Saturday BlogPost (8/30/14)

Saturday, August 30, 2014 [by Keesha Sullivan]

     Does God allow “bad” things to happen to “good” people? That is the age-old question. My friends started asking me this question when we were just fifteen years old. My friends had lost parents, sisters, brothers, and friends to murder and disease. In the book of Job, his three friends and acquaintance seemed to think that the answer to this question was a resounding NO. 

     Job’s acquaintance, Elihu said, “If [people] obey and serve [God], they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge” (Job: 36: 11-12 NIV). He was basically telling Job the only reason that people have trouble in this life is if they disobey God and are “bad” people. He also was saying in so many words, “Job, you are an awful person that is why God is punishing you; stop sinning!”

     At 18 years old, Joni Eareckson Tada was invited by her sister to swim in the Chesapeake Bay. She dove into the water and misjudged the shallowness. She suffered a fracture between the fourth and fifth cervical levels and became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. She experienced anger, depression, suicidal thoughts, and religious doubts. She wondered to herself in the hospital what her purpose was now that she was a quadriplegic.

Can you imagine her friends saying to her during this difficult time, “Joni, you are an awful person that is why God is punishing you; stop sinning!” Instead of condemning her and beating her when she was down, they gave her a verse found in Jeremiah 29:11 that says, “11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for [good] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” As she listened to them speak about this verse, she decided to take the opportunity to read this scripture on her own as well as the verses surrounding it. 

As she read this passage, she realized that when God said this he was speaking it to his children who were being dragged away into captivity by the Babylonians. They were going into exile. They were going into slavery. They had decades in front of them of hard, awful suffering. She began to see at that moment that God’s plan for a hopeful future for her was not necessarily jumping up, dancing, kicking, running, or even walking. She realized that Jeremiah 29:11 wasn’t necessarily talking about God not allowing our bodies to be harmed. It wasn’t even necessarily talking about God never allowing harmful circumstances to take place. God was speaking about something so much deeper. He was talking about His plans never harming our soul. 

     Due to her quadriplegia, she has developed an earnest dependency on God. She has realized her need for God every single moment of the day. As she relies on Him and asks for His help, she receives the sweetest, most precious, most intimate union. She is filled with His laughter and His joy. Her soul has prospered to heights that she had never imagined were attainable. 

Elihu , Job’s acquaintance, said one thing that I believe is completely true. In Job 36: 26, Elihu says,   “How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.” He basically was saying that God’s knowledge and ways were so far above our knowledge and ways that it was impossible to figure Him out. 

     I cannot answer the question “Why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?” I don’t know. I cannot tell a person why he or she suffers incredible hardships and trials. I don’t know. I DO know that we can trust God and that He is good. Although He allows “bad” things to happen to “good” people, ultimately He will work it out for His purposes. And His purposes are always, always good. 

Everything that He allows to happen in our lives will prosper us. God is good. He allows evil to happen for a greater good. We know that He is in charge and that although we may not understand the things that we are going through currently (or things we have gone through in the past) He is still in control. In Romans 8:28 it says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Although it doesn’t talk about this in the book of Job, I truly believe that after Job’s dreadful suffering that his soul prospered and he enjoyed intimacy with God in a way that He never would have before the trial occurred, much like Joni Eareckson Tada's testimony

     Lord, we pray that you would help us trust you more. Help us not to question Your goodness even in the face of horrible turmoil. Help us to remember that You are a good God and that Your plans always prospers us. We need You Lord, and we love you. Amen. 

Kenny Sullivan

Grace EFC | Stamford, CT

C: 203-803-7478

O: 203-323-6737 ext. 12

soli Deo gloria

Thursday, August 28

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

Job 28:1–30:31

2 Corinthians 2:12–17

Psalm 42:1–11

Proverbs 22:7

 

 

Today’s short passage from 2 Corinthians 2:12–17 provides two excellent word-pictures to understand the nature of the Gospel, the good news that, in Christ alone by grace alone by faith alone, we may find forgiveness and eternal life.

 

In v. 14, Paul writes:  “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”  Please notice these two pictures:  a “triumphal procession” and the “fragrance of the knowledge of him.”  While Paul applies these pictures primarily to himself and his ministry associates, these word-pictures apply to us as we seek to honor and glorify God.

