Clock Watchers

"A watched pot never boils." At least that's what the cliche says. We are not a patient people. We are constantly moving faster and faster. Often when I talk with friends and they ask how things are going for me, my new response is it's going in "Fast-Forward." We use flash drives, microwave dinners have mostly replaced home-cooked meals, and the pace seems to quicken the longer I live. And yet, God doesn't move at our pace. He is above our time... he created it!

I began reading the book of Exodus this past week. This book begins its account of the Hebrew people some 400 years after Joseph and his brothers settled in the Egyptian land of Goshen, and even longer since God's initial promise to Abraham regarding the promised land. From this point, they are still a generation away from it. God's people are in bondage and have been for a long time. God has a plan for His people. He made a promise to His people, at yet, it takes hundreds of years to come to fruition. I have to imagine that had they had clocks back then, would they be watching them saying, "Um, hello God? We are a little uncomfortable here. You mentioned something about a promised land?"

God kept his promise, but it wasn't on their schedule, rather it was on His. The Hebrews struggled a lot with this attitude while they wandered in the desert and longed for the onions and leeks they used to have in Egyptian slavery. In the process of wandering, God refines and purifies his people. History tells us that right in his own timing, God answers His people's cry and fulfills His promises. Always has, always will.

In my own ways, I often begin whining and complaining longing for "onions and leeks" of yesteryear, and yet God is refining and purifying me. I must learn to wait patiently for the Lord. When I read the Bible, so often, for me the action that God takes is but a page turn. But to those in the situation, often times it is years in the making, sometimes, generations.

Lord, Your timing is always perfect. Teach me to trust you, and wait on You. I know that Your "apparent delay" always has a bigger picture in mind and is but a page turn away.

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Pet. 3:9)

Walking with the Good Shepherd, pt 1

In recent weeks, ever since I saw a picture on my friends blog, the Spirit has given me encounters with the world famous 23rd Psalm. So, I decided to camp there for a couple weeks. There were no earth shattering truths that I learned, but rather gentle reminders of my God and His character and desires for me as His sheep. So, I thought I would record some things about which He reminded me.

Verse 1, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want." First off, I read that "the LORD" is my shepherd. ok, yeah that seems kind of a duh statement, but think about it. In our English translation, whenever you see LORD in all caps, that is literally the Hebrew, YHWH, or in Latin Jehovah. Big deal, so what? It is a big deal. That is God's covenant name; it is how God describes himself in Exodus when he identifies Himself to Moses at the burning bush- "I AM." Now, for you theologians, this may be old news for you, but I have tremendous comfort knowing that my shepherd is constant, never-changing, never affected by world markets or political changes. That is a ground I can built my house on! This is the God who ALWAYS keeps His promises. That is who is my Shepherd.

Second, another entry from Captain Obvious, but He is "MY" shepherd. God, the great I AM, is a personal God. Sorry to disappoint all you deists out there, but God wants to be our personal Shepherd!

Third, He is my SHEPHERD. Now, this may be weird language to us here in the 21st century, but written by a guy who hung out a lot with sheep, this is a very intentional word choice here as it best communicates who we are. Isaiah, describes our role in this, "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;..." (53:6) Our tendency is to go astray, and to go our own way. This tendency has done nothing for me but cause destruction in my life and hurt those around me. And yet, the Good Shepherd, who has my best in mind, is the one Who guides me.

"I shall not want..." It is out of the supply from the Good Shepherd, according to His riches in glory, we shall always have what we need. Don't misread this, it isn't saying we always get what we want, but rather, we will lack nothing. The next verse, describes what that is...

Today, meditate on this as I have the past couple weeks, it will refresh you! More later, maybe tomorrow if my schedule allows. Have a great day with the Good Shepherd.

How Do You Respond?

Having spent most of the last 2 decades of time in youth, children, and family ministry, I have established a few hard convictions. One of those, is that my primary role as a parent is to teach my children to obey (Ex.20:12; Eph 6:1-2). So, like many parents, I have my own phrases and looks that communicate a certain expectation from my kids that even my almost 3 yr old understands.

One of these comes in the form of a question, "How do you respond?" And at this stage in life their expected response is "yes Daddy/Mommy" and do it. Because of their current maturity level, we do not give them much choice in the matters. Our expectation at this point in life is compliance. Of course, as they age, we will allow for interaction as to the "why," but still expect obedience. Their motivation for obedience right now is extrinsic, but eventually, we desire for the motivation to become intrinsic. As I continue to think about what God is teaching me in what I am reading, one of the things I keep noticing about Ezekiel's response, as well as, the vast majority of God's prophets, to God's commands is, "Yes, LORD" and do it.

