Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thursday, October 31

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

Lamentations 4:1–5:22

Hebrews 2:1–18

Psalm 103:1–22

Proverbs 26:23

 

 

Psalm 103 speaks about the extent of God’s love and compassion for His people.  David begins and ends the psalm with the words:  “Praise the Lord, O my soul.”  I would like to offer a few thoughts on the worship and meditation that David advocates in the psalm:

 

1.  Worship involves considering the totality and awesomeness of God Himself.  David’s words speak of a deeply rooted conviction in the goodness of all aspects of God’s character.  God had certainly revealed Himself to David, through both the high and low points of life, but David was also a willing student.  He sought after God “earnestly” (Psalm 63:1):

 

“O 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.”

 

 

This type of longing and hungering for God does receive a fulfillment.  In that same Psalm 63, David trusts that “my soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods... [and] my soul clings to you;/ your right hand upholds me.” (vv. 4,8).

 

In Psalm 103, we see David reflecting not just on his “benefits,” but also His character.  The language in the psalm confirms that God is beyond full comprehension.  Echoing these sentiments, Paul offers in Romans 11:33:  “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

 

 

2.  Committing our whole life to the Lord means that He “satisfies your desires with good things.”  When David speaks of “desires” here and in Psalm 37:4, he is not guaranteeing that we will receive everything that we want, but rather that, when our hearts are fully aligned with His will, His desires will become our desires.  As a faithful Father, God will provide everything that we need, and those who delight in Him, who seek their full satisfaction in Him, will find that their needs become their desires.  In other words, this type of Christ-follower will find that what they desire for themselves will become that which God desires for them to have.  As we read in 1 John 5:14, God is eager to fulfill His promises to those who earnestly seek His desires for us:  “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

 

 

3.  God’s compassion stretches across all space and all time.  David writes about how the Lord is “compassionate and gracious,/ slow to anger, abounding in love.” (v. 8)  He then offers several images of the magnitude of God’s grace:  “... He does not treat us as our sins deserve/ or repay us according to our iniquities.” (v. 10)  We are deserving of His wrath because we have fallen short of His mark.  Yet,

 

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

                so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west,

                so far has he removed his transgressions from us.” (vv. 11,12)

 

 

4.  Recognition of how much God has forgiven us should lead us to praise and obedience.  We may begin to take for granted the magnitude of God’s grace, but we should not.  Remembering what we deserve and reflecting on what might have been should impress us with gratitude.  That gratitude wells up into obedience.  When God’s grace is active in our lives, we find ourselves dying to ourselves daily.  The Holy Spirit guides us in this process.

 

 

5.  We should praise God for His sovereignty over both heaven and earth (v. 19).  When the circumstances around us appear to circle out of control, we may find comfort in the reality that God has not changed.  His faithfulness, gentleness, and goodness have not become weaker.  Our circumstances may cloud God’s goodness for a time, but He is worthy of our confidence and praise at all times.

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

1.  How can you spend time today searching out the Lord’s character and meditating on His goodness?

 

2.  What does God’s compassion mean for you today?  How could you share this message of hope with a hurting friend, family member, or co-worker?


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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

October 29

Lamentations 1-2
Philemon 1
Psalm 101:1-8
Proverbs 26:20

"So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wrong wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me."
Philemon 1:17-18

Philemon is a book that we don't hear a lot about. It's short (one chapter with 25 verses) but there is a lot going on here. Philemon was a fellow believer and friend of Paul's. One of the reasons Paul wrote this letter was to appeal on Onesimus' behalf. Onesimus was at one time Philemon's slave. We don't know the reason, but we can gather that Onesimus ran away from Philemon and they did not part on good terms. It is also possible that Onesimus owed Philemon a debt. After running away, Onesimus became a Christ follower and even served with Paul. When the time came for Onesimus to return to Philemon, Paul wrote this letter asking him to be gracious because they are now brothers in Christ. Also, whatever debt he owed, Paul said he would pay.

