Monthly Archives: October 2017

All I can do is pray

John 14:26-27 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The past 36 hours have brought shocking news to my doorstep, news that left me speechless, news that left me numb with pain and questions from what I heard. Two friends lost loved ones to separate incidences of violence this weekend; one a sister, and one a son, gone from this world in an instant. Our first questions are seemingly why; it is a natural sinful state reaction to the pain we immediately feel; we question the sovereignty of the creator and sustainer of our universe. It is OK, God knows the hurt we are feeling, the pain he has allowed, but he sees the outcome and “possibilities” of the eternal picture of what we are going through. The Bible tells us that we can’t understand his ways, and the stories of his sovereignty are woven throughout it’s entirety. Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

I told the friend I was able to talk to, I knew not what to say, that I was speechless to the news, but all I could do is to pray. Many times we can say the wrong things if we try too hard to find the right words. Many times we stumble down roads that seem harsh, when all we need to do is to be there with them, to pray for them, and to remind them that only faith can get them through this. God has drawn many people to himself through tragedies; it is one of his ways he gets us to focus on the eternal, when he reminds us of our mortality. (His ways are not our ways.) Think of the trial of Job in the Bible, of how great he suffered, and how his faith persevered and became an example to all of eternity. Pain breaks down barriers, pain brings intimacy with God when we cry out to him, for we may know nothing else to do.

Jesus was telling his disciples he was leaving them, they were afraid of what the future held. Jesus knew this, and gave them great news of who was coming to be with them when he left; they (we also) were getting the Holy Spirit as a gift from God to dwell within them; to abide in our innermost being, a part of the Trinity lives within the believer. Jesus spoke of the power he was giving us was greater than we could imagine, of how we could do great things. Many times we see those going through life and question how they can handle all that comes at them. Many times they testify it is through their faith in God. Jesus told us not to worry, to only seek him first and concentrate on today, not to worry about tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. When the unimaginable pain filters through God’s hands into your life, know it did pass through his sovereign design, and that he has yours and all of eternity in view; he wants to draw you near, and I pray that you will seek him with all your heart, mind, body and soul when life’s pain comes your way. All I can do is to pray……..

Campfire Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 7:5-6 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

We sat by the campfire this weekend, staring at the tug of the flames like we all know we do when relaxing by a fire. We marveled at the ways the smoke rolled from logs, how the flames bent around each other, how the fire magically transformed many times before us. As I read this chapter in Ecclesiastes this morning, God tugged at my heart on these verses. I thought of the fire, the sounds, smells, the lure of it if you will allow. I read deeper and of how these thorns will produce a greater lure; the burning produces a greater light, even adding the excitement of more noise, but yet temporal, and fades quickly. Matthew Henry expounded like this: “And what an absurd thing is it for a man to dote so much upon such a transient pleasure as the laughter of a fool is, which may fitly be compared to the burning of thorns under a pot, which makes a great noise and a great blaze, for a little while, but is gone presently, scatters its ashes, and contributes scarcely any thing to the production of a boiling heat, for that requires a constant fire! The laughter of a fool is noisy and flashy, and is not an instance of true joy.”

The laughter of the fool produces an odd accolade for one’s spirit. The laugh of the joke, the whisper in the ear of gossip, the tug of sins for flash and pride. Countless times we sin for innumerable reasons, but many are temporal pleasures found in the accolades of fools. Vanity, a waste if you will, is how Solomon labels these pursuits. How many times have we done something we immediately wish we could take back? The quick whip that brought the laughter as quickly brought the conviction. The rebuke of the Holy Spirit within us works instantaneously. The measure of your standing with God is your conviction of sin, and your response to them. Do you believe in the cleansing power of repentance? We all sin, do not deceive yourself, even those you place on pedestals battle their own demons. 20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

How do we hear the rebuke of the wise? We surround ourselves with Godly counsel, those who will not be afraid to point out our sins and hold us accountable. Those who will not tell us what we want to hear, but what we need to hear. What if God does not have those around you right now? God’s Word is the greatest counsel you will ever have, and it is available to all. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. I promise you that if you seek wisdom and discernment of life, of yourself, prayerfully enter into the presence of God in his Word. The Holy Spirit will lead you into an understanding that is divine, but many times painfully true. You will not remain the same person today, you cannot remain the same, for God will rebuke you, and change you from the inside out. Then you may become wise and help another along the road of sanctification.

First

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I am tormented by anxiety and depression. I label it my “thorn in my flesh” that Satan torments me with. They may come separately, or even worse when they are on the heels of one another. They are a very real battle of the mind that effects everything in life, the physical, mental, and spiritual; they are warfare. I could elaborate much more, but last night I encouraged someone to read my favorite scriptures above for their anxiety battle. This morning I had a battle all my own. (The pastor always is struggling with what he is preaching about I promise you.) I awoke to threatening emails, anxiety ridden, and Satan came to steal my early morning joy with the Lord. It was time to seek my own advise. Let’s look at a simple exposition of the scriptures; what do they mean?