Think about some of these things God has asked these people to do: sacrifice an only and long awaited son; lead a couple million people out of Egypt and into a new land filled with hostile people; leave business and family and follow former carpenter turned itinerant preacher. Each one of these were blessed and held in high regard by God (see Hebrews 11 for a Cliff Notes list of these). Jesus Christ is the ultimate example to follow. He, though perfect and blameless, was told to do die a gruesome death and take on the punishment of the sins of the world, and his response, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will" or "Yes, Daddy" and did it.

I find myself asking what is it that God has asked me to do today, and then He asks, How do you respond? "Yes, Father and do it?" My life is not my own, I have been bought with a price.

Galactic Discovery

I am in a house full of girls. My wife, my two daughters and the exchange student that lives with us. I grew up in a house full of girls (my mom, 3 sisters, and a grandmother). I have been outnumbered all my life in this way, and so I can confidently say I know my way around in the mall. It is not only because I have been there a "bajillion" times with these females, but also because of a fixture that I personally believe was placed there by a female... the directory. I am confident that a female placed this item in the mall because we men never ask for directions. So one time while I was waiting for my wife to finish trying on shoes, I needed something to do. So, I read the directory... I have read many and they all have one thing in common... a little arrow or man on the map with the words, "You are Here."

This morning, I was reading a friend's blog who finds the coolest websites. He posted a link to this sight and it was all photos and info taken from space of galaxies and other space phenomenon. And lo and behold, I found this picture! Hmm... okay, so maybe I altered the pic a little, but given what I have been reading in the Word, it just fit well.

The book of Ezekiel is just weird to me. Some of you Old Testament scholars may eat it up, but so much of the things God asks Ezekiel to do are just foreign to my 21st century brain. And yet, one truth keeps popping up over and over again that I think is very appropriate for us today. He communicates this in two very common phrases, "'This is what the Sovereign LORD says..." and "know that I am the LORD.'"

You see, after almost 30 chapters, God keeps telling Ezekiel to give the people of Israel these graphic images of what He is and will be doing in their near future. After the imagery is drawn, God says these phrases over and over again. I think He does this, because like us they thought they were the center of the Universe, and God is telling us all, "Ah, NO! I am Sovereign." He is God, he is in charge. You would think, as a pastor, I would have this one down, but I still always have to be reminded of this truth. My nature and all of culture is always trying to tell me that I am the center of the universe. But that is just not true. Just look around, and God will reveal Himself that He is in fact in charge.

"...because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:19-20

Jesus Wore a Size 10

I was reminded this morning that the Savior and I share the same shoe size. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." You see that, he's been in my shoes! Okay, well maybe in a figurative sense.

This morning I walked through another familiar passage in Matthew 4-- the temptation of Christ. The Scriptures record that there were at least three specific temptations that the Devil tested the Savior with:

1. Need for Provision (vs. 2-3)

2. Need for Security (vs. 5-6)

3. Greed for Power at all costs (vs. 8-9)

When we consider the things we ALL struggle with, don't we all want to know our needs are going be taken care of? Right now is especially a trying time for many folks in this area. Also, we all want to know that we are safe from harm and discomfort. And finally, we all want to be masters of our own destinies. These are the same things that Christ faced in this case.

And yet, Christ, using the Word of God correctly (important here because the Enemy also used the Word) in defense against these wiles of the Devil. First, in verse 4, He declares that God and God alone will sustain and provide for us with His Word. Secondly, in verse 7, He reminds the Accuser that God is always there, and we should trust Him and not test Him. Finally, Christ tells the enemy in verse 10, that God and God alone sits on the throne, and He is sovereign.

The world is constantly at odds with God, and these same temptations continue today, each day in our lives. But, we can rest and have victory in these tests, because Christ has been in our shoes and knows what we go through. He has shown us the way. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Looking Down the Road

Few adults that I know can say that their lives have turned out exactly how they expected or planned. I think that is because life, much to our chagrin, is really outside of our control. Little decisions can take you down paths that can forever change your expected destination. Circumstances beyond our control push us down paths we never intended to go. And yet neither of these situations is unexpected to God. He knows what He's working with from the start... from before the start to be truthful... and He knows where He is going with us. But the truth us we really may never know what our ultimate purpose in this life is in the grand scheme of things.