This is amazing for a couple reasons:

(1) When Paul first gave his life to Christ, all believers were afraid because he persecuted them. They were very reluctant to accept him. In Acts 9, we read that Barnabas stood up for Paul to the other believers. After this, Paul stayed with the other believers and they even helped him escape when Hellenistic Jews tried to kill him. Without Barnabas' encouragement, the other Christians would have never accepted Paul. Here, Paul is doing the same thing for Onesimus. He is hoping his word will encourage Philemon to be gracious.

(2) Paul is showing the same grace to Onesimus that Jesus first showed him. Paul was completely dedicated to destroying the church. Then Jesus showed him grace by giving him the chance to turn from his sinful ways and follow Him. When Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for the sins that Paul committed. In a similar way, Onesimus owed Philemon a debt that he could not pay. Because Paul loved Onesimus he agreed to pay the debt that he could not pay himself.

Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." Through Paul's example, we can learn how much of a difference we can make in each other's lives just by being kind. None of us deserve kindness from God and yet He showers us with it. The only correct response is to show others the same kindness.

How can you show kindness to others just as God showed kindness to you?


Monday, October 28, 2013

Monday Blogpost 10/28

Family, Monday's post is below.  If you'd like to interact with the blog and make a comment, we welcome that!  Here's a link to the facebook page ---> https://www.facebook.com/groups/192897197465389/

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Kenny

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Monday, October 28, 2013 [Control]
Psalm 100:3
 
"Acknowledge that the Lord is God!  He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture."
 
One God, Yahweh
HE made us
HE shepherds us
 
Control.  It's one of the hardest things to give up – just ask a "backseat" driver.  I have to confess, I am the quintessential backseat driver.  In fact, when I get into a car I want to drive.  Even if it's your car, I'd rather be behind the wheel.  One reason is because I get some motion sickness when traveling in a car that I'm not driving.  The greater reason is that I'd rather be in control of the vehicle when it's moving.  So, I was literally depressed when the doctor told me that I couldn't drive for almost two months because of my broken toe.  It was like putting me on "timeout" or sending me to my room without dinner.
 
One of the greatest blessings that I've received during this "timeout" from driving has been God showing me my own heart.  I have had a problem receiving help and allowing other people to "take the wheel" on my behalf.  Receiving help means that we have to relinquish control and trust someone else.  If simply trusting someone else to drive was overwhelming me, what about trusting God to drive and direct my life?
 
Over the past few weeks I've had some really awesome drivers take me to doctor's appointments, stores, school, etc.  If it hadn't been for them, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish even half of what I've been able to do.  They don't drive the way that I do, which frustrated me in the beginning, but I've begun to learn how to rest and enjoy the ride.  I think that God desires us to see things from this perspective.  As I read this verse I am reminded of Psalm 23 and how the Lord, Our Shepherd, "makes me to lie down in green pastures…leads me beside the still waters [and] restores my soul" (Ps. 23:2-3, NKJV).  When we acknowledge that Yahweh is God; that we aren't in control; and, that not being in control is okay, then we can rest.
 
"In thirty-five years of religious studies I've come up with only two hard incontrovertible facts:  there is a God and I'm not him." – Father Cavanaugh from the movie "Rudy" (1993)
 
In what areas of your life do you still need to give God control?
What is keeping you from releasing this into God's hands?
 
Lord, I'm beginning to understand that in order to receive more of You I have to give up more of myself – especially the things I think I can control.  Speak to my heart, Lord.  Show me where I am still holding on and help me to let go.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Oct 27

October 27, 2013

Titus 2

One of my hobbies is restoring old VW's. My favorite VW was a 1978 Champaign edition convertible. One Christmas we decided to head to Pennsylvania for the holidays and I thought it would be fun to do some work on the car with my father. In the process of welding on new rocker arms my dad forgot that the gas tank was up front. In a matter of seconds the fire went from a little spark to the car being completely engulfed in flames. The garage we were working in was right next to the family room filled with 25 family members. I immediately yelled, "Everyone get out of the house and call 911." In that moment every person in the room followed the instructions and immediately exited the house. Many of the kids were bare footed and yet they walked outside in the snow. The end of the story is that the house had twenty seven thousand dollars damage, the car was lost, but no one was hurt because of their obedience. My family trusted my instructions and obeyed instantly.  

