When does a person cross the line from trusting God to ‘forcing God to act’ with presumption? What is simple faith that includes God’s perspective and what is foolishness that ignores the need to make hard decisions? Those are not just speculative questions for me!
I have a daughter and son-in-law who recently relocated across the country pursuing God’s plan for their lives, and they need jobs, now!
The church I pastor is functioning on a razor thin financial margin, with a major ministry that is trending flat in terms of income, and choices that we make now will be critically important to the over-all health of the church for years to come.
My own earning, while not meager, are – by all human measures- inadequate to prepare me for the future when I would like to think of retiring. In each situation the right response is to – trust God! But, what does that mean?
The whole of the Scripture offers two kinds of counsel which are like the parallel tracks of a railroad. We are commanded to implicitly trust the Lord to provide for us and we are directed to be diligently thoughtful about the choices we make. Just as a train cannot run without both tracks, our lives will quickly derail if we are not both wise and filled with faith. I love the promise that says "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, NIV) However, I also note that just a few verses before that in the same passage, there is this recognition that while God promises to provide what I need, He never says He will give me everything I want. "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12-13, NIV)
God equips us with both heart and mind.
If we live guided only by our emotions, we will wander into the land of ‘happy talk,’ living along the river of Denial, incapable of dealing with the reality of the world in which we live.
If we live only by our reason and intellect, we will never venture to do great things, never pray for God to move that mountain! When I read about the selection of the first deacons for the Church in Jerusalem, there is instruction in the way the Apostles told the church to choose these leaders. Note the twin qualifications. "So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task." (Acts 6:3, The Message)
Take this word from the Word with you today. Savor it, pray it, think it over.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:2-5, NIV)
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" (James 2:14, NIV)
"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." (James 3:13, NIV)
Friday, July 03, 2009
Thursday, July 02, 2009
God Has A Plan!
People tell me about their troubles and I’m glad to share the burden. I hear things like:
“Why did my girlfriend break our engagement?”
“My brother in law may have cancer.”
“My marriage isn’t working and I’m being tempted by someone else.”
“As of tomorrow, I have no work.”
My counsel is often about waiting for God, actively praying for the faith that will keep us steady, while we look for His plan to unfold. He has a plan! Heard that before? Of course, you have. That’s not news, but it is one of the most difficult truths to hang onto when stuff is flying in the storm all around us; when not much is making sense!
In the 18th chapter of John, we read of Jesus’ arrest. A detachment of soldiers, led by Judas, who knew the place, climb the steep hill to the olive grove where He has been praying. It is the middle of the night. Fear grabs the throats of the disciples, but Jesus calmly steps forward and meets this menacing troop. “Who are you looking for?” And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” “I told you that I Am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” (John 18:7-8, NLT)
What is the source of His peace and strength? His knowledge that God’s plan must unfold!
Peter, on the same night, reacts entirely differently. When the first men show up to arrest Jesus, Peter pulls his dagger and takes a wild swing, cutting off one’s ear! Jesus tells Peter he isn’t being helpful! “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (John 18:11, NKJV)
Later, when Jesus is facing Annas, the former high priest, for questioning, He doesn’t cower. He stands up boldly, telling the old man that He wants a trial. “If I did anything, or said anything wrong, prove it with witnesses!”
At the same moment, Peter is denying he even knows Jesus! He is full of fear, confused by what’s going on, trying to survive! One Man knew that He was in the center of God’s will. The other did not. Nothing in those circumstances suggested God was at work. There was injustice, corruption of power, and betrayal - but God was bringing about His plan to redeem sinful humanity! Mystery, isn’t it?
Perhaps nothing in your situation appears good or ‘godly!’ Today you may be surrounded by temptation, sickness, doubt, or uncertainty. Before you start lashing out, swinging the sword of self-defense or saying things you don’t really believe - wait on God! Tell the Holy Spirit you’re afraid. Reach out to disciples who will stand with you. Retreat to a quiet spot where you can offer up silent prayer. Pick up the Word and read a passage of promise. Renew your faith in the plans of your Father. "Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own." (Jeremiah 33:3, The Message) My counsel is not to resign to fate. It is to embrace God’s plan. On the outside it may look much the same, but in the latter choice there is hope and peace.
