Focused or Fuzzy?

My daughter, Maribel, is a gifted photographer. Her pictures of her family always grab your interest. Some people take pictures that are just blah. The subjects are too far away, or there are too many things in the way, or they are out of focus. Maribel composes each shot artistically, in a way that grabs your eye and directs attention to the very thing she wants to share – a smile, a dimple. She uses her photos to communicate and they say, “Look at this!” Instead of just ‘taking pictures,’ she uses her camera to tell a story. She what she wants to ‘say’ and she gets the shot that does it.

Think about this disciple. Is your service to God focused or fuzzy?
Do you do what you do in His service with a clear sense of mission and purpose?

This week I have been praying and thinking at length about the places where I can serve Him in my world. Needs are everywhere! There is the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Two earthquakes, in Haiti and Chile, have created multiple needs. There is the whole issue of human trafficking and sexual slavery. Working against poverty and for justice are important to God, and therefore must be important to me. Then, too, there are millions who have yet to hear the Gospel, who need someone to tell them about the love of God found in Christ Jesus. If I try to zoom out and ‘take a picture’ of the whole wide world of need, most likely I will end up doing nothing for anyone! To simply say, “I will serve God” is a commitment that is too broad.

Need, alone, cannot drive our service. Each of us who would serve Him well and effectively must determine our calling. Our prayer must be “Lord, what do You want me to do? Where do You want me to serve?” Sometimes finding the place to which He is calling us is more challenging than deciding to serve, isn’t it? One key to living on purpose, clearly focused and effective, is found in the story of young Samuel’s call. Take a look.

"Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”


Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ”
So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”


Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:4-10, NIV)

Samuel was eager to serve, but he was not yet on intimate terms with the Lord, thus he confused the Lord’s voice with the other authority figure in his life, Eli! Only when he was re-directed to listen carefully, did the vision for his life come clearly to him. Do you know the Lord, or simply about Him? Are you listening carefully to the Spirit or are all the messages that come your way second-hand, coming through a preacher or a book? Those who serve with real focus have spent time waiting, listening, and hearing from God.

Disciple, are you feeling the weight of need pressing on you?
Is your heart breaking with the things that break the heart of God?

Good! Now, ask the Spirit to bring focus, to aim you in the right direction. Don’t try to calculate. Faith lifts us over what we think is possible. Don’t look for recognition. Much of that which will find God’s commendation is hidden from human eyes. Don’t look for ‘easy.’ Just say, “Yes, Lord. Speak, am I listening.”

Here’s a word from the Word. Jesus invites us to "Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you." (Matthew 11:29, The Message)

____________________

I'll say,"Yes, Lord, yes,"
To Your will and to Your way.
I'll say,"Yes, Lord, yes."
I will trust You and obey.
When the Spirit speaks to me,
With my whole heart I'll agree.
And my answer will be,
"Yes, Lord, yes."

If I never knew the fullness
Of living in Your will,
I would never know how rich
My life could be.
Lord, my willingness to serve
Is the least that You deserve,
For the blessings
You have showered over me.

Yes, Lord, Yes
Keesecker, Lynn

© 1983 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135)

CCLI License No. 810055

Ritual and Reality

There is a comfort to be found in the habits of worship. I anticipate getting up on Sunday and going off to church, singing familiar songs, praying with people I love, and opening the Scripture. It is a lifetime habit, and a good one. There is a danger in it, though. The ritual can replace the reality of relationship, if I do not continue to renew my First Love of the Lord Jesus Christ! The habits of religion can cover up the barrenness of one’s relationship with the Spirit.

In the opening chapters of 1st Samuel, we read about a time in Israel’s history when corruption had overtaken the priesthood. The leading priests were greedy and immoral, oppressing the people, and exploiting the power of their holy office. The Bible says, "In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions." (1 Samuel 3:1, NIV) The rituals were ongoing, but the sinfulness had made them spiritually deaf. In the next chapter, we are told that a war with the Philistines broke out. In the initial battle, 4,000 soldiers of Israel died. The leaders of the nation were perplexed. “Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines?” (1 Samuel 4:3, NIV) Then, they made a fateful decision!

They sent for the Ark of the Covenant, the symbolic center of God’s dwelling among them, and brought it down to lead them into battle! “Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” (1 Samuel 4:3, NIV) What a misplaced trust! Unable to hear the voice of the Lord, they choose to trust in the ritual symbol and the end of the story is tragic. They suffered a terrible defeat, the Ark was captured by the Philistines, and despair gripped the nation as people concluded that ‘the glory of the Lord has departed!’

Disciple, don’t misplace your focus on ritual! Habits of Bible reading, saying prayers, church attendance, taking Communion… whatever you spiritual practices … are good. Those disciplines can and should provide channels through which the living water of the Spirit flows into our minds and souls. But, doing the rituals is not what empowers us to overcome the Tempter, to stand firm in faith, or to become the holy people that the Lord desires us to be. We must cultivate intimacy with God, responding to deal with sin, waiting before Him patiently, offering soul-deep worship both privately and with the congregation. Then, we will not suffer the curse of spiritual deafness. Hearing from God makes the difference between Christianity as a religion of disciplined morality and Christianity as an experience of joyful empowerment that satisfies the deepest needs of our hearts and minds!