When it comes to obedience in life the wisest choice a person can make is to trust God. His wisdom will also save our lives.  

The highest goal of the Christian life is not information; it's transformation. But we start the transformation with teaching. Paul exhorts his young disciple to teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. And then in the ensuing verses he shows us what this means. It is far more than simply giving people facts. The facts must be applied and implemented into changed behavior. Older men, older women, young men and women, even slaves are to be transformed by the gospel message.

And all of this is based on the grace of God. If Jesus gave himself to redeem us from all wickedness; then we must devote ourselves to aim living holy lives. The goal is the ability to say "No" to ungodliness and our natural passions and to instantly obey the Words of God.

So when was the last time you said "No" to an ungodly passion and "Yes" to the path of a holy choice. Each yes and each no is the key to the victorious Christian life.



--
"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Saturday, October 26, 2013

October 26: Underemployed person seeking full time position in Kingdom for which he is COMPLETELY unqualified...HELP WANTED

Jeremiah 49:23-50:46
Titus 1:1-16
Psalm 97:1-98:9
Proverbs 26:13-16

From Monster.com - a help wanted ad

ERA OFFSHORE HELICOPTER PILOT (GULF OF MEXICO)
APPLY NOW
 
Requirements:

FAA Commercial Instrument Rotorcraft category;
Hold a current first or second class medical;
3,000 total helicopter hours minimum desired;
2,000 total helicopter hours minimum required;
1,500 hours PIC helicopter required;
100 hours offshore.

This is SO not me.  No license, no medical qualifications, no hours flown, certainly no hours flown offshore - and certainly not in a helicopter.  It seems I am remarkably, completely, singularly unqualified for this role.

I'd like to try to be a servant of God in some capacity, but did you see the job requirements?

"An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an overseer manages God's household, he must be blameless - not overbearing (uh oh), not quick tempered (double uh oh), not given to drunkenness (well, at least not in the last few months...), not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.  Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled (ouch), upright (double ouch), holy and disciplined (did I hear the umpire?  "He's OUTTA THERE!!!")."

As difficult as all that is, furthermore, he "must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."

Wow.  No way do I qualify.  In fact, I seem to qualify better for the positions advertised in the OT reading, for a citizen of Babylon, or in the NT reading, for a citizen of Crete: "liar, brute, lazy glutton", who claims to know God, but by whose actions deny Him.  Other qualifications - detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

I'm going to take it a bit closer to home, a bit less abstract. As my children get older, I find myself questioning my abilities and qualifications as a father, one who will raise them in the right way.  My idea of "the right way" has changed so much in the last few years, I shudder to think how far along the wrong path I've led them - my 16 year old daughter in particular.  

Where then is the hope for a sinner like me?  Thankfully, it isn't in me, but in Him, and in His promise.  I can take heart in Mt 19 v 25-27 where, having completely upended His audience's understanding of the nature and source of salvation, and explaining how impossible it was for man to achieve on his own, Jesus told them "with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

God has been working to break the false sense of security I've built up in the things the world values - ambition, career, material success and its trappings.  I am a work in progress, unable to change on my own - dependent on Him for Whom all things are possible.  

Do you notice how God might be trying to change you?  And what is He doing in your life?

