Forgetting to Remember

I am a big fan of Disney-Pixar movies. Well produced and written, I find myself easily identifying with certain characters. In "Finding Nemo", by far, my favorite character is a blue fish named Dory. She suffers from short term memory loss. Now by many people's standards, I am not an old man. However, even though I am a few years shy of 40, I see glimpses of the brain damage that is on the horizon. As I have aged, one of the things that I have seen is my own faining memory. Only ten tens ago, my mind was sharp, and I could remember the most obscure details. Now I am almost at the point where I need to stick post-it notes to remember to go to the bathroom!

Probably one of the most important aspects of a believer's growth is their faith. The bigger your faith, the more peaceful your life as a Christian will be. Jesus said that pure faith the size of a mustard seed can accomplish huge things. Now, I am not talking about blind faith; that is not a biblical faith. The New Testament has this to say about faith, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. " (Hebrews 11:1) The latter part of the verse sounds like the blind-faith that you hear about with TV Evangelists, but the first part of the verse alludes to what is at the heart of real pure faith- a good memory. Where does this "assurance" come from? It comes from having seen or heard about God's work in the past and remembering it.

In Exodus 14, we see the first of many wilderness memory lapses of the Hebrew people. Probably not even weeks from witnessing first-hand God's power in the ten plagues, they find themselves backed up against the sea looking at the impending attack of the Egyptians. Here's what they say in response to Moses, "'Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.'"(v.11-12) They would have rather remained slaves than to trust God to bring them to their future inheritance.

While there is much that could be said in commentary, the lesson is simple. Do we more often remember what God has done for us in the past and trust God with the army we are currently facing, or do we call into question God's character? I think the key to a pure walk of faith begins with not forgetting to remember. How's your memory? If you are like me sometimes, you are a lot like Dory. Let's not forget to remember!

The "Dark" Side of Sovereignty

Bloggers forgive me, it has been days since my last blog... wait a second this is starting to sound like confession and I ain't Catholic. It has been a mad past couple of weeks, and we have a couple more of high intensity coming. I have been out working until past at least 8PM almost every night, and our computer harddrive crashed in the midst of all that. You would think that God would head this stuff off when He knows we have hard days coming... I mean it's not like He doesn't know they're coming. He is God right? What kind of God would let my computer crash right in the middle of some of the busiest days since I started this ministry!?!?

Now, I haven't actually been thinking like lately, although I confess I have had those conversations with God in the past. I think we all have. I had an opportunity to ride with another one of my new favorite people, Robert. He is one of those folks that is young in the faith. He couldn't tell you about some of the more complicated theological discussions, neither would I. But what he knows, he believes and he lives it out to the fullest, and I respect him tremendously for it. (there's a lesson to learn there) We were talking about life and things we were reading in God's Word and about some of the tough stuff in the Word that we all struggle with from time to time. I had made an observation about one of the things I was reading through the early life of Moses. Specifically, I noted how it was interesting how God uses bad things and bad people in the life of His kids.

In these passages, it was the Pharaoh. While I was reading, I noticed that God was the One that was hardening Pharaoh's heart, and then He would bring about death and destruction. Like Pharaoh couldn't make up his own mind. The more I chewed on it, the more I noticed it occurring. I know this is something that really bugs alot people and even causes some to question God's character. Then I found a verse, that I hadn't noticed ever before which I think hit the nail on the head. I really like the way that the NIV renders this,

"13 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (Ex. 9:13-16)

Wow! God's main purpose for Pharaoh was that His name may be proclaimed! This can be hard to swallow for some, but the thing about being God is that He is God! He is in charge. Paul echoes this same argument in his letter to the Romans. We are created for God's purposes. This may seem like the "dark side" of His sovereignty, but we cannot isolate one of God's character traits and put Him in a box. He is so much more! His holiness is in perfect balance with His mercy. He sees the beginning and the end. We are just small pieces to a puzzle that is so infinitely bigger than we can comprehend. But as finite beings we are often tempted to perceive and judge God's intentions based on our limited viewpoint.

