The Mistake of Panic

Hurricane Irma is aimed at Florida. My children and grandchildren are in the forecast path. I confess to feeling some fear, helpless to do anything, unable to ‘take care’ of them.   That concern is just piled on top of other situations that give me reason to be concerned, but I am resisting the mistake of panic. My prayer goes like this:  “Father, You love me and when all else is changing, You are the anchor, the Unchanging One. Help my heart and mind to hold onto You.”  In my mind, I can see Bev leading children in one of my favorite kids song – “and I won’t worry about tomorrow, I’m trusting in what you say – today is the day.”  If I allow fear to rule, a gnawing anxiety sucks the breath out of me!  

Paul was inspired to write this instruction to us.  "Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." (Philippians 4:6-7, The Message)  Take a second and go back and re-read those words. Now, take the promise, breath it in!

Christian, though we live surrounded by storms, conflict, and uncertainty, we need not live in a panic. He promises us a ‘peace that passes human understanding.’ It is given to us freely, but we must choose to receive it. How?

First, submit your emotions to the facts. Declare your status as God's child.

We are not orphans, scrabbling to deal with life, defensive and alone. The Bible says, "you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family—calling him “Father, dear Father.” (Romans 8:15, NLT) Because of Jesus, we are loved. That truth is so healing, the Enemy of God and good does everything he is able to do to keep us from believing it. He tries to keep us focused on our failures. He does what he can to amplify  the voices of our critics. He tries to narrow our vision to the sorry and sad side of life. So, when anxiety creeps up on us, we must turn to the Word and to worship, praising God for His love; personalizing it! "God loves me!"  Why?  John tells us that "perfect love drives out fear!"

Second, talk about your anxiety with your Father and, if necessary, with a mature Christian friend.

Remember when you were a child and the shadows cast on your bedroom wall by the moonlight were so scary? Everything looked bigger, the shapes turning into monsters! When we grow anxious even as reasonable adults, we can lose perspective.  When we try to be big and brave all alone, terror can take hold deep inside of us.  Prayer, real and heart-felt, is our privilege. Our words need not be eloquent. “Help me, Jesus!” is all that is necessary. We call on the Presence and power of the Lord and wait for the Spirit Who comes to lift us up into the Throne Room of God. The Word tells us that Jesus is “(a priest) who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence.”  (Hebrews 4:15)  And, we are privileged to pray with others of like faith, too.

Third, evaluate the situation in ultimate terms.

Take your fear and ask - What is the worst that could happen?  The Psalmist asks, "in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11, NIV) Again, this can be a solo exercise, but it is much more effective when there is a trusted friend who will listen, encourage, and keep your perspective on life in balance. Even death, the ultimate enemy of humanity, loses its terror when our lives are hidden in Christ.  Oh, I don’t mean to dismiss the awfulness of life. Suffering is awful. Grief is wrenching, believe me, I know!  But, Paul reminds us that “to die is gain!”

Fourth - do what's right!

Pain, especially the emotional kind, makes us desperate for relief, doesn't it?  When we are anxious, we become susceptible to the temptation of things that offer us a quick lift. Usually what gives short-term relief, produces long-term destruction.  So, put your mind in charge of your heart. Do the right thing,  just because it is the right thing to do! Share your need, your fear, even your temptation with someone who will offer wisdom. When we tell someone that we want to spend too much, quit our job, or get drunk- the very telling can help us to see the folly of the proposed 'solution' to our problem. Even in temptation, God promises that He 'will never leave us nor forsake us.' And, He has promised to make a way for us to stand up in times of temptation. So, do what's right!

Take this word from the Word for this day. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-9:1, NIV)

_________

Today Is The Day

(listen and worship)

I'm casting my cares aside

I'm leaving my past behind

I'm setting my heart and mind on You Jesus

I'm reaching my hands to Yours

Believing there's so much more

Knowing that all You have in store for me is good

It's good

Today is the day You have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

Today is the day You have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

And I won't worry about tomorrow

I'm trusting in what You say

Today is the day today is the day

I'm putting my fears aside

I'm leaving my doubts behind

I'm giving my hopes and dreams to You Jesus

I'm reaching my hands to Yours

Believing there's so much more

Knowing that all You have in store for me is good

It's good

I will stand upon Your truth

(I will stand upon Your truth)

And all my days I'll live for You

(All my days I'll live for You)

And I will stand upon Your truth

(I will stand upon Your truth)

And all my days I'll live for You

(All my days I'll live)

Today is the day You have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

Today is the day You have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

And I won't worry about tomorrow

I'm giving You my fears and sorrows

Where You lead me I will follow

I'm trusting in what You say

Today is the day (5X)

Lincoln Brewster | Paul Baloche

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Loving rich people more than the poor?

