Live TODAY!

Today is full of opportunities. The biggest impediments that we will overcome to gain those opportunities are yesterday and tomorrow!

Are you paralyzed in the present by 'yesterday?' Regret about choices made in the past throws a strong chain around us holding us back from living in the now. So, too, bitterness! The power of both is removed by genuine repentance, which allows us to know the forgiveness of God, the choice to forgive those who have sinned against us. So important is being forgiven and a forgiver that Jesus made it a key part of the model prayer He taught to the disciples. "Pray like this," He said. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." (Matthew 6:12, KJV) Forgiveness is a choice that you make. We do not have to wait until we 'feel like' it or until the sense of being wronged has diminished over time. We can forgive right now with God's help! We transfer any debt that we are holding against another person to God to await His perfect justice and that is the heart of true forgiveness. In so doing, we gain the freedom to live in the present. Likewise, when we accept God's forgiveness for our own failures and sins! Our Lord is a Redeemer - able to transform our brokenness into a source of strength. Believe it and leave regret behind, so you can live today!

Some of us miss the moment because we are anticipating tomorrow. I can easily justify procrastination by promising myself a better opportunity - 'tomorrow.' It's a trap to think that we will do more for God or others when 'I have more time,' or 'more money,' or 'when the kids are grown,' or 'if I get that new job.' While we wait for better times, the opportunities of this day pass by unseen, obscured in the haze of a hoped-for future. Hope is a wonderful thing. I am powerfully drawn along in my Christian life by the promise of spending eternity in the Paradise prepared by God for me. But, I am not so 'heavenly-minded that I am no earthly good.' Even as I set the hope of Heaven in my sights on the horizon, I live in this moment.

Hebrews 3 is a great chapter that draws on the experience of the Israelis who were called out of Egypt to the Promised Land as a teaching lesson for disciples. In spite of many experiences of both the faithfulness and power of God, they missed the purpose of God because they looked back at yesterday regretting choices to move on, or they anticipated tomorrow, falling into fear. Yesterday and tomorrow caused them to reject the will of God today. Remember their longings for the food of Egypt which they claimed 'cost us nothing?' How quickly they forgot the cruelty of their Egyptian task-masters! Then, too, they would not go into Canaan because they saw the long, difficult work involved in possessing the land, and discounted God's power and help for that task. They died in the desert, ignoring the opportunities of the day. So we read this warning: "My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. We were sure about Christ when we first became his people.
So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. The Scriptures say, "If you hear his voice today, don't be stubborn like those who rebelled." (Hebrews 3:12-15, CEV)

There is a Gospel song that has practical advice:
"We have this moment to hold in our hands,
And to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand,
Yesterday's gone, and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment today!" copyright 1975- Wm. Gaither

Take the blessings of the present and pray with me:
"Father, thank you for this day.
Thank you for opportunities to do good,to experience Your grace, and to see Your provision for my needs today.
Forgive me of the sins of yesterday, Lord, and release me from the chains of regret and guilt.
Give me the greatness of heart to set others free from indebtedness as You have forgiven me in Christ Jesus.
Open my eyes to the possibilities that exist today.
Help me to look around and to see what You're doing now and to join You in making a difference in the world.Holy Spirit, fill me powerfully with life and let me be a life-giver to the people that I will interact with today.
In the name of Jesus, my Redeemer and my Hope, I ask these things. Amen."

The Basics

It is now obvious that the carefully laid financial plans for the future that we designed to perpetuate our lifestyles are being shredded by an economic hurricane now blowing 'round the world! Savings are gone, investments are worth half of what they were worth two years ago. Despite $billions being thrown into the system by Uncle Sam and his cousins in Europe and Asia, the financial industry is in lock-down.

I would be dishonest if I pretend to be unconcerned! My life will be very different than how I anticipated it to be in the coming years. But, does different necessarily mean terrible? Perhaps not. Just maybe America's financial woes will break some of our worst habits and force us to get back to the basics of life - thrift instead of consumption, caring for our friends and family instead of thinking it is the government's job to do it, investing our time in our communities and families instead of being so focused on our individual ideals, and abandoning expensive pursuits of self-oriented pleasure for simpler things of greater and lasting value.

Believer, in the middle of this mess, I that the real difference between those who know Christ and those who do not to will become obvious. That difference? HOPE! If we start eating pills, drinking too much, and living in unrelieved anxiety, it will reveal the bankruptcy of our soul; showing us that our faith is more rhetoric than reality! If we are steady and face the future with courage, helping others to build new lives around eternal treasure, God will be pleased and we will be blessed even if we are broke.

Jesus' wonderful words recorded in Matthew's Gospel take even greater significance for us right now. His financial advice is timeless and not subject to the value of our 401(k), the falling DOW indicators, or the collapse of world banking systems.

Read these words carefully like you're seeing them for the first time.“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.

Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:24-34, NLT)

Let me urge you to patience and prudence. Don't allow yourself to become reactionary, jerked up and down spiritually and emotionally by each day's bad news. In balance, don't tune out and drop out, either. Followers of Jesus Christ, while separate from this world and headed for a home in Heaven, are to be about Heaven's business here on earth. We need great wisdom, which God promises to give to those who ask, to be pacesetters for our friends and families in times like these. Get back to basics! Refuse endless worry. Build trust in God. Reject greed. Be generous. For "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:8-11, NIV)
______________________

My hope is built on nothing less,
than Jesus' blood and righteousness!
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' Name.

On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand!

Public domain

Lord, help me stand!

There's nothing quite like a good night's sleep. When my body is aching with fatigue, when I cannot think clearly because of lack of sleep - there is nothing like sinking into my bed and drifting into a deep, peaceful sleep. After 7 or 8 hours, I am ready to take up my responsibilities again. Those issues that seemed so overwhelming at 10 o'clock the night before are not so daunting at 7 in the morning, if I have rested. There is a time to rest spiritually as well. After slogging through a long fight with evil in one way or another, or helping to settle someone's conflict, or pouring love into a situation that needs healing- my soul sometimes feels numb with fatigue. In that time, if I pick up the Bible, even familiar and beloved passages are just words on a page. When I try to pray, I have little sense of the Presence of God. Just as I know I need sleep when I am physically exhausted, I know that I need soul rest when I am spiritually spent!

David, whose life story is told in the Bible, offers us a model in dealing with exhaustion. When he was a fugitive from King Saul, living in exile in Philistia, on one occasion he and his men returned from a military expedition to find that their wives, children, and wealth had been carried off by raiders. Their homes in Ziklag were burned to the ground. Feel the emotion that throbs through this verse. "So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep." (1 Samuel 30:4, NIV) These were not weak men, either! They were seasoned, tough warriors. But, it was too much. On top of physical fatigue, they were overwhelmed with loss. Adding to his personal loss, David had to carry an additional burden. "And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him." (1 Samuel 30:6, The Message) His own friends, needing someone to blame, needing a way to express their outrage, were ready to turn on their leader. So what did he do? "David strengthened himself with trust in his God."