 

The “triumphal procession” refers to the victors’ parade that would follow a battle campaign.  Without means to broadcast messages quickly or over significant distances, the showmanship of such a procession, perhaps also involving the humiliation of enemy prisoners, bolstered the standing of local leaders in the eyes of their subjects.  The victory deserved a festive occasion.  This tradition persisted well into the modern day.  Perhaps you may recall the famous “sailor-kissing-the-nurse” picture from August 1945 or the ticker-tape parades of returning soldiers or victorious sports teams.  The media has even termed the closed-in buildings of Lower Manhattan, the sight of many such parades, “the Canyon of Heroes.”

 

While most such parades celebrate temporal victory, this “triumphal procession” to which Paul refers involves the guarantee of eternal life and the powerful forgiveness that accompanies it.  In proclaiming the truth of God’s Word and taking hold of it for our daily lives, we participate in the most significant witness for the Gospel:  transformed lives.  When we serve as a living testimony of God’s goodness, mercy, and power, we herald the joyous victory over sin and death.

 

With that in mind, with what type of attitude may we approach our walk with Christ?  With confidence!  Ours is not a vain hope in a potential victory; rather, it is a secure, grounded hope in a promised and sealed outcome.  We may trust the effective work of Christ on the Cross because of the trustworthiness of God Himself, His power over nature and history, the testimony of Scripture, and the historical facts of the Empty Tomb and the faithfulness of believers.  We see evidence for our confidence daily as we study for the Word.  May you take great joy in marching in His “triumphant procession” today!

 

The second image – that of a “fragrant aroma” – highlights the categorical response to the Gospel.  In this message, we either find life (for those who have trusted in Christ) or death (for those who recognize their deadness in sin, apart of Jesus’s work on the cross):  “To the one, we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”

 

As we seek to love God, love people, and make disciples, we present Jesus Christ and Him crucified to a hurting world.  People will react to Christ living with us by receiving Him or rejecting Him.  Dulling one’s senses to this truth through distractions or ignoring it altogether involves a (passive) rejection, too.

 

The passage concludes with two curious notes.  First, Paul questions:  “And who is equal to such a task?”  This opportunity and challenge of serving as the aroma of Christ is truly impossible in our human strength.  Only by God’s grace may we, like the moon, reflect the glory of the Son.  This seeming inadequacy draws us more closely to God.  Paul had written in 1:9:  “Indeed, in our hearts, we felt the sentence of death [due to their sufferings].  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

 

Second, please notice how Paul declares that he does not “peddle” the Gospel.  While the historical context is not immediately apparent, perhaps he refers to offering cheap grace to bring adulation and profit.  Instead, a careful witness offers not an elixir, but a relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ.  This relationship will bring joy but will not allow us to avoid trouble or hardship.  As the Sons of Korah offer in Psalm 42:1,2, tasting this relationship leads us to thirst after Him.  This reality may bring hope to a hurting and hurdling world.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for the gracious provision of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Who has secured eternal victory.  Give us an attitude of confidence as we live for You, pointing others to Your truth and goodness.  Help us to share the aroma of Christ through our lives, which only happens by Your grace.  Equip us to honor You and serve as Your ambassadors.  Come, Lord Jesus, to bring hope and renewal to Stamford, Connecticut, the U.S., and our world.  We thirst for You and wish to taste and see Your goodness today.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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Tuesday August 26

Job 20-22

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Psalm 40:11-17

Proverbs 22:2-4

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Recently, I was talking to someone who had a life-changing event happen to her a few years ago. It was shocking and devastating and completely turned her whole world up-side down. She never would have guessed this would have happened to her because everything in her life seemed fine. But one thing she has learned from this difficult experience is that she can use it to help others. She has met other people who struggled with the same thing and she has been able to encourage them with her story.

When we are struggling, we can always turn of God as our source of all comfort. The Crowder song "Come As You Are" says that "Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal." There is nothing beyond His ability. Whether by delivering you from a situation or strengthening you to live through it, He will always give you the comfort you need. Our part then is to give that comfort from God to others. We have all been through trials that we didn't think we'd make it through. We've all been in tunnels and not been able to see the light at the end. But every time, God has been faithful and He has helped us through. Now we need to be that same comfort to others who are hurting and struggling and hopeless. 

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The Lord is great!"

~ Psalm 40:16

August 25: From "Impatient" to I'm patient"

Job 16:1-19:29
1 Cor 16:1-24
Psalm 40:1-10
Proverbs 22:1

I find it hard to be patient.  I find it harder still to be patient while under duress.  I remember when I was young, we drive five hours into the mountains on vacation.  Problem was, i was easily car sick - and violently so.  And on those trips, bad enough during the first four hours when the road was flat and straight, but the last hour was up the mountain on a zig-zag road, after which I'd be green as the fir trees.  It was during those trips I learned two things: why dogs stuck their heads out of windows, and how to ask, repeatedly, "Are we there yet?". I did NOT learn patience.