About a year after my father died, the city of Philadelphia sent a notice of a fine due for illegal parking, issued to a license plate registered in Dad’s name.  I had personally cancelled the plates and turned them in so I knew the parking ticket was issued in error. I called the number on the notice. The response from a disinterested person was less than encouraging. I followed his instructions and mailed documents to the address.  Weeks later, another letter arrived notifying me that the documents were insufficient and that I should send the fine. My only recourse? Make a trip to Philadelphia to appear in court in person, a real inconvenience and if anything was ‘out of order’ I would have to pay the fine and additional court costs!  As I complained about this inconvenience to a friend, he brightened and said, “I know somebody.”  He called his contact in city government who used the influence of his office to clear up the matter in short order. “Connections make the world go ‘round,” someone said. We all like ‘knowing somebody’ who make the way easier for us, don’t we? Having access to a decision-maker ‘cuts through the red tape’ is something most of us desire.

Did you know that justice is a major concern of the Lord God we love? It is not just an issue about the law, it is a concern for each of us in all of our relationships. This is a key question in our practice of faith - Do I treat others, regardless of their position, past, religion, sex, or race with the same respect?  Many Christians just do not realize that this matters to our Lord.  James challenges us to open our eyes to the subtle sin of injustice.

It is a longer passage than I usually quote but would you take time to read it entirely?  "My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. 

Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin." (James 2:1-9, NLT)

All Christians know the great commandments – “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” So what does that of love look like? It is an active word that includes seeking reconciliation, working for understanding, including all persons in our concern.  This is not just a political issue, nor is it just about the justice system. This is about a basic change of heart in ME and in YOU. It is about letting the Holy Spirit work on our attitudes towards those who are ‘other.’   

It is about the people we welcome to worship alongside of us. It is about the way we think about others in our private thoughts. We have failed if we are content to be apathetic towards others. We might soothe our conscience by insisting, “I’ve done no harm.” But that is not enough! Real love modeled after Jesus’ love for us pursues others, seeks reconciliation, and offers forgiveness!

I know this is not a ‘fun’ read today. In fact, some of you are probably angry at me for raising the issue. I’d rather stay comfortable, too. Change is difficult, but genuine love is the mark of the Christian and as the Spirit matures love in us, the radiance of Jesus shines brightly into a world is very dark.  I know that we desire to make His Name glorious. So, will you pray about the way God would have us love – the least, the lost, the different, the unlovely, the hostile, those who test the limits of our understanding?

Our word from the Word comes from Amos. He was one of the first prophets who brought God’s message to Israel. He was not a priest.  Amos was a shepherd, an ordinary guy that God stirred with a message about a great sin among His people.  May the Spirit make this ancient word live in our hearts.  

"This is what the Lord says: “The people of Israel have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They sell honorable people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals. They trample helpless people in the dust and shove the oppressed out of the way. ... At their religious festivals, they lounge in clothing their debtors put up as security. In the house of their god, they drink wine bought with unjust fines." (Amos 2:6-8, NLT)   

“My people have forgotten how to do right,” says the Lord. “Their fortresses are filled with wealth taken by theft and violence. Therefore,” says the Sovereign Lord, “an enemy is coming! He will surround them and shatter their defenses.” (Amos 3:10-11, NLT)  

"Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living." (Amos 5:23-24, NLT)

Almighty God, Loving Abba

Humbly I stand before You, my heart open to Your correction.

Help me to see my hidden attitudes. Reveal my apathy towards others to me.

Lead me to face the truth with courage, to pursue change through the power of the Spirit.