He turned to God! So, must we! It is not so much what we say, or going somewhere - it is a refocus of our attitude that says, "Lord, I will put myself at rest in you!" Isaiah wrote of the importance of resting in the Lord. "Those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind." (Isaiah 40:31, The Message) There are times when we must take a soul-Sabbath, times when we settle ourselves in Him. How a person comes to that rest will differ. It may be as simple as acknowledging - "You are God, and I am not." It may be letting music of worship and adoration play as we sit in silence. It may be going fishing, or sitting down at a piano, or picking up a guitar, or sitting gazing at a sunrise ... but it always means setting aside our 'work' for a time to rest.

In a crisis, it may seem to go against common sense to do nothing for a while. Our first thought may be to turn up the heat, to pour on more effort. But, we need to remember that without the strength of the Lord, our strength is very small. Even our best efforts will accomplish so little unless God, the Holy Spirit, is working in us. There is real wisdom in knowing when it is time to take a strategic 'time out!'

Here are a couple of passages, one from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament. Think on them and my prayer is that the Lord will help you to know when it is time to rest and pray, "Lord, help me stand!"

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ Therefore hear, O nations; observe, O witnesses, what will happen to them. Hear, O earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words." (Jeremiah 6:16-20, NIV)

Jesus said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. 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. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)
______________________

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, help me stand!
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near.
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call;
Hold my hand lest I fall.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home

Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Tommy DorseyCCLI License No. 810055

It's So Hard to See . . .

Our emotions are so entwined with our spirituality that sometimes it impossible to separate the two, isn't it? When a person grows depressed, he may conclude God has forsaken him. When great pain brought on by loss or illness presses on a person's heart, she may wrongly conclude that faith has failed her. It can be shocking when a person who has loved God becomes angry with Him and says things like, "I don't even know if I believe that He loves me!" But, those things happen often even to mature disciples who come under great pressure and who are temporarily disoriented by sorrow or fear.

There are several Psalms where we read of godly people under such emotional stress that they lose sight of the face of God in the dark night of their soul! Take a look: "O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?" (Psalm 13:1-2, NLT) In another psalm of lament, we read: "O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?" (Psalm 10:1, NLT) God cannot forget us, nor does He stand far away. But, the emotions from which those thoughts come, are very real. Trying to deny what we feel is unhealthy and can lead us even more deeply into spiritual crisis.

In his song, "Make My Life a Prayer to You," Keith Green penned this memorable line - "Well, I wanna thank You now for being patient with me. Oh it's so hard to see when my eyes are on me!" Remember that. When you're hurting badly, your emotions scream for relief and your vision narrows down to a tight focus on "right here, right now." In those times, pray for trust and the embrace of the grace of the One who knows you better than you know yourself. The time to work on figuring it all out is later. Trying to sort out all the why's and wherefore's will come when the storm of emotions has calmed.

Got a friend whose faith is in crisis because their heart is broken or their world turned upside down? One of the most loving gifts we can offer to a Christian in that kind of faith crisis is our ear and our shoulder! "Let me help you carry your burden," is much preferred than "Let me tell you how wrong you are in your thinking so you can get it right." One of my favorite phrases is- "Be Jesus with skin on." A touch, a hug, a prayer for comfort, saying something like "I'll have faith for you right now while you're hurting so badly," is so much more helpful than a lengthy treatise on the immutability and faithfulness of God.

Giving that person a safe way to share what they feel, letting them give vent to anger, fear, or doubt often has a spiritual benefit in that when they have released pent-up feelings. With the innter pressure released the Spirit reaches their heart and mind with renewed peace. In time, they will re-assert control over their tumbling thoughts to bring them back in line with the truth of the Scripture. (A person in a faith crisis because of willful disobedience in their life needs a wisely worded, courageous rebuke, but that's for another TFTD.)

Here's a word from the Word -
"Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. . . .
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." (Psalm 73, NIV)
____________________________

Great is Thy faithfulness,O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not,Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast beenThou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great Is Thy Faithfulness © 1923.
Renewed 1951 Hope Publishing Company CCLI License No. 810055

Can we talk honestly?

I watched the VP debates last night. Who won? All the talking heads agree that the answer to that question depends on what the viewer's preference was going into the 90 minute encounter of candidates. An hour and half of non-stop talk did little to change voter's minds. Biden's supporters thought he was the winner. Palin's supporters thought she did just fine, "you betcha." Who lost? We all did. Tired campaign lines were repeated by both candidates, ad nauseum. Each used misrepresentations of the facts, intentionally shading the truth (lying!) to shed the worst light on the other. At the end of it all, I was more disgusted with our political process than ever before. Could a candidate survive if he or she just told the truth? Would the American voters accept being told the truth: that they insist on a nanny government to care for their kids and their grandmas while resisting the taxes needed to pay for such benefits; that they demand that the government defend them against their own greed and stupidity and then resent the weight of all the regulations enacted for that purpose? Probably not.


As I reflected on this, I recommitted myself to an authentic Christian life.
My prayer today is -
"Lord, keep me honest- with You, with others, and with myself! Don't let me hide in clichés, escape responsibility with flimsy excuses, or avoid dealing with the unpleasantness of life by living in fantasyland. Help me to love the Truth and to work with You towards transformation of my heart and mind, so that the beauty of Jesus Christ is seen in me."
Will I always get it right? Of course not. Will hypocrisy be more evident to others than to me? Probably, though I hope they will have the courage to tell me when they see it.

Here's the Lord's invitation. He asks, "Can we talk honestly?"
How will you answer?

"Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted." (Isaiah 1:4-5, NIV)

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:17-18, NIV)
__________________________________

Father of creation,
Unfold Your sov'reign plan.
Raise up a chosen generation
That will march through the land.
All of creation is longing
For Your unveiling of pow'r.
Would You release Your anointing?
Oh God, let this be the hour.

Ruler of the nations,
The world has yet to see
The full release of Your promise,
The church in victory.
Turn to us, Lord, and touch us;
Make us strong in Your might.
Overcome our weakness,
That we could stand up and fight.

Let Your glory fall
In this room.
Let it go forth from here
To the nations.
Let Your fragrance rest
In this place,
As we gather to seek Your face.

Let Your kingdom come,
Let Your will be done.
Let us see on earth,
The glory of Your Son.

Let Your Glory Fall
David Ruiz© 1993 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055

A neglected discipline

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You can do it!

"Empower" is a current buzzword. When somebody is said to be 'empowered,' it means that they have been invested with authority, given legal status, or had resources handed to them. We used to talk about providing equal opportunities to people who wanted to succeed, implying that if given an open door, they would take the initiative and step through that door and make the most of those opportunities. Now the conversation is about those who enjoy privilege or status, using their influence to help others climb the ladder of success. Opportunity means I hold open the door. Empowerment means I reach out to help you through the door!

Disciple, God doesn't just point us in the right direction and hope we make it. He empowers us. Take a look at this great verse. Paul, in describing his efforts to bring the Good New of God's kingdom to others says, "I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me." (Colossians 1:29, NLT) Did you note the interplay of empowerment and responsibility? His willingness to work hard is coupled with Christ's mighty power. The apostle accomplished amazing and wonderful things over 30 years of ministry in the Roman Empire. He changed history! He couldn't have done it without the Spirit's power, but God needed his mind, his hands and feet, and his voice.

