Don't Tell Me!

Americans cherish their freedoms! Our wealthy society allows us many options that would be unimaginable in those places in the world where it can be a struggle just to survive. I am ever so thankful for those privileges that I enjoy in my day to day life.  There is a downside to our independence that is destroying us. Many will not allow even God Himself to reign. His will, His Word, His ways are ignored or rejected if they infringe on personal “happiness.”

More than a few Christians have told me, “I know what the Bible says, but I don’t accept that part.” The reason that follows usually has little to do with careful study or deep prayer. Usually it is more about what they believe they must do to be happy in life.  I’ve heard the following and more:

“Stay in this marriage?”

“No way. Life’s too short to waste it on her.” 

“Forgive that person who has offended me so terribly?” 

“You just don’t get it. I hope he has a miserable life and I’ll hate him ‘til he dies.”

“Serve sacrificially?”

“Pastor, I’ve got just one life and I’m going enjoy it to the full.”

Reading in Deuteronomy, in which Moses’ tells the people of Israel how they must live, I am reminded anew that God rules, I do not.  This little line stuck in my mind this morning, "You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit," (Deuteronomy 12:8, NIV)  God’s people were to discover and obey His will. History tells us that they largely failed. He asked for single devotion; they pursued other gods. The book of Judges, written after they had settled in the Promised Land, reveals moral and spiritual chaos, closing with this sad note. “And, everyone did as he saw fit.” (Judges 21:25)

Is Jesus in charge of your heart, your mind, your life? Do you desire to know Him as Savior, but resist serving Him as Sovereign?

Peter tells us that we must "set apart Christ as Lord.” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)  It must start in in each of our hearts. Christians have a reputation, often well deserved, for being judgmental of society’s sins while ignoring their own.  I am concerned about the moral depravity that I see all around me.  I am broken-hearted by the refusal to acknowledge the sacredness of life. The greed that keeps many in poverty weighs on me. But, before I start pointing at those ‘sinners,’ making public pronouncements of judgment, I must ask myself, “Is Jesus Lord of all of your life, Jerry?”  God wants integrity, desiring that my words and actions align, that I am willing to let Him lead even when His way is costly.

Let us not be one of those Christians who miserably surrenders, with much sighing and crying. When we ‘give in’ but without enthusiasm, doing what we know is right only because we must, we rob ourselves of the JOY of the Lord.  It’s like a child who only obeys to avoid consequences. The obedience is minimal, isn’t it?  When we delight ourselves in Christ, when we accept His way and will, by faith, as THE pathway to the fullest life possible, right here and now, our embrace of His authority will be born of true love.

Ponder this word from the Word today, disciple. It reveals the Way to life at its best.

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 

No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.” (John 14:15-21, NLT)

Jesus, be the Lord of life. Amen.

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Thrive

(Casting Crowns sings a great song about learning to thrive!)

Here in this worn and weary land

Where many a dream has died

Like a tree planted by the water

We will never run dry

So living water flowing through

God we thirst for more of You

Fill our hearts and flood our souls

With one desire

Just to know You and to make You known

We lift Your name on high

Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide

We know we were made for so much more

Than ordinary lives

It's time for us to more than just survive

We were made to thrive

Into Your Word we're digging deep

To know our Father's heart

Into the world we're reaching out

To show them who You are

Joy unspeakable

Faith unsinkable

Love unstoppable

Anything is possible

We were made to thrive

Mark Hall | Matthew West

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God’s Grandchildren?

My grandfathers were both men of faith, very different in personality but equally faithful to the Lord. Grandpa Scott, a Danish immigrant, came to faith as an adult, in a revival meeting in a tiny Iowa town. His heavily accented English as he led our church in prayer still echoes in my mind, though it’s been 55 years since I heard it. Grandpa Baker was a lay preacher. Back then the Pentecostal worship depended heavily on the ‘song leader.’  He stood before the 40 or 50 people in that building and – full of the Spirit – raised his voice in the Gospel songs that are etched into my memories … “There’s a new name written down in glory … when we all get to Heaven …” and so many more.  We all followed his lead, young and old, accompanied only by an upright piano to one side of the room. Oh my, did they worship – loudly, emotionally, and fervently!  And, they passed the faith to my father and mother, who, in turn, passed it to me.

I am grateful for that legacy but I know that their faith will not sustain me.
Each generation must have their own experience of the Spirit for God has no grandchildren.

In my readings in the early books of the Old Testament I came to the passage quoted by Jews of old and to this day . The "Shema Y'Israel," which is literally translated, "Hear, O Israel," is a declaration of the existence of One True God. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."   The text continues with this directive - "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." (Deuteronomy 6:4-8, NIV)

It is the God-given task of every generation to lay the foundation of the knowledge of God for the next, but we cannot save our children from their sins. Only God can transform a human heart! We present the Truth and if we are wise we also live it well! Kids have a wonderful hypocrisy detector that can sense the old 'do what I say, not what I do' nonsense at a very early age!  If there is a large gap between what we say we believe and how we actually live, the next generation is almost certain to decide that faith in God is unnecessary baggage, tradition to be discarded as empty rhetoric.  Disciple, our standard is not perfection. If that were true, the faith would have died long ago. We pray and act authentically, living faith, showing repentance, admitting doubt, and wrestling honestly to see growing holiness of heart and mind.

