Wisdom

Wisdom.  We search for it, long for it, would run to the highest mountain for it.  Spend thousands of dollars seeking counsel from others for it.  We also run from it, hide from it and fight to win our way with it.  At times wisdom seems to eludes us or toy with us.

It would seem we resist the very source of wisdom with our searching, wanting to find wisdom on our own terms.  In our quest many voices come at us proclaiming wisdom, some with a hint of wisdom and others trying to show us the path of true wisdom.

So what or Who is the source of true wisdom?

There was once a man who given the opportunity to have anything asked for only one thing…Wisdom.

This man was considered the wisest man to ever live, yet before the end of his life had turned his back on the very Source of wisdom.  At the end of his life he realized the fool he had become and wrote for his sons and future generations to never leave wisdom or forsake her path.  This man was Solomon and he understood the true source of wisdom was God.

Lest I follow the path of a fool by thinking I could write something wiser or better, read…listen…learn from the Source of wisdom.  We will have to take time, quiet our ears and open our heart.  Put aside any preconceived ideas and allow God’s word to teach us. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.  Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.  Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.  Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.   Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.  For the Lord grants wisdom!  From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.  He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.  He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.  Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.  For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.  Wise choices will watch over you.  Understanding will keep you safe.”

Proverbs 3:5-7; 2:1-11

To discover where Wisdom came from read Proverbs 8, better yet read ALL of Proverbs…want to be saturated with wisdom read the entire Bible!!

The Word

“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6

When Jesus made this statement it wasn’t that his physical birth prompted these truths.  He already was the way, truth and life from before the beginning of time.

In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. (John 1:1-9)

 “I will never leave you or forsake you” was not just a promise to Jesus disciples when he physically walked this earth.  Since Jesus has always been, he will always be with us…never leaving us.

His coming into our world did not originate the promises Jesus made, but rather proclaimed what had been since before time as we know it and will continue to be truth for all eternity.  Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.” (Mt 24:34)  Why?  Because the Word…the Truth has ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be.  That is why we can stand firmly on his promises!

A Watchman In Prayer

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3

This verse has always inspired and moved me to belief-action.  When I begin to feel as though my prayers are just words I am always reminded of David and his burning passion and intimacy with God.  This reminder was not just David’s but is as necessary for us today as is breathing for our physical bodies.

Do we really pray expecting God to answer or do we wait until the answer is known before we become expectant?

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, “I publicly proclaim bold promises.    I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me I could not be found.  I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.” (Is 45:19)

“Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.” (Is 59:1)

Micah declared, “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.” Micah 7:7 

Today can we really trust God will hear us, even want to hear us?  Is his ear only bent toward some and not others?

Expectantly in Psalm 5:3 means to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch, watch closely.  This is similar to a watchman on the city walls looking intently and waiting expectantly.

What does a watchman do?

1.  Stays alert

 AT ALL TIMES……“Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)

IN PERSISTENCE….. And so I tell you keep on asking, and you will receive…Keep on seeking, and you will find…Keep on knocking and the door will be open.” (Lk 11:9-10); Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Eph 6:18)

WITH A THANKFUL HEART… Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. (Col 4:2)

  

2.  Announces what he sees/hears

OPPOSITION…Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

VICTORY… You were dead because of your sins…Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.  In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities.  He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Col 2:1-15

 3.  Keeps guard of an entrance

TO THE HEART…Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. 1 Corinthians 16:13

TO THE MIND…Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:7

TO THE MOUTH…Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
 Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies (gossip??) of those who do wrong. Ps 141:3-4

4.  Sits high above so he can see over what he guards

THERE IS NO OTHER POWER OR AUTHORITY ABOVE OUR GOD… Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. Ephesians 1:21

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrews 10:21-23

The slippery road of a half truth

Ever been caught in a half truth and tried to squirm your way out of it? All the while knowing what you are saying is not completely right but enough to sound like the truth?
The problem with a half truth is it is also a half lie.
The Bible is an open book revealing flaws in ordinary people we sometimes elevate because of the extraordinary feats God accomplished through them.  God did not require perfection from them, only obedience...the same he requires from us today.  1 Samuel 15 is a perfect example of this.

