Bill Mason is an intelligent man. He was on the road to a successful life. Financially, he was doing well. He was happily married. A property manager by day, he became a jewel thief by night, and a very good one at that. He loved the thrill of finding a rich prospect, casing the apartment where the person lived, making a plan, getting in, and grabbing the jewelry. He stole gems worth millions of dollars from the wealthy, the famous, and celebrities. Then, he got caught.
The first time around he caught a big break, got immunity in exchange for his testimony, and was slapped on the wrist by the justice system. Did he learn his lesson? No! Within two years, he was back at it, addicted to the thrill and the easy money. He got caught again, did several years in prison, was divorced by his wife, and destroyed his life. Now older and seemingly wiser, he wonders he would be living today if he had thought of the future, instead of chasing the thrill of the moment; if he would be successful, still with his first wife, whom he loved?
Most of us won't become thieves or criminals like Bill Mason, but a lot of us will look for shortcuts through life, for the easy way to 'success,' however we define that. Solomon wryly observed - "There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. " (Proverbs 14:12, The Message) Whether it is personal integrity, spiritual maturity, financial success, or building a solid marriage; this is the truth - it takes wisdom to see beyond today and requires sustained effort!
God teaches us about the law of planting and harvest and it is not just true about what we put in our gardens! It is true in everyway. We must keep in mind that what we plant is what we will harvest; that we will harvest more than we planted; and that we will harvest only after we plant seeds!
Hosea preached to God's people urging them to plant for a good harvest.
"Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
"But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies..." (Hosea 10:12-13, NLT)
One reason some give in to the temptation of the quick and easy way is that the results are so immediate! A person without integrity buys a degree online, exaggerates her experience, and maybe gets the job she wants. It looks so easy! But, then when she is exposed as a fraud, she loses it all! A person with integrity who wants to prepare for a long career put years in the classroom getting her degrees, takes the entry level job, deals with boring, miserable situations so that she can ultimately own the dream God put in her heart.
Take a lesson from the garden - weeds grow without cultivation. They grow quickly but they produce no fruit! If someone offers you a way that is 'too good to be true,' it is! If an opportunity appears that looks like a shortcut to the top, it will almost certainly lead to disaster.
Offer yourself to the Lord today. Ask Him to give you the courage, the wisdom, the patience to plant for a good harvest. Here's a word from the Word to meditate on today. It's familiar, but do not rush through it. Read with understanding, asking God to plant it deep in your heart.
"Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up." (Galatians 6:7-9, NLT)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Faith shows its true colors!
Yesterday I felt a lot of heartache. My friend, Joe, was having surgery to determine the extent of his colon cancer. I called his daughter to pray with her and found myself in tears as we talked to the Lord about her Dad. Another couple emailed to tell me that despite our fervent and hopeful prayers, they were not pregnant. I cried again, I think as much in frustration with the apparent silence of God in that situation as over disappointment. Another call came telling me of a man who is compounding his pain with one bad decision piled on another. I cried again, saddened by his blindness, praying for the Light to dawn on him. By noontime, I got in my car and drove away from the church thinking - "No more tears today." But those who were suffering went with me, carried in my mind and heart. I remained prayerfully broken-hearted for much of the day. Is that a bad thing? Not really.
Providentially, my study of the Scripture for the day was 'on point' as we say. Here's the text - "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors." (James 1:2-3, The Message) That is quite true! Normally on a Wednesday morning, I would busy myself with finishing notes for the evening's Bible study class, answering phone calls, making contacts, writing letters; the stuff a Pastor does. Not yesterday! Several times during the morning, my heart became so heavy for those I love that I pushed away from my desk to walk into the hallway and breath a prayer; more like sigh really. Yes, indeed, my faith-life was forced into the open, my dependence on the Lord more obvious. The demand for prayer persisted even into the wee hours of this morning, when I spent time with the Lord- called from sleep by the urgency of lifting those who suffer to Him.