Know this! Even the best and godliest of parents, cannot replace the Savior for their children. God deals with each generation. We individually know the Spirit and we must respond to Him, to receive the regenerative life of the Spirit for ourselves. Now a grandfather, I pray for my grandchildren, my heart’s desire that each one will come to know Christ Jesus, finding in Him the joy and purpose of life in the Spirit. Do you pray for the Spirit to take hold of the heart and mind of your child, drawing her to the Cross and into a soul-transforming experience of the Spirit? A common misunderstanding among the churched is the belief that a good youth group or a solid Sunday School can replace consistent parental example and prayer! A good community of faith is an important part of the spiritual development of any person - young or old. However, when it comes to passing the faith to the next generation nothing can replace the examples of the fear of the Lord.

Are you passing the faith along, laying the foundation of the knowledge of God, living a life that invites the next generation to join the community of the people of God?

Here is a word from the Word. May it stir us to be people who invite the next generation to faith. "Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates." (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, The Message)

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness

(it’s true! Worship at this link)

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 been

Thou 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

Summer and winter

And springtime and harvest

Sun moon and stars

In their courses above

Join with all nature

In manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness

Mercy and love

Pardon for sin

And a peace that endureth

Thy own dear presence

To cheer and to guide

Strength for today

And bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine

With ten thousand beside

Thomas Obediah Chisholm | William Marion Runyan

© Words: Public Domain

God’s prescription for anxiety - Trust and Thanks.

Life has lots of moving pieces for me at the present time, deadlines and decisions with serious consequences are being made. These will change my life yet they are largely outside of my control. Being a person who does best in routines, when life is predictable, I struggle with feelings of anxiety. I know that this is quite natural. God made us with the ability to meet the perception of danger with the focus and strength that comes from the rush of adrenalin that anxiety triggers. That chemical messenger in the brain sets off a process called the "fight-or-flight' response.  But, we can become habitually anxious, seeing the whole of life as fearful, and therefore controlled by our anxious thoughts. Is this the life God desires for us?

When we leave in a constant state of anxiety, unwilling or unable to turn off the stress, our bodies start to wear, our mental health suffering sometimes with depression. Spiritually, it takes a toll, too.  Curiously, the very things that could relieve the anxious state – meditation, prayer, worship – become more difficult. We cannot seem to find a quiet heart that lets us enjoy the benefit of being in His Presence.

Most of us believe anxiety is beyond our control. We blame our fears on our genes or our training. There is some truth in that. Some people are much more prone to become anxious than others.  But, no matter our personality, we need not surrender to the fear, letting anxious thoughts keep us hostage from the life that God, the Holy Spirit, desires for us. Jesus promised a gift to those who accept His grace and love.  At the Last Supper, just before His crucifixion, when His friends would be subject to the worst kind of uncertainty, He said “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27, NLT)  

Pause for a moment – right now – and if you are feeling anxious tell Him you want to receive that GIFT of peace.
Tell Him what is hanging out there that feels threatening.
Ask Him to renew your faith in His ability to calm the storm and to speak peace to YOUR situation.

Paul, when he traveled and preached the Gospel in a hostile world, found himself in danger, over and over again.  He penned the following inspired words from a Roman prison.  They are not just greeting card ‘happy talk.’ His faith gave the boot to anxiety and he lived with real peace. “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7, NLT)

"Don't worry about anything!"  God would not command us to do what is beyond our control or the impossible. He clues us in about the 'how-to' of that directive. The key is not try to suppress worry, nor is it in escape into fantasy.  We face the source of our fear and then we "Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done!"  If you are used to living with anxiety, if that has become your habit, your mind will rebel against this simple prescription. It will tell you that you're being stupid, that you're avoiding reality, that you need to 'take charge.'

Take it from a guy who wrestles with anxious thoughts - make the choices of Trust and Thanks. Jesus has an interesting description of the result of worry. In a story he told about seed the of the Gospel producing a harvest in our lives, He said that some "seed fell among thorns (weeds) that shot up and choked out the tender blades so that it produced no grain." (Mark 4:7, NLT) Then He explained His point. “The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it." (Mark 4:18-19, The Message) Isn't that interesting? We can miss out on the blessings of living in God's Kingdom, in the richness of His care for us, just by focusing on our problems instead of God's care.

Are you anxious today? Make a different choice - Trust and Thanks- and move the focus from your inabilities to God's power and promises.

The word from the Word is a guide for our days. This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength!”  (Isaiah 30:15).  Amen

________

10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)

(Matt Redman builds our faith with this song of praise)

Bless the Lord O my soul

O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

You're rich in love and You're slow to anger

Your name is great and Your heart is kind

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Worship Your holy name

Lord I'll worship Your holy name

Jonas Myrin | Matt Redman

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