Because of the opposition the nation of Amalek gave to the Israelites when they were passing through from Egypt, God decided to destroy their nation...everything and everyone.  Saul was given this mission to accomplish.
Enter half-truth half-lie.  Saul tries to convince the prophet Samuel he has accomplished the entire mission.  Samuel's response, “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Gotcha, caught in the half-truth.  Saul squirms, blames his army (not once but twice) and then sugar coats the disobedience with the God element.   “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

Just because Saul, you or I put the God element in the mix still doesn't make a half truth a whole truth.  Notice it was not Saul's God he refers to but Samuel's God.  Big clue into the condition of Saul's heart.

Again Samuel called him out on the lie: "Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? 

 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else.  Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

 But Samuel replied,

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

Saul had no idea the web he was spinning would become the entrapment that would change the course of his life.  Rebellion and stubbornness in our lives are like threads woven together that reflect beauty on the outside but one false move and that pattern becomes the sticky chords of entrapment and death.  Half truths always end this way, we just can't predict the moment. 

The Gift of Generosity

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. (2 Corinthians 9:6-13) 

Gracious act of giving

I once heard a marriage conference speaker share that he and his family gave away all the money they had, not just once but twice!  This man was not a rich man but one of average means.  Interesting since finances rank in the top three of troubled areas for married couples.

He went on to explain that he and his wife clearly sensed God was telling them to give out of obedience not knowing if they would recoup to where they had been financially.  Not a good technique to share in counseling a troubled couple struggling with finances!!

I grew up under the pretense that you MUST give the first 10% of everything you earn, with much petty debate over gross or net, to God.  If you didn't fulfill this obligation you were not going to be blessed or _______(fill in the blank) could happen to you!  “God loves a cheerful giver”, is the imploring from the pulpit on Sunday mornings.  This always brought a sense of fear resulting in obligation and duty rather than joy and generosity.  How could these two thoughts be reconciled?  The answer would ultimately have a huge affect on the coffers of non-profit organizations but even deeper, the true heart treasure  of the giver.

2Cor 10:12b tells us not to use ourselves as a standard of measurement.  Whew…does that take the guilt away since I will never be able to measure up to someone else’s expectations and standards of giving.   The only standard to measure myself by is the standard of Christ (Eph 4:11-13). 

The apostle Paul gives us some guidelines for this standard in 2 Cor 8:1-15 (NLT)

·      Give ourselves to the Lord

God doesn't want my money!  Surprised?  The Creator of all doesn't need anything to accomplish his purposes.  What He wants and needs is my obedience and faith—not given out of duty or obligation but a heart of love and thankfulness.  He gave the ultimate Gift before you and I were even born. God initiated pursuing me because my mind, heart and soul are the greatest gifts I can give him.

·      Give ourselves to each other

When I understand and accept God’s amazing free gifts of grace, mercy, forgiveness and kindness; when I acknowledge that God has provided all my needs I then am able to freely give of not only what I have but of myself to others.  “…he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.” (2 Cor 2:14-16).  When we give ourselves to others we give a glimpse of Christ’s character. 

·      Give in proportion to what you have

Giving is not a competition sport.   ‘Showy’ giving not only distorts true giving but can also deny the basic necessities for those the giver is to be caring for.  Proportionate giving doesn't have a percentage sign.  Neither is the act of giving to clear self (or other) imposed guilt.  “Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly.  And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.” (2 Cor 8:12)

·      Give even in troubled times

The past few years have been extremely financially difficult for many people and giving is usually the first area to be axed.  In this atmosphere giving can be very creative and doesn't always mean money.  Giving can be food, warm clothes or blankets to those without or spending time with the sick, elderly or those in prisons.

“Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need.  Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it.” (2 Cor 8:14)

·      Excel in the gracious act of giving

The churches Paul was telling the Corinthians about were “being tested by many troubles and…very poor.  But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity….they gave not only what they could afford, but far more.  And they did it of their own free will.  They begged us…for the privilege of sharing…”  He then encourages his readers, “I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.  I am not commanding you to do this.  But I am testing how genuine your love is…” (2 Cor 8:2-3,7)

To excel in anything comes with the price of practice and testing.  How are we doing?  How genuine is our love?

Gracious giving is "patient, kind not jealous, boastful or proud. It is not demanding, irritable, or keeps records.  Gracious giving new gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.' (1 Cor 13)

What better time  as we enter a fresh new year to excel in the gracious act of giving.

Where was God?

We will not soon forget the horrific events of December 14, 2012.  What started out as a typical day ended anything but typical for the residents of Newton, CT and the world.   I have no personal connection to any of the families who have been ripped apart nor can I even begin to imagine the depth of their grief.  I only know my heart and throat felt like someone was strangling me as I went to bed that night.  My grief became my enemy when trying to breathe and my mind raced trying to make sense of how anyone could do this horrible act against innocent children and those who tried to protect them.

Earlier that evening this question was posed, “Where was God?”  Even Jesus voiced this question of his father, God.   I’ve thought a lot about that question today.  I didn’t know what to say.  How would you have answered?  If you were one of those parents, would you have wanted a pat cliché answer?   Is there an answer?

Theological reasoning’s to this question have been explored and debated for centuries.  This debate does not however mean God was absent. 

I do know this; God was in the same place when his son was murdered.  He knows what it is to grieve over a loved one.  To give and love and be denied those in return.  He finds no pleasure in witnessing the indescribable acts his creation does to one another.  Nor does he find pleasure in letting go of someone who chooses to reject him.[i]  He has long been denied a place in our lives except when it is beneficial to us.  Nor, as has been suggested, did the gate for these indescribable acts swing open the day prayer was taken out of school.  The groundwork was laid long before then and has been built upon as our tolerance to truth and violence weakens. 

It strikes me no one is questioning the ‘where and why’ of evil (aka Satan) that day?  Satan is not a harmless once-a-year-Halloween-appearance person wearing a red suit with horns and a pitchfork.  He is a force who knows his time is limited and will steal, kill, and destroy anything or anyone who stands in his way including innocent children. [ii]  

Everything in life is not a clear black and white issue nor are the answers to life’s difficult questions.  Gun control is not be the solution in preventing these types of horrendous acts because morality and values cannot be legislated.  Those bent on destruction will find a avenue to accomplish it.

Being a child of God does not relieve us of pain.  We live in a world in which our actions affect others, good and bad.  But these are truths we can hold onto when everything else, including God, doesn’t make sense:

·         God is still God and there is no other equal to him or above him.  We can trust him even though we don’t understand.  Isaiah 40; 2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 55:8-9

·         He hasn’t abandoned you or me:  “No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.”  John 14:18; 2 Chronicles 16:9

·         We can have His peace in the midst of pain:  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don’t be troubled or afraid…I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world. (John 14:27; John 16:33)

Where was God that day?  Grieving alongside those whose hearts were ripped out.  Holding and giving them his strength to continue until he takes us to a home where there will be no more sorry, pain or hurt…ever again.

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[i] Ezekiel 33:11

[ii] 2 Corinthians 11:14-15; John 10:10

Expectations

Funny how one word can bring such diverse emotions.  Whether expectations are met or unmet they have the potential to bring disappointment and potential impacts on our lives that can last a lifetime. 

We have expectations from family, friends and coworkers; from our employers and government; contractual expectations from various sources.  This is a year of political expectations.

As parents we have expectations, some spoken and some not, for and from our children and likewise they have of us.

 

The disciples and people in Jesus time had expectations from him

The mother of James & John expected her boys to have special favor with Jesus because….well, because after all they were in the ‘inner circle’.

The disciples expected John to get answers from Jesus when the others didn’t want to approach him.

The multitudes had expectations of healing, deliverance, and supplying food (John 6:26) for them.

