Rare is the individual who passes on the chance to hand a setback to his or her nemesis. Maybe it's human nature, maybe our flawed logic justifies missteps.
Saul, hunting David, tries to kill him at every turn. The LORD delivers Saul into David's hands. Amazingly, David honors God with his righteousness by refusing to strike God's anointed one.
Ps 57:10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the sky.
Mt. 8:8 The centurion replied, "Lord I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But say the word and my servant will be healed."
We live out our faith by obeying what God commands. David emulates God's righteousness. The centurion displays a faith so strong, scripture records Jesus is astonished. Jesus doesn't astonish easily.
Faith is more than belief. By faith we accept what Jesus has done for us. We receive him as the only one who can save us from our sin, and we live out this faith by obeying what he commands. David obeyed, the centurion obeyed, in obedience we encounter God.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Encounter
How do we encounter God? The question assumes there is a programmatic way or formula that we can follow or adhere to that will assure such an encounter. Certainly, setting time aside each day for study, contemplation, and prayer helps. Is there more to it?
What if we chose to take God out of the box we call quiet time? What if we recognized He was never limited to the brief and fleeting minutes we assigned to Him every day? What if we began to live with the expectation that we could encounter God regularly and frequently throughout the minutes and hours that make up our days? What would happen if we quit compartmentalizing God? What happens when we purposefully seek an encounter with God? Do we have the courage to seek?
Would God show up on our jobs and in the quality of our efforts and our workplace relationships? Would we see God in the faces and places we go each day? What if we spent our days seeking God?
Would we do unto others? Would we find the good? Would we see the opportunity? Would we take the chance? Would we act? Would we love unconditionally? Would we discover the power at work within us?
Would we glow in a shekinah kind of way? Would people know we encountered Him? Could that encounter lead to other meaningful encounters? Could we change our little corner of the world? Could we change the whole world? Would there be a difference?
I want to know.
What if we chose to take God out of the box we call quiet time? What if we recognized He was never limited to the brief and fleeting minutes we assigned to Him every day? What if we began to live with the expectation that we could encounter God regularly and frequently throughout the minutes and hours that make up our days? What would happen if we quit compartmentalizing God? What happens when we purposefully seek an encounter with God? Do we have the courage to seek?
Would God show up on our jobs and in the quality of our efforts and our workplace relationships? Would we see God in the faces and places we go each day? What if we spent our days seeking God?
Would we do unto others? Would we find the good? Would we see the opportunity? Would we take the chance? Would we act? Would we love unconditionally? Would we discover the power at work within us?
Would we glow in a shekinah kind of way? Would people know we encountered Him? Could that encounter lead to other meaningful encounters? Could we change our little corner of the world? Could we change the whole world? Would there be a difference?
I want to know.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Focus
Studying scripture and the teachings of Jesus can be a perilous undertaking. Not because it's difficult to do and beyond us; rather the peril comes into play when we ask ourselves, as we must, what is it we are going to do with the truths presented? If you believe the voice and will of God is found in scriptures as I do, you will be challenged by the Holy Spirit to change.
Jesus teaches about worry, his position on it, don't. We are told not to worry about food, drink, clothing or even our bodies. Jesus goes on to say that worrying will not add anything to our lives, not a minute or even a hair on our head. Worry, actually takes away from our lives, it distracts and divides our focus. Worry causes things to matter, that don't. Worry drains and derails our God given purpose.
Jesus said in Mt 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Our priorities are not to be on things and possessions, or even necessities. When we seek God, his kingdom and his righteousness, we are focused and our attention is where God wants it. The promise? Pursuing the things of God leads to growth, knowledge, and life change in ourselves and others.
We read.
We pray.
We listen.
We act.
When we focus, all things are given to us because our Father in heaven knows our needs.
Jesus teaches about worry, his position on it, don't. We are told not to worry about food, drink, clothing or even our bodies. Jesus goes on to say that worrying will not add anything to our lives, not a minute or even a hair on our head. Worry, actually takes away from our lives, it distracts and divides our focus. Worry causes things to matter, that don't. Worry drains and derails our God given purpose.