What does the Lord want you to do, disciple? Are you waiting for Him to 'just do it' in you, expecting some great thing to be done without any blood, sweat, or tears shed on your part? If you answer that with a yes, you're in for a long, long wait. Others will outrun and out-perform you, while you are still sitting in the sanctuary waiting. Engage yourself. Take the challenge in both hands and wrestle with it. All the while, pray fervently for the wisdom of God, the release of the power of the Holy Spirit in you and through you. Expect and engage. When you do, over time, the results will far exceed what you thought possible. God says so. He "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20, NIV)

Need to beat a habit that hinders your holiness? God empowers you!
Want to live as a person whose daily life honors Christ? God empowers you!
Trying to love a miserable person? God empowers you!
Need to forgive someone but find it so hard to get over your resentment? God empowers you!
Called to be a parent raising Godly kids in a culture so hostile to spiritual things? God empowers you!

Are you getting the picture? Now, get up and go at it. And, remember today: "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17, NLT)

Is the sky really falling?

From the subject line, you could conclude that I do not buy the alarmist language of our national leaders warning of an impending economic implosion. Honestly, what I know about economics ends with a balanced checkbook and mortgage interest rates, so I won't risk making a silly statement about what whether this is a real or manufactured crisis. Any investment advice I might give would be worth what you paid for it; nothing! But, I am watching all this news with a great deal of interest and no small amount of concern, wondering what it will mean for my future, for the finances of our church and Christian school, and how the crisis will effect the lives of those who are close to the edge financially. My questions far outweigh the answers available.

This I know; this is a time to re-evaluate where I am placing my hope and what I treasure most. And, I know this, too. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must not allow ourselves to be overtaken with panicky feelings. We need not be sleepless through the night! We need not fear the future. We should check and be certain that we are following God's plan for stewardship of our resources, including choices like: being content with what we have, not spending our future by diving into debt, buying what we need and can afford rather than thing that impress others, exercising prudence in our spending so we are not living above our means, regularly setting aside a sizeable portion of our income for giving to God's work and those in need. Even though a Christian who practices sound stewardship practices is not exempt from the effects of a bad national economy, he has every reason for hope, and a sure faith that keeps him solid as a rock when the world around shakes.

Through the disciplines of the Spirit, he has come to know that his true wealth is not based on his bank account balance. His actual security is not found in gold. Jesus says: “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” (Luke 12:15 Message) We need that hear His wisdom, again and again. We live in two worlds - this present one, where we have bills to pay and are tempted by all the 'stuff' that is available to us; and the spiritual world, which is our true and eternal home. After cautioning us about becoming too attached to material goods, Jesus told this story.
“The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’
“Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’ “
That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.” (Luke 12:15-21, The Message)

"We cannot maintain a good life of extravagance and a good conscience simultaneously. One or the other has to be sacrificed. Either we keep our conscience and reduce our affluence by giving generously and helping those in need, or we keep our affluence and smother our conscience. We have to choose between God and man." - John Stott, quoted in Discipleship Journal : Issue 53.

Another familiar passage comforts and confronts us.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV)

Is the sky falling? Are hard times ahead? I do not know. I will pray for God's peace to protect my mind. I will choose to live in faith and I will store my treasure in Heaven. And, I will pray for my love for Jesus to grow stronger, replacing my attraction to the trinkets of this world. How about you?
_______________________

I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said;
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty.
But the One who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion,
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.

Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow,
And I know who holds my hand.

I Don't Know About Tomorrow
Ira Stanphill © 1950 Singspiration Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)
CCLI License No. 810055

Fireworks and Seeds

I enjoy fireworks! First, you see the colorful light design spread across the sky, then you hear the boom of the explosion, then comes the shockwave of pressure you can feel in your chest. It is an awesome display meant to be impressive. But for all of the dazzling effects of sound and light, it's over in seconds, the sky fading to black, the
sound waves rolling off the distant hills. I am also impressed by another kind of power - that which locked into a little seed! You take the tiny packet of potential life and place in the earth. With the right kind of moisture and some heat, it germinates and sends out a shoot that pushes aside the soil and grows, and grows, and grows. If it's a seed of a maple tree and it grows next to sidewalk, over time the growing tree can lift concrete slabs!

Let me ask you to consider how God accomplishes His work. Does He use fireworks or seeds? He uses both. Jesus occasionally did big, impressive miracles to attract attention of the crowds; but the greater work of the Kingdom was the seed of Truth that He planted that continues spreads a lasting influence in hearts and minds of people who receive it into their lives, with faith. Quietly and persistently over time, the Truth changes sinners into saints, transforms entire cultures and makes the world a new and different place. "Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches." Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough." (Matthew 13:31-33, NLT)

Let me encourage you today to trust the persistent, quiet power that is locked into the seed of God's Truth. Receive it with thanksgiving. Water it with prayer and reflection. Allow the Spirit to work in you. If you do, you can be sure that godliness will most surely grow in your
character! Occasionally, God may send some fireworks. From time to time, He may choose to do big, impressive miracles; but most of the time His work will done quietly, over time. Give the power of the Word time to grow. Don't be discouraged by the slow pace of change. Don't let charlatans seduce you with promises of spiritual transformation resulting from quick and easy techniques. Instead, be steady. What God brings out of your life will be truly amazing.
Here's a word from the Word, full of promise. I pray it will stir new confidence in you, helping you to wait on His will steadily.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1, NIV)
___________________

The Spirit of the Lord is great and mighty,
The Spirit of the Lord is my victory;
The Spirit of the Lord is great and mighty,
Great and mighty in me.

Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.
I am more than a conqueror by the power of His Word,
Of His Word.
In the name of Jesus, I can do anything
By the power of His Spirit,
Through the One who strengthens me,
Strengthens me.
The Spirit of the Lord

Billy Funk © 1992 Integrity's Praise! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

A persistent fantasy?

If you asked me to heft 200 lbs of dead weight from the ground right at this moment, I could not do it! If you told me that my life would depend on my ability to heft that same load in six weeks, I could condition my body and strengthen my muscles for that task. It would require discipline and consistent training but it is not impossible. Christians tell me all the time, "I just cannot do what God wants me to do. It's impossible!" They're not talking about a call to go to Papua New Guinea as a missionary, either. They are claiming that they cannot forgive those who mistreat them, love their enemies, etc. They are right and wrong, at the same time. It is true that their spiritual life may be so out of shape that they truly cannot live the Christian life, however, it is not true that God is asking the impossible of them. What's missing? Spiritual disciplines that build spiritual strength.