The psalmist talks about patience, about waiting on the Lord, who turns when He hears our cries; who rescues us.  But in the story of job we see a God who acts in His time, leaving us to cling to the conviction our "redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God."  Sometimes it is merely challenging to be patient; other times, it is excruciatingly difficult.  But patience is key - when we wait on Him, we are lifted out of the mud and mire, and set on rock, with a new song in our mouths.

You know what I find increasingly difficult?  Waiting to see that my kids will be fine - that they will come through middle school and high school and college ok, that they will have good jobs, that they will have good, lasting marriages and, most of all, that they will get to know God.  My eldest is a senior in high school and will be off to college soon - how I wish I knew for certain all this was going to turn out well for her, and for her two younger brothers in turn.  Lord, help me learn to be patient, for "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord."  It has been a life long lesson...help me to keep learning it.  Take me from "impatient" to "I'm patient".  

August 24

Psalm 39 

As we draw to the end of our summer I reflect on how quickly it has disappeared. I distinctly remember Memorial Day because we were returning from Switzerland. I remember Father's Day because my heart attack started that day. I remember holding my grandchildren at the fireworks on July 4th. And I remember our Camp Spofford family reunion because Kathie and I finally beat our boys in best ball golf. There you have it; the whole summer is gone.

King David must have had a similar experience because he wrote at the end of one season of life, "Let me know how fleeting my life is. Each man's life is but a breath." Psalm 39

Life is like being outside on a cold, brisk morning when you exhale warm air from your lungs and it forms a definite cloud. The cloud is real; you can see it, but just as quickly as the cloud was made, it disappears. The dissipation of that cloud is a reminder of the frailty and the brevity of human life. 

A few years ago a group named "Five for Fighting" sang a popular song called "100 Years."  The premise of the song is that if you've only got 100 years to live, then 15 is a great age to be because you've got plenty of time—"time to buy, time to lose, time to choose."  22 isn't bad either, as you're just crossing the threshold into grown-up pursuits. At 33 or so it feels like things are coming together—you have people in your life and work to do. But at 45 you're nearing the halfway mark, and time is slipping away. At 67 the sun is falling toward the horizon, and before you know it, you're 99, wondering where the time went and wishing you were 15 again, even for a moment.

David said it is a good thing to question how we spend our lives. He asks this exact question in verse 7, "But now, Lord, what do I look for?" We need to evaluate and consider how we are living our few, brief days on earth.  A short life should be spent wisely. We would be foolish to misspend a single hour.

So where do we find the answer?  David points us to a relationship with the living God. He says, "My hope is in you."  Life is more than the events that happen in a summer. Life is growing to know and love God more each day. Allow God to teach you what really counts in life. If you don't, one day you will be "99 simply wishing you were 15 again."

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

August 22nd

August 22nd

Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied to Job: "Will you be patient and let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out? "In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn't your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn't your life of integrity give you hope? "Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in a blast of his anger. (‭Job‬ ‭4‬:‭1-9‬ NLT)

Let's think about Job for a minute here: he just lost his livestock, his ability to make money, his servants, all of his children, and if that wasn't enough, he got a serious skin disease. So, needless to say, Job was a bit down. He was in pain and had a broken heart. I would go as far as to say he was depressed. He just wants God to kill him, to let him die. So onto the scene comes his friend Eliphaz. Now Eliphaz has a great opportunity here, an opportunity to uplift, and opportunity to be a helpful hand to his friend who has always been encouraging to others. But here, when Job needs someone to be his strength for him, his friend Eliphaz doesn't do the same for him. He just tries to give him advice. Tries to point out what "experience" has taught him. What Job needed was a friend to stand with him, not try to point out his wrongs. Job is in pain, and has pain in his heart, he needed his friend to listen to him, grieve with him, be a friend to him. But that is not what he got, is it?
There is a lesson for us all in this passage today. We all are friends with someone who is going through a struggle. People we know have lost a loved one, are deep in depression, have a broken heart. The list could go on and on.... Here is where so many of us fail. Our struggling friends don't need our advice. They need their friend. They need our time. They need a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes the way we can be most Christlike is to just spend time listening to people, and crying with them, and sharing in their struggles. Don't be an Eliphaz. We all have done this, I know I have. Advice, even wise advise in a time of struggle is not what they need. They need a friend. Don't be an Eliphaz!