Here’s a word from the Word. Read it and pray for faith to receive it.
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:14-20, NLT) _______________
The song of my soul,
Since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus who'll save
Whosoever will have
A home in the "Haven of Rest."
O come to the Savior,
He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul
In the "Haven of Rest,"
And say, My Beloved is mine."
I've anchored my soul
In the "Haven of Rest,"
I'll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep,
O'er the wild stormy deep;
In Jesus I'm safe evermore.
The Haven Of Rest
Gilmour, Henry L. / Moore, George D.
© Public Domain
“Why did my girlfriend break our engagement?”
“My brother in law may have cancer.”
“My marriage isn’t working and I’m being tempted by someone else.”
“As of tomorrow, I have no work.”
My counsel is often about waiting for God, actively praying for the faith that will keep us steady, while we look for His plan to unfold. He has a plan! Heard that before? Of course, you have. That’s not news, but it is one of the most difficult truths to hang onto when stuff is flying in the storm all around us; when not much is making sense!
In the 18th chapter of John, we read of Jesus’ arrest. A detachment of soldiers, led by Judas, who knew the place, climb the steep hill to the olive grove where He has been praying. It is the middle of the night. Fear grabs the throats of the disciples, but Jesus calmly steps forward and meets this menacing troop. “Who are you looking for?” And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” “I told you that I Am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” (John 18:7-8, NLT)
What is the source of His peace and strength? His knowledge that God’s plan must unfold!
Peter, on the same night, reacts entirely differently. When the first men show up to arrest Jesus, Peter pulls his dagger and takes a wild swing, cutting off one’s ear! Jesus tells Peter he isn’t being helpful! “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (John 18:11, NKJV)
Later, when Jesus is facing Annas, the former high priest, for questioning, He doesn’t cower. He stands up boldly, telling the old man that He wants a trial. “If I did anything, or said anything wrong, prove it with witnesses!”
At the same moment, Peter is denying he even knows Jesus! He is full of fear, confused by what’s going on, trying to survive! One Man knew that He was in the center of God’s will. The other did not. Nothing in those circumstances suggested God was at work. There was injustice, corruption of power, and betrayal - but God was bringing about His plan to redeem sinful humanity! Mystery, isn’t it?
Perhaps nothing in your situation appears good or ‘godly!’ Today you may be surrounded by temptation, sickness, doubt, or uncertainty. Before you start lashing out, swinging the sword of self-defense or saying things you don’t really believe - wait on God! Tell the Holy Spirit you’re afraid. Reach out to disciples who will stand with you. Retreat to a quiet spot where you can offer up silent prayer. Pick up the Word and read a passage of promise. Renew your faith in the plans of your Father. "Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own." (Jeremiah 33:3, The Message) My counsel is not to resign to fate. It is to embrace God’s plan. On the outside it may look much the same, but in the latter choice there is hope and peace.
Here’s a word from the Word. Read it and pray for faith to receive it.
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:14-20, NLT) _______________
The song of my soul,
Since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus who'll save
Whosoever will have
A home in the "Haven of Rest."
O come to the Savior,
He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul
In the "Haven of Rest,"
And say, My Beloved is mine."
I've anchored my soul
In the "Haven of Rest,"
I'll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep,
O'er the wild stormy deep;
In Jesus I'm safe evermore.
The Haven Of Rest
Gilmour, Henry L. / Moore, George D.
© Public Domain
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Remember!