Today, I began reading the book of Matthew again. And like many times, I was wading through the genealogies in Chapter 1 trying quickly to get to the "good stuff." Then, the Holy Spirit teaches me something unexpected. It really does help to have read through the Old Testament a few times because you can know a little of the stories of those mentioned in passing. I found my myself zeroing in on who some of these names in Christ's lineage are. Some of these dudes are not so cool. Some downright evil. And yet, here they are in the line of the King of kings. God used them in the path to His purpose.

You never know how God will use you in His purposes. This can be hard to see because our view is limited by the now, and few of us really think with an eternal perspective. So, as you look down the road, be encouraged. God can use you for great things. God's not done with you!

Who's Fault is It?

Decisions have been made, and along with much of the same pattern of past elections, blame goes back and forth as to how this could happen. Along with it comes the racial slurs and off color jokes. We have a new President-elect. I really don't care about their color, I care about their character-- their skin color has nothing to do with that. I am more sadden that our country has morally decayed to the point where wrong seems right. That speaks more of the lack of influence the Body of Christ has had on the society. I have said it before, I will say it again-- we have failed to be "salt and light."

The testimony of Scripture clearly shows that when evil leaders come to power it has more to say about God's judgment and cleansing of His people. As long as we continue to live in the mind set of "Heaven on earth" rather than "thy kingdom come," we will fail to be effective as a people of God. As long as we fail to do that which God has told us to do, and as long as the body of Christ looks exactly like those who are not indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the result will be God's judgment.

Thus begins the spiral. I told Jill this morning, now more than ever, we must not waver to instill in our children the knowledge of God's word and the perseverance of the saints. Their generation will see persecution, of this I am confident. I am, however, encouraged to know that God is still sovereign and in control, regardless of my comfort level. It is times like this we should be very familiar with the writings of Daniel and Ezekiel. In particular, how God's people should behave under evil leadership.

Regardless of who is in the White House, God is on the throne. So, if our nation goes to hell in a hand basket, whose fault is it? It's my fault.

Tangles

Last night as I was putting the girls down for bed, we read through the story of Joseph in their children's bible. Even in the simplified version, it addresses one of the focal passages in that account. All of the bad things that happened to Joseph happened for a reason. Sometimes God allows us to get to see the reason, sometimes He doesn't. Joseph, had amazing clarity in this area. In retrospect, he says this to his brothers, "'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.'" (Gen. 50:19-20) He says this decades after having be sold into slavery, wrongfully accused of sexual misconduct and spending years in a dungeon as a result.

I think one of the hardest questions that followers of Christ face is why does God allow bad things to happen. We may never know all the specifics. I have had horrible things to me and to those I love. Some of it I have gotten to see good result, others not yet. I read a story this morning about Corrie ten Boom that really captures the whole issue of perspective. I wanted to share it with you she has incredible insight into the whole world of suffering,

"Corrie used to speak to audiences about her horrific experiences in the concentration camps, and she would often look down while she talked. She wasn't reading her notes. She was actually working on a piece of needlepoint. After sharing about the doubt and anger and pain she experienced, Corrie would reveal the needlepoint. She would hold up the backside of the needlepoint to reveal a jumble of colors and threads with no discernible pattern. And she'd say, 'This is how we see our lives.' Then she would turn the needlepoint over to reveal the design on the other side, and Corrie would conclude by saying, 'This is how God views your life, and someday, we will have the privilege of viewing it from His point of view.'"

- Mark Batterson, In a Pit, With a Lion, on a Snowy Day.

Are We There Yet... pt. 2

So, here we are, we have returned from a long trip, and yet I find myself still exhausted in every area of my life, wanting so desperately to have been refreshed after a week off. But then, as frequently happens, God begins to speak to me. I had just finished reading the Gospel of Luke these past few weeks, and had actually began to read the first couple chapters of Acts, when I was led to get back into my study of the Pentateuch. I had left off in Numbers. In addition, I am reading John Ortberg's, Love Beyond Reason. That is were the Lord's message to me converged.

I think there are times in our lives when we get so wrapped up in our circumstances that we spend time in the Word and it falls on deaf ears what God wants to say. We get impatient with people, with ourselves and we just want to give up. Then, comes the two-by-four... WHACK! I was reminded in a very short period of time of what God does in the lives of His people. God is most interested in our character NOT our activity. When God takes the people out of Egypt, the people were so weary of the slavery, I think they wanted the Promised Land more than they wanted the Promiser of the Land. He had given them some amazing examples of how big He was, plenty enough to trust Him, but they did not believe. They did not trust in Yahweh, the Promise Keeper.

