Plan "B"? What about Plan "D'?

Angst, I know what that feels like. Much of what I had hoped for in my future was wiped away when my wife went to Heaven. Thirty years ago I was full of certainty about so many things. Today I am glad simply to be alive to experience another day. I say that with a smile, not bitterly, not cynically. The illusion of being ‘in control’ has been blown away by developments in my life that were, to me, a complete surprise.  The last decade has brought me to places that I could not have even imagined. But, I trust God in the unforeseen circumstances of life because there is a foundation of faith that His Word and my experiences have put in place. 

People talk about falling back to plan 'B' when plan ‘A’ does not work out. What about a plan ‘C’ or ‘D’?  I know what it is to be tempted to wonder if God has abandoned me. God has allowed me, in several different trials, to live like a man feeling his way in the dark.  In frustration I ask myself, “Is He angry with me beyond restoration?  Will life ever make sense?” But, the Word and past experience has taught me that plan "B” can be a gift of precious value. 

I have known many times when what appeared to be a terrible failure, an awful mistake, or a grievous rejection actually was a severe mercy that saved me from myself!  In 1987, I went through a time when I had to leave a thriving ministry for a much smaller place. Some saw that as an ‘exile,’ a just reward for some decisions I made that were unwise. By standards of earthly success that reassignment that looked like a step backward. But, time proved that God was, in reality, providing me with a blessing. Hindsight has revealed how God used that time to heal my marriage, to let me to become a real Dad who spent time with his children, and, most valuable of all – a time when I explored the meaning of grace and learned to drink deeply from that cup.

He showed Himself faithful to me, even when I was faithless towards Him. I came to love that place seeing it not as the exile it once seemed, but as His sovereign plan for my good, a rich and wonderful place of greater blessings!

In Genesis we read the story of Joseph. As a teenager, God gave him visions of a glorious future which he unwisely shared with his jealous older brothers. When they had the chance, they sold him into slavery and he ended up far from home in Egypt. There he was falsely accused by his master’s wife of making sexual advances and ended up in prison.  Friends he made in that place were released and promptly forgot their promises to help him.  Years later, when God had made him the Prime Minister, second only to the Pharaoh, the brothers who had sold him appeared in the throne room seeking aid, not knowing that the “Egyptian” sitting before them was their brother. But, Joseph had learned that God’s plan “B” is not regrettable. He did not seek revenge. He told those brothers something amazing that he had learned: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done." (Genesis 50:20, NIV)

Will we learn of God’s love and live in radical faith?

Robert Burns, the 18th century Scottish poet, wrote of the poor mouse whose nest was torn up by the farmer's plow.  I love his words.

"The best laid schemes

o' mice and men

Gang aft a-gley, (go oft awry)

And leaves us naught but grief and pain

For promised joy."

Are you struggling with more questions than answers today?

Did the road of life you thought you were traveling disappear in the storms of life?

Wait on Him to reveal His purposes.

Here's a word from the Word. I pray these will be words of life for us today.

"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord.

Trust him, and he will help you. ...

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. ..." (Psalm 37:2-7, NLT)

________

Never Once 
(Listen to this amazing song.
It moves me deeply ever time I hear it)

Standing on this mountaintop,

Looking just how far we've come,

Knowing that for ev'ry step You were with us.

Kneeling on this battleground,

Seeing just how much You've done,

Knowing ev'ry victory was Your pow'r in us.

Scars and struggles on the way,

But with joy our hearts can say,

Yes, our hearts can say-

“Never once did we ever walk alone!

Never once did You leave us on our own!

You are faithful, God, You are faithful.”

Scars and struggles on the way,

But with joy our hearts can say,

“Never once did we ever walk alone

Carried by Your constant grace,

Held within Your perfect peace,

Never once no we never walk alone.”

Never once did we ever walk alone!

Never once did You leave us on our own!

You are faithful, God, You are faithful.

Ev’ry step we are breathing in Your grace,

Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise,

You are faithful, God, You are faithful.

Jason Ingram | Matt Redman | Tim Wanstall

© 2011 Chrysalis Music Ltd. (Admin. by BMG Chrysalis US)

CCLI License # 810055

Bamboozled?

The voice on the phone was serious.  He assured me that I had won a large cash prize and that all he needed to send it to me was my social security number, birthdate, and bank account number. I thanked him, insincerely, and hung up! It is not the first scam artist that has contacted me. For a long stretch, there were emails from dying people in some foreign country who wanted me to have their money but first I needed to send them all my identity information.  I hit delete.  My Dad always told me that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  I wonder how these scams manage to trick people, but apparently there are those who are gullible enough to cooperate and give these cheats a way to steal enough money to make the effort worthwhile.