The religious elite expected Jesus to ‘toe the line’ and conform to their expectations of a messiah. 

We have expectations of Jesus today.  The outcome of our fulfilled and unfulfilled expectations of him plays a major role in our current and future faith and beliefs.

Sometimes our expectations of God are unrealistic.  There are situations we put ourselves in as a result of either ignorance or total rebellion of God’s ways and truths and then look to God like a genie in a bottle for immediate relief.  When he doesn’t do his magic we then assume he doesn’t love us (because if he did he would give us everything we ever asked for!) so we storm out of our relationship like a spoiled child slamming the door.   

I certainly am not expert on the mind and ways of God…none of us really are.  Just when we think we have him figured out (i.e., “Ten steps to________”) we realize God’s ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Expectations are blown out of the water and we start back on square one with learning all over again about trust and faith in what we can’t see but yet our hearts tell us is real. 

There are other times we pray with purely unselfish reasons and God doesn’t answer the way we think he should—a friend or family member suffering with unbearable pain with no relief in sight.  Again our expectations of God are not fulfilled in the immediate answers we seek.  Trust and faith in the unseen is once again called upon even though we don’t understand the silence.     

Have you ever consider God’s expectations of us?  They are actually quite simple yet complicated for our “I” mentality. 

B ELIEVE…. in Jesus Christ as the one and only son of God (Jo 3:5-6, 16; 6:29; John 14:11).

O BEY… more than saying but living what we believe… (John 8:31-32; 14:15; John 15)

L OVE… one another as I love the Father (John 13:34-35).  Love is the product of BELIEVE and OBEY 

                    (1 John 4:18-19).

D ISCIPLE… is BELIVE, OBEY and LOVE in action (Matthew 28:18-20). 

Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say.  My father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.  I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don’t be troubled or afraid.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.  I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.  I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.  The Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 

(Jesus praying for you and me) “ Holy Father you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are…I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe (you and me!!) in me through their message….may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me…may they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me.” (John 14-17) 

It takes being BOLD to stand against popular beliefs and expectations.  It takes being BOLD  to live in this world, not become part of this world.  It takes being BOLD to live as Jesus would today. 

A fellow BOLD… in progress,

Kay

Empyting

I’ve been reading a book about emptying oneself in order to make room for what God wants to do in and through our lives.  Must admit the self reflection has been revealing and emotionally exhausting at times.  Yet there has been, and is continuing to be, a cleansing very much like the summer rains I used to run in as a kid.  Did you ever do that?  Remember the fresh gentle rain falling on your warm skin?  Remember the relief from the heat and rejuvenation that came with the rain?  It recharged us to the point we could have run around until midnight with the energy that came from those rains.

This same kind of cleansing can come when we honestly ask the Lord to reveal things we have not let go from our past or dreams and hopes we are tight-fistedly holding onto for our future.  The wounds we never allow to heal from our past prevent us from using those as lessons in order to turn our past into opportunities to help someone else that is going through the same difficulty today.  The hopes and dreams we have do not need to hold our present in bondage if we allow the Lord to have those.  The harder we grip the less energy we have to live our today.  The harder we manipulate and work to have those dreams come to pass, the less we enjoy living our today.  We will never truly know if those dreams are planted in our hearts by the Lord until we release and allow God to fulfill his timing and his purposes in our lives. 

For me, I am learning there is a freedom in realizing I don’t have to know my future but rather trust that God will direct my current today to join paths with my future hopes and dreams.  Today I want to be open and prepared to hear God speak or see Him move in me and those around me.  Who knows, someone I come across today just may be that divine appointment from God to give clarity of his purposes for either me or them. 

Don’t dismiss the ‘outside’ appearance of a chance meeting.  God sometimes uses the most unlikely candidates to speak into each other’s life.

Philippians 1:6,2:3-4; 3:13; Jeremiah 29:11

Change

God created me at my core a unique individual, just as he has you, for his purposes and to bring him glory.  Period. 