Friday, October 25, 2013

10/25/13

10/25/13

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8 NLT)

The end of life. Death. It's not something most of us want to talk about, or even think about. But, in the last couple of months, Apryl and I have had to deal with it quite a bit, and think about it more than we are comfortable thinking about it. In the past 2 months, we have lost our dear friend Bill Cahill, Apryl has lost two of her grandparents, and one of my close friends lost his grandmother, and one of my co-workers lost his Fiancé in surgery. So I have had to think about death more than usual. The fact of the matter is death is coming. It might be right around the corner, or it might be further away, but is is steadily approaching. All the time we read about people that died way too young. Death is something we all need to deal with, and even more so, the road leading up to it (ie...living will, DNR orders, life insurance, last will.). We all want to make sure the people we love are taken care of. But what about ourselves? Do we think enough about our final path? Do we ask the right questions about the way we have lived? Or even more importantly, about the way we have served? Have we lived out our mission in life? Have we followed in the footsteps of our Savior? Have we reached our goals? Have we been faithful with what we have been given? They are hard questions, but they are questions that need to be asked. Have we run the race with authority, so that we will receive the prize?

Sent from my iPad

Wednesday's blog based on 2 Timothy 2

Jeremiah 42-44:23, 2 Timothy:1-21, Psalms 92-93:5, Proverbs 26:3-5
 
            I am totally an information and technology junkie.  I fit into those statistics that Pastor Scott talks about on Sunday mornings.  I am on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, always on my phone, texting, checking headlines, or whatever it maybe.  I know there is a lot of negative things that go with this, and I can honestly say that I am still learning how to balance this time 9but I can also say that it is getting better.)  I originally joined Twitter just as a tool for information, breaking news, and to know what kind of specials or events that maybe going on at some of my favorite restaurants, or venues.  In the last couple months I have started tweeting a little more, and as I was going through my tweets, I knew it was a reflection of who I am and what I care about.  I updated my "tag line" that I had been putting off because it is such a huge deal…it reveals to the cyber world who I am in a handful of words.  This is what it now reads "New Mexican in Connecticut…Starbucks Partner…UNM Lobo…Tennis, Food, and Drink Enthusiast….Christ Follower and Lover."  The reading on Wednesday from 2 Timothy 2 connected me to this age of identification and tag lines.  We know we all have different descriptions, hats we wear, and identifications and there are ways we act and live because of them. 
 
            In this letter that Paul wrote, he describes a few different people, their roles and the ways the act and live.  He was encouraging Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."  This is something we need to hear daily.  I don't know how many times this is even mentioned in the Bible, but I know it is a lot!  Paul first calls on Timothy as "my son."  This of course is not literal, but it shows the relationship and love they had for each other.  Paul was Timothy's mentor, teacher, and they had a close relationship that was based on God's love and truth.  Secondly, Paul looks at a soldier.  A soldier is focused on his duty, loyalty, and how to please his commander.  Our commander is Christ Jesus…we need to be focused on how we can be pleasing God verses others around us.  This is a big message and reflection for me…the biggest people pleaser ever.  Next is the athlete:  definitely not me, but being married to an athlete, I know about the competition, and "competing according to the rules."  The Bible is our manual, or playbook.  Next is the farmer: the hardworking farmer who invests so much time, physical work, and laborious hours to the harvest.     
 
            In verse 15 Paul states, "Do your best to present yourself as a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  He encourages Timothy to separate himself and rise above the "godless chatter" the world has to offer.  This is a verse I now have underlined.  The workman.  In the verses that follow, Paul uses the image of "an instrument."  This is a metaphor that is used many times in the Bible and among Christians, "make me an instrument."   To be this instrument is a tool, used by God for "noble purposes, made holy, useful for the Master and prepared to so any good work."   Just like a microbiologist will use a microscope verses a magnified glass, or how a chef will use a sharp knife vs. a table knife to fillet a fish, it is so vital to the work to be a useful instrument.  But with all these roles comes practice, learning, skills, and development.  As followers of Christ we must do the same.  Its about the daily relationship, intimate relationship with Christ.  Tools must be maintained and sharpened.  Athletes, soldiers, and workmen must be disciplined in their work, so must we.  This is how we remain strong and holy, doing good work for our Creator.      
 