Too often Christians mistakenly believe that they can 'just rely on the Spirit' to make them faithful, holy, and Christ-honoring people. There is this persistent fantasy that sincere tears shed in prayer and good intentions are all God needs to make people into solid disciples. This oft-told myth has created churches that are full of disappointed people who live in perpetual defeat, enslaved by their lusts, addictions, and emotions. Paul, the apostle who changed the world in which he lived, shows us a different way. "Run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NLT)

Disciples who overcome temptation, whose lives are full of the beautiful, mature fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - Gal. 5:22) are not that way because they have done things to merit God's blessings. However, they enjoy a life with those qualities when they practice disciplines that allow the character of Christ Jesus to mature in their hearts and minds. To be sure, the seed of growth comes from the Holy Spirit, who 'makes us alive with Christ.' We cannot simply engage in practices that reform our lives because naturally we are dead to God, incapable of holiness and righteousness, except in the most superficial ways. But, having received the Spirit of life, we must do the daily work of spiritual formation, that will allow the character of Christ Jesus to be formed in us.

Disciple, chose today to begin to read the Scripture, to seek time in solitude where God can speak, to serve someone in humility, to give as an act of worship. Choose submission rather than self-expression.

Mediate on this Word today. He will use the Truth to change your life, if you'll allow Him to do so!
"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ...as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:5-7, 12-14, NIV)
______________________

Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Savior,
I know for sure all of my days
Are held in Your hand;
Crafted into Your perfect plan.
You gently call me into Your presence,
Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit;
Teach me, dear Lord, to live all of my life
Through Your eyes.

I'm captured by Your holy calling,
Set me apart, I know You're drawing me
to Yourself;
Lead me, Lord, I pray.

Take me, mold me, use me, fill me;
I give my life to the Potter's hand.
Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me;
I give my life to the Potter's hand.

Potter's Hand © 1997 Darlene Zschech (Hillsong) (Admin. in U.S. & Canada by Integrity's Hosanna! Music)
CCLI License No. 810055

A turtle life?

A mommy whose 5 year old son attended our Vacation Bible School reported the following: So, I tell Jacob, "Tell me the words to that song so we can ask Mrs. Scott." "Okay," he says, "it's the one with the turtle in it.""What?" I ask perplexed "You know... God paid the price, so we can have "a turtle" life!" I went hysterical!!!! You really can't make this stuff up! So, if you could provide us with the title, or some of the "real" words that would be great.

After a bit of research, we discovered that the lyrics actually say, "Jesus paid the price so we could have eternal life!" I guess when your just 5 years old, a "turtle life" makes more sense than 'eternal' life!

The Gospel is always presented within context, and unless we take care to translate the message accurately across cultural and age boundaries, we might end up preaching an incomprehensible garble of words. To present Christ to the world we need both insight into our audience and the enabling of the Spirit!

In the book of Acts, we read of Paul's visit to Athens. In a masterful illustration of cross-cultural communication, he went to the Areopagus to talk about Christ Jesus in the philosophy forum there. He started this way. "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands." (Acts 17:22-24, NIV) He set the message of Jesus Christ into the context of the audience. He then, preached a brilliant message about the God who knows who we are and Who can be known through the Resurrected Lord Jesus. Some mocked, but there were converts that day. He was willing to leave his comfort zone to carry the Good News to others. He said, "Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. ... When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23, NLT)

Disciples are called to share the hope and life of Jesus Christ with their world. If people are not responding to our message, if we're not helping others find the Truth of Jesus, we must not assume they are uninterested in what we have to say. It might be that we need to check how we're saying it; taking time to determine if our words are comprehended as we intend. Imagine being without a working knowledge of the Scripture and being challenged to come to be 'washed the Blood of the Lamb!' That is one scary picture if the words are taken literally without a grasp of the metaphors intended! It only means something if a person knows the story of the Passover, something of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, and about the Cross! For those who do, being 'washed in the blood of the Lamb' is a beautiful way to speak of God's mercy and grace, that is offered freely, but at a terrible expense, by the One who gave His life to take away our guilt so we can know and love a Holy God.

Thanks, Jacob, for a great lesson in communication. I hope that your Mommy can help you re-work that song in your mind so that 'turtle life' becomes 'eternal life.'

"Ah, that's good enough!"

Imagine if the Creator had become bored or weary and decided that instead of making the universe all 'very good,' (Genesis 1:31) He had settled for good enough! We observe that God went for design that is wondrous, full of beauty, and marked by excellence. Since this is how our God chose to prepare the world for us, isn't it sad then that so many choose to serve Him with mediocrity? Might this be because we are more committed to our kids' education, passionate about our sports, fanatic about our football team - than we are dedicated to the God we say that we love and serve with our whole heart?

In the Old Testament stories, excellence stands out again and again as a trait God commends.
Joseph was not only faithful through the years that he waited for the plans of God to take him from the prison to the palace. He also worked hard to do his best in every situation.
Daniel was taken from Jerusalem to serve an oppressor king in Babylonia as a slave. Did he slack and look for the easy way? Read the book. Here's how his reputation is summed up: "Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom." (Daniel 6:3, NIV)
We try to create a climate of excellence throughout our local congregation because God is worthy of our best efforts, not our leftovers! Here are a few examples.. and I could add more.

-I never approach the pulpit without extensive preparation of my mind and heart through prayer and study. God is listening to what I say and will hold me accountable on that Day for how I 'handled the Word of Truth.'

-Our grounds team mows the grass and tends the landscape with an eye towards honoring the Lord with a neat lawn!

-Our Christian School maintains high standards, not just to please parents. The team members there know that it is the Lord they serve, first and foremost. It shows!

-Our praise and worship team is devoted with a capital "D." They are on site early on Sunday morning, preparing themselves to lead us to worship of our God. They rehearse timing and strive for the right tone - why? Because they want to look good? Not so much. They know that what they do reflects on God, that if they fumble their way through a service with missed notes and bad timing, that many people will be distracted from focusing on the Lord. Our church is so accustomed to their high level of excellence, both musically and in the Spirit, that we often take it for granted!

How do you love Jesus Christ?
Are you just content to say, "that's good enough?" or are you ready to do your best?
Does God get the first and best of your life, or is He relegated to time, energy, and resources that are leftover when you've done the things you want to do? Consider that, disciple. Don't be one of those Christians who is content to just get by.

In the book of Malachi, there is a record of some priests who offered cheap offerings, who used inferior sacrifices. In response God said,
"A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! "But you ask, 'How have we ever shown contempt for your name?' "You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
"Then you ask, 'How have we defiled the sacrifices?' "You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the Lord of Heaven's Armies. ... "How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, "and I will not accept your offerings. But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."(Malachi 1:6-11, NLT)

Here's a word from the Word. Take it with you through this day.
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11, NIV

Worthy and Noble

Are you a noble, worthy person? Let me clarify. Are you noted to be a person of truth, integrity, diligence, beauty of spirit, love, and grace? Or, are you a person of shaded meanings, filthy speech, laziness, and hostility? That is what I mean by 'noble.' One can be poor and be noble. A person need not have a certain bloodline to be of noble character. The transforming truth of the Gospel of Christ, coupled with the inner transformation of the Spirit, will produce a person who is truly a nobleman! Yet, often in our time, those who claim to be Christian are base, ignoble individuals. This should not be. There are few things that stir up my emotions like a pseudo-Christian! I hate the disgrace to the cause of Christ that comes when a person uses his religion as a 'cover up for evil.' (1 Peter 2:16)

Conversion is supposed to be exactly that - a profound change. All too often, Christianity is made into an ideal held up for admiration but considered impractical for daily living. This has been the curse of the faith since the beginning of the faith. Time and again the Word challenges a claim to belief without a corresponding change of practice. This is the sin of hypocrisy. Paul wrote to us saying "I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." (Ephesians 4:1, NLT)

Look at how the Word contrasts the nature, base life with the noble, spiritual one:

"People’s desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God’s kingdom.