These are the last passages in Matthew six, but in the meat of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. That was his greatest sermon, his life’s application to all of his teaching. You can go to most of life’s struggles and find answers directly from Jesus Christ in his message there. In the context of this, the passages before them are speaking about worry, which leads to anxiety, (versus 25-32). Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life… So Jesus is directly addressing worry, which anxiety is elevated worry, and he tells us to simply focus on God in verse 33. Jesus tells us that if we will focus on God first, in other words to seek him above the anxiety, he will take care of the worry. What is worry? It is always about a future event that may or may not take place. God controls the future; he sees it all in the same time, past, present, and future, and he controls it sovereignly. If we seek God with all our mind, heart, body and soul, then we begin to get a glimpse of his sovereignty. The outpouring of our love for him, begins the indwelling of peace. We put Him above our worry.

Verse thirty-four then goes on to take it farther. Jesus says that if you will focus on him, you have no need to worry about tomorrow. 34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (MSG) Why do you need to worry about tomorrow, when tomorrow may never come? You are not guaranteed another breath for another day, and heavens doors could be opened to you all while you were worrying about tomorrow. Just concentrate on whatever you are facing today, focus on the strength provided by the One who gives it abundantly to you. Realize that Satan is trying to steal your victorious joy, by getting you to focus on something that may never happen anyway. Just spend some time with God and let him work out the details of your life. Do that first.

Pride’s Fall at the Gate of Sanctification’s Rd

Galatians 4:16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

How dare you tell me I cannot, for I will prove to you I can! For everything I seemingly accomplished in life, I needed not accolades, for I puffed myself up from within gloating at my seemingly accomplishments. When the accolades came, the prideful spirit grew exponentially, for it was seemingly self-sustaining. When God begins to break a man, the pain runs much deeper than the pride ever dwelled. The power of God seeks to root out even the origin in the sins that started the pride. The power of God’s Word and the vessels he chooses to use, will penetrate, cut to the bone and marrow, and narrow to the quick; he leaves nothing untouched when he begins to humble many supposed great men. I hang my head in shame in light of many things I once hung on my trophy wall of life. I thank God for the painful sanctification process of the last ten years; the rod he has not withheld from me, and it draws me closer to him when Satan goes down the roads of guilt, to weaken me, but God reminds me of his mercy and grace, I am set free, set free indeed.

Pride is the root of all sin; the reason Satan was cast from Heaven, and the reason Eve and Adam fell at the Garden of Eden; the reason we all are born into sin today…..pride. The evidences of those that elevate themselves play out in political arenas, play out in workplace environments, play out in our homes, and sadly, some of the clearest today play out in our pulpits. The call of God, the blessings of God to those he has called to preach, sadly turns humble servants into prideful men. Most men are broken by God when they are called, yet seem to forget and see the work as their own. Somewhere in all of this pride creeps into sermons, personalities, and many times ministries flourish because people elevate their pastor to a rock-star status. Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. How many times have we seen the preachers fall? How many times have we not, is an easier question to ask. Every man you elevate will fail you. Every pastor you place, even unknowingly, above Who the message is about, will fail you; God will humble them in due time.

Accountability is critical to remain humble. Our close friends, church elder boards, our spouses that can speak openly, only through accountability will the flesh remain humble. Pride is a temporal battle for this lifetime, one that requires diligence in seeking to remain humble. Pride takes action, it takes effort to remain out of circumstances that elevate oneself. It takes intention to avoid situations that bring praise. Are you seeking the praise, or seeking to draw closer to God? If we are to emulate Christ, we are to remain humble. If we are to remain humble, we need not anything but the message of God to a world that he has prepared to hear. Seek out someone who will tell you the truth, and be prepared to listen, for you will begin the path of being closer to God than ever before, once you are humbled.

Pray He will return soon

Matthew 6:8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Sooooo much on my heart, on my mind, in my thoughts continually of this world I live in. The division of my country, the evil among us, the hearts of those eternally condemned without repentance, the mis-guided focus on idolatry of endless sorts, the lack of biblical leadership in all arenas, the nation that I love seems doomed to destruction……Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. I find myself living in a time that Satan’s power is evident, and a biblical understanding of the judgement of God brings about the question of if this evil is God’s judgement on us? We are mourning this senseless tragedy in Las Vegas, yet so few cries for the 60 MILLION babies that have been killed in our country just in my lifetime. That blood is on our hands too, and God will hold all those accountable on that Day.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount here in Matthew, is his greatest message. It seemingly covers all of life’s needs, all that we will face and question, and all of God’s sovereignty woven into the understanding in it. All you face in life, good and bad, has flowed through the fingers of God. All that you do through the freedom of free-will, still accomplishes his purposes through eternity. One cannot understand the complexity of the One who breathes stars into existence, and allows humanity (his creation also), to have freedom of decisions, yet still ordain their steps through time. Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. If you even look into the following passages, where Jesus taught us how to pray, the Lords Prayer is found. In it’s simplest explanation is the understanding, acceptance, and guidance to remain in God’s will and his control of all of life; to be more like Christ, and trust his control of life. Through an omniscient understanding of all his creation, not bound by time, seeing the past, present, and future the same, he knows our needs before we do. That boundary of time he has placed upon us boggles the mind, but that is where faith lies.

I do not know what tomorrow brings. I do not know where my feet will be, but I trust that He has directed my steps. I do believe we are living in the last days of this world as we know it. I do believe that God is casting some judgement on our nation, just as he used evil to judge the sins of Israel throughout the Old Testament. I do believe we are seeing biblical evidences of the coming return of Jesus to judge the world, and then return it to the perfection he created. I do believe there is a call on every Christian to proclaim this news to those he has put in our circles of influence. He will ask you that Day, why you did not. Live your life as if you knew Jesus was coming back soon……cause he is.