As you make me loving, as You teach me of justice,

Let the beauty of Jesus shine bright,

And as I seek to make peace for all,

May You be seen in me.

Amen

Sound the alarm!

A terrible storm with torrents of rain left southeast Texas devastated. Hurricane Irma appears to be heading for Florida with major impact likely if forecasts are accurate. In the Northwest, record heat and fires are making headlines.  It is an awful time for millions. What strikes me is that people who have not given God a thought suddenly become ‘prophets’ who are sure that God is terrible, or that He has decided to judge this land, or that He is not really “God” at all.

Do I know why these things are happening? In one sense, yes. They are weather patterns, part of the natural cycles of this beautiful globe. And yet, I also know that God can use storms, floods, wars, and drought to capture the attention of people who have forgotten Him and that He needs wise and Spirit-filled preachers to stand up. No, we cannot fall into silly sermonizing that makes every catastrophe into a harbinger of the Last Days, but we must kneel down to listen to His voice, and then rise to speak His Word.

The preacher, Joel, lived in Judah about 800 years before Christ. The nation had been through a terrible plague of locusts that stripped fields bare, leaving people and livestock on the brink of starvation. In addition, he saw the pending invasion of the Assyrian army. He speaks up. "Sound the alarm in Jerusalem! Raise the battle cry on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the Lord is upon us. It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again." (Joel 2:1-2, NLT)

His message is not just doom!  He reminds the people of the faithfulness of the Lord for those who
will turn to Him, leaving sinful ways. "That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish." (Joel 2:12-13, NLT)

Christian friend, we need to sound the alarm, not consigning our land to the junk heap of history but calling Christians to prayer, to repentance, and to lead the way to God. One of the terrible tragedies of our time is that even the Church and many of her preachers are totally compromised by their immersion in the sins of the land to the extent that they are the ‘blind leading the blind and falling into the pit together.’

This nation I love is staggering like a drunk, intoxicated with Self, consumed with pleasure, every person bent on doing his own thing with little thought of what is ‘right’ or ‘just’ or ‘good.’  I am sorry that so many pulpits are full of sermons about genital issues as if our worst sins are those of sex!  We have confused the symptoms with the disease. Promiscuity is rampant but the real spiritual sickness  of America is Self-will and disregard of God. Yes, pornography is a terrible evil. Prostitution ruins lives and destroys persons. Casual sex has an awful cost to stable societies and is plainly condemned in the Scripture. Those sins, however, flow out of a sin-sickness far deeper and to focus only on them without speaking to our prevailing godlessness is like treating cancer with aspirin!

We sit at a privileged place in the world – a place of unparalleled wealth and power.  We are fat, sated with food and goods that are our idols, chasing ever more pleasures and diversions, ready to scream insults at any who suggest that we pause and reflect, that we could benefit from humility, that God waits for us to ‘come home.’

I pray that the ancient words of Joel will come alive in our minds and hearts and that the disasters that are on the land will be a trumpet call to repentance. "Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before." (Joel 2:23, NIV)

 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days." (Joel 2:28-29, NIV) "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." (Joel 3:14, NIV)
____________

Oh Lord, I pray for courage and compassion in equal measure!

Help me to care for those who are suffering from flood, storm, and fire.

Make me a preacher of salvation, ready to sound the alarm, holding out the

promise of redemption for those who will turn to You.

 

Make Your Name glorious in wind, war, and terrible tragedy.

Deliver us from our fixation with our stuff, our idolatry of Self.

 

Jesus, I kneel to confess my heart's love for this present world,

for my yearning for things that only satisfy my appetites.

Give me a new love for You, for worship, for Your holy will.

 

Amen.

You CAN do this, today!

With a bang the spindle in the mower deck disintegrated. There were spare parts in the garage. I removed the deck and flipped it over where the corrosion build-up on a nut instantly made me to know that this was not going to be easy. “Oh, great,” I thought, “how am I going to get that off?” As you might guess my mechanical skills are limited. I found the right wrench and pulled. Nothing! I tapped the frozen nut with a hammer to break it loose and pulled some more with no result.  Moments later, sweat was dripping from my head and I was getting ready to pack it in and call the pro! But, I was not ready to concede defeat just yet. With a prayer for divine assistance (really, because doesn’t the Bible teach us to pray about everything?) and a burst of energy, I applied my strength to the handle one more time and it broke loose.   When the deck was repaired and reassembled, I returned to mowing thinking about an important factor in life – persistence.