God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires." (Galatians 5:19-24, CEV)

We must not make the mistake of attempting to live the 'life of the Spirit,' by our own will! To do so, will lead to great hypocrisy like that of the Pharisees, described by Jesus as "whitewashed tombs, full of dead men's bones." No amount of punishment, ethical challenge, or good intention can produce a Spirit-filled noble man of God. "So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, ... For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial ... You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, "Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!"? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires." (Colossians 2:16-23, NLT)

Augustine is quoted as saying, "Love God, and do as you please." He's right! Yes, he is much misunderstood, as some who claim to be disciples emphasize only the second half of his aphorism and descend into licentious behaviors which only further debase them. A noble life emerges when we love Him - with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Disciple, do you love Him? Does it show in a life that is worthy of your high calling? Here's my prayer for you and for me today. Pray it with me, won't you?

"We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:9-12, NIV)
__________________

Truehearted, wholehearted, faithful and loyal,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be;
Under the standard exalted and royal,
Strong in Thy strength we will battle for Thee.

Peal out the watchword! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watchword! Loyal forever!
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.

Wholehearted! Savior beloved and glorious,
Take Thy great power and reign Thou alone,
Over our wills and affections victorious—
Freely surrendered and wholly Thine own.

Frances Havergal - public domain

Let your light shine!

An admirable trait every disciple needs is steadiness. One of the best inventions of the last century was the electric light bulb. The lowly light bulb extends our working and enjoyment hours of each day by several hours, before and after sunset. Did you ever notice what happens to a light bulb just before it reaches the end of its life? Often it burns super-brightly for a few seconds and then, poof!- it falls dark as the filament breaks. The steady light that comes from a bulb is what we count on to read, to converse, to do our work. We don’t want flickering light. We don’t want flashes of light. We want a steady, bright glow.

As we represent Christ, we do so, in His words, as lights. In Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message) we read: "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. ... I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand——shine! Steady, consistent, reflecting the Light of Jesus." In the Scripture, we are taught that there are many things that can put out the light in us, or make it dim.
We deal with ...
- the sinful nature that resists the work of the Spirit;
- world systems that oppose God’s ways; and
- the Devil who organizes evil!

Remember, it’s not the glow of our personality, the brilliance of our skills or intelligence, that gives the light. "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV)
How can we shine consistently, lighting the way for others? Walk in the Light!
"So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (1 John 1:6-9, NLT)

So, disciple, shine brightly today. Choose wisely so that nothing dims the Light shining in you. Invite the Spirit to clear the lens of your life, wiping away the dirt of sin and Self. Keep focused on the Light. It’s about Jesus working in you, working through you, shining the Light in a dark world.
________________________

Lord, I come to Your awesome presence.
From the shadows into Your radiance;
By the blood I may enter Your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine.
Fill this land with the Father's glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze.
Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow, flood the nations
With grace and mercy;
Send forth Your Word,Lord,
and let there be light.

Shine, Jesus, Shine
Kendrick, Graham© 1987 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055

Fitting in? With whom?

I love walking among students who are in their early teen years! They are not sophisticated enough to hide their feelings, but are old enough to act somewhat independently of their parents. The 'herd mentality' is fully evidenced by their imitation of the leader of the pack. Whatever she wears becomes 'the look' others attempt to copy. His words, even the tone of those words, becomes the pattern for his friends. Mass media now makes it possible for a single girl (at this moment think Miley Cyrus, a.k.a. - Hannah Montana) to become the model for millions. Her 'look' is the look if you're a 13 year old girl.

Of course, it is not just kids that want to fit in. Stop by the local law firm and see all the suits! And, there are always those who are non-conforming, who seek uniqueness by being completely different, which is still a kind of 'conformity!' If short hair is in, they go long. If formal dress is the norm, they wear the Hawaiian print shirt. They are still reacting to others, even in their 'difference.'

Disciples of Jesus Christ have a greater ideal! We who follow Him must wrestle with the innate need for peer approval and determine that we will serve Him. In John's gospel we read of some who wanted to follow Jesus but they were too afraid of the pressure of their friends. Take a look. "Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God." (John 12:42-43, NLT) The Word warns us that "The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that. " (Proverbs 29:25, The Message)

What is 'cool' with others changes. If we spend too much time looking around, measuring ourselves by how well we fit into contemporary standards, we will become slaves of fashions and fads, unable to serve or please God. That is why the Word tells us "Since God assured us, "I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6, The Message)

Pray that the Spirit of God will make you fearless in the face of criticism or peer pressure. Walk humbly before God and seek His approval. He will guide us to life that really matters, away from the superficiality of this present world and its changing standards. Here's a word from the Word. Let the wisdom found here go deep into your mind and heart today.

"Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

"Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:28-33, NLT)
_____________________________

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Helen Lemmell © Public Domain

Fools despise discipline.

Our son, Sean, a teacher, called me a week or so ago to say, "Thanks, Dad, for finding the balance between love and fear, for instilling a healthy respect for authority in me when I was a child, and for teaching me about consequences for my actions." His thanks was prompted by his interaction with high school students who think that they are acting in their own best interest by ignoring authority and doing their own thing. When my sons and daughters were in my care, I wanted them to know they were loved and I knew they needed to be disciplined, no matter how much conflict or unhappiness it brought in the short term. We laugh today about one of my favorite parenting lines: "I'm not your best friend; I'm your father."

Which child is a happier person when they reach adulthood? Is it the one who is indulged and pampered who becomes a irresponsible person who thinks the world revolves around their needs, OR the one who is disciplined and knows how to show up for work, form lasting relationships with 'give and take,' and who knows the importance of following the rules? The disciplined one is the happier person for enjoys freedom that only comes to those who know self-control!

Discipline is a means to greater freedom and joy for God's children, too. When we practice spiritual disciplines, we are trained as 'athletes of God' and the well-conditioned soul is able to better respond to God's leading. Discipline gives us freedom from slavery to our appetites, the ability to choose. In the book of Hebrews we learn: "Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves.Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them.But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God." -- [12:11-12 The Message]

Those who live a disciplined life are often mocked by those whose lives are in lived in disarray under the guise of 'freedom.' "Why do you put so much emphasis on things like being on-time, keeping orderly records, picking up trash, etc.?" I am sometimes asked. The reason is that I find when the small things are tended and kept in order, the larger issues of life fall into place. For example, some people find filing their income tax a real chore. It takes me less than two hours every year. Why? Because I keep my financial records up to date and properly filed, on a weekly basis. Another example- a long, long time ago I committed myself to paying my bills on time and only spending money I had in hand. Now, because I am not swamped by credit card debt, I have less stress, pay very little interest to banks (other than my mortgage!) and can support the work of God with my tithe!