His purpose and plan may change from time to time, day to day, and perhaps even moment to moment; our response can be interesting, adventurous and yet confusing and defiant—not on God’s part but ours or more specifically mine. 

Just the time I get comfortable it seems he changes the game plan AND without consulting me! 

Could this ‘change’ be the refreshing everlasting water[i] constantly flowing in and through me rather than stagnant and unyielding water I tend to gravitate to?  At heart, I am a very private person and like my time and my ways.  But I’m coming to realize God did not create me for…well, me.  That is not to say we don’t need quiet and/or alone times to refresh and be rejuvenated.  I’m talking about the avoidance of others just because I don’t feel like interacting or feel like changing my plans. 

Could it be that chance meeting was an ordained crossing of two paths God orchestrated for encouragement, healing or salvation?  Perhaps it was to be the exact moment in time for God’s glory to be revealed to one who is desperately seeking someone higher than their thoughts and ways.  Could it be God wants to teach me rather than the person I come across something or open my eyes in an area I have shut? 

I recently read that God could have created us with incorruptible bodies and morally flawless character but instead he created us out of dirt—clay.  Why?  So it would be absolutely obvious that anything of eternal value accomplished through our lives is from God and not from us[ii] (2 Corinthians 4:7).   

So in the end, it’s realizing my comfort is not God’s purpose for my life.  OUCH!!  Obedience and surrender are not popular topics nor are they to come from a defeatist attitude.  Obedience and surrender are costly.  They are also at the heart of understanding and accepting who God is, why he created me and how he takes great pleasure in my partnering with him for the amount of years he has given me to live.   

So at times it is with kicking and throwing tantrums that I surrender.  And with a grateful heart God doesn’t treat me as my sins deserve[iii] but rather with grace he loving opens his arms and walks beside me--wherever that may be.  Am I to do anything less for those around me? 

What about you?  Where are you in your process or should I say progress?

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[i] http://www.youversion.com/bible/John.7.38.nlt

[ii] Becoming A Vessel God Can Use by Donna Partow (pg 78)

[iii] http://www.youversion.com/bible/Ps.103.10.nlt

Bold confidence

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.  Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.  And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.  Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

1 John 3:18b-24

Truth is our foundation for confidence, not our feelings or emotions.  When our ‘house’ is built on this solid foundation the winds of doubt, discouragement, fear, disbelief, etc. will not destroy it.  This bold confidence does not come with a spirit of arrogance in demanding our own way or dictating to God what he should do in any given situation.  Rather it is a spirit of freedom in whom and whose we are that brings an innocence of trust, of hope and of expectation. 

David said in Psalm 5:3,7 “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.  Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.”

David didn’t live under the freedom of grace that we do today, his was a covenant of laws and regulations that brought death and guilt not life.  Yet David proclaimed this bold confidence not in his feelings or emotions but the truth of God’s unfailing love towards him. 

Today, if you believe in the name of Jesus Christ and call yourself his follower no matter the circumstances you find yourself in start building your house on truth not feelings…on hope and confidence not fear and guilt.  

Longing Fulfilled

Have you ever experienced a longing, to the point of an aching in your heart for someone you once knew? Perhaps that person is no longer living or perhaps they moved away and can no longer physically share in a cup of coffee or go for a walk. Perhaps there has been a strain in the relationship and although the physical distance is not great, emotionally the distance seems like planets away. A word or thought conjures memories that only make the longing greater.

David described this longing when he wrote, “God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Ps 63:1O) Because we were all made in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) there is a longing in our hearts to know Him and to have intimacy with Him. Some may try to fill this longing with material objects while others may try to fill this with spiritual objects or customs, all the while still experiencing a longing that cannot be filled.
Something is missing…rather some One is missing.

The amazing truth is God wants and longs for that same intimacy with us! This same God who created the universe, things we can see and those that haven’t been discovered yet; all creatures great and same; the very air we breathe; planets and their positions…EVERYTHING! And yet, He wants an intimate relationship with you and me!
This is mind boggling for me.