When I have weeks like I have had recently, I cling to the fact that God is good, all the time. I may not see all that He has laid out for me, but I can trust His heart keeping in mind that He is God and I am not. Just because I cannot see all of what He is doing doesn't give me the right to question His character. It would behoove us to revisit the life of Job and check out the dialogue between God and Job in chapter 38. It puts things into perspective. Consider what John says in his first epistle, "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. " (1 John 1:5)

Pennies on the Dollar

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but how much are our words worth? If you look at our culture today, one might estimate, not much. We live in a world of fine print. Whether it is near microscopic at the bottom of a contract or a blazing blur of words at the tale end of a TV commercial, we have subjected ourselves to a world where legal counsel is a must if we wish to keep from losing our shirts to unscrupulous scam artists. It is like this because phrases like, "my word is my bond" are no longer standards of business integrity but rather they are the exception. I would venture to guess that most of you, like myself, have been on the receiving end of a shady deal or disappointment in the area of a broken promise. However it wasn't always like this. Many folks in my grandfather's generation lived with the belief that if you shook hands on it, it was a done deal and both parties would honor it. A person's word was worth its weight in gold.

Back during Joseph's times, they went even further to honor their word. Jacob (aka Israel) and his eleven sons have moved to Egypt to be with Joseph during the great famine. Jacob is aged and wants to clear up a few things with his son: "When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said." He said, "Swear to me " So he swore to him Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed." (Genesis 47:29-31)

I don't know about you but sticking my hand under someone's thigh is a little strange to me. But culturally it was similar to our shaking of hands. Joseph gave his word to Jacob, and fulfilled in Genesis 50. Later this same tradition is carried on with Joseph's bones, but this time it was different. He told his brothers to carry his bones back to Canaan, but apparently, the oath they took was binding on their descendants because they didn't fulfill this oath until hundreds of years later after they were released from Egyptian slavery.

What kind of weight do our vows hold? Whether we shake hands on it or put our hand under the thigh of the one we pledge to, it means nothing if there is no intention of making good on our promise. Here's what Jesus says on the matter, "Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil. (Matthew 5:36-37) Now all of us have moments where something changes or we overcommit ourselves, I know I do. But are we doing everything in our power to do what we committed to? Put your money where your mouth is, or are your words worth pennies on the dollar from when they were spoken.

You Just Never Know

There are a hand full of phrases both cliche and scripture that are used to illustrate God's sovereignty like "God works in mysterious ways," and Isaiah quoting God tells us that God ways are not like ours. Dealing with the unknown and unforeseeable future is probably one of the hardest things to face in the walk of faith. We make decisions based on our perception of what is to come, and many times events befall us that leave us shaking our heads wondering what God is doing. Although it is seldom enjoyable at the time, when our lives seemingly careen out of control we are left fearful and confused. All the while, God in His eternal omniscience has been in control all along. Sometimes, we are blessed with knowing how a turn of events in hindsight the reason for our plights. It may take weeks, months or even years to see what God has been doing. Other times, we may never fully know.

In my continuing study this morning through the life of Joseph, I read about his epiphany. Joseph, wise after decades of a litany of trials and hardships, tells his brothers what was really behind all the things that had been done to him. He explains that even though they had mistreated him, that it was all part of what God had intended for a greater purpose. "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 45:7-8)

A few months ago, having gone through a trying period of my life, once again I found myself "by coincidence" reading through the book of James. And I found myself reading, at just the right time, the verses in chapter 1 that instructs on dealing with trials of all kinds because they produce perseverance. Now this was a familiar verse to me, but one thing I zeroed in on that I hadn't before, the first part of that verse starts with "consider it pure joy." The more mature we are in Christ, we will adopt an attitude of considering the hard times "pure joy." Now while I have gotten to the point in my life where I can look back and see God's hand and the lessons He was teaching, I realized that I was not yet able to consider it pure joy. I believe that is our goal response, since it takes into account God's Love for us and that He desires the best for us. And when we experience those trials, remember that God's wants us to grow in perseverance and trust in Him. Thanks be to God who has been patient with me while I learn to adopt this attitude. I ain't there yet, and I know that He has many more things for me to learn. But because I have experienced His grace thus far, I know that He is more than worthy of my trust. You just never know what God has in store.

Run Away! Run Away! - When Finding Favor Turns Sour

I am a sick person. One of my favorite cult movies is a British based movie called Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I am sick because this movie is not the kind normal people enjoy. You either enjoy this movie because you have a strange sense of humor (like myself) or you have acquired a taste for it through multiple exposures. There is a secret club that sick people like myself belong to. I say secret because you don't know who is a member until you hear them say one of the secret passwords, which are simply some of the famous quotes from the movie. All one must do is hear certain phrases and it conjures up scenes from the movie. For example, quotes like these usually bring smiles to club members' faces: "Bring out your dead," and "go away or I shall taunt you a second time," or "it's just a flesh wound," and countless others.

