Ask Hard Questions

I know who God wants me to be. It’s called ‘vision.’  Prayerfully, I evaluate progress or lack thereof, with the goal of growing in grace. Then, too, every now and then someone lovingly reminds me of some place where I am inconsistent in my profession of faith and my practice of it. This morning I want to encourage you to become purposeful in spiritual growth.

Progress comes, not by drifting day to day, but by asking hard questions that allow us to evaluate. Physically, I need to keep track of my weight, my blood pressure, my heart rate – all indicators of health. Financially, I must balance the checkbook and determine if I am keeping spending in line with income.  Relationally, I must be aware if I am regularly loving people, careful not to take them for granted. Ignorance is not bliss for those who desire God’s best.
 

Clear vision and hard questions are important. Take a lesson from the directions give to us for approaching the Lord’s Table. God desires honest reflection. "You should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself." (1 Corinthians 11:28-29, NLT)

• What kind of person do I want to be  . . .  does God want me to be?
• Am I living a Christ-centered, loving, encouraging, hopeful, joyful life that glorifies Him and extends His love to others?
• Am I content to be self-absorbed, pleasure-obsessed, critical, and mean – a parasite who drains life from others?
  

Hard questions, aren’t they? Most of us are somewhere between those extremes. We have days when the sinful nature takes over and we are full of darkness and we have days when the Spirit is invited to fill us.  But, we are always moving towards light if we are keeping step with the Holy Spirit.

Stable, joyful, holy Christians live in faith that is practically applied and expressed in regular engagement with the spiritual disciplines. The change produced by daily prayer and meditation, by actively expressing worship, by confession of failure and acceptance of forgiveness, by entering into silence to listen to the Spirit, by giving even when we do not wish to do so, by choosing anonymous service in big and small ways, by learning and applying Scriptural principles;  is sure and certain – yet, incremental! 

Ah, remember this - the goal of the disciplines is not to save ourselves. God does that, perfectly! They are the means by which we enter into His grace so that we grow into healthy, mature, effective disciples.

 I want to be the person the Lord designed me to be.  So, I will live as this word from the Word teaches.  "I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back." (Philippians 3:10-14, The Message)

Gain God’s vision for you. Ask hard questions. And then, together, let’s get on with it, encouraging one another, becoming all that Christ desires us to be. 

The word from the Word today assures us that we can become all that God wants us to be. "As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature." (2 Peter 1:3-4, NLT)

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We Fall Down

(meditate for a moment with the song by Chris Tomlin)

We fall down

We lay our crowns

At the feet of Jesus

The greatness of mercy and love

At the feet of Jesus

And we cry holy holy holy

And we cry holy holy holy

And we cry holy holy holy is the Lamb

Chris Tomlin

© 1998 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

You're in Good Hands

 

One of the largest insurance companies in the United States assures us that “You are in good hands with Allstate™.”  That line has been part of the company’s ads since 1950!  I am certain you couldn’t name the man who is the voice of their commercials, but Dennis Dexter Haysbert’s rich baritone voice is familiar to us all. At the end of their ‘Mayhem’ commercials, he asks, “Are you in good hands?”   

Because we know that accidents happen, storms come, and property gets damaged, we buy a policy that will help us to get things fixed, rebuild what’s broken. And, we want to know that the company that issues that policy isn’t operating out of somebody’s garage with limited resources. There is a kind of security in knowing that if an accident should happen that we are in good hands!

This Monday morning, I want to remind you that you’re in good hands!  At the close of our worship service at Faith Discovery yesterday, I offered this familiar and rich benediction from the Scripture.  "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25, NIV)  It’s not just an advertising slogan, it is the Truth of God, words to live by.

We are going to encounter things, this week, this month, that will turn our lives upside down. No matter how well we think that we have prepared for life, there will be those unanticipated moments: crises brought on by accident, temptation, storm, unpredictable people. Anxiety is the ‘common cold’ of mental health in our time with about 1 in 5 Americans experiencing it at a high enough level that it effects their everyday lives!  No, it’s not just worry. 

Anxiety is that persistent static in the mind that keeps us on edge, unable to enjoy other people, awake in the night, and at high enough levels even leading to depression. The response to danger that serves us well when we are truly threatened by sharpening our senses and enabling a quick flight or decision can become a crippling thing when it gets stuck in the ‘on’ position!