Do I always enjoy meeting deadlines, putting work over pleasure, mowing my lawn on a hot day, or polishing my shoes? Not any more than anyone else. But, I make those choices because I realize the freedom that discipline produces and I know that larger problems are less likely to develop tomorrow when the right choice is made today. Believers want to know God and to walk with Him in joyful freedom! I cannot recall ever having a discussion with a Christian who said, "Jerry, I just want to do the minimums, live spiritually on the edge, and squeak into Heaven by the razor edge of grace!" Yet, that is exactly where many live.

So how do we enter into the richness of God's glory here and now?

There are no 'magic pills' that will produce instantaneous or effortless spiritual health. There are choices to be made, disciplines to practiced. Start with small choices like:
- turning off the TV an hour earlier and going to bed so you canget up and have time to prayerfully meditate and take in some Scripture before rushing out the door to work;

-planning weekend activities with a high priority commitment tojoining in corporate worship every week;

-dealing with issues of the soul in their infancy rather thantrying to conquer them when they are engrained habits...

small choices that prepare us to receive God's grace in big ways.

One writer puts it this way: "Each of us becomes another Michelangelo, for choice is nothing other than the chisel we use to sculpt our life. The chisel doesn't come free, however, for the price of choice is responsibility. But when we accept and carry out our responsibility, the reward is great. The reward is happiness."

God has provided the means for freedom of choice by giving us salvation from sin, through the gracious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, let us use that freedom to grow into Christians who live worthy of His investment in us.
_________________

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Proverbs 1:7, NIV)

"If you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:25, NLT)

Love them all!

My senses were overwhelmed by the pungent odor surrounding the man standing in the hallway outside of my office. My eyes took note of the advanced state of decay of his teeth and his very dirty clothing. The inclination was to dismiss him as yet another beggar stopping by for a hand-out, to see him as a failed human being. It's so much easier to deal with human need by judging someone as 'lazy and therefore deserving of their situation,' than it is to love him and be drawn into his crisis. But, who am I to look down on this man? Do I know how or why he came to this state? Can I so quickly assume that it is just a flawed character or failure to make good choices? That may well be true. It might also be that he suffers from mental illness; that he was abused terribly as a child and is deeply emotionally scarred; that some life trauma left him unable to cope with life; or ....

Yes, life is far too complex to understand another human being in 30 seconds!

God judges and asks me to love! He alone sees the full context of another's life. I see but a small window of time. That is why Jesus says, "Don’t condemn others, and God won’t condemn you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them. You can see the speck in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the log in your own eye. How can you say, "My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye," when you don’t see the log in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1-4, CEV) There are days when I fail miserably, when I am short-tempered, full of Self, in the grip of my sinful nature! But those days have a context within my whole life. Sometimes they come when I am weary from the struggle or overwhelmed with responsibilities. God does not suspend His expectations of me when life is hard, but neither does He dismiss me as a failure on the bad days! The Bible teaches me that He comes to me in those moments as my Comforter, my Advocate; Who "helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (Romans 8:26, NIV)

Pray for grace to love them all;
the good, the bad;
the whole, the broken;
the clean, the dirty;
the together, the fragmented;
the beautiful, the marred.

It's costly to love those in need. Love will not allow us to turn from them or to blame them for their plight! Love will engage, hope, invest, and redeem. That's what love did for me. I am a debtor to grace, with no reason for pride! Here's a word from the Word. May it help us to love them all! "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11, NIV)
_____________________________

I was sinking deep in sin,
Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
Sinking to rise no more.
But the Master of the sea
Heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me;
Now safe am I.

Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me.
Love lifted me.

Souls in danger, look above;
Jesus completely saves.
He will lift you by His love
Out of the angry waves.
He's the Master of the sea,
Billows His will obey.
He your Savior wants to be,
Be saved today.

Love Lifted Me
Howard E. Smith © Public Domain

"Lord, send me!"

When I was a little boy I loved when missionaries came to our church. They laid out pottery, animals skins, and hand-made tools from countries far away. They showed slides of churches in jungles full of people who looked so much different from me. And, they told amazing stories about fording raging rivers, holding great revivals, and the ways that God sent them just what they needed at the last minute! Somehow I began to think that missionaries were the really great Christians, God's Special Forces, with a higher calling than the rest of us. More than one Sunday night, during the prayer time that always ended the meetings, I told the Lord that if He wanted me in the jungle somewhere, I was ready to go. Those prayers, I realized as I grew older, reflected more of a child's romantic notions of adventure than a sense of Heaven's high calling!

I now know that God's calling doesn't start when a person boards a flight to Zimbabwe or Uzbekistan to be a missionary! People in desperate need live in my city. The work to bring Christ to them may not be as exotic, the stories not so dramatic; but the need is just as great. Familiarity can - and indeed often does - blind us to the spiritual poverty of our neighbors. Jesus once urged his disciples to take another look, with eyes that could see what was real-
"As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! " (John 4:35, The Message)

Would He say the same to us, friend?
Would He urge us to take another look at our extended families, our next door neighbors, our fellow Americans taking note of their spiritual hunger?

Bringing the Gospel to our neighbors probably won't involve a big tent filled with half-naked kids, like the missionary's pictures showed. It isn't all that likely that we will have to cross flood-swollen rivers in a dug-out canoe to preach to a remote village or face the danger of a local chief's hostility! (Yep, I remember those stories like I heard them yesterday!) Our missions work will be done in the ordinary - praying faithfully for people to know Him, living a life that is remarkable for the beauty of His holiness, loving when unloved, maintaining hope when others are despairing.

America needs missionaries, and God is calling us to service. We are a nation is inundated with pornography, enslaved by greed, and deceived by pleasure worship. Our political system is broken, our justice system is failing, our prisons are overflowing; the poor grow poorer, the powerful oppress. Covenants are meaningless, churches are lifeless, religion is everywhere, but God is ignored even by many 'Christians.'

The words of an ancient prophet challenged me today. I pray they will stir you, take you to your knees, and cause you to report for duty in the service of the Lord.
"God's message came to me .. "Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can’t tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there’s no difference between right and wrong. They’re contemptuous of my holy Sabbaths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have received visions and special revelations. They say, "This is what God, the Master, says …" when God hasn’t said so much as one word. Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice.’
"I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn’t have to destroy it." - (Ezekiel 22:26-30, The Message)

He's looking for someone to 'stand in the gap.' Will you?
______________________________________

Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.
Let my hands reach out to others
Touch through me.
There's a lonely soul somewhere
Needing just one friend to care.
Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.

My hands will be Your hands
Reaching out to others.
My lips will not be slothful,
Lord, to speak.
I will be that good Samaritan
To someone else in need.
I will be Your house to dwell in
Live through me.