            

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Thursday, October 24

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Jeremiah 44:24–47:7

2 Timothy 2:22–3:17

Psalm 94:1–23

Proverbs 26:6–8

 

 

“That is why I am suffering as I am.  Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believe, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

 

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.  This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal.  But God’s Word is not chained.  Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:8–10)

 

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings – what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the persecutions I endured.  Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.  In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But, as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:10–17)

 

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering… ” (2 Timothy 4:6ff)

 

 

Throughout 2 Timothy, Paul’s urgency shines through.  Historical evidence suggests that Paul wrote this letter at the tail end of his life and ministry, imprisoned under Emperor Nero in AD 66 or 67.  While his earlier imprisonment had taken place within a rented house, he now suffers in a cold dungeon, “chained” like a common criminal.  In ancient times, prisoners relied on their friends and family for any kindness, and Paul’s friends now even struggle to identify his location (1:17).

 

Much like the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul had built his ministry around preaching the Gospel and building into worthy disciples.  Now, with precious few days ahead, Paul urges Timothy to persist through difficult circumstances and to focus on matters of lasting consequence.  As Pastor Scott has mentioned before, in the final calculus, only three things remain from our daily lives:  God’s Word, people’s souls, and our decisions.

 

As we read here, the “approved” disciple may employ God’s Word for “teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”  From 1 Timothy 4:8, we understand that “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”  God’s Word forms the center of our personal discipleship, helping us and instructing us how both to love God and love people, and our efforts to make disciples.

 

God’s Word will never fade away or lose its luster.  While worldly wisdom may argue otherwise, God’s Word will never be proven false.  It truly serves as the start of all wisdom.  As President Theodore Roosevelt explained, “a thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”  The world appears overwhelmed with knowledge and information of varying quality.  Our heads are exploding with the overload, but our hearts remain unsettled and unmoored.  The world is dying for want of wisdom.  We have the privilege of sharing the beauty and integrity of God’s Word with this hungry world.

 

Also, please note the proliferation of “suffering” terminology that Paul shares in his letter.  Clearly, Paul faced dire straits himself, but he generalizes that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”  This idea follows after Jesus’s promise that the world will bring trouble.  Despite this suffering, we sense that Paul experiences the joy of remaining faithful to his King and testifying till the end:  “Now, there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

 

May we cling to God’s Word and the Gospel as our sustenance in a time in which the world appears trouble-filled.  May we embrace the hope of heavenly reward as much greater and deeper than any temporary, earthly promise.

 

Lord God, we seek to love You with all our lives – and especially during these challenging days.  Please fill our hearts and minds with hope and a deep reliance on Your Word.  Teach us to value what You value, that we may live rightly and prioritize appropriately.  In Jesus’s Name, Amen.


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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

October 22

Jeremiah 39-41
2 Timothy 1
Psalm 90:1-91:16
Proverbs 26:1-2

I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.  This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:5-7

Travis and I bought our first house about 5 years ago. In the living room, there is a fire place that we would use occasionally. A couple years after moving in, we replaced all the windows. They were old and drafty and replacing them greatly reduced the cost of heating our house in the winter, which we were very happy about. But there was one other effect that we were not expecting: we were unable to keep a fire going in the fireplace. As quickly as it would start up, it would just die. No matter how much we would tend to it, as soon as we walked away, the fire would be out. It took us a little while to make the connection*, but it was definitely because of the new windows. They were so much better at blocking air from the outside, that a fire could not keep itself going. We laughed about it because in order to get the fire started, we would have to open a window to get proper airflow to the fire. Silly, right? Opening a window in the dead of winter just to build a fire in your already warm house? 

(*I must admit it was definitely Travis who figured this out. I had nothing to do with this discovery!)