Then come the cries, "Are we there yet!?!?"; "How many more miles?"; "How much longer until we're there?"; "We're hungry,"; "We're tired of eating Manna,"; "We're thirsty,"; "This water's bitter"... Are we there yet? It's an old problem with a simple, but impossible, solution. Impossible apart form the power of God. It is an issue of faith, of trust, of... contentment... contentment not just in the material things that we currently have, but rather at the core of who we are.

One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 37. Many a day I have poured over this Psalm when I was going through a pity-party. Wanting out, wanting a change, wanting more, asking God, "are we there yet?" Those are the days when our hearts cry out, "Lord I am tired of it all, please come back, take us to heaven, now!" But I have found the answer to this common dilemma is echoed throughout Scripture, Old and New Testaments alike. My favorite in this Psalm is in verse 4. "Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." In my worship of self, my tendency is to focus on the latter half of that verse, and yet, it is the first half that is so critical. When I delight my self in the Lord, it is not that He will give me whatever I want, but rather, He becomes and manifests that which my heart most longs for... eternal life. Along around this verse the focus is on knowing and trusting God. Check it out for yourself. Jesus described this focus in His prayer in John 17:3, "'This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.'"

God reminded me that it is not about the destination; it is all in the journey and with whom we are traveling. Like my daughters, I have gotten into the mindset, "get me out of this car seat, I want to be there now!" Instead of resting in the the hands of the driver, enjoying the trip, and enjoying being with the family, I just want to be there now. I didn't want to sing another song, play another round of I spy, nothing. I was not content in who I was or more importantly, who He is. You see, God is a God who takes His people to the Promised Land by way of the desert. Ortberg describes it as the "roundabout way." These are the places where God develops us into His likeness. Ortberg quotes Thomas Merton, "The man who does not permit his spirit to be beaten down and upset by dryness and helplessness, but who lets God lead him peacefully through the wilderness, and desires no other support or guidance than that of pure faith and trust in God alone, will be brought to the Promised Land." I had allowed myself to be beaten down by the dryness and helplessness of the desert.

Where are you in your trip? Is your heart crying, "Are we there yet?" Are you chasing the emptiness of the world's treasures, or rather, are you sitting back and enjoying the ride with your Father doing the driving? That is what He desires. The question is will we delight ourselves in the driver and the voyage?

Are We There Yet? part 1

Along with millions of others this past week, I loaded up the car with our family and traversed the countryside for a couple days of the good life with our family. My two girls are now almost 5 and 20 months old. My oldest, Melody, we have traveled with numerous times, and she has always traveled well. The younger on the other hand... well, let's just say we haven't and she doesn't. Melody is now at the age where she has learned the world-famous traveling phrase, "Are we there yet?" She anticipates the undivided time she will glean from the aunts, uncles and cousins present and can't wait to put on her best performances, as the world (a.k.a. my sister's house) is her stage! So, even though she has been told we won't arrive until well after dark, she is on an internal timer set to go off with the above mentioned mantra every 2-3 minutes-- beginning at the time of our departure, 3 PM.

Now this is somewhat manageable, however; the other child, although her verbal skills are not yet fully developed, has no trouble in relaying the fact that she loathes the invention of the car seat and is convinced that it was, by engineering, not intended for occupation beyond 15-20 minutes. We know she is adamant about this fact as she sounds off her opinion in crying, whining and pleads for momma every 15-20 minutes! Understand, this is the norm; however, the intensity of this song on our holiday voyage was raised a few notches as she was sick and running a fever.

Our trip was scheduled to take 7 to 7-1/2 hours in total. After 6 hours, we had just made it half way thanks to heavy Austin traffic and frequent stops to frees the inner ear canal of its new nemesis. We made the executive decision that it would be best for all in our exhaustive state to stop for the night in San Marcos. We woke physically refreshed but asking God why there was not a toddler's version of Dramamine available. The total trip down we squeezed 7 hours into 11 hours-- the trip back was only 10 (yeah!)! You parents reading this are most likely snickering thinking, "Yep, been there; done that!"

In the midst of my exhaustion I was not prepared for the lessons God had for me on this trip. Once again, in perfect and sovereign timing, He coincided, both circumstances, messages from His Word along with conversations and other readings to pull out the proverbial two-by-four to drive home a message I needed to hear desperately. I will expound further on this lesson tomorrow or the next day... to be continued.