We are foolish if we think we can enter into the battle with the World, the Flesh, and the Devil and overcome because we have certificate of perfect attendance at church, or because we have conscientiously paid our tithes, or because we completed a ‘through the Bible’ reading program last year. Yes, we ought to do those kinds of things, but not because we trust in them to deliver us, but because they are means of worshipping and loving our Living Lord! Let us never allow Jesus’ words to the church in Ephesus be descriptive of us. "I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out. But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway?" (Revelation 2:3-4, The Message)

Here’s His invitation. Take it to heart and live with the joy and power that comes from a real relationship.

"You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.


Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.


Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3:16-21, NIV)

_________________

Your steadfast love
Extends to the heavens.
Your faithfulness
Reaches to the clouds.
Your righteousness
Is like majestic mountains,
And Your wisdom
Like the depths of the sea.
And You come to me.

Filling my heart
Is Your loving kindness.
I find my peace in
The shadow of Your wings.
I eat my fill from
The abundance of Your household,
And I drink from
The streams of rejoicing.
You are my King.

Your Steadfast Love
Sandquist, Ted
© 1974 Lion Of Judah Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)

CCLI License No. 810055

And a door opened!

At 10 AM yesterday, my cell phone buzzed and the voice of the surgeon greeted me. My breath caught in my throat. It was finally going to be official, that ‘thing’ removed from me was analyzed, dissected, and diagnosed. What was it? Would I now face weeks or months of debilitating treatment? “Mr. Scott, you’re all clear. It was benign. No follow-up is necessary.” “Hallelujah,” I said into the phone, to which he made no reply. After a few perfunctory words of thanks, the call ended. For a few seconds I stood almost waiting for angels to break out in song or dancers to appear! It was a moment of sheer bliss, accompanied by tears and hugs, the news so good that I could not process it fully for hours. Suddenly a door to a brand new life opened. Only Heaven will reveal what that whole thing was about and how prayers were answered. I truly believe that God intervened graciously, according to His sovereign will, and for that I am ever so grateful. I can only hope that I would have accepted a different answer with equal faith and trust!

This crisis is past. Now what? A reminder to ‘Seize the day!’ is with me.
I can no longer live with the illusion that my life will stretch on tomorrow following tomorrow, without trouble or trial. The truth of the Word about the temporary nature of my existence is more real to me today.

James said, "Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil." (James 4:13-16, NLT) His words should not make us sad or hopeless! They should remind us of the amazing privilege of being part of the Lord’s plan, and ultimately finding ourselves at Home in His Presence.

My brush with mortality, far from being a curse, is a lesson about choosing each day to live with Heaven’s gates at the horizon. No, I am not being overly sentimental or super-spiritual! The last month was a tough slog, a time of wrestling with fear, a time of constantly seeking and accepting the peace of God. Faith did not forsake me, but it was tested! I re-discovered the importance of being connected with others, allowing them to comfort, to help to carry the burden, to receive prayer and ministry with gratitude and humility.

Disciple, make the most of this day as you live near to the heart of God. Enjoy the blessings. Love those who walk with you. Seek to serve, faithfully and wholeheartedly. Forgive.

Here’s a word from the Word. Make it your prayer.
"Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. … The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. …
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:1, 10, 12, NIV)
___________________________

All my tomorrows, all my past;
Jesus is Lord of all.
I've quit my struggles,
Contentment at last,
Jesus is Lord of all.

All of my conflicts,
All my thoughts,
Jesus is Lord of all.
His love wins the battles,
I could not have fought,
Jesus is Lord of all.

All of my longings,
All my dreams,
Jesus is Lord of all.
All of my failures,
His power redeems,
Jesus is Lord of all.

King of kings, Lord of lords!
Jesus is Lord of all!
All my possessions,
And all my life,
Jesus is Lord of all.

Jesus Is Lord Of All
© 1973 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management

Gloria Gaither
William J. Gaither

CCLI License No. 810055

Awake and Aware

The documentary was a look into an ugly side of America, the sex trade that flourishes in and around our cities, using girls that are literally slaves. Preying on young women who are looking for love, who run away from abusive homes, or who just who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, the pimps beat and rape the women, cowing them into silence and then sell them on the Internet. Often a young woman can produce $1000 per night. It’s a life of degradation, sorrow, usually accompanied by addiction and disease. Suicide is common. When a young girl is no longer marketable, she is dumped onto the streets. Usually she is too ashamed to seek out family help and therefore, remains alone and frequently homeless. Most Americans have no idea this is happening! Truthfully, I would rather not have watched the two hour program either. It left me sick at heart!

Disciple, are you willing to let God break your heart with the things that break His?
Are you willing to see the world as it is; the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly?