Jesus said in Mt 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Our priorities are not to be on things and possessions, or even necessities. When we seek God, his kingdom and his righteousness, we are focused and our attention is where God wants it. The promise? Pursuing the things of God leads to growth, knowledge, and life change in ourselves and others.
We read.
We pray.
We listen.
We act.
When we focus, all things are given to us because our Father in heaven knows our needs.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Weakness
Nowhere in our culture is weakness valued or esteemed. Power, strength, self-reliance, these are the qualities we admire. These are the qualities we wish for ourselves, these are the qualities on the altar of self.
These qualities allow us to be bold in speaking of ourselves. I built this, or I have this, I control my world. In our strength we need no one or nothing. Relying on our strength and wisdom allows us to forge onward, to be the captains of our own destinies. Strengths allow us to be about self. In strength, we can lose sight of the Almighty.
Jesus said, "My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." In weakness we can see strength. In the slums of Nairobi, daily bread is a miracle. In strife and constant fear, with nowhere to turn, peace can be found. It is when we decide that our strengths have become our greatest weaknesses, that we can turn aside from them. Strengths cause us to lose our sight, we become spiritually blind.
When we choose weakness we can seek God.
These qualities allow us to be bold in speaking of ourselves. I built this, or I have this, I control my world. In our strength we need no one or nothing. Relying on our strength and wisdom allows us to forge onward, to be the captains of our own destinies. Strengths allow us to be about self. In strength, we can lose sight of the Almighty.
Jesus said, "My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." In weakness we can see strength. In the slums of Nairobi, daily bread is a miracle. In strife and constant fear, with nowhere to turn, peace can be found. It is when we decide that our strengths have become our greatest weaknesses, that we can turn aside from them. Strengths cause us to lose our sight, we become spiritually blind.
When we choose weakness we can seek God.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Endings and Beginnings
Amazing what happens when your in the right place at the right time. Amazing because we can't plan on being in the right place at the specific right time. It just happens. Serendipity is a word some use to describe this phenomena. Some call it destiny, others would say coincidence sums up these chance alignments.
Endings
Hours before her 90 year life span drew to completion, I was there.
Weddings
The ceremony that will unite them for life took twenty minutes, I was there.
Baptisms
35 people obediently publicly proclaiming faith in Christ, I was there.
Each one of these events was an ending and a beginning. Life drew to a close eternity dawned. Two became one in the eyes of the Lord. People died to self and were born anew.
Blessed
God will put us in the right place at the right time for His purposes. We are fortunate to be His.
Endings
Hours before her 90 year life span drew to completion, I was there.
Weddings
The ceremony that will unite them for life took twenty minutes, I was there.
Baptisms
35 people obediently publicly proclaiming faith in Christ, I was there.
Each one of these events was an ending and a beginning. Life drew to a close eternity dawned. Two became one in the eyes of the Lord. People died to self and were born anew.
Blessed
God will put us in the right place at the right time for His purposes. We are fortunate to be His.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Who's Power?
Judges 6:14
The LORD turned to him and said; "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
Psalm 44:6-7
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory, but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
Often I have thought to myself, has God really called me to do His work? Who am I that the Lord would call on me or use me for His purposes? I inventory all my strengths, then doubt creeps in. The other side of the ledger is filled beyond capacity with all of my weaknesses, short comings, and failures. The entries on the weak side of the ledger always seen to out number the strength side, and I become afraid. Afraid that I will fall short of what I have been called to do. Afraid that I do not posses all the gifts and skills that will be required of me. The truth is I don't. Relying on myself will never allow me to fulfill God's calling on my life because I do not have what it takes, only God does.
God uses our strengths. While I sit and focus on my weaknesses and failings, God says my strength is your strength. Go with the strength you have, I am sending you. There is a weakness or flaw in me that whispers I need to be self-reliant. I need to be able to go it alone. But God says, I am sending you, and I am sufficient.
The psalmist writes, "I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not bring victory. But you God, you give us victory." Kings and warriors felt inadequate in all their strength and might. Yet for them, as it is for me it is God alone who says I am sending you and if I send you, rely on Me.