In this letter to Timothy, Paul tells him to fan into flames the spiritual gifts God gave him. Like a fire, our spiritual gifts will go out completely unless they have what they need to grow. A fire needs fuel and air in order to keep going or else it will die out. If we don't fuel our spiritual gifts from God and fan them into flames, then we will miss out on blessings from God. We can do this by reading God's word, praying, studying, listening for God's voice, talking with a fellow believer, keeping a journal... there are many ways to "fan into flames." The benefits of doing this mean that we can experience God's power and love in the face of any situation we may be going through. Paul is writing this while he is in prison. Rather than being timid and afraid, he was writing with a spirit of encouragement and love and power.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Monday Blogpost 10/21

Monday, October 21, 2013 [Self-Control]

Proverbs 25:28

 

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control"

 

The NET (New English Translation) Bible translator notes have the following:

 

"A person whose spirit 'lacks restraint' is one who is given to outbursts of passion, who lacks self control…This person has no natural defenses but reveals his true nature all the time.  The proverb is stating that without self-control a person is vulnerable, like a city without defenses."

 

Emotions are not easy to control.  There are simply certain things that can emotionally push us over the edge.  Many times these things are deeply rooted in some past event or issue and a particular word or action can bring all of that past emotion to a present situation.  When this happens our natural defenses break down (we loose our cool) and we say or do things that we wish we could take back.  But, what do we do about this? 

 

There are several truths from Scripture that are helping me on my journey (note: I am a work in progress)

 

#1 – God knows me better than I do…(Jeremiah 17:9)

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.  Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives."

 

#2 – A Good Check-Up (Psalm 139:23-24)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

* Since I don't know everything that's lurking around in my heart, I need the Lord to point out the things I need to address.  The only way I can do this is to spend time listening to Him and being ready to deal with whatever He shows me. 

 

#3 – Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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."

* The peace of God that comes from praying about the things the Lord brings up during the check-up is a shield around our hearts and minds.

 

#4 – Watch Yourself (Proverbs 4:23)

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

* For me, guarding my heart is paying close attention to those situations when I'm vulnerable.  For example, I'm don't respond well to sarcasm.  When I'm around it, I either try to change the subject or I leave the conversation.  I have to do this to protect my heart.

 

I don't think that this ever gets easy.  Following Christ is hard work.  We find ourselves having to be vulnerable and brutally honest about our flaws and weakness (those we know about and those God shows us).  But, this is not a bad thing because God's power works best in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

 


--
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)
Kenny Sullivan

Sunday, October 20, 2013

October 20

Jeremiah 35

There is nothing so thrilling for grandparents as a sleepover. And there is nothing more challenging for grandparents than two fast and curious boys discovering a new world. In a new house there are so many different experiences that promise fun and excitement. This is where obedience becomes a safety net.  

Stay away from the fireplace; it is hot.

Don't turn the knobs on the gas stove.

Don't open the back door and go out for a walk.

Don't swing the baseball bat with your brother nearby.

Don't play near the stairs.

To each of these boundaries the first response is always, "WHY?" That question was asked 2 million times in 36 hours. And in the end the ultimate answer to "why" is because grandma and grandpa say it is dangerous.

God is the ultimate grandpa. He has warned the nation of all the dangers of disobedience. In chapter 35 he tells Jeremiah to use a sermon illustration. Jonadab was a grandpa who lived 250 years before this time. He lived during a dark period of time when King Ahab made Baal worship mandatory in the land. Two rebels named Jonadab and Jehu rode together on a mission to reestablish God's rule in the nation. Their combined efforts postponed the fall of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) for three generations.   

It is now 250 years later and the grandchildren of Jonadab are still faithfully following the Lord. They are sober, living in tents and herding sheep. This lifestyle was the result of believing grandpa Jonadab.

Jeremiah sees a teaching moment here and uses the Recabites to make a point. This family obeyed the earthly boundaries of a grandfather.  Yet the whole nation of Judah refused to listen at all to the boundaries given by their Heavenly Father.