One of my personal favorites comes from scenes throughout the movie when King Arthur and his knights are engaged in "battle" and the conflict turns ugly, and King Arthur's brave demeanor changes and he proclaims to his comrades, "Run away! Run Away!" as they flee in fear of the impending doom. In most battle-grounds fleeing is a sign true cowardice; however, there are times when it is a mark true heroism and wisdom.

Joseph ran away. Genesis 39 gives the account of the scene. He has found favor in the eyes of Potiphar, his owner... and his wife. Joseph was apparently a stud muffin. Scripture describes him as "handsome in form and appearance" the NIV uses the words, "well-built and handsome." In the scripture, Joseph was doing his job, but his master's wife orchestrated events that allowed her unbridled access to the Hebrew young man. The proposition was made and the man of God did the bravest thing he could, he ran away.

This attitude toward sin is carried throughout the Word. For example, Paul tells Timothy to flee youthful lusts, and the same instruction to the Corinthian church. I hate confrontation, and there are times, however, that call for a frontal attack, but when it comes to dealing with personal sin, we are told to run away. The enemy knows our weaknesses and when we are tempted, we should not stick around to see if we have the intestinal fortitude to overcome it.

So, how do we run away? Sometimes, it is a physical action where we remove ourselves completely from the situation. But I think it also involves avoiding situations that will lead to a fall. The specifics of this will depend on your particular struggles, but the instructions remain the same. For example, if you struggle with drunkenness, the last place you need to be ministering is a bar. You would think this is common sense, but many folks have fallen in battle simply because they failed to adopt the motto, "the best offense is a good defense."

So, don't be a hero. Make like Arthur and, "Run away! Run away!"

Finding Favor

Big Tom is a new friend of mine. I have only known him for a few months, but he has quickly become one of my favorite people. He is a great story teller and an all round funny person with a huge heart for serving God and others. He has been a believer for only a few years, but God has truly transformed this man's life. His background, like many, is pretty rough, but the hand of God on this man's life is very evident. He recently was offered a new job. And while all new jobs have that honeymoon period before the reality sets in, this job seems to be a stark contrast to where he served the last few years. Not only did his compensation go up, but the work environment and his schedule has drastically changed and this has been a tremendous blessing from God.

Big Tom is a hard worker and always has been as I understand. From what I have personally observed, he can work most people under the table - as can his boys. I know that his ability to get things done definitely attributed to his new-found employment, but I also firmly believe there is more to it. You see Tom's life transformation took place at the core of his being. When he came to Christ, he was truly a model of what Paul talks about in Romans 12; Tom was transformed by the renewing of his mind. As a result, the way he thinks and consequently, the way acts is controlled by the Spirit of Christ in him. He understands where he came from, and so he has a truly humble attitude about himself. And as a result, I believe Tom got his new job, like the one I read about this morning, because Tom found favor with others.

As I was reading through the life of Joseph, one thing began to stand out to me. Joseph like Tom had a rough start. He was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. But beginning in Genesis 39:2, we see a key thing that I think made a huge difference in Joseph's life. God was with Joseph. As a result, everything that Joseph touched went well. Even when he had been falsely accused and thrown into prison, we see that Joseph found favor in the eyes of those he served.

Now that does not mean, as I know that Tom can attest to, that everything is roses. I definitely do not fall into the camp of thought that just because you are a Christian that you have the right to wealth and riches, because I firmly believe that God uses the roughest times and trials in life to shape and develop our character. At those times, we are compelled to realize that we are not in control and consequently we must rely on God which is where He wants us to remain. It was obvious that Joseph's attitude and actions were affected by his trust in the Lord, and as a result people took notice. It is an Old Testament example of what Peter's charge to the church that I discussed in my sermon, "Living Out Loud." There are many other passages that teaches this same truth.

It causes me to ask, am I finding favor with those that I come in contact with because my actions have been affected by what I believe? This is contrasted by the seeking favor of men. I think Big Tom is an example of the way it should happen. He found favor in others because he was seeking after God. As a result God has blessed him. Congrats Big Tom!