We are all sent. The last command Jesus gave us was to Go! With this command he goes with us. Weaknesses and fear disappear into the awesomeness of His power. God as we are sent as we go in obedience, humble us so that rely on you and your strength alone.
The LORD turned to him and said; "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
Psalm 44:6-7
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory, but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.
Often I have thought to myself, has God really called me to do His work? Who am I that the Lord would call on me or use me for His purposes? I inventory all my strengths, then doubt creeps in. The other side of the ledger is filled beyond capacity with all of my weaknesses, short comings, and failures. The entries on the weak side of the ledger always seen to out number the strength side, and I become afraid. Afraid that I will fall short of what I have been called to do. Afraid that I do not posses all the gifts and skills that will be required of me. The truth is I don't. Relying on myself will never allow me to fulfill God's calling on my life because I do not have what it takes, only God does.
God uses our strengths. While I sit and focus on my weaknesses and failings, God says my strength is your strength. Go with the strength you have, I am sending you. There is a weakness or flaw in me that whispers I need to be self-reliant. I need to be able to go it alone. But God says, I am sending you, and I am sufficient.
The psalmist writes, "I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not bring victory. But you God, you give us victory." Kings and warriors felt inadequate in all their strength and might. Yet for them, as it is for me it is God alone who says I am sending you and if I send you, rely on Me.
We are all sent. The last command Jesus gave us was to Go! With this command he goes with us. Weaknesses and fear disappear into the awesomeness of His power. God as we are sent as we go in obedience, humble us so that rely on you and your strength alone.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Take Courage
As the book of Acts continues to unfold, Paul and the testimony he shares continues to place him repeatedly in harm's way. Time after time Paul is beaten, stoned, pursued, plotted against and in great peril. Amazingly he never waivers. He forges on without ever taking his eye off his mission. Paul accomplishes this by continually leaning into and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit. He writes time and time again about praying without ceasing, giving joy in all circumstances. That intense focus and joy can only come from reliance on something greater than himself.
Tucked away in Acts 23:11, the Lord appears to Paul and says "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." To the cynic, the words might have sounded more along these lines. Your persecution is going to go indefinitely... To Paul, it's validation the God is not yet through with him and from that, he draws strength and the will to go on. Paul never waivers.
The Lord may never appear to us the way he appeared to Paul. We have something Paul didn't, we have the full counsel of God found in the bible. God appears to us in ways he never appeared to Paul. We have God's entire plan at our disposal. Just as the Lord told Paul to take courage, he tells us the same through scriptures.
In the same way that God confirmed upon Paul he had more to accomplish, we too have that confirmation. God is never done with us, His plans for us go even beyond this life. Each opportunity God gives us, every time we yield to the leading and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives we are being prepared for future service to God. He created us, we are His to use, if we allow Him to use us.
God used Paul's trials, tribulations, and suffering to prepare Paul to bring God even greater glory. To this day God uses the same methods to prepare us for greater service to Him. As the Lord said to Paul, "Take courage!"
Tucked away in Acts 23:11, the Lord appears to Paul and says "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome." To the cynic, the words might have sounded more along these lines. Your persecution is going to go indefinitely... To Paul, it's validation the God is not yet through with him and from that, he draws strength and the will to go on. Paul never waivers.
The Lord may never appear to us the way he appeared to Paul. We have something Paul didn't, we have the full counsel of God found in the bible. God appears to us in ways he never appeared to Paul. We have God's entire plan at our disposal. Just as the Lord told Paul to take courage, he tells us the same through scriptures.
In the same way that God confirmed upon Paul he had more to accomplish, we too have that confirmation. God is never done with us, His plans for us go even beyond this life. Each opportunity God gives us, every time we yield to the leading and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives we are being prepared for future service to God. He created us, we are His to use, if we allow Him to use us.
God used Paul's trials, tribulations, and suffering to prepare Paul to bring God even greater glory. To this day God uses the same methods to prepare us for greater service to Him. As the Lord said to Paul, "Take courage!"
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