Christian, God offers us the promise of His peace. He says to us “I am able to keep you!”  We should know that we are in good hands, the hands of the eternal Father who will, from His rich resources, give us eternal life, keeping us secure in His grace. Will you make the choice to trust Him today? Paul, a man who knew more than his share of difficulties, teaches how to find the peace of God.  He says "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 4:6-7, NLT)  

“Tell God … “  Your prayers do not have to be shaped with the precision of a legal document, with the eloquence of a polished speech, or like a poem. Just talk with God. Share your heart. Present yourself, your concerns, your needs – to Him, with a thankful heart. Remind yourself of Who He is, what He has done, and of His promises.  You are in good hands!

The word from the Word is another familiar benediction, a passage from my favorite book of the Bible. These are words to live by. Own them today and be at peace.  "Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, NLT)

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Thrive

(Casting Crowns reminds us that
God has good things prepared for us!)

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

© 2014 Atlas Holdings (Admin. by Atlas Music Publishing)

Highly Combustible Music (Admin. by Atlas Music Publishing)

House of Story Music Publishing (Admin. by Atlas Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Planted

My understanding of the world I live in is shaped by the Bible. I exist as an eternal being, made by God. What tells me that?  His Word. My highest purpose is to know and love God. How do I know? Again, the Word. I see the events of life and the world around me through the lens of the Word.  Before you stop reading, convinced that I’m one of those who hauls out a big, black Bible as a weapon to meet a fearful world, know this – that the Word is wisdom and Truth not a weapon in my hands. 

Life is very complex. Truth is not simple, answers are not always easy to find.  Finding the eternal wisdom of God is an act of faith and requires discipline of mind and spirit.  Yet, I am comforted, corrected, and guided by the wisdom of the Word, which the Spirit brings to my consciousness again and again.  

Jesus says that it is like seed planted in in us!  "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."  (Matthew 13:3-9, The Message)   His friends came to Him later on and asked Him, "Why do you tell these stories?  What does a story about a farmer planting seeds have to do with us?"   

And He explained,  "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn’t take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person’s heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."  (Matthew 13:18-23, The Message)

Will you open your heart and mind to the Word Seed? When we plant a seed we expect a harvest, don’t we? When we plant the truth in our hearts about life’s purpose, about God, about who we are, about eternity … we gain a heart of wisdom. That is why, if we would be godly, we will give ourselves to diligent study.  From that study, we will find that "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, The Message)

Be like Jeremiah who exclaimed:  "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty." (Jeremiah 15:16, NIV)

Be careful, my Christian friend, that you are not captivated by “Christian celebrities” who substitute human interest stories for the Word. A great story may inspire but it is not substitute for knowing what the Spirit is saying to the Church. 

As much as we might enjoy our Christian music, make sure that your theology is not shaped by your favorite worship leader alone. The sentiment of an appealing song cannot replace the solid foundation of the Scripture’s truth.  

 Make sure that the Pastor who teaches you loves the Scripture, with a heart and mind that is humble before the revealed Truth. Find a group of people with whom you can open and process the Scripture. 

Read the Bible for yourself every day. Your life will be changed, for the better, by the Word.

Here is a word from the Word. May it be a seed that grows to a harvest of wisdom.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
a workman who does not need to be ashamed and
who correctly handles the word of truth.
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it

will become more and more ungodly." (2 Timothy 2:15-16, NIV)

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Ancient Words
(Micheal W. Smith’s rendition of this great song)

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world

They resound with God's own heart

O let the ancient words impart

Words of life words of hope

Give us strength help us cope

In this world where'er we roam

Ancient words will guide us home

Ancient words ever true

Changing me changing you

We have come with open hearts

O let the ancient words impart

Holy words of our faith

Handed down to this age

Came to us through sacrifice

O heed the faithful words of Christ

Martyr's blood stains each page

They have died for this faith

Hear them cry through the years

Heed these words and hold them dear

We have come with open hearts

O let the ancient words impart

O let the ancient words impart

Lynn DeShazo

© 2001 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook]))

CCLI License # 810055