Freefall

Don't you wish sometimes that God used e-mail? I know I do. I had two reminders today that God, however, does not use e-mail. We have two very dear friends that are on the verge of some significant life changes. The circumstances are different, but I am fairly certain that either one would appreciate an e-mail from God or any form of direct revelation for that matter would suffice.

I have been around long enough to know from personal experience that sometimes God might as well write it on the wall, His direction is so clear, and yet at other times you are left praying for clarity because you either have no clue what God is doing or what He wants you to do. It may be circumstances where like one of my friends where you have the green light to move forward, but you have no sense of God's direction either way. Or it could be like the other friend where you have clear direction, at least you think so, and then all of a sudden you experience huge road blocks or road closure all together.

I guess in both situations my counsel is that which has been offered to me in times like this. Trust God, and take the next step. And really, it's the first part that is the hardest. I think waiting on God is hardest because it involves control. If you are like me, you have a tendency to want to take the reigns. Few people enjoy where their lives are totally out of their control. And yet, that is where God wants us to stay. Even Paul had this issue. In 2 Corinthians 12, he was sharing about all the great things he had been afforded, and yet he hit a road block, he called it the thorn in his flesh.

Much speculation has been spent on what the exact thorn was, but the end result is the same regardless, "I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." You see Paul learned what is so hard for most of us to realize, especially while we are in the midst of those times. God does His best work, when we have no other choice but to trust Him. Sometimes, the end result is His developing our character and learning to trust Him a little more.

Please don't think I have all this figured out, because I frequent those uncertain times when I am looking for clarity and God's direction in life's choices. But every time He brings me through, I have a new thing to look back on and say, "If God brought me this far, He'll get me through the next challenge." This is when the journey is so much more valuable than the destination.

Realigning Personal Identity

Today's post comes out of George Barna's book, Revolution. I do, however, totally resonate with what he said. As a matter of fact its content, although I read it this morning, I shared with the church yesterday and frequently. This is what he said,

"Let me also point out that a major reason why most local churches have little influence on the world is that their congregants do not experience this transformation in identity. Our research indicates that churchgoers are more likely to see themselves as Americans, consumers, professionals, parents, and unique individuals than zealous disciples of Jesus Christ. Until that self-image is re-oriented, churches will not have the capacity to change their world."

Making this change in my own thinking, was one of the most pivotal points in my life since my coming to Christ decades ago. What we do comes from our attitudes. You have heard it said, that attitude is everything? Well, we derive our attitude from making a conscious decision to hold to a mind set based on our identity. This is a mantra that you will hear from me again and again. If your identity is rooted in something that is temporary that can die, be stolen, leave or be lost in a moment, then you are asking for an identity crisis. Far too many end their lives prematurely because they have reached this same crisis. My identity is found in Christ alone. So my primary purpose in life is finding our more about who I am in Christ and aligning my behavior to be consistent with my identity. So the question remains. . .Who are you?

Striking a Pose

God continues to teach me things through my girls. The latest lesson came a couple days ago while we were praying before our evening meal. After I closed with "amen" our youngest (15 months old now) looks at us, throws her hands up in the air, and says "ta-da!" It was really cute. We all had a sweet laugh over the deal, and she squealed with glee taking in the extra attention she got, and it is becoming a little routine for her as she has repeated the performance a couple times since. I asked myself why she felt that moment was an appropriate response at the time- as if I could possibly understand the mind of a child. I asked myself where did she learn that as we have never taught that to her... or had we?

Those of you that know me the best, know that one spiritual discipline I long to improve on is my prayer life. Paul tells the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing." That is the mark that I frequently miss, but I think sometimes when I am praying by habit and not a desire to commune with my Holy Father, sometimes I throw my hands up and proclaim to God, "ta-da! I did it God, I did my duty." And yet, that is a far cry from God's desire or what I need most desperately. If you are like me, you respond in the old familiar way, "but I am really busy right now in my life!" Unfortunately, (fortunately) God sent a cutting rebuke from a deal friend in the form of a quote from Martin Luther, "I have so much to do (today) that I should spend the first three hours in prayer."

Maybe you can join me in praying the following: "Father, your Word tells me that those who seek you find you. In those times I am most stressed and most busy, may I have the heart of your servant that would adjust my life to spend more time with you when I am intensely busy."

Here is a little resource I found that may help you set this up in your life. Click this link.