The sad faces of those young girls who are used and abused by men without hearts have filled my mind for the last two days! My prayers are stirred and God only knows (literally) what else I could or should do in response to this. We are sent into the world to change it, disciple. We cannot allow ourselves to become isolated behind our community walls, our eyes carefully averted from sin and suffering, our hearts protected from pain, our tranquility preserved by refusal to look at the world as it is!

John tells us that when Jesus was among His disciples after the Resurrection, He said "Again Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21-22, NIV) The Father sent the Son from the glorious sinless perfection of Heaven into the grim, gritty world of broken lives. Jesus became the friend of sinners. He brought them the good news of forgiveness, the hopeful word of restoration, the corrective word that pointed them to the abundant life, and the promise of eternal shelter in the Father’s house! He engaged Himself with the least, the lost, the outcast, and the sorrowful. In the same way, He sends us! No wonder, He follows us by giving the gift of the Spirit! As Paul says, "Who is equal to such a task?" (2 Corinthians 2:16, NIV)
Do you want to be a joyous disciple, one who leaves a legacy, who knows the smile of the Father’s approval? Then become awake and aware. What you see will be disturbing! It’s not a pretty world where sin reigns! Move comfort and safety down the list of your priorities and present yourself to God, at the ready to do what He asks, to be who He asks. Can we who have been given the gift of life refuse to share it? Can we accept the blessings and not, in turn, invite those who are not yet at the table to come and be part of God’s family?
Here’s a word from the Word.

"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ  to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them;
to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence
without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior  be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord,  before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 20-25, NIV)

________________

Every day the way gets brighter!

Do you listen when God speaks? A parent who raised four children, I know what selective hearing is. My kids could hear plans being made for a fun day trip when Bev and I were whispering in the bedroom but sometimes they could not ‘hear’ their Mom when she was speaking right to their faces. They chose to comprehend what they wanted to hear, engaged their minds with the flow of words when they did not want to miss the message. Selective hearing is a practice of adults, too, especially when it comes to the things of God. From the birth of the nation of Israel all the way to the birth of the Church, the Bible tells of God’s people failing to grasp His message, living willfully even when they knew better. Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy, told of the consequences that would come as result of obedience or the lack thereof.

Some Christians think that because we live in the era of grace, his words no longer apply. I beg to differ! God, as a good and loving Father, has always been gracious. And, He is also just and holy. When He calls us into His family, extending His favor to us, He also calls us to a responsive, listening life. When we respond to Him willingly and wholeheartedly, we find blessings of peace and wholeness, we live in the shelter of His love, kept even as the storms of life blow over and around us.

Moses tells the people of God about this. “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed." (Deuteronomy 28:1-3, NLT) "The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul." (Deuteronomy 30:10, NLT) Don’t cheapen that promise by turning it into a kind of ‘let’s make a deal’ proposition. God is not speaking of a simple ‘if/then’ contract here! He is inviting us into a holy covenant, an amazing life that experiences daily grace.
Some of you may be wondering if I’ve sold out to the prosperity Gospel which falsely teaches that Christians should all enjoy health and wealth, if they have enough faith to receive it. The short answer is, No! But, I am convinced by the Word that those who love the Lord, their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength find the "path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter ‘till the full light of day." (Proverbs 4:18, NIV) Living, as we do, in a fallen world full of sin, we still go through earthquakes and hurricanes, deal with temptation, and have bodies that age and break but as children of God we can experience even those difficulties differently. We do not fall into despair and bitterness. We wait for the mercy of our Savior and are comforted by His sweet Presence!

Paul’s life was surely not one without suffering or difficulties, yet he says, "Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Corinthians 3:18, The Message)
The paradox is that we must not serve God just to gain the promise of His blessing. That is religious duty and is soon turned into the same deadening kind of life that so infuriated Jesus Christ when he saw it in the Pharisees. It consciously and unconsciously is about minimal compliance to God’s demands that will keep the blessings coming. What a terrible misunderstanding and abuse of the Lord! Go deeper! We receive His grace and give ourselves to love Him, both passionately and intentionally. When we enter the Divine Romance, He leads us and even the dark days are made, by His hand, a source of blessing and grace. This I believe with all my heart!

Are you listening to the Spirit, obedient to the Word? Are you delighting in His way, dying to Self, discovering grace on grace?

Here’s a word from the Word. Will you receive and live in the promise?

"For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:6-9, NIV)
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV)

_________________


Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings,
Yet not welcome any pain?
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine,
Yet grumble in days of rain?
Shall I love You in times of plenty,
Then leave You in days of drought?
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest,
But when winter winds blow then doubt?

Are You good only when I prosper,
And true only when I'm filled?
Are You King only when I'm carefree,
And God only when I'm well?
You are good when I'm poor and needy!
You are true when I'm parched and dry!
You still reign in the deepest valley!
You're still God in the darkest night!

Oh let Your will be done in me,
In Your love I will abide.
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified.

So quiet my restless heart,
Quiet my restless heart,
Quiet my restless heart in You.

As Long As You Are Glorified
© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)

Mark Altrogge

CCLI License No. 810055