We're so enthralled with the beautiful, the whole, and the happy that we sometimes deliberately close our eyes to the presence of the disfigured, the broken, and the sad. "Don't worry, be happy!" goes the catchy tune which describes what many want as the ideal life - one with unclouded skies and endless laughter. But the Bible reminds us that there is something about those who are 'not perfect' (are any of us perfect, really?) that God can use to help us become kinder, gentler, and more loving people - if we let ourselves be touched by true need. Don't get me wrong. I'm not asking for cancer, nor am I romanticizing the pain of deformity or sickness! But I am believing what the Bible teaches - that suffering plays a role in pulling me to Christ, in making me a better person than I likely would be if I never encountered a tough situation or shed a tear.
Stan Guthrie deals with moderate cerebral palsy. In an article contained in July, '07 issue of Christianity Today, he talks about 'stumbling after Jesus,' describing how his disability creates opportunity for God's grace to be made known in the world. From that unique perspective his words about suffering carry a powerful authority.
"I worry about our society's desire to engineer trials out of existence. ...
The Christian life was never meant to be a cakewalk, discipleship requires suffering, and spiritual victory presupposes struggle. ...
Carrying the burdensome cross on the way to his execution, Jesus publicly stumbled and fell - a humiliation many of who are 'differently abled' are all too familiar with. ...
We must not come to abhor those who suffer nor fear the trials that inevitably come our way. They are, to borrow an old phrase, means of grace. Only through suffering, disappointment, and death - and the rude remarks of children - are we weaned from the love of this world. There's more to life than happiness."
Beware of those who claim that Jesus Christ exempts the faithful from all sadness. Reject the twisted doctrine that teaches that with enough faith you can erase all disappointment, claim your prosperity, and make God do your bidding! He is God, and I am not. His ways, are higher than our ways. Yes, we work to build His kingdom and defeat the Curse of sin and suffering through Christ Jesus- but along the way to Heaven we will encounter plenty of it; and God will use it to mature us, to grow us deep in faith, and to release His grace into our lives, which will make something beautiful of our lives, beyond what we could ever be apart from His grace transformations. A broken heart can be like a prism which breaks white light into a rainbow of brilliant colors. As the Light of Christ shines through us we will refract the colors of faith before our world.
Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts today:
"God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." (James 4:6-10, NLT)
Providentially, my study of the Scripture for the day was 'on point' as we say. Here's the text - "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors." (James 1:2-3, The Message) That is quite true! Normally on a Wednesday morning, I would busy myself with finishing notes for the evening's Bible study class, answering phone calls, making contacts, writing letters; the stuff a Pastor does. Not yesterday! Several times during the morning, my heart became so heavy for those I love that I pushed away from my desk to walk into the hallway and breath a prayer; more like sigh really. Yes, indeed, my faith-life was forced into the open, my dependence on the Lord more obvious. The demand for prayer persisted even into the wee hours of this morning, when I spent time with the Lord- called from sleep by the urgency of lifting those who suffer to Him.
We're so enthralled with the beautiful, the whole, and the happy that we sometimes deliberately close our eyes to the presence of the disfigured, the broken, and the sad. "Don't worry, be happy!" goes the catchy tune which describes what many want as the ideal life - one with unclouded skies and endless laughter. But the Bible reminds us that there is something about those who are 'not perfect' (are any of us perfect, really?) that God can use to help us become kinder, gentler, and more loving people - if we let ourselves be touched by true need. Don't get me wrong. I'm not asking for cancer, nor am I romanticizing the pain of deformity or sickness! But I am believing what the Bible teaches - that suffering plays a role in pulling me to Christ, in making me a better person than I likely would be if I never encountered a tough situation or shed a tear.
Stan Guthrie deals with moderate cerebral palsy. In an article contained in July, '07 issue of Christianity Today, he talks about 'stumbling after Jesus,' describing how his disability creates opportunity for God's grace to be made known in the world. From that unique perspective his words about suffering carry a powerful authority.