The real issues in life are a lot more difficult than a broken mower deck with a corroded nut on a bolt, aren’t they?  Thousands in the Houston, TX area are waking up this morning to another day of cleaning up the worse mess they have ever seen and probably many are wondering, “can I do this another day?” A young mother is looking at another day of wiping behinds and cleaning up Cheerios™ and in spite of loving those tots is thinking, “Can I stay fulfilled doing this?” A person with cancer has a chemo appointment this morning and is thinking about just calling it off.  A tragic statistic tells us that people are taking the ultimate exit, choosing suicide, at the highest rates in decades. About 50,000 Americans will take their own lives this year.

With that build-up, let me take a turn towards encouragement! You can do this today (whatever ‘this’ might be) and you can do more than survive!  How?

First of all – commit yourself to the Lord.

Yes, I mean that. Tell Him the truth about your life, what you are feeling, the pressure, the problems.  Friend, that is not a cliché, it is the most important choice we make.  You do not need a monster faith, some vision or revelation. Jesus said even a spark of faith is sufficient. He knows where you are, what you are dealing with, and never will belittle you or turn away. He does not compare your need to those of others and ask, “Why are you bothering me?”  He comes to us in the Spirit and stands with us, working for us. Right now would you ask the Lord to increase your faith and help you to move forward? This is His promise: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us … in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:26-28, NIV)  

Second – look up!

For a moment, take a break from the problem. As I struggled with that mower deck, at one point, I put the wrenches down, stood up, and changed my perspective, asking “Is there another way to do this?”  We can become so wrapped up in a problem, that we miss the solution, fail to see the resources that could be available to us. Most importantly, for spiritual wholeness we cannot lose sight of the fact that today is the prelude to the life God has planned for us.  So, we must "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)  Refocus with a worship song, a walk, reading a Psalm, calling a friend who will pray for you.

Third – build and keep a network of support!

Watching the reports from Texas, the one bright spot is the way that thousands of people have come together, offering themselves unselfishly to help those who are working to rebuild life. There are people who care, though you may not think so.  And let me add this word – If life is flowing well right now, do not neglect your friends, your church, your family! You are going to need those people, sooner or later, and now is the time to strengthen the bonds. It is beyond my imagination to think of how I would have lived through my last 4 years of loss and grief without a rich network of people who have given love, prayer, and encouragement.

Fourth – Believe!

Feed hope and faith. We are barraged with ‘bad news’ and apocalyptic visions of the End. Some of it may have kernels of truth scattered in it, but a lot of that negativity is just hype to keep you on the hook so you will watch the station and support some cause. Wisdom is important and we cannot avoid ‘reality,’ but we can change our view of reality with all of the information which includes the fact that God is bigger than social problems, than illness, than a rough job. He is Lord of life and reminds us that those who love Him are held in the palm of His hand. Read of the trials of Paul. His life and calling was tough including rejection, beatings, and hardships. He was misjudged, criticized, and even unjustly imprisoned. "We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing." (2 Corinthians 1:9-10, The Message)

Fifth – Live one day at a time.

Don’t laugh. We exhaust ourselves with ‘what-if’ questions.  We cannot borrow from tomorrow’s sunshine. So, live today.  Jesus told us that today’s problems are met with today’s solutions, and that is enough.

So, let’s not quit, not give up hope. Keeping pulling. My prayer for us is the word from the Word today.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13, NIV)

__________

 Anchor (worship as you play the song at this link)

I have this hope

As an anchor for my soul

Through ev'ry storm

I will hold to You

With endless love

All my fear is swept away

In ev'rything

I will trust in You

There is hope in the promise of the cross

You gave ev'rything to save the world You love

And this hope is an anchor for my soul

Our God will stand unshakable

Unchanging One

Who was and is to come

Your promise sure

You will not let go

Your Name is higher

Your Name is greater

All my hope is in You

Your word unfailing

Your promise unshaken

All my hope is in You

Ben Fielding | Dean Ussher

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