God? I’ve got this!

One of the funny stories in our family regards the emerging independence of my youngest daughter. When she was a toddler and we were getting ready to go out to play on a snowy day, we found her crying in frustration on the porch. She had her coat upside down and backwards, her feet in the hood as she attempted to put it on. When Bev attempted to help she famously insisted – “I can do it myself!”  Today she is a strong and capable woman who makes her Dad proud as she works to make this world a better place for us all.  She has done a remarkable job with life in all the years since then, albeit now with more understanding of creating teams and getting the work done together.

In my readings in Genesis I came to the story of Babel in the 11^th chapter. This was the declaration of the people. "Let’s build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies—a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world.” (Genesis 11:4, NLT) At first glance, one might wonder why the LORD responded as He did.  He frustrated their plans by confusing their language, breaking them apart.  The implied conclusion is that they not only wanted to make a city but were prideful, ready to dismiss God and His plans in favor of their own independence.

Let’s not race to the conclusion that God resists success and/or accomplishment.  He equips us with resources, blesses us with creativity, and rewards faithfulness. There is no sin in achievement!

The sin that often accompanies success is that of pride that dismisses Him. James warns of it, even among Christians. "What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:5-6, NLT) "Look here, you people 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 will happen tomorrow? For 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.” (James 4:13-15, NLT)

Are you telling the Lord that you can handle life on your own? Most likely none of us would do that in so many words, but what do our actions say? When we plan first and pray second, we are revealing pride. We can refuse the counsel of the Word and the guidance of the Spirit and still find temporary success, even gaining the approval and admiration of others. But, in the long run, we ignore God to our own peril.  Few things create a more fertile soil for arrogance than a little success. A subtle conceit can settle over us when we conclude that we are someone special, that we have done what others would not or could not do.

Beware a false humility that proclaims weakness even while fishing for approval! To demand that God somehow bless our apathy or failure to apply ourselves to His work even as we claim to be without spiritual gifts is an affront to Him.  He has called each of us to a place in His service, given us unique gifts to fulfill His calling. We are not all called to be highly visible leaders or given gifts that are used in a public platform, never the less, we are all critical to the function of His Body, the church.

Genuine humility is content in the Lord, knows the joy of submission, and rests on solid faith.  

Striving and Self die and a beauty of significance found in the service of the Lord emerges.

Here is a word from the Word. "And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." (1 Peter 5:5-7, NLT)  Amen

_________

Build My Life

(As you listen, give your life to Him, the Builder)

Worthy of ev’ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Jesus the name above ev’ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

We live for You

Holy there is no one like You

There is none besides You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

Brett Younker | Karl Martin | Kirby Elizabeth Kaple | Matt Redman | Pat Barrett

© 2016 Martin, Karl Andrew (Admin. by Arkyard Music Services Limited)

Kaple Music (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing)

Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

Let's Make Our Dad Glad

The man, who obviously loves his kids, pulled to the side of the highway, fed up with the bickering and fighting in the backseat of the car. What parent has not come to one of those exasperating moments when they wonder who these children are that they have brought on the earth? Of course, I can do a 55 year rewind of history and remember my own father stopping the car somewhere on the interstate highway as we made one of our long treks from New Jersey to Iowa.  When I saw him opening the back door of that Chevy station wagon … the fighting stopped. We knew Dad was not happy when he leaned in to set things right!

Genesis says that the sensuality and violence of humanity grew so terrible that God regretted having created the human race. "The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:5-8, NIV)  

How does an all-knowing God regret anything? He knew, in advance of Creation, what would happen on the earth.  What made God sorrowful was not His mistake. He does not make mistakes! It was humanity’s abuse of the gifts He gave them. God made us free, able to choose, and like any good parent, He is filled with sadness when we abuse our freedom choosing to sin against Him and one another. 