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Thursday, August 21

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014

Job 1:1–3:26

1 Corinthians 14:1–17

Psalm 37:12–29

Proverbs 21:25,26

 

 

As we turn to the Book of Job, several key elements have jumped out to me:

 

1.                   God maintained sovereignty over even Job’s suffering.  God did not find Himself surprised or overwhelmed by Satan’s request.  Instead, He willfully allowed these challenges to come upon Job and His family and set the boundaries for this cosmic battle.

 

2.                   God displayed confidence in Job’s faithfulness, but ultimately God’s character – and not Job’s – came into question.  Would Job remain faithful in the midst of this onslaught?  Would God’s promises hold for him in this sea of trouble?

 

3.                   Job initially reacts by praising God.  To the surprise and dismay of his wife, Job reasons, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”  He remembers God’s faithfulness in the storm.  He maintains the choice of trusting or not trusting and responds in faith.

 

4.                   Sometimes, a multitude of words leads us nowhere.  The third and forthcoming chapters speak in circles and provide some confusing statements.  Trying to make sense of tragedy without reference to God’s sovereignty will prove impossible.  We must look at circumstance through a Biblical lens and remember that God is always capable and compassionate.  We also should avoid speaking authoritatively on others’ experiences or the consequences of their actions.

 

5.                   The logic that our suffering stems from our or others’ sin or shortcomings persists to this day.  God desires long-term faithfulness in His servants and seeks to develop our character through life experience, particularly suffering.  According to Romans 5:3,4, “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  In speaking about God’s discipline through suffering, the author of Hebrews explains that, even as God’s Son, Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him… ” (5:8,9)

 

 

Lord God, open our eyes to understand more of Your heart and character through the Book of Job.  Guide our hearts into a deeper understanding of how You would like to respond to suffering and setbacks.  Give us the grace to honor and praise You first, choosing to trust You in spite of temptations to the contrary.  Help us also to be loving friends and good (listening) counsel for those who are hurting.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

 

As an aside, did you notice in the Book of Esther how God worked through the wills and desires of both King Xerxes and Haman to bring about the Jews’ redemption?  Both Xerxes and Haman sought the counsel of others and made key decisions – to install a replacement to Queen Vashti and the building of the gallows – through these “delightful” suggestions.

 

Mordecai trusted in His Redeemer but prudently feared the potential destruction of His people.  In this vein, I found Mordecai’s faith and charge to Esther as quite encouraging and stirring:  “Do not think that, because you are in the king’s house, you alone of all the Jews will escape.  For, if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”  Following God involves answering the challenges of life by seeking God’s best and the good of His people, even when it will prove personally costly.

 

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August 19

Esther 4-7

1 Corinthians 12:1-26

Psalms 36:1-12

Proverbs 21:21-22

That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him.

~ Esther 6:1

This part of Tuesday's reading really stood out to me. The king couldn't sleep so he had his attendant read him something dull! But in doing so, he discovered something that had been overlooked. Mordecai had stopped an assassination attempt and he had never been rewarded for this. So on the morning that Haman was to have Mordecai executed, the king ordered to have him honored.

Let's think about what would have happened if the king wasn't suffering from insomnia that night. Haman would have probably gotten permission to have Mordecai executed, too late for Esther to intervene at the banquet that night.

I love it when we see God's timing and plan work out perfectly. Losing sleep is not a good experience. I'm sure it was distressing for the king. But without it, Mordecai would have been dead and maybe everything else would have played out differently. Maybe even the king's reaction to Esther revealing Haman's plans.

I know it's hard to see what God's plan might be when we're in the middle of difficult situation. But we should always trust that He can see the beginning and the end and He knows exactly what to do.

August 18: God is in Ferguson

Esther 1:1-3:15

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Psalm 35:17-28

Proverbs 21:19-20

Most, if not all who read this, will likely have heard of a small town, one they might not have known existed before a week or so ago.  That town is Ferguson, Missouri.  And given all that's gone on the last week or so, some may wonder if God is in Ferguson.

I will not delve into the incident that has sparked so much controversy and so much turmoil.  But I when I read about Mr. Mumtaz Lalani, who on Sunday night had a live feed that allowed him to watch rioters loot and destroy his store, as I followed the story of a man who had nothing to do with what caused the riots and how he watched the fruit of his long, hard labor go up in smoke, wondering, doubting whether or not he could recover, I was struck by the appropriateness of today's psalm:

How long, Lord, will you look on?