"I worry about our society's desire to engineer trials out of existence. ...
The Christian life was never meant to be a cakewalk, discipleship requires suffering, and spiritual victory presupposes struggle. ...
Carrying the burdensome cross on the way to his execution, Jesus publicly stumbled and fell - a humiliation many of who are 'differently abled' are all too familiar with. ...
We must not come to abhor those who suffer nor fear the trials that inevitably come our way. They are, to borrow an old phrase, means of grace. Only through suffering, disappointment, and death - and the rude remarks of children - are we weaned from the love of this world. There's more to life than happiness."
Beware of those who claim that Jesus Christ exempts the faithful from all sadness. Reject the twisted doctrine that teaches that with enough faith you can erase all disappointment, claim your prosperity, and make God do your bidding! He is God, and I am not. His ways, are higher than our ways. Yes, we work to build His kingdom and defeat the Curse of sin and suffering through Christ Jesus- but along the way to Heaven we will encounter plenty of it; and God will use it to mature us, to grow us deep in faith, and to release His grace into our lives, which will make something beautiful of our lives, beyond what we could ever be apart from His grace transformations. A broken heart can be like a prism which breaks white light into a rainbow of brilliant colors. As the Light of Christ shines through us we will refract the colors of faith before our world.
Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts today:
"God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." (James 4:6-10, NLT)
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Zealous, for what?
Ambition is one of those things that can be a blessing or a curse.
A person without ambition very likely will become a parasite who depends on others to keep him alive! Solomon's proverbs refer to the man without ambition as a 'sluggard,' and observes "A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing." (Proverbs 20:4, NIV) This man waits for life to happen, waits for easy money, big moments, and breaks. The consequence? A wasted life given to triviality.
At the other extreme, a person too full of ambition consumes everyone around him, turning people into objects to be used in his blind pursuit of fame, wealth, and power. This man is too busy chasing his dreams to be concerned with love, family, or loyalty. He's all about 'being somebody' in this world.
The balance is found in being ambitious about doing what God has called you to do in the best way possible, but always for His glory. The Word urges us to "make the most of every opportunity." (Col. 4.5) That is coupled with this admonition - "...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31, NLT) Staying centered on that path, where we work hard and strive for excellence while keeping ego in check, requires a daily conversation with the Holy Spirit, regularly examining our heart asking Him to show us the smallest evidence of selfish ambition. Finding it, we must deal with it ruthlessly, or it will quickly corrupt everything we do. One way to know when ambition has gone wrong is to ask, "whose approval am I seeking?" If you're asking - 'what would the neighbors think of me now?' or 'how can I impress him/her?' or 'do I look good (and I'm not talking about your hair!)?' - you're aiming at the wrong goal. Somebody said we perform for an 'audience of One.' Our ambition is to please Him - always.
James says that selfish ambition, the way of the world, is devilishly destructive. Godly ambition will fill our lives with a harvest of good things!
He writes - "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:13-18, NIV)
I want to make a difference in this world before God calls me home. That thought is never far from my conscious mind. "What are you doing today, Jerry, that is making the world in which you live a little better place?" But, I know it's a loaded question that can be answered wrongly if I begin to measure making a difference in any way other than faithfully seeking and doing God's will. I don't always get it right, either! Too many nights as I lay my head on my pillow and review the day prayerfully, my true motives become clear and I realize that what I said, what I did, was aimed at securing my place in this world or shining the spotlight on my reputation. But, thank the Lord, He is ready to forgive and to change my heart. And then, too, there are those moments when I sense the Spirit of God offering approval when I have served Him and in some small way built up the Kingdom of God.
Don't settle for drifting through life! Find out what God wants from you, then pursue it with your whole heart - always for the glory of God.