Paul warns Christians to be aware of religious scams, too. Churches are plagued by those who love to talk about religion, who speculate about angels and demons, who can go on endlessly about eschatological theories, who can debate the proper mode of baptism as if all those things are the core of the Gospel. The apostle knew these ‘teachers’ well. He says. “Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings.”  The Message (Colossians 2:8)  Our real strength, our true salvation does not come from a fine philosophy. We are saved through Christ Jesus. "My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7, The Message)

We all love a great story. Miracles intrigue us. Promises of relief from the tedium of day to day living by experiences of the supernatural grasp our imagination.  I am inspired as much as anyone by a testimony of a person radically transformed, whose life was nothing but wreckage who is now a trophy of God’s grace. But, we must not build our Christianity around ‘experiences’ no matter how amazing. Our hope is fixed on One Person’s story – Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again! That is the good news that saves us when we accept it and become disciples.  We follow Him, through life, living a disciplined life that is formed around Christ. We become people who walk by Kingdom principles and live with an eternal hope.

And, then there are those who would rob the Gospel of power and majesty by turning our amazing faith into a system of rules and regulations. These ‘teachers’ enslave us to rigid practices built around denial of food, rest, on endless works of service, around giving large sums of money – and all of these things will somehow cause us to earn the favor of God.  It appeals to our pride, lets us compare and measure ourselves with others, and replaces God’s grace with the slavery of human effort. Again Paul warns of this deception.  

"You were dead because of your sins  … God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don’t let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them proud. But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God. You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch.” Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires." (Colossians 2:13-23, NLT)

Pursue Christ Jesus. Put your faith in what He has done, salvation complete and hope secure. Keep step with the Spirit, faithfully listening and obeying where He leads. If some teacher, pastor, or author turns your attention from Jesus, the Cross, and the Resurrection – walk away. Don’t be bamboozled! 

Here is a word from the Word. Lord, inspire us with Your majesty. Captivate us with the good news that you save us completely, by grace, through faith, and help us to love You more each day. Amen.

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:8-11, NLT)

________

Cornerstone

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' Name.

Christ alone, cornerstone,

Weak made strong, in the Savior's love.

Through the storm, He is Lord,

Lord of all!

When darkness seems to hide His face,

I rest on His unchanging grace.

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil,

My anchor holds within the veil!

He is Lord, Lord of all

When He shall come with trumpet sound

Oh, may I then in Him be found.

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless stand before the throne.

Edward Mote | Eric Liljero | Jonas Myrin | Reuben Morgan | William Batchelder Bradbury

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

CCLI License # 810055

Paint the world beautiful with God-colors!

More often than I would like to admit, I find myself questioning how I understand the world in which I live. We certainly are living in an era of epic changes in public policy and private morality.  Even the basic issues of life – the meaning of life, the form of marriage, and how we maintain our human relationships– are being redefined in ways that I find incomprehensible.  Before you conclude that I am just a cranky old man, please understand that I know that change is the only constant in life. We must learn and adapt or perish. I get that. However, when humanity assumes the place of the Almighty and substitutes ‘what I think is right’ for the eternal Truths, no good can follow.

As a result of the changes, America has become a deeply divided nation. Perhaps we would have to go back to the 1850’s when slavery was tearing the country apart to find hostility as deep as it is in our time.  One of the things I find most tragic about these times is that we speak in militant tones and describe our challenges as a ‘culture war.’  Must we go to war? Is our fear so strong that the only response we can muster is to attempt to overpower those who think differently?  Why are we so quick to shout at those on the other side of an issue often with demeaning or hateful remarks? 

Christian, we are called to peace. That does not mean we accommodate every new idea or compromise our principles. Living as people who promote peace does require that we always think of those who hold opposing views as persons worthy of being treated with respect. Shouting at those with whom we differ accomplishes nothing except to make the chasm between us deeper and wider. Huddling in a circle of people who echo our sentiments makes us feel ‘safe’ but that choice keeps us from knowing and growing.   

We have a high calling in this torn up nation. It is defined by Jesus who tells us to be ‘salt and light.’  Salt, in His time, was more than a flavor. It was a preservative that kept food from rot. Are we functioning in ways that are loving, sacrificial, and serving that are preserving life?  Light always defeats darkness.  Darkness cannot overcome light.  Even a tiny candle continues to shine in a warehouse full of darkness.

How can we best interact with our world? James, the pastor of First Church in Jerusalem, taught that congregation about standing up to hostility.  "If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere." (James 3:13-17, NLT)

That paragraph needs to be etched into our consciousness. Before we post an inflammatory statement on Facebook we need to ask ourselves “Does this reflect godly wisdom? Does it promote peace? Is it gentle? Does it show mercy?”  Before we sound off about ‘those people’ (whomever that may be to us) we need to pray for true wisdom that is best shown in an honorable life, in goodness that flows out of humility!

Here is a profound word from the Word for us. May we hear it and be shaped by the wisdom of God. “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." (Matthew 5:9, The Message)  “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, 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!

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.

CCLI Song # 5925687

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

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

Sweater Weather Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055