Touch Through Me
Dottie Rambo © 1981 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)CCLI License No. 810055

The Adventure of this Day

Predictable, controlled - that's me! Surprise parties are not my thing. Unexpected guests raise my stress levels. Chaotic situations call a response from me to impose order or if that is not possible, to escape at the earliest opportunity. But the God I serve is not willing to submit Himself to my rules, my expectations, or my controls. Instead, He invites me to live the adventure that is His will. Who can really explain why God does what He does? When I read the story of Joseph and see the twists and turns of what some might call fate I realize that the Bible is very clear in communicating that God was in it all, even using the sins of others to accomplish His plan. He used scheming, jealous brothers to get Joseph from the sheep fields to Egypt. He used a wife looking for an affair to take Joseph from Potiphar's comfortable house to the Pharaoh's palace! Wasn't there another way, a less painful route for Joseph? Apparently not!

I am quite certain that God does not make anyone sin or do evil. The Bible says that "God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone." (James 1:13, NIV) But, the mystery of faith compels me to believe that He is both aware of the evil and where it rises up, He is capable of using it to His purposes. This mystery is at the heart of the story of the Cross of Christ! An ugly method of torture, used by the Romans to impose order through terror on their far-flung empire, became the means that God used to offer up Himself for our sins. Evil men crucified Christ and, as they spilled His blood on the earth, love and life blossomed. Rational? Not really! It is revealed Truth, accepted by faith.

That said, I must emphasize that we are not fatalists, adrift in life, just making the best of a bad situation. The Lord calls us to work to build His kingdom, to defeat sin and evil wherever we find it. At the very same time, He works through suffering to make us more like Jesus. Our best response to life's unpredictability is to choose faith, childlike trust in Him.

Does that seem a daunting challenge? Know this: He does not ask you to muster up such faith on your own. The Spirit is actively helping you, right now, to stand. The Bible teaches us that "the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." (Romans 8:26-30, NLT)

The following words were scratched into a wall of the Warsaw Ghetto by an unknown Jew during the Second World War. Death was all around. The face of God was obscured by terrible darkness. But, faith was there too. Take a look.
"I believe in the sun, even if it does not shine.
I believe in love even if I do not feel it.
I believe in God, even if I do not see Him."

Ask God this day for faith to walk the adventure that is life, without fear, boldly trusting Him to lead the way. Here's a word from the Word. I pray for this to nourish your soul as you receive it right now.

"The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.. . . It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. . . .
By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God’s people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah’s camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff." (Hebrews 11:1,6,24-26, The Message)
____________________________

Oh, lead me to the place where I can find You.
Oh, lead me to the place where You'll be.
Lead me to the cross where we first met,
Draw me to my knees so we can talk.
Let me feel Your breath,
Let me know You're here with me.

Oh, Lead Me
Martin Smith © 1994 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055

"Get Over Yourself!"

There are few things smaller than a person wrapped up in himself. I watched a grown man make a fool of himself recently over a cup of coffee. He badgered the kids at the Dunkin' counter three times because they didn't get it just right. ("You didn't add enough cream." New cup poured. "This tastes like it isn't fresh." Another new cup poured. "Did you put any sugar in it?" Sir, perhaps you could stir it or add some at the counter. He left making loud noises about the establishment and the 'idiots' that were employed there.) I felt shame for him, and regretfully remembered too many similar episodes from my own past. (Oh, Lord forgive me.) Yes, I sometimes get irritated when a server does not care enough to do a good job, too. But, I have learned that the stress that insisting that they 'get it right' usually outweighs going and adding some sugar myself.

Just yesterday, I contacted Dell support for an issue with my laptop. The tech determined that my computer wasn't properly registered to my company (huh?) and that before he could assist me, I would have to re-register it with Dell. There was a time when that kind of thing would have created enough anger in me to ruin the rest of the day. Yesterday, I simply told him (really, from my heart!) that I understood the limitations he was dealing with and thanked him for his help.... and promptly moved on, without giving it another thought. I know the rest of my day went better and I hope the rest of his did, too.

In our busy often depersonalized society it is a natural reaction to want to be treated with respect, to have those who are being paid to pour our coffee or fix our computer care about what they do. Rudeness and apathy abound, to be sure. But, the paradox is this: the more protective of our 'rights' that you and I become, the more angry and alienated we are likely to be. If we give up our demand to be served, begin to treat others as we want to be treated (didn't Jesus say something about that?) we release joy into our environment, a joy from which we benefit. And, when we are less stressed, we are better able to cope with the issues of life and sense the flow of God's Spirit in and around us.

Sooner or later, there will some situation that comes into your life that no amount of fussing, fuming, cussin', screaming, kicking, or even praying will change. If you're obsessed with having your way, you will only deepen your misery. So, why not just get over yourself, now? Why not dethrone Self and learn to live a life of love?

As you ponder this today, consider the words of Jesus. Pray for grace to put them into practice, from the smallest incidents to the really BIG issues. And, you will experience grace, peace, and joy; God's gifts to His children.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do us a favor." "What is your request?" he asked.

They replied, "When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."

But Jesus said to them, "You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?"
"Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"
Then Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:35-45, NLT)

Jesus, Others, You - what a wonderful way to spell - JOY!

Do YOU Remember?

Where were you seven years ago today?
Do you remember how you felt when you saw the images of flames shooting out of the twin towers and smoke ascending from the Pentagon? I remember!

And, I also remember the days that followed 9/11/01! I remember the courtesy in shopping lines, the open friendliness on the street, the time to talk and share and even cry. I remember the people that gathered in churches across these United States to pray and just to be together.
Then, once the crisis passed, America quickly returned to the old patterns. The God that we sought when desperate, was soon relegated to the back shelf, and wickedness increased all the more. Pleasure, sex, greed, and injustice became even more widespread. We are like ancient Rome demanding that our emperor bring us pleasure even as the culture collapses into greater depravity year by year.

I wonder what might have happened if genuine spiritual renewal had taken root broadly across the nation seven years ago, don't you?
Would the national economy be in tatters because of Wall Street greed, mortgages issued on flimsy hopes of continuing property value escalation, and a ruinous war debt?
Would we have continued to consume energy in ever bigger houses and cars, or would we have chosen a more sane route of increased supply and conservation that would have kept energy affordable for all?
Would the 2008 election debates be about how to take care of those in need of health care, how to assure the well-being of our increasingly aging population, and how to strengthen families that are the foundation of a solid, prosperous nation instead of silly debates about celebrity, moose hunting, and lipstick on pigs? (If you haven't been tuned for the last couple of days, you won't get that one!)

On the Sunday following the tragic events of 9/11/01, here's what I said across the pulpit. I think it's still worth saying, probably even more so today. My three major points that Sunday were: _______________________________

1. Jesus reminds us that turmoil and uncertainty will be a part of life, but we need not be PANICKED!

2. Take precautions to keep yourself from becoming spiritually dull because of excessive entanglement with the affairs of this transitory world.

3. Faithfulness is required. So, He calls us to "Be always on the watch... pray for strength...."

"The events of this week do not necessarily point to the imminent return of Christ, but they do remind us that we are soldiers on duty in the ongoing battle with evil. Our response? We must re-double our commitment to the cause of Christ. We need to hear these tragedies as a wake-up call to those who call themselves Believers. I thought of Jesus' words that are recorded in Revelation 3:14-21: (The Message) are particularly appropriate:

'Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God's Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God's creation, says: "I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot--far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.The people I love, I call to account--prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors! "Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.'