A person without ambition very likely will become a parasite who depends on others to keep him alive! Solomon's proverbs refer to the man without ambition as a 'sluggard,' and observes "A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing." (Proverbs 20:4, NIV) This man waits for life to happen, waits for easy money, big moments, and breaks. The consequence? A wasted life given to triviality.
At the other extreme, a person too full of ambition consumes everyone around him, turning people into objects to be used in his blind pursuit of fame, wealth, and power. This man is too busy chasing his dreams to be concerned with love, family, or loyalty. He's all about 'being somebody' in this world.
The balance is found in being ambitious about doing what God has called you to do in the best way possible, but always for His glory. The Word urges us to "make the most of every opportunity." (Col. 4.5) That is coupled with this admonition - "...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31, NLT) Staying centered on that path, where we work hard and strive for excellence while keeping ego in check, requires a daily conversation with the Holy Spirit, regularly examining our heart asking Him to show us the smallest evidence of selfish ambition. Finding it, we must deal with it ruthlessly, or it will quickly corrupt everything we do. One way to know when ambition has gone wrong is to ask, "whose approval am I seeking?" If you're asking - 'what would the neighbors think of me now?' or 'how can I impress him/her?' or 'do I look good (and I'm not talking about your hair!)?' - you're aiming at the wrong goal. Somebody said we perform for an 'audience of One.' Our ambition is to please Him - always.
James says that selfish ambition, the way of the world, is devilishly destructive. Godly ambition will fill our lives with a harvest of good things!
He writes - "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:13-18, NIV)
I want to make a difference in this world before God calls me home. That thought is never far from my conscious mind. "What are you doing today, Jerry, that is making the world in which you live a little better place?" But, I know it's a loaded question that can be answered wrongly if I begin to measure making a difference in any way other than faithfully seeking and doing God's will. I don't always get it right, either! Too many nights as I lay my head on my pillow and review the day prayerfully, my true motives become clear and I realize that what I said, what I did, was aimed at securing my place in this world or shining the spotlight on my reputation. But, thank the Lord, He is ready to forgive and to change my heart. And then, too, there are those moments when I sense the Spirit of God offering approval when I have served Him and in some small way built up the Kingdom of God.
Don't settle for drifting through life! Find out what God wants from you, then pursue it with your whole heart - always for the glory of God.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The worth of another - what measure?
Paris Hilton attracted a huge amount of attention recently when she was sent to county jail for a charge of driving with a suspended license. TV networks devoted hundreds of hours to covering the story that was basically meaningless. But then again, Paris always attracts attention, doesn't she? You know who she is, don't you? Why do people pay attention to her? It is not that she has changed the world by some great act of selfless service! It is not that she is brilliant and has made some discovery that will bring benefit to millions. She is young, pretty, and rich! On the same day that Paris was sent to jail, hundreds of other women were also locked up all over America but nobody cared for the majority of them because they were poor.
Wealth has always attracted the attention of others - as far back as we can track history! Money is a magnet. Access to resources gives a person power over others; the ability to buy services and influence.
Believer - among God's people things should be different. Are they? It's a tough thing to face in ourselves - to admit that we are biased in favor of those who appear to have more wealth! But, apart from an ongoing transformational work of the Holy Spirit, we will value people differently based on the mere appearance that they have wealth. James, in his letter to Believers, addresses this issue. He says, "if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won’t treat some people better than others. Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes. You must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. That is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge. My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. . . . You will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves." (James 2:1-8, CEV)
Today, let's invite the Spirit to show us where subtle bias for the rich is creeping into our lives. Let's ask the Lord to help us to show the same courtesy, to extend the same respect to the person who is poor as we would to the one with wealth. I want to have the Spirit's view of people; that sees each person for his character, that is aware of the spiritual needs of others regardless of the way they are dressed. the home they occupy, or the car they drive! If we treat the rich differently, another sin will find a place to take root in our hearts, envy. James warns us about that, too. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:13-16, NIV)
Contrast that kind of life with the one that is satisfied with God and good. Then, may you choose to live God's way! "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. . . . So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT)
_________________
Father, thank you for the promise that
You will provide me with all that I need,
if I will trust You with my life.