     Rescue me from their ravages,

     my precious life from these lions...

...Do not let those gloat over me

     who are my enemies without cause;

Do not let those who hate me without reason 

     maliciously wink the eye

It is amazing to me how, centuries ago, God already had the prayer for Mr. Lalani, the prayer for any of us who feels they have been wronged, grievously, unjustly.  It is amazing that we can call on the God who created the universe, who set all of it in motion, and whose will sustains its existence - on that God, we can call on, to "contend for me" and "vindicate me in Your righteousness".  In times of injustice and hopelessness, may I - may we - never forget the power and dominion of the God we serve.  Because in times of hopelessness and victimization, He is there - yes, even in Ferguson.

     

August 17

Nehemiah 13:25   I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.

I am not recommending using the Nehemiah approach to changing culture.  In our reading today he used rebuke, cursing, beating people up and pulling out their hair. Just to clarify, that is not how I lost mine.

Israel was a theocracy where God was the king and His law was the constitution. Given that the nation had just returned from 70 years of captivity caused by their rejection of God's commands about marriage, I can see why Nehemiah was a little over the top with this issue. 

But make no mistake about it; marriage is the building block to all nations.  That puts our nation on the trajectory of extinction.

So how do we change the culture? Let me make two suggestions. First, I am making a call to art not a call to arms. From my perspective, TV and the movie screen have changed our nation more than anything else. So to change it back again I want to encourage you to have a movie night at your house. Here is a list of movies taken from "Movie Guide" that celebrate marriage: Father of the Bride, Cheaper by the Dozen, Shadowlands, It's a Wonderful Life, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Quiet Man, The Sound of Music, Julie and Julia, Fireproof and Up…   just to name a few.

Show the movie and have a discussion with your friends or neighbors about marriage.

Second, live a sizzling married life. Show the world by example that we have great relationships. The world needs to see how much we love, romance, sacrifice for, have fun with, spend time with, and experience the deepest human relationship possible on earth. When they see this they will want to buy in again. That is the goal. 

It may be that the culture will soon be beyond repair – that traditional views will not be tolerated. Or, maybe not. But one thing is for certain, we must use the arts and our lives to pull this culture back to a healthy view of marriage and it will only be accomplished one heart at a time.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Saturday BlogPost (8/16/14)

Saturday, August 16, 2014

[by Keesha Sullivan]

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind..." (Numbers 23:19 NIV) 

The entire bible, God's Word, is true. It is not possible for God to lie which means we can trust everything that God says in His Word. We can believe and put our hope in His promises. We will not be let down.

Today we read in the Psalms, "The righteous cry out, and The Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17). 

I had to write the word "WOW" by this verse. It doesn't say "some of our troubles," or "just the really difficult ones" - it says ALL! Praise God! 

I can't help, but think of my Christian brothers and sisters that I've lost in my life. At the moment that they said, "I'm tired" or "This is just too much," God took them away to Heaven to be with Him. He delivered them from their troubles one last time... Before today, I had never thought about it that way. 

In the life of a believer even our death shows God delivering us from the troubles that we face in the world. God says in His Word, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!" (John16:33 NIV) 

We can have peace at all times! God's got it. Their is no trouble that we face that He won't deliver us from. We don't have to worry; we can trust that God will do what He said He will do in His Word.

Lord, thank you so, so, so much for being there for us. Thank You for Your Word! Thank You that we can trust in You. You are an amazing God! Thank You for delivering us from all of our troubles! We praise You and glorify You. We magnify Your name! Hallelujah! You are good! Help us to increase in our faith and trust in You! 

We love You Lord! 

Amen!  

Kenny Sullivan

Grace EFC | Stamford, CT

C: 203-803-7478

O: 203-323-6737 ext. 12

soli Deo gloria

August 15th

August 15th

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭19-23‬ NLT)

Paul was all about connecting with people. And this reading is all about that. Paul is explaining that he has connected with many people, on many different levels. This is what his point is. If we want to connect with people, we need to meet them on their level. We cannot have a holier than thou mentality. We need to work with our hands next to and for people if we are going to share in the harvest. That is how community is built, and people are reached.

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Thursday, August 14

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014

Nehemiah 7:61–9:21

1 Corinthians 9:1–18

Psalm 33:12–22

Proverbs 21:11,12

 

 

Today’s passage from Psalm 33 highlights God’s sovereignty and providence for those who “wait in hope” for Him.