Has prosperity caused you to put God on life's back burner?
Has comfort caused you to treat God as irrelevant?

Jesus said that the kind of terrors that fell on us this week will be an occasion for true disciples to show their colors, to demonstrate the reality of the Gospel's transforming truth.

Friends and family will ask 'why' and look for hope. Don't give them platitudes or sensational prophecies, born in the fertile imaginations of TV preachers. Instead, tell them you too are amazed by the mysteries of God's plan, but that you are secure in the certainty of God's power to do all that He planned including keeping YOU spiritually safe.The Apostle Paul, sat on Death Row in Rome, and wrote: "I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. "

Answer those who ask the great 'what' questions with both words and actions.
What is the meaning of life?
What is our purpose?
We can explain that we live in a world filled with sin and men controlled by sinful human nature. We can, boldly declare, that those whose hope is fixed in this temporary world will always be disappointed and have a life without a solid foundation. When people are afraid, insecure and have shattered hope in mankind, we can use this as an opportunity to share the hope of Jesus Christ. But our words only have the ring of authenticity IF others see that they are WORDS WE LIVE BY.

Are you afraid? Take another look at the Word of God which tells us this world is passing away and all that is in it. Those who hope in the world will be troubled and distressed. We who hope in Christ have peace and our peace becomes a testimony to draw others to the solid Rock, Jesus Christ."
____________________________________

Though first spoken seven years, the message is still valid, disciple! Amen

Full text of that sermon can be read at http://www.washingtonag.com/whatnow.htm

"Satan hindered us!"

In both politics and preaching, I despise fear-mongering! So, I promise you that this TFTD is not an exercise in fear-mongering. It is a reminder of the reality of the Adversary who is active in his pursuit of the destruction, where possible, of God's work in this world!

An article crossed my desk yesterday about yet another pastor who succumbed to sexual sin, whose ministry was wrecked. The writer said that the usual response is to attempt to put such sad and sordid episodes behind us as quickly as possible, trying to forget they ever happened. He suggested a different response - "I want to put it on a twenty-by-twenty foot plasma screen in high definition for every set of eyes." What's up with that? Is he some kind of voyeur? Does he take a perverse interest in such sin? Not at all. He explains that he wants disciples to understand that there is a real Satan, who is very evil, who seeks to destroy them if given the slightest opportunity.

We, who belong to Jesus Christ and who are committed to His cause, must find the proper balance between real respect for our Adversary without falling into terror. A serious student of the Scripture comes to understand that the devil is not imaginary or a shadow in our psyche!

• Jesus variously describes him as "the prince of this world," "a murderer," and as "a liar and the father of lies."
• Paul calls him "the god of this age."
• Peter uses a powerful metaphor saying he is "a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
• John, with bright, bold strokes, reveals his diabolical nature and plans in the book of the Revelation.

Some disciples read those passages and become slaves of fear, spending more of their time in prayer focused on the devil than worshipping the Lord of glory! Do not fall into that trap. Christ Jesus came from Heaven to be our Savior to defeat the Devil, to release us from his tyranny, and to shine a bright Light that lets us see through his deceptions.

That said, we must not marginalize the devil to such an extent that we become unaware of his schemes so that we become a pawn in his plans. The Word tells us that we must not "unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!" (2 Corinthians 2:11, The Message) Paul, in one of his letters, asserts that devil continues to exploit every opportunity he can find. He wrote, "Brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us." (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18, NKJV)

The trumpet of Truth sounds out loudly with this great assurance, however. "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4, NIV)

So, disciple, retain a healthy respect for the adversary, but never cower in fear before him. "Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13, NIV)

How can we keep our confidence and be found faithful until the end?

First, we put our full confidence in Christ Jesus, our Savior, not on our skill, experience, or intelligence.

Second, we learn the Scripture and let the Truth set us free!

Third, we say the same thing about sin that God says. We don't excuse it. We don't allow ourselves to put a veneer of acceptability on anything offensive word or action.

Fourth, we walk in obedience right now! Dealing with temptation by dying to self is so much easier than cleaning up the mess that results from falling into sin.

Fifth, we forgive constantly so that no bitterness finds root in our heart to produce evil fruit!

And, we live prayerfully before God's Throne, so that the Spirit fills us, anew, each day.

____________________________

Come, Thou Almighty King.
Help us Thy name to sing.
Help us to praise.
Father, all glorious,
O'er all victorious.
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.

Come, Thou Incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend.
Come, and Thy people bless,
And give Thy Word success.
Spirit of holiness,
On us descend.

Come, Holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour.
Thou who almighty art,
Now rule in every heart;
And ne'er from us depart,
Spirit of power.

O Lord, our God, to Thee
The highest praises be,
Hence, evermore;
Thy sov'reign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore.

Charles Wesley
© Public Domain

In a little while...

I awakened this morning 'round 4 to go and be with my Dad at his bedside. He said, "Sit down. Pick up my Bible and take out those folded papers." There, in 16 pages of long-hand script, was a sermon he had written in March, 1992 titled- "God's Little Whiles." In an amazing 'coincidence' God used a 16 year old sermon to comfort my Dad in the middle of the night. He doesn't know how those papers came to be in that Bible, nor how that particular old Bible ended up by his bed. But, in His sovereignty, God brought an old sermon to Dad's attention, allowing him to preach a word of encouragement to himself during this of dealing with confinement and cancer!

Dad had written about the disciples whom Jesus told to wait through the dark time surrounding His death, a time when God was accomplishing the great work of atonement, through terrible suffering at the Cross. It was a message built around a text from John 16:16 (KJV) words spoken on the night of the Last Supper. "A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." Those men were about to enter into a 'little while' when they would find God's plan incomprehensible. Dad's points in that sermon were -

A. Listen to what God says.
B. Trust His Word. And,
C. Exercise persistence as you cling to His Word.

Every parent says to their children, at one time or another, "We will get to do that in a little while. Other things have to be accomplished first, then we can do what you desire." Then, that parent gets busy or they forget and that 'little while' stretches into an hour, or a day, and the child wonders about the probability of the promise. I've been on both sides of that deal! I remember waiting for little whiles that seemed to never end, and I remember my own children saying, "Dad, is it time yet? Are you ready to do what you said you would do?"

Disciple, as you anticipate the challenges of this new week, there are likely some situations where God's perfect plan is in the process of being worked out. It may be that you are wondering what God is doing, why He's taking so long, or even if He's forgotten a promise He made to you. Take a lesson from the text "A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father."

Then, wait with a listening ear, with a trusting heart, and in patient persistence of faith. God's 'little whiles' do stretch on for us, but we need to keep in mind that His clock ticks so differently from ours. He has no urgency for "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8, KJV)

_______________________

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.

While life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow's tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!

When ends life's transient dream,
When death's cold sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll,
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove.
Oh bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.

My Faith Looks Up To Thee
© Public Domain