Help me, Lord, to be contented with the things I have,
accepting of each blessing You allow me to enjoy
without wanting what another has.Protect me from the sins of prejudice and envy.
Show me any place where they have taken root in my heart,
and help me to dig them out, to become a man who loves others like Jesus did.
To the glory of Your Name, I pray.
Amen.
Wealth has always attracted the attention of others - as far back as we can track history! Money is a magnet. Access to resources gives a person power over others; the ability to buy services and influence.
Believer - among God's people things should be different. Are they? It's a tough thing to face in ourselves - to admit that we are biased in favor of those who appear to have more wealth! But, apart from an ongoing transformational work of the Holy Spirit, we will value people differently based on the mere appearance that they have wealth. James, in his letter to Believers, addresses this issue. He says, "if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won’t treat some people better than others. Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes. You must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. That is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge. My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. . . . You will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves." (James 2:1-8, CEV)
Today, let's invite the Spirit to show us where subtle bias for the rich is creeping into our lives. Let's ask the Lord to help us to show the same courtesy, to extend the same respect to the person who is poor as we would to the one with wealth. I want to have the Spirit's view of people; that sees each person for his character, that is aware of the spiritual needs of others regardless of the way they are dressed. the home they occupy, or the car they drive! If we treat the rich differently, another sin will find a place to take root in our hearts, envy. James warns us about that, too. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:13-16, NIV)
Contrast that kind of life with the one that is satisfied with God and good. Then, may you choose to live God's way! "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. . . . So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT)
_________________
Father, thank you for the promise that
You will provide me with all that I need,
if I will trust You with my life.
Help me, Lord, to be contented with the things I have,
accepting of each blessing You allow me to enjoy
without wanting what another has.Protect me from the sins of prejudice and envy.
Show me any place where they have taken root in my heart,
and help me to dig them out, to become a man who loves others like Jesus did.
To the glory of Your Name, I pray.
Amen.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Point me in the right direction, Lord!
Do you ever deal with being anxious? At one time or another, we all do. Health issues, financial decisions, job choices, the future of our children's lives, our businesses - are all potential sources of worry. On more than a few nights my eyes refuse to close in restful sleep while my mind does calculations about some personal challenge, a decision I need to make, or the demand to develop a strategy to address an upcoming change in the church which I serve. When I feel stress, I am often not as gentle and patient as I ought to be which, later on, makes me feel even more stress about the words or actions I used when under pressure! I could excuse my tendency to be anxious, my short-temperedness, or my lack of faith with a dismissive 'that is just who I am.' I could point out that I am wired as a "type A" leader who is action-oriented. Or, I can do the right thing and submit to Jesus, my Master and Lord, letting the Spirit change my heart. Thankfully, He has done and is doing this in me, to the glory of His Name.
The late Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, a ministry that became a major force in the work of the Lord in the last 40 years, had many reasons to be stressed. He was head of an organization that was huge, that was always in need of funds, and that had thousands of associates on hundreds of campuses around the world. But, Dr. Bright was consistently a man of cheerful temperament, relaxed, and apparently beyond worry. His son reports on the moment when he came to understand why his Dad was this way, even under pressure. It was an interview with a reporter from a Christian magazine.
"Dr. Bright," the reporter asked, "share with us a problem from your life that the average Christian could relate to."
"I don't have any problems" Bright replied.
The reporter pressed, "Don't over-spiritualize this. We all have problems."
