many times what I desire of another more than a solution is to be ‘known,’ just accepted and loved. And, He offers that to us.

After David makes his entreaty for God’s ear, he remembers the sinfulness that surrounds him and probably even his own failures. He acknowledges the seriousness of sin, saying "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell." (Psalm 5:4, NIV) So, how does he hope to enter His presence?  He knows the Father’s heart, the mercy that is available to those who repent, trust, and love!  "But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple." (Psalm 5:7, NIV)  Mercy – what a concept. It is grace in action. Grace is the impulse to love those underserving of it. Mercy is the act of forgiving, embracing, and extending a hand.  My God, ever gracious, mercifully offers an open door to me.

From those early morning prayers, David emerged with a whole new perspective, an eager anticipation of seeing God at work around Him. His sighs give way to celebration!  "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11-12, NIV)

Dear friend, are there things in you too deep to express in words? Are there frustrations that defy your best efforts? Is there some regret that reappears each morning to shame you? Is there an unfulfilled longing that darkens the dawn? Is there … yes, it is only too human to feel need.  But our Abba invites us to come and find mercies in His Presence, even in answer to a sigh that is directed heavenward.

Here is a word from the Word.  Let it inspire you to hang onto Jesus. "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord." (Lamentations 3:22-26, NLT)

____________

Mighty To Save

Ev’ryone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Ev’ryone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find meAll my fears and failuresFill my life againI give my life to followEv’rything I believe inNow I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King
Jesus
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan © 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) CCLI License # 810055

Stubborn or Committed? A little of both

“I’ll give you this,” he said to me, “you are a ‘finisher.’”  His words were a compliment, noting my willingness to hang with difficult tasks until I saw them to completion. Others have seen the same trait of determination in me through a different lens, less complimentary, and called me ‘stubborn.’  So which am I, stubborn or committed? I suppose I am a little of both. How about you?

In a culture where plot lines develop to a conclusion within an hour-long drama,  we look for quick solutions to our problems. For some, the idea that staying with a challenging situation to work for a solution through time measured in years rather than days is incomprehensible.  Yet, the core of the Christian experience is discipleship, following Jesus for a lifetime as the Holy Spirit creates the character of Christ in us. It is not a ‘once and done’ experience. It is not a Sunday only religion. It is a journey!

Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message, a beloved contemporary paraphrase of the Bible, published a little book in 1980 called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.  Using the annual pilgrimage of the Jews to Jerusalem for Passover and the Psalms (120-134) called the songs of ascent. These songs were music for the road used by pilgrims as they went ‘up’ to the holy festival. They reflect on the nature of life – disappointment, anticipation, hope, failure, and the goodness of God.  Peterson launched the book from a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche: "The essential think 'in heaven and earth' is… that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living."  In his pastoral work, Peterson who served a congregation for decades, realized that God’s call was for the long haul, that preaching the Gospel and leading the people of the Lord involved seeing past next Sunday all the way to Heaven!  The work of turning saints into sinners was a long process involving multiple disciplines - repentance, providence, worship, service, help, security, joy, work, happiness, perseverance, hope, humility, obedience, community and blessing.

Christian, we need to pray to grasp that our calling is not to discover a wonderful flash of inspiration each Sunday or to chase down the ‘latest and greatest’ spiritual experience. We need to fall to our knees to declare our desperate need of salvation and rise to face Heaven while we ‘work out our salvation’ day by day, in times of celebration, through dark valleys, with victories and defeats. Along the way we will wrestle with temptation, discover joy unspeakable, become tired, retreat, advance, and always remain committed to a long obedience in the same direction. Sometimes the vision of Jesus and His Heaven will be crystal clear.  And, for days and even months, His face may be hidden by our doubts or fears. Yet, we press on!

The word from the Word today is from those songs of ascent.  Let the ancient voices of those pilgrims echo in your ears as you remember the faithfulness of the God who called you to follow Him to life.

" A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help.
Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?

But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.

I am counting on the Lord;

yes, I am counting on him.

I have put my hope in his word.

I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn,

yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;

for with the Lord there is unfailing love.

His redemption overflows.

He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin." (Psalm 130, NLT)

Be a finisher- for God’s sake!

______________

Counting On God

Well, I'm in a fight not physical

And I'm in a war, but not with this world.

And You are the light that's beautiful

And I want more, I want all that's Yours.

Joy unspeakable that won't go away

And just enough strength to live for today-

So I never have to worry

What tomorrow will bring

'Cause my faith is on solid rock;

I am counting on God!

I'm counting on, I'm counting on God!

I'm counting on, I'm counting on God!

I'm counting on, I'm counting on God!

I'm counting on, I'm counting on God!

And the miracle of Christ in me

Is the mystery that sets me free.

I'm nothing like I used to be.

Just open up your eyes you'll see.

Joy unspeakable that won't go away

And just enough strength to live for today-

So I never have to worry

What tomorrow will bring

'Cause my faith is on solid rock;

I am counting on God!

Jared Anderson

© 2007 Integrity Worship Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI))

CCLI License # 810055

Jerry D. Scott, Pastor

Faith Discovery Church

www.FaithDiscovery.com