He is not a passive Parent that looks on, shrugs, and ignores our sin.  He acts, perfectly justly, to correct and to restore. In Genesis 6, He acted with judgment that should strike holy awe into our hearts, but let’s not forget He also acted with grace.  Noah found grace, redemptive favor, in God’s eyes. He was called to a faithful response of obedience.  When the Lord laid out His plan to destroy the world, He also extended a covenant of salvation which Noah received by faith. The Word tells us that "when warned about things not yet seen, (Noah) in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." (Hebrews 11:7, NIV)

Let’s make our Dad glad!  He has prepared a plan of salvation for us, offered through Christ Jesus, so that we need not fear His coming judgment. Oh yes, we do not hear much about God’s willingness to judge in our time, when pulpits are full only of sweet songs of divine love. There is not much ‘fear of the Lord’ in the land. But, He is not a passive, permissive Parent. He is a patient God, desiring that all of us come to repentance.  The day will come when He drops the curtain on history and calls all to account.  Will you stand with those who are ‘in Christ,’ having received the gift of life in Him?

Just as Noah’s faith moved him to obedience, I pray that my faith will cause me to desire to love Him, to serve Him, to trust Him. How about you?

Here is a word from the Word. As you meditate on it, may it be a call to become the delight of the Heavenly Father, one of His children who made Him glad.

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,

making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:15-20, NIV)

___________

Abba, thank You for Your enduring, amazing grace.

I pray that I will not abuse it, testing Your patience with willful disobedience.

Lead me, Father, to love that delights in Your will,

That finds me faithful to Your every direction and desire.

Thank You for giving me the promise of life in Christ,

For making me Your heir, a son of righteousness.

May I live a life that is worthy of that high calling,

And that reflects honor on You, I pray.

In Jesus’ holy Name.  Amen

Let’s walk together

Though I am not much for physical exercise, I have good memories of evening walks with my wife. After dinner, she would insist that I put on my walking shoes. As we meandered through our neighborhood, often holding hands, we talked about the day, our children, our church.  We wondered about the future. (Oh, how thankful I am we had no idea of the sorrows to come!) We encouraged each other. Mostly, we were simply together.

In my Genesis reading I came on that enigmatic little paragraph about a man who ‘walked with God.’ That is just about all we know about Enoch. "And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:22-24, NIV)  His close relationship with the LORD is all we know about him and yet it was enough to earn him an entry into the Hall of Faith. "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God." (Hebrews 11:5, NIV)

The most basic requirement for walking with God is agreement!  

"Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?" (Amos 3:3, NLT)  If we contend with the Lord, resisting His direction, we cannot enjoy the fellowship that comes when we walk with Him.  Jonah received the call of God to go to preach in Nineveh. He refused to walk with God and ran the other direction, to a ship sailing west, and straight into the discipline of God.

Paul teaches us this truth about the life of the Spirit to which we are invited. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)  From Him we find direction and pace, both important if we want to know intimacy with the Father. We must go where He leads and in His time. Sometimes He says, “Move!” Sometimes He says, “Wait!”  Will we be like those toddlers we see in the supermarket, tugging at their mother’s arm, crying to go the other direction, or trying to run off?  Or, will we be mature, walking hand in hand, so to speak, with the Lord?

Walking with God allows us to begin to know Him better as we share life.

If we, figuratively speaking, leave Him at the exit of the church building on Sunday morning, only to acknowledge Him consciously the following Sunday as we enter, there will be no life-changing relationship. Being led by the Spirit requires time with Him: to listen, to pray, to learn, to love. Will you walk with Him into each day, taking some time as the day begins to pray? Will you close the day with Him, thanking Him, presenting the petitions of your heart to Him?

The mystery of Enoch is wrapped up in that phrase that says, ‘he was no more.’

More than a natural death is indicated, as we learn explicitly in Hebrews.  Somehow, one day when Enoch was walking with God, he walked right through the barrier between time and eternity, this world and Heaven. As I think about that, I am intrigued. Did he just suddenly disappear? Was he ‘caught up’ like Elijah on a chariot from the skies?  Did he suddenly ascend to the heavens like Jesus when He returned to His Father?  The answer will have to wait until I am in the Eternal Presence of God.  But, I know that those who walk with God, though they physically die, do pass from death to life, into the home prepared by the Savior.