"Young man," Bright replied, "you need to understand that I understand that I am a slave of Jesus. A slave doesn't have any problems. The only thing a slave has to do is what his master tells him to do. He doesn't have to be successful. When you really understand that, all the of the sudden, you don't have any problems anymore. All you have are opportunities to see God work." - quoted in REV. Magazine, July/August, 2007
Anxiety is an expression of ego, a revelation that we assume we are 'in charge.' Faith that is deep and wide, causes us to surrender our illusions of mastery of our lives and to live at peace in the Presence of God. Now, we must be consistent in that faith. If we run ahead of the Lord and make decisions in our own wisdom: creating debt, taking on too much responsibility, etc. - it is immature and irresponsible to decide, only after the fact, to throw it all on the Lord and expect that He should painlessly lead us out of the problems that we created for ourselves! The kind of faith that allowed Dr. Bright to live with serenity started before he made decisions. He let God lead - from the beginning. Does that mean we can't ask the Lord to help us with situations we created in ignorance or through willful expression of ego? No, of course not. He loves us even when we're dumb or sinful. But we need to acknowledge our sins of presumption, first!
Today - at the beginning of a new week - take a few moments to give yourself anew to the Lord. Say it out loud - "Lord God, I am your servant. I exist to do Your will, to fulfill your expectations, to carry out your purposes." Sum up the things that are making you impatient, that are keeping you awake at night, that make you weary from worry - write the list down - and lay it before the Lord and pray - "Lord, these are my concerns. I want to meet them in the way that You desire, for You know all my tomorrows, and You know what is best for me in the light of eternity." And then, leave them there. You can find peace - no matter the situation.
Here's a word from the Word to take with you today.
". . . serve each other in humility, for "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." (1 Peter 5:5-10, NLT)
The late Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, a ministry that became a major force in the work of the Lord in the last 40 years, had many reasons to be stressed. He was head of an organization that was huge, that was always in need of funds, and that had thousands of associates on hundreds of campuses around the world. But, Dr. Bright was consistently a man of cheerful temperament, relaxed, and apparently beyond worry. His son reports on the moment when he came to understand why his Dad was this way, even under pressure. It was an interview with a reporter from a Christian magazine.
"Dr. Bright," the reporter asked, "share with us a problem from your life that the average Christian could relate to."
"I don't have any problems" Bright replied.
The reporter pressed, "Don't over-spiritualize this. We all have problems."
"Young man," Bright replied, "you need to understand that I understand that I am a slave of Jesus. A slave doesn't have any problems. The only thing a slave has to do is what his master tells him to do. He doesn't have to be successful. When you really understand that, all the of the sudden, you don't have any problems anymore. All you have are opportunities to see God work." - quoted in REV. Magazine, July/August, 2007
Anxiety is an expression of ego, a revelation that we assume we are 'in charge.' Faith that is deep and wide, causes us to surrender our illusions of mastery of our lives and to live at peace in the Presence of God. Now, we must be consistent in that faith. If we run ahead of the Lord and make decisions in our own wisdom: creating debt, taking on too much responsibility, etc. - it is immature and irresponsible to decide, only after the fact, to throw it all on the Lord and expect that He should painlessly lead us out of the problems that we created for ourselves! The kind of faith that allowed Dr. Bright to live with serenity started before he made decisions. He let God lead - from the beginning. Does that mean we can't ask the Lord to help us with situations we created in ignorance or through willful expression of ego? No, of course not. He loves us even when we're dumb or sinful. But we need to acknowledge our sins of presumption, first!
Today - at the beginning of a new week - take a few moments to give yourself anew to the Lord. Say it out loud - "Lord God, I am your servant. I exist to do Your will, to fulfill your expectations, to carry out your purposes." Sum up the things that are making you impatient, that are keeping you awake at night, that make you weary from worry - write the list down - and lay it before the Lord and pray - "Lord, these are my concerns. I want to meet them in the way that You desire, for You know all my tomorrows, and You know what is best for me in the light of eternity." And then, leave them there. You can find peace - no matter the situation.
Here's a word from the Word to take with you today.
". . . serve each other in humility, for "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." (1 Peter 5:5-10, NLT)
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