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)

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.

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.

Too Big for Our Britches

There was a verse in my reading this morning that caught my eye. In Romans chapters 9-11 Paul talks about the sovereignty of God in salvation. Much of his discussion is about how God grafted in the Gentiles (non-Jews) into His chosen people. That for a time He is rejecting the Jewish people so that He may be merciful to us, all the while remembering that Israel is His covenant people. Then Paul makes a statement in chapter 11 that stood out to me. Using agricultural terms in verses 17-22, he describes how Israel, the natural olive branch, had been broken off for a time because of their disobedience and that we, the wild olive branch, are grafted in. Then , in verse 21 he says this, "For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either."

In Texas, we have a saying, "don't get too big for your britches." For you non-Texans, that means don't get too arrogant, because you can get put back in your place. I wonder if we as American Christians have gotten too big for our britches. This morning, I received another e-mail about in the influx of Muslims in America (I get several each week). And while I am concerned about the direction of our nation and its naivete of the fundamental Muslim teachings, it does not surprise me, nor should it you. A short study through the Old Testament should be a quick reminder that God frequently used the ungodly nations to discipline his people.

This reminds me of a story in the Matthew where Jesus was driving out the money changers out of the temple. For years in my immaturity, I thought that it was saying we shouldn't sell stuff at church. However, when you look up the passages Jesus quotes here, he is quoting some Old Testament passages. The first is in Isaiah 56:7. The second is Jeremiah 7:11. If you look at these passages, God is revealing His heart that ALL men were to have access to Him, and instead, these money changers were taking advantage of people prohibiting them from being able to come to Him. Have we become the new money changers? Are we preventing the lost from coming to him?

I find it interesting that those countries we were, for decades, trying to reach with the Gospel, are now sending missionaries to America to reach it with the Gospel. We who have been the senders are now being the receivers. Perhaps we are getting too big for our britches. Perhaps, God is going to, as we say in Texas, take us down a few notches. Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Church it is time we change some things. I believe that if we continue on the path we are on, we are asking for discipline. It must first begin with ourselves, then our families, then our churches, then our communities, and so on. As I said in a previous post, we must train ourselves in righteousness.

We Made Our Beds

I have spent a lot of extra time reviewing Old Testament passages lately. I don't know if you have you ever noticed how many parallels there are of America and the nation of Israel therein? I see America written all over the book of Judges. My current study through the exilic period holds true as well. Perhaps part of it is because people are sinners wherever or whenever you are. But also, it is curious when you consider the likeness in self perception. America has long held itself up as the chosen nation, what with Democracy and all. Yet, like many nations and cultures in the past, we fail to learn from the past generations. We then wonder why things are as bad as they are. Here is a snippet of what I read today in Zechariah, chapter 1,

"1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:
2 "The LORD was very angry with your forefathers. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty. 4 Do not be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.' But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. 5 Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your forefathers? "Then they repented and said, 'The LORD Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.'"

Who's in Charge?

I was talking with a dear friend today. The topic came up of all the insecurities we face in our jobs, families, and world. He made the comment, "Sometimes you just wanna ask, 'Hey, God are you paying attention?'" I don't fault him for saying this as I know he just verballized what we all feel from time to time. I reminded him of a truth he already knows. I told him that actually it gives me great peace knowing that God is paying attention and that he is in control. So, if you find yourself experiencing the same senitment today (which you share with the Psalmist-- a man after God's own heart) listen to the following words:

The greatest act of faith is when man decides he is not God.

-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Faith doesn't make anything happen - faith rests on something that has happened!

-- Malcolm Smith

God is God

And the pain falls like a curtain on the things I once called certain. And I have to say the words I fear the most, "I just don’t know."

And the questions without answers come and paralyze the dancer. So, I stand here on the stage afraid to move, afraid to fall. Oh, but fall I must on this truth that my life has been formed from the dust.

God is God and I am not. I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting. God is God and I am man. So I’ll never understand it all for only God is God.

And the sky begins to thunder, and I’m filled with awe and wonder. ‘Til the only burning question that remains is, "Who am I?"

Can I form a single mountain? Take the stars in hand and count them? Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me? He is first and last before all that has been, beyond all that will pass.

Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge? How unsearchable? For to Him and through Him and from Him are all things. So, let us worship before the throne of the One who is worthy of worship alone!

Written by Steven Curtis Chapman ©2001