Fact is we were created for intimacy!! As God created us to be relational with each other, he also created us to be relational with him. Isaiah wrote, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.” (Is 30:18) God is not just an image or statue or thought to be worshipped, sung about, or talked about only one day a week.

The only way to nurture any relationship is by getting to know that person. If we only observed from a distance or build a relationship based upon what others knew about that person it will never be our own personal relationship. Something would also be missing. Had I not spent time getting to know my husband but only listened to others describe their relationship with him admiration rather than love would have developed. I would have missed out getting to know and fall in love with an amazing man. Likewise only relying on another’s view of who God is cannot be the basis of what our relationship is with him. If it is we miss out on an amazing journey of past, present and future discoveries of “who and what” God is. The Bible describes a loving, compassionate, patient, kind, gentle and good God, who laughs, cries, sings, gets tired, hungry and yes even gets angry. We were created in His image and we experience all the same emotions.

We sense His closeness as we talk with Him. Sense His peace and comfort when we are lonely, sad, confused or in the midst of a crisis. We realize he will never leave us but always sticks closer to us than anyone else, no matter what we have done.

This is not a relationship based on Hollywood’s description of a God follower. Nor is it a relationship that is only available to certain people or classes of people. This relationship is available to anyone who wants and longs for it.

What about you? Where are you on this journey?

Sack race

I loved the games we played when I was a kid, especially the sack race game.  Two people are put together; one leg from each person is put into a sack and then the bag is tied shut.  Object of the game is to work together to get to the finish line first.  To make it even more difficult two people of different sizes were often put together.  Bruises, grass stains from falling down, and sometimes even being drug along by your partner become the survival-mode of getting to the finish line!
   

Don’t know if the prophet Isaiah ever play the sack game, but he certainly describes the process in Isaiah 5:18.  What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart.

  

Amazing how some of these same games seem to weave their way into our lives as adults.  Only the game is no longer fun but instead becomes a destructive way of life. 

The ropes of deception can bind us so tightly that only when they are broken do we realize how much of a stronghold they actually were.  These ropes don’t appear overnight nor would we think we could be controlled by them.  They build with one compromise upon another usually starting with something small, something seemingly innocent.   

Ø  A “small white lie” becomes a foundation for others to build upon.

Ø  A clerk’s mistake on our bill could be seen as our “advantage”…do we say something or consider it a “blessing”? 

Ø  An innocent look that becomes easier to linger the next time (a pornographic website that pops on our computer screen or TV channel when searching).

Ø  An innocent touch that turns into a longing for someone other than our spouse. 

Ø  “If one pill helps with the pain, two will be even better”, prescription medicine turning into a habit.

Ø  A comment or action made toward us that we allow to fester in our hearts turning into hatred and/or gossip. 

Ropes of destruction become weights that hold us down and keep us back from living a life of freedom, hope and peace.  They become the binding force behind not extending mercy and grace (i.e. forgiveness) to others.  Freeing ourselves of these ropes become the avenue through which God can work in and through us to show the world who He is.   

The book of Isaiah is filled with the Israelites getting caught in these ropes of bondage and God’s responses.

Isaiah 30:1, 12-13, 15,18 (NLT) “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
says the Lord…“Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come upon you suddenly—like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it will collapse and come crashing down…”

“Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength…”

So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. 

How then do we get out of this cycle?  We cannot do this on our own. 

     First: Admit, stop hiding and recognize what your rope of destruction is.  People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.  (Proverbs 28:13)

     Second:  Repent.  Simply put, do a complete 180◦ about face turn.  But don’t just turn, RUN from those ropes.  Ask for forgiveness from God and possibly those you have wronged.  So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. (Isaiah 30:18)  God pursues us and longs to show us His love and compassion even when others won’t.

     Third:  Find a Christ follower who will hold you accountable.  Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. (2 Timothy 2:22)

     Finally:  Wait on the Lord.  Let God’s Word (the Bible) be the foundation you build upon. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) 

Games don’t have to stop when we “grow-up.”  We just need to remember to keep the ropes where they belong.