 

I have recently started a study with a group over the book Trusting God by Jerry Bridges.  In the book, Bridges argues that we typically think of God’s providence as only bringing “good” outcomes, where we define “good” in a worldly, temporal sense.  His providence may involve what appear to be “rocky” paths, but we may trust in His goodness and His purposes.  Following after Romans 8:28,29, Bridges explains that God’s purposes always support His glory and the good of His people, and the two are never in conflict.  The “good of His people” includes our continued growth in Christlikeness (“conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers”).  Our discussion group waded on the topic of moving our understanding of these key questions from our heads to our hearts, experiencing these truths viscerally and not just intellectually.

 

 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,

                the people he chose for his inheritance.

From heaven the LORD looks down

and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth—

he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do.” (Psalm 33:12–15)

 

The psalmist shows keen interest in God’s care for His people and their attitudes in light of His presence.  The Bible makes clear that God does “choose” His people and that He has the strength to effect His will in our world.  With Paul, we acknowledge:  “‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

 

 

“No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.” (vv. 17–19)

 

God takes an active interest in observing this world and intervenes as His people call upon Him.  Often, I find myself living like the person trusting in the horse, vainly and desperately seeking to bring security instead of leaning upon God’s sovereign care.  As I have reflected on this shortcoming, it seems that I would do well to recognize God’s presence more clearly and to remember His faithfulness.  It involves a moment-by-moment attacking of the lies with which we are consistently bombarded, turning them on their heads with the truth of Scripture and the comfort of His presence.  One verse for this moment:  “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)

 

 

“We wait in hope for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love be with us, O LORD,

even as we put our hope in you.”

 

In these closing verses, the people praise God as their “help” and “shield.”  The hope to which the psalmist refers does not mean a wishful but uncertain desire, but rather an anchored reality in the bedrock of truth and God’s character.  Related again to Trusting God, we discussed how we may join in the hope-birthing process through sowing good thoughts and bearing God-honoring feelings (“affections”), as noted in Philippians 4:8.  We also must wrestle with the temporal vs. the eternal, recognizing that temporal realities may sometimes cloud eternal realities.  Yet, God does not change, and His sovereignty over both is complete.

 

 

Lord God, we bow before You in humility and trust.  We are incapable of trusting You completely under our strength; we need a greater revelation of Your presence and character into our hearts.  Take our hearts and transform them according to Your purpose.  Help us to find hope in You at all times, as we trust in Your unfailing love and goodness.  Bring to mind the truth of eternal, secure realities in the midst of the uncertainty and pain in this life.

 

We also pray for our sister Valerie Johnson.  Thank You, Lord, for her sweetness and loving heart.  Thank You for the joy of knowing her and the outstanding ways in which You have used her to be a blessing for so many.  Stand with her, Lord, and comfort her deeply at this time.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

________________________________________
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Tuesday August 12

Nehemiah 3:15-5:13

1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Psalms 32:1-11

Proverbs 21:5-7

In Nehemiah, we read about the daunting task of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. This was far from easy for the Israelites. Not only was it hard work, but they also faced opposition from people around them. As they built the wall, they also feared for their lives. They had to work with one hand and use the other to hold a weapon. Despite all these obstacles and opposition, God protected them through the whole process. I wonder how many times they felt like giving up because it was just too hard or because it was just too terrifying. But they didn't. They continued and endured and persevered with help from each other and from their God.

Like many others, I was deeply saddened to hear about Robin William's death on Monday. He made a lot of people laugh and brought a lot of people joy throughout his career. But he also suffered a lot in his life. I was heartbroken for his family and also for the people I know and love who have the same struggles as he did (addiction and mental illness). Why did he feel like he just couldn't continue? What hope do the rest of us have when we feel like the darkness will overtake us?

When you are faced with an impossible situation where it seems like there is no way out, you are not alone. You have your God and your brothers and sisters in Christ to help you with your burden. David Crowder's song "I Am" has been running through my head almost constantly. "There's no space that His love can't reach. There's no place where you can't find peace. There's no end to amazing grace."

Please, if you feel like you are at the end of your rope, please talk to someone. And please, if you see someone who is struggling, reach out to them. We cannot go through the trials and struggles of this life alone. We can only do it with help from our God and from each other.

Crowder - I Am (Lyric Video)

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August 11: No money, no resources...no problem

Nehemiah 1:1-3:14

1 Corinthians 7:1-24

Psalm 31:19-24

Proverbs 21:4

I am a father; my wife and I are trying to raise our children as best we can.  It is interesting how our two younger children, both boys, are exhibiting very similar behavior.  When they do something wrong, and we point it out, their immediate response is to try and shift the blame to someone else (usually another sibling).  And we try to point out how one is condemned to repeat mistakes they refuse to acknowledge and learn from.  