Here is a word from the Word. "For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16, NLT)

Let’s walk with Him, all the days of our lives, straight into the Presence for eternity.

___________

King Of My Heart
(let Him love you as you listen and worship)

Let the King of my heart

Be the mountain where I run

The fountain I drink from

Oh He is my song

Let the King of my heart

Be the shadow where I hide

The ransom for my life

Oh He is my song

You are good good oh

You are good good oh

You are good good oh

You are good good oh

Let the King of my heart

Be the wind inside my sails

The anchor in the waves

Oh He is my song

Let the King of my heart

Be the fire inside my veins

The echo of my days

Oh He is my song

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

When the night is holding on to me

God is holding on

When the night is holding on to me

God is holding on

John Mark McMillan | Sarah McMillan

© Meaux Jeaux Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Let’s walk together

Though I am not much for physical exercise, I have good memories of evening walks with my wife. After dinner, she would insist that I put on my walking shoes. As we meandered through our neighborhood, often holding hands, we talked about the day, our children, our church.  We wondered about the future. (Oh, how thankful I am we had no idea of the sorrows to come!) We encouraged each other. Mostly, we were simply together.

In my Genesis reading I came on that enigmatic little paragraph about a man who ‘walked with God.’ That is just about all we know about Enoch. "And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:22-24, NIV)  His close relationship with the LORD is all we know about him and yet it was enough to earn him an entry into the Hall of Faith. "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God." (Hebrews 11:5, NIV)

The most basic requirement for walking with God is agreement!  

"Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?" (Amos 3:3, NLT)  If we contend with the Lord, resisting His direction, we cannot enjoy the fellowship that comes when we walk with Him.  Jonah received the call of God to go to preach in Nineveh. He refused to walk with God and ran the other direction, to a ship sailing west, and straight into the discipline of God.

Paul teaches us this truth about the life of the Spirit to which we are invited. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)  From Him we find direction and pace, both important if we want to know intimacy with the Father. We must go where He leads and in His time. Sometimes He says, “Move!” Sometimes He says, “Wait!”  Will we be like those toddlers we see in the supermarket, tugging at their mother’s arm, crying to go the other direction, or trying to run off?  Or, will we be mature, walking hand in hand, so to speak, with the Lord?

Walking with God allows us to begin to know Him better as we share life.

If we, figuratively speaking, leave Him at the exit of the church building on Sunday morning, only to acknowledge Him consciously the following Sunday as we enter, there will be no life-changing relationship. Being led by the Spirit requires time with Him: to listen, to pray, to learn, to love. Will you walk with Him into each day, taking some time as the day begins to pray? Will you close the day with Him, thanking Him, presenting the petitions of your heart to Him?

The mystery of Enoch is wrapped up in that phrase that says, ‘he was no more.’

More than a natural death is indicated, as we learn explicitly in Hebrews.  Somehow, one day when Enoch was walking with God, he walked right through the barrier between time and eternity, this world and Heaven. As I think about that, I am intrigued. Did he just suddenly disappear? Was he ‘caught up’ like Elijah on a chariot from the skies?  Did he suddenly ascend to the heavens like Jesus when He returned to His Father?  The answer will have to wait until I am in the Eternal Presence of God.  But, I know that those who walk with God, though they physically die, do pass from death to life, into the home prepared by the Savior.

Here is a word from the Word. "For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16, NLT)

Let’s walk with Him, all the days of our lives, straight into the Presence for eternity.

___________

King Of My Heart
(let Him love you as you listen and worship)

Let the King of my heart

Be the mountain where I run

The fountain I drink from

Oh He is my song

Let the King of my heart

Be the shadow where I hide

The ransom for my life

Oh He is my song

You are good good oh

You are good good oh

You are good good oh

You are good good oh

Let the King of my heart

Be the wind inside my sails

The anchor in the waves

Oh He is my song

Let the King of my heart

Be the fire inside my veins

The echo of my days

Oh He is my song

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

You're never gonna let

Never gonna let me down

When the night is holding on to me

God is holding on

When the night is holding on to me

God is holding on

John Mark McMillan | Sarah McMillan

© Meaux Jeaux Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055