The message is clear. If the command of a mere man, an earthly father, Jonadab, was respected and obeyed by his family for 250 years, why didn't the people of Judah obey the commands of their Heavenly Father?  If a family tradition was preserved with such dedication, why was the very Law of God treated with such disrespect? Obeying Jonadab's words had only a limited and temporal significance, but disobeying God's Word would have eternal consequences.

If there is any true characteristic of being a disciple of Jesus, it is obedience to his Word. True disciples are not defined by their words but by their obedience to the commands.  If we claim to love our Heavenly Father, are we obeying Him?  What boundary is God calling you to obey today?

Trust your Heavenly Father's point of view.

 



--
"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

October 19: The Frog in the Pot

Jeremiah 33:1-34:22
1 Timothy 4:1-16
Psalm 89:1-13
Proverbs 25:23-24

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.  I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.  I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.  Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it."

I've done many silly things in my life, but I've never verified firsthand that a frog placed in a pot of water gradually brought to a boil will die without trying to jump out.  As the water boils gradually, it just does not realize what is happening to it.  Perhaps the comfort of the warm water to a cold blooded creature dependent on its environment for warmth makes it oblivious to the danger.

In my life, sin has been like that.  A lot.  While some sin is readily apparent, I find habit, denial and justification render me incapable of recognizing sin, turning sin into a "great and unsearchable thing I do not know".  Foul language is one such example - how easily do I forget to watch my language, justifying profanity because it's a tough work environment, and that's how people talk?  Unkind and uncharitable thought is another - how readily do I justify condemnation of someone simply because of his beliefs, forgetting that even saying "raca" is committing murder?  Here's a good one God's shown me recently - a lack of faith.  I continue to believe hard work at school will lead to a good college, a great job, financial success and, finally, security and happiness - what a complete and utter rejection of the only One who can provide what I so desperately seek for my children.  I can only imagine how many sins, persistent and habitual, there are in my life - great and unsearchable, things I do not know and, consequently, things that will boil me to death without my knowing.

This is why today's reading from Jeremiah was so encouraging to me.  He knows I don't know I'm in the pot...all I have to do is cry out to Him, and He will tell me all that need to know.  Even better, after He helps me out of the pot, He will heal my burns and give me an abundance of the peace I thought I had when I was in the boiling water.  He will show me the futility of trust placed in schoolwork and education and employment and money...and give me and those I love an abundance of the security and happiness we seek.  Wow.  

Thank You, God, for both Your perfect wisdom and Your perfect generosity.  Please teach me to call to You always.

Friday, October 18, 2013

10/18/13

10/18/13

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Interlude Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness? O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend. (Psalms 88:1-18 NLT)

Have you ever been so down in the dumps that it felt like everything and everyone was against you? Where it felt like God himself had turned His back on you? I believe that this is what Heman was going through when he wrote this song. He felt rejected, alone and far from God. I have been through many times like this in my life. I get depressed or angry, and the joy is completely wiped from my existence. I feel like God is so far away. But what I have come to realize is that it is not God who is distant. It is me distancing myself from God. I feel alone because I am ignoring my source of strength. It is me pushing away, or not taking the advice of the maker of the universe. The way that I fight this off is routine. I keep habits, that keep me close to God. After all, how can you have a best friend if you don't spend time with Him? I know, sometimes I have to force myself into worship, or push myself into communion, but when I do, it forces the negativity out of me. When I force myself to sings songs of praise to my redeemer, I cannot stay depressed for long. Jesus is seeping back in!