I hope my sons turn out like Nehemiah.  When he saw what had happened to Jerusalem, he immediately realized why, and what had to be done.  He wept for his realization, and acknowledged what wasn't just his sin, but all of Israel's sin, before God.  He was saddened to the point of tears with the acknowledgement of the sin, and then he confessed the sin and repented, and he reminded God of God's promise, to gather up His people in exile when they returned to Him and obeyed His commands.  

Here's what's amazing: God heard his prayer, and answered it.  Nehemiah had no money, no resources, nothing with which to rebuild the Jerusalem.  He was a servant, a cupbearer of the king - not something that came with lucrative stock options and profit sharing, no 401-K he could borrow against.  Yet he didn't even have to start the first conversation that led to him getting the resources needed - God moved King Artaxerxes to note Nehemiah's sadness and ask him.  And then God provided what Nehemiah needed, through someone who had no incentive whatsoever to give him permission, much less the materials and authority required.  

So the truth is, I want our children to learn from Nehemiah - not just in the acknowledgement of their own faults, shortcomings and sin, but in their acknowledgement of God, and their dependence upon Him.  Then they will partake of the abundance of "the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You, that You bestow in the sight of all on those who take refuge in You."

Saturday 8/9/14

August 9, 2014 (By Keesha Sullivan)

 

The first time I saw the video “99 Balloons” it blew my mind. This YouTube video shows real parents documenting 99 days of their son’s life. They knew he was going to be born with a genetic disease that would take his life at any moment, so each day they celebrated his life. They gave thanks to God for the days that they would be able to share with him. The video shows them rejoicing over his 99 days. The last image you see on the screen as their son dies is the verse that comes from Job 1:21 which says, “…the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

These parents believed that God was good. Because of this belief, they saw their son’s 99 days as a gift and were able to maintain peace in the middle of an incredible storm. In the reading today, we see the main character, Ezra, holding that same belief that God is good. In Ezra chapter 9 verse 15, it says, “O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous!”

 

The Babylonians enslaved Ezra and the Israelites. They killed their young men with the sword and spared neither young man nor young woman. The Babylonians carried all of the articles from the temple of God, both large and small. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, yet Ezra maintained his belief that God was good.

 

Ezra 9:7-8 says, “From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. But now, for a brief moment the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in His sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.” Ezra, like the parents that I spoke about in the documentary, believed in God’s goodness. They believed that even in the midst of the storm that God was still righteous and just. This perspective led them to receive the peace of God through incredible turmoil and tragedy.

 

We too can have that peace if we take on the same belief that no matter what happens that God is still good. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Although our circumstances may change, God does not. We can trust Him and believe even in the midst of our own personal storms that God is good.

 

Lord, please help us to trust and believe in your goodness even in the midst of our storms. Help us to see You as an immutable/unchangeable good and gracious God.  Lord, please give us the perfect peace that you bestow on those that put their hope and trust in Your goodness. We love you so much Lord, and we are grateful for all that you do for us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

 

Kenny Sullivan

Grace EFC | Stamford, CT

C: 203-803-7478

O: 203-323-6737 ext. 12

soli Deo gloria

Thursday, August 7

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014

Ezra 5::1–6:22

1 Corinthians 3:5–23

Psalm 29:1–11

Proverbs 20:24,25

 

 

In Thursday’s passage from 1 Corinthians 3:5–23, Paul discusses the realities facing a minister of the New Covenant.

 

First, he notes that anyone so ministering really serves as “co-workers in God’s service.”  Their efforts do not come from an individual alone, but rather God “makes all things grow.”  Each minister takes on different roles, either as tiller, planter, waterer, or harvester, yet, in all this, God maintains sovereignty over the process.  In His grace, fruit comes from these efforts, according to God’s good pleasure and purpose.  For this reason, no one should take pride in the successes of ministry or deprecate oneself in the failure of achieving “numbers.”  God takes full responsibility for the harvest.  As a result, we should praise God for any rejoicing through ministry and refrain from exalting ours or other people’s names.

 

Even with God’s sovereignty over the process, however, the laborers do have a righteous motivation of reward in participating.  We ought not sit idly by and watch a hurting world.  We should jump in and seek God’s direction for service.