Pictures, sounds, smells, faces- an amazing collage of information out of which I formulate memories – is stored in the billions of cells that form that lump between my ears called a brain! On Sunday, Bev and I set off for the little town in Massachusetts where we raised our family and invested a dozen years in God’s work at Calvary Christian Chapel. On Monday, I stood at that little church and was overwhelmed to the point of physical illness by memory. In my mind I could hear the chatter of my children again, the voices of that congregation raised in song, the strains of a song Larry sang on my first Sunday as their pastor – “Welcome To the Family.” My mind flipped through pages that held weddings, funerals, dinners, and faces of friends gone for years. At age 53, I certainly have many more memories than expectations! Yet, I am grateful, beyond words, for those memories for they are my ‘life experience,’ and that, in large part, makes me who I am today! In sum, the satisfactions outweigh the regrets, thank God.
It isn’t, as I discovered this week, always a pleasant thing to ‘see’ the past. There is the ache that comes with longing to re-live happy moments, the stab that comes with recall of stupid or sinful decisions, and the knowledge that all is now out of reach, only a collection of memories, sometimes supported by a photograph or a video! But remembering is important! Burke reminded us that ‘Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it.’ Maya Angelou sagely observes that ‘History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, it need not be lived again.’
I find it compelling to note that Jesus Christ commands remembering and makes it one of the core practices of Christians. "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-20, NIV) “Never forget,” He says, “what I did on your behalf, the sacrifice at the Cross that reconciles you to God.” Interestingly, He built that ritual meal of remembrance around another – the Passover Seder - that the Jews have celebrated for thousands of years which recalls their own salvation and calling out of Egypt.
The Lord’s Supper or Communion serves not only to remind us of our salvation. It is also a time to renew our ties to the family, the Church. On our trip, Bev and I shared meals with friends. It was remarkable how years of separation fell away as we laughed and listened around tables! When Christians take the cup and the bread together, it should be a vivid reminder of the unity to which God calls us. At Communion, we are all on the same level ground- sinners saved by grace, now children of God, the Elect "who once were far away … brought near through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13, NIV)
Disciple, remember!
Remember God’s faithfulness and rejoice.
Remember God’s forgiveness and let go of regret.
Remember with gratitude those who blessed you along the way.
Remember and let experience be your teacher.
Here’s a word from the Word. May the Spirit use it to remind you of God’s goodness.
"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes,
I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?" (Psalm 77:11-13, NIV)
______________
A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. – Charles Spurgeon
It isn’t, as I discovered this week, always a pleasant thing to ‘see’ the past. There is the ache that comes with longing to re-live happy moments, the stab that comes with recall of stupid or sinful decisions, and the knowledge that all is now out of reach, only a collection of memories, sometimes supported by a photograph or a video! But remembering is important! Burke reminded us that ‘Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it.’ Maya Angelou sagely observes that ‘History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, it need not be lived again.’
I find it compelling to note that Jesus Christ commands remembering and makes it one of the core practices of Christians. "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-20, NIV) “Never forget,” He says, “what I did on your behalf, the sacrifice at the Cross that reconciles you to God.” Interestingly, He built that ritual meal of remembrance around another – the Passover Seder - that the Jews have celebrated for thousands of years which recalls their own salvation and calling out of Egypt.
The Lord’s Supper or Communion serves not only to remind us of our salvation. It is also a time to renew our ties to the family, the Church. On our trip, Bev and I shared meals with friends. It was remarkable how years of separation fell away as we laughed and listened around tables! When Christians take the cup and the bread together, it should be a vivid reminder of the unity to which God calls us. At Communion, we are all on the same level ground- sinners saved by grace, now children of God, the Elect "who once were far away … brought near through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13, NIV)
Disciple, remember!
Remember God’s faithfulness and rejoice.
Remember God’s forgiveness and let go of regret.
Remember with gratitude those who blessed you along the way.
Remember and let experience be your teacher.
Here’s a word from the Word. May the Spirit use it to remind you of God’s goodness.
"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes,
I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?" (Psalm 77:11-13, NIV)
______________
A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. – Charles Spurgeon
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