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Thursday, October 17, 2013

Thursday, October 17

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013

Jeremiah 30:1–31:26

1 Timothy 2:1–15

Psalm 87:1–7

Proverbs 25:18,19

 

 

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given in the proper time.  And, for this purpose, I was appointed a herald and an apostle – I am telling the truth; I am not lying – and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.” (1 Timothy 2:1–7)

 

Several Sundays ago, Pastor Scott, Danielle, and I attended an author’s lecture in New Canaan.  Reza Aslan has recently written a polemical “exploration” of the historical Jesus, Zealot:  The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.  Aslan’s book questions large swaths of the Gospels’ (unified) portrait of Jesus, arguing that the likely illiterate Jesus had primarily oriented his ministry on raising an unsuccessful rebellion against the Roman invasion of first-century Palestine.  During the question-and-answer session, I asked him to consider the peaceable, order-loving vision painted by Paul and Peter vs. that of the supposedly revolutionary Jesus.  His response:  The early Christians conveniently modified their story in order to blend in.

 

Still, the Gospel and the teachings of the New Testament letters present a beautiful unity.  Jesus Himself explained that “blessed are the peacemakers,/ for they will be called children of God….  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3,11,12)  Jesus urges His disciples to participate in the life of the Kingdom – one “not of this world.” (John 18:36)

 

Paul proposes an other-worldly type of living:  one focused on bringing a knowledge of the truth through humility, gentleness, and holiness.  It is our joy to participate in the Gospel by reflecting the glory of the Son.  We are called to responsibly seek the “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7)  We should not shrink back from engaging the world, but rather pursue godly wisdom and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to bring spiritual authority and influence to bear in a fallen, broken world.

 

 

“Like a bad tooth or a lame foot

                is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.” (Proverbs 25:19)

 

What a helpful image!  In modern terms, our reliance often lies on earthly gadgets and methods:  like trusting in a soon-to-fall-apart car or a 10-year-old computer.  In contrast, we find true rest in God alone:

 

“God is our refuge and strength,

                an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way

                and the mountains fall into the heart of the seas,

though its waters roar and foam

                and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1–3)

 


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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

October 15

Jeremiah 26-27
2 Thessalonians 3
Psalm 85:1-13
Proverbs 25:16

Then I repeated this same message to King Zedekiah of Judah. "If you want to live, submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people. Why do you choose war, famine, and disease, which the Lord will bring against every nation that refuses to submit to Babylon's king?"
~ Jeremiah 27:12-13

"When we want to be something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy...whether we like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we want. Once more, we are embarrassed by the intolerable compliment, by too much love, not too little."
~ C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

I am amazed at how stubborn and hard-hearted the Israelites were. They were was told by Jeremiah what would happen to them if they did not turn from their sinful ways. They were warned that there would be consequences for not complying to God's command. They were warned not to listen to false teachers and prophets.

It's so easy for me to look at them and judge them for their actions. Why did they fight against Jeremiah when he was warning them of God's judgement. Nothing Jeremiah said should have been a surprise to them. They had all heard it before from other other prophets and from God's law.

Then it hits me: There are times in my life (more than I'd care to admit) where I am just as stubborn and hard-hearted as they were. How much needless worry and suffering have I put myself through because I was too stubborn to do things God's way? Why does it take me so long to see that I cannot win a fight against God?

I read The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis when I was in high school and as I was reading today's chapters and reflecting on this stubbornness that we're so prone to, I remembered a quote that I had written down in a journal about 13 years ago. "When we want something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy." I will go so far as to
say that all of us are guilty (at one time or another) of assuming that we are better than God at knowing what is best for us. We wrongly assume that we can make ourselves happy on our own. We are all guilty of being stubborn. We would all do good to listen to Jeremiah's warning for those who do not surrender fully to God's will. God will always know exactly what we need and He will always provide for us. But if we think we know better than God and fight Him for something we think will make us happy (but actually won't), then we are headed for nothing but suffering.

The good news is it is never too late to surrender to Him. No matter how much suffering we have endured because of our hard hearts, He will always be there to accept us back and to provide us with everything He knows we need. Living in complete surrender to Him will make us happier
than we could ever attempt to make ourselves. Because He knows what we need and He wants to be the One to provide it for us.

What are you holding on to that is stopping you from living the happy life that God wants you to have?
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