 

Earlier this week, I received a great quote from Dwight L. Moody, an American evangelist in the late 1800s.  In writing about Jesus’s conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well – to which the disciples had wondered, “What’s the point?” – Moody commented:  “There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord; but few of us willing to do little things...  Look at that wonderful sermon that [Jesus] preached to that lone woman at the well of Samaria.  He was tired and weary, but he had time and the heart to preach to her.  This is but one of many instances in the life of the Master from which we may learn a precious lesson.  If the Son of God had time to preach to one soul, cannot every one of us go and do the same?”  Indeed, the journey of ministry takes many small steps, of which we, by God’s grace, are all capable and equipped.

In the next verses, Paul touches upon the personal responsibility we hold in remaining faithful to God’s instructions:  “building” on a wise foundation, Jesus Christ alone.  In that final Day, the permanency and value of the long-term fruit of ministry or growth in faith will shine through, as the temporal accomplishments of life will fade away in a fire.  What we have built in ourselves and others on that solid foundation will last into eternity, and its quality will become quite apparent.  These words and reflections definitely encourage us to “mind the store” of our lives and to sow good seed into the lives of young people and our friends that we would like to encourage and build up in the faith.

 

Paul also writes:  “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”  These verses and others suggest that, individually and corporately, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and in our midst.  He guides, empowers, corrects, and strengthens us for the ministry of daily life.  Thanks be to God!

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for those spiritual leaders whom You have led into our lives.  Help us to serve others with the same spirit of charity and compassion.  Shape us, Lord, into Your servants, Your hands and feet.  In Your Name, amen.

________________________________________
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August 8th

August 8th

Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don't have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash—right up to the present moment. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭9-13‬ NLT)

The hardships of the Apostles jumped out at me today. We are supposed to be striving to be more like the apostles were, fully sold out for Christ. They followed in the footsteps of Christ, and they faced many hardships. But the thing that stood out to me the most was a lot of what Paul lists here are choices. (We have no home, we work hard, we bless those who curse us, we are patient to our abusers, we appeal gently when evil things are said about us.) the Apostles chose to be who they were, and they were better for it. They had character. These things that Paul listed are by no means easy, and sometimes downright demeaning, but Christ did not call us to a life of comfort, but of righteousness. I am so far from this description. Something to strive towards. I would rather look like a fool and be sold out for Christ, than look wise to the world and leave Christ behind.

Sent from my iPad

Tuesday August 5

Ezra 1-2

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

Psalm 27:7-14

Proverbs 20:22-23

I saw an interview with Bill Maher several years ago. He had a movie coming out called Religulous (combination of the words religion and ridiculous). In this movie, he interviewed people of different faiths (Christians, Jews, Muslims, 
Scientologists) with the purpose of pointing out how "ridiculous" religion is. When he started to point out how silly he thinks Christianity is, I found myself agreeing with him (hear me out for a minute!). From the perspective of the 
world, religion is ridiculous. Faith in ANYTHING we can't see doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make sense that a God would be three persons in one. It doesn't make sense that God would step down into our world and die for us. It 
doesn't make sense that a good God would allow suffering in the world. It doesn't make sense that He is strong through our weakness. If you look at it through the eyes of the world, I agree, it sounds ridiculous.
 
1 Corinthians 1:18 says "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The problem with Bill Maher (a devote atheist) is he believes in his own wisdom, 
rather than God's. If we rely on our own understanding, it will lead us in the wrong direction. The message of the cross will confuse us, rather than bring us life. We must look with eyes of faith in order to experience the true wisdom of 
God. Verse 25 of 1 Corinthians 1 says "God's foolishness is wiser than man's wisdom." I have more confidence in God's foolishness than my own wisdom any day! 
 
God's Own Fool
by Michael Card

Seems I've imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men
He must have seemed out of His mind

For even his family said He was mad
and the priests said, "A demon's to blame";
but God in the form of this angry young man
could not have been perfectly sane.

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes.
When we in our weakness believed we were strong,
He became helpless to show we were wrong
And so we follow God's own fool;
for only the foolish can tell.
Believe the unbelievable;
come be a fool as well.

So come lose your life for a carpenter's son,
for a madman Who died for a dream.
Then you'll have the faith His first followers had,
and you'll feel the weight of the beam.

So surrender the hunger to say you must know,
have the courage to say: "I believe".
For the power of paradox opens your eyes,
and blinds those who say they can see.

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes.
When we in our weakness believed we were strong,
He became helpless to show we were wrong
And so we follow God's own fool;
for only the foolish can tell.
Believe the unbelievable;
come be a fool as well.