July 31st blog post

God's Gym

 

 

I workout at the gym with my husband, Chuck.  I've been going since the beginning of the year but he has been going for years.  One look at the two of us and it is obvious that we do not lift the same amount of weight.  Chuck's muscles are much stronger than mine and he can lift more weight and often times do more reps than I am capable of.  The nice thing about working out with him is he doesn't expect me to lift what he does and so he doesn't push me to try to lift what I am not yet able to.  Don't get me wrong, he will push me to try and become stronger but he does it with encouragement and support.  If, like this morning, he sees that I am struggling or not feeling well he will encourage me to take it easy, rest, and not push myself beyond what I am ready for.  I believe he does this so that I don't get hurt or discouraged and give up on going to the gym all together.  He is excited for me, that I am there and wanting to keep myself fit and healthy.  His gentle and continual support and encouragement has helped keep me focused and returning to the gym day after day.  The results are that I am stronger and healthier.

 

Chuck's support is not the only experience I have had at the gym.  The first day I went to the gym with Chuck was a tough day.  I weighed 35 pounds more than I do now and it was obvious I was not in the kind of shape that many of the people working out around me were in.  I remember vividly one fit young woman who walked by me with her heavy weights in hand, she gave me a quick glance up and down and then snickered shaking her head as she passed by me.  Then another two ladies working out together did the same thing.   It took a lot for me to remind myself that I was not there for their approval but for my benefit, for my health, for my growth, for my strength to increase.  It would have been easy to let their jeers push me away to never return.

 

My gym experiences remind me of today's reading in Romans concerning our faith.  Life is like the gym, God's Gym, and each day we need to exercise our faith to help it grow and to be strong.  We all are at different levels in our faith and understand and each day we should be striving and seeking to grow in our knowledge and faith so that we can handle whatever lays before us in life.  If our faith is strong we need to remember to be careful not to look down on those who's faith is not where ours is but to support them, encourage them, and be there to help them as they grow.   We should come along aside them and let them know they are not alone and help them push through the difficult moments. If our faith is not as strong as others we have to be careful not to look at them and get discouraged or feel ashamed of our weak faith.  We can't give up and abandon our faith but ask God to help increase our faith and stay focused.  We also need to encourage, support and thank those with a stronger faith as they can help us in the growth of our faith.

 

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."  Romans 14:19

 

May each of you be encouraged today to exercise your faith and grow in your wisdom and understanding and to support encourage those around you so that they too may grow.

July 29: Joash, Jehoiada, and Guidance

2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28

Romans 12:1-21

Psalm 22:19-31

Proverbs 20:8-10

Joash - what a story.   Saved from death practically at infancy, and made king at the age of 7.  A recipe for disaster, asking someone that young to take on such tremendous responsibility - but no, not in this case.  Because Joash "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest."  Joash was a good king because he was guided by someone who was guided by the One King.  How different would it have been, I wonder, if Joash had acted as though, as king, he already had all the answers, and didn't need Jehoiada's counsel?

As a parent, these are among my greatest fears - that my children will decide they have all the answers; that they will not heed counsel - not from their admittedly flawed parents, not from the others whom God might send them; that they will "confirm to the pattern of this world" instead of being "transformed by the renewing of [their] mind".  

One might think that fear easy to dismiss…but one need only look around and realize how insidious the devil is.  For the longest time, entertainment - one of the biggest addictions possible - has fed at the trough filled with movies about bumbling adults and parents and pure hearted children who know better, who end up saving the day.  Today, some of the fruit that indoctrination has borne can be seen in colleges where students are ignorant of their ignorance, demanding not that they be taught what they do not know, but that their unfounded beliefs be confirmed.    

Mind though - this is neither an intellectual nor emotional battle - it is a SPIRITUAL one.  And when my worry threatens to turn into despair, remembering how even Joash, who when he had Jehoiada in his life led the kingdom in godly manner, could so easily be turned from the habits and the path of his youth when his mentor was gone, how wonderful to be reminded that wee can be "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"; that I can pray to God "do not be far from me; You are my strength, come quickly to help". 

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Sunday, July 30

"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me" Psalm 23:4

Psalm 23 is one of my favorite psalms. However, many times, I wished to erase that verse from the psalm. I had a hard time with it. It triggered my old belief in a punishing God. I have a long history of believing in a distant, punishing God. It took God's mercy, and grace, and a lot of assistance from my mentor, to be saved from that belief. It was a huge stronghold in my life. At times, I am still tempted to go back to that old thinking, but through God's love I no longer dwell in that.

However, even in the context of being saved from the image of the punishing God, I still had a hard time with the rod and the staff. I pictured a shepherd hitting an animal in order to make him obey. To me, that was the purpose of the rod and the staff. I tried to convince myself that punishment could be out of love, but still, I couldn't get myself to like the verse.

Recently, through God' mercy, I came across an explanation of the rod and the staff, that completely restored my peace and my confidence in a loving God.

"The shepherd's rod is a weapon to protect sheep from thieves and wild animals. It is about two and a half feet long with bits of iron embedded in the head." It made me understood that the purpose of the rod was not for punishment but protection. It is meant for my protection, against enemies or anything else that threatens me. I picture the Lord with the rod in his hand, protecting me, and all of us, as we walk the path of this life.

"The shepherd's staff is longer with a crook in one end, and is used to guide the sheep. It can also hook a lamb to lift it out of danger." Again, the staff is not for punishment, but for gentle guidance. How many times do I slip into places, where I really don't belong, by worrying, gossiping, being afraid, but the Lord is always ready to grab me, and pull me out.

It's interesting how the Devil tries to corrupt even the Word of God and attack us, exactly where we hurt or struggle. Luckily the one that is in us, is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Lord thank you for being such an awesome Shepherd to our souls! Glory and honor and praise to You!

Thursday, July 27

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (Romans 10:17)

In Romans 10, Paul explains the nature of spreading the Gospel and receiving its message.  God has entrusted the message to human messengers, whom Paul lauds, echoing Isaiah 52:7:  "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (15)  Those who receive the message see a definite change, marked by commitment:  "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." (10)

As we discussed last week, the Gospel has a clear summary in Romans 6:23:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the [free] gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus."

Because of these truths, we joyfully support efforts to spread this Gospel message through our giving, our prayer, and our going.  As John Piper explains, missions brings the Word of God to where worship does not yet exist.  It does not involve coercion or fear; rather, those seeking to bring the Word show love, compassion, and sacrifice in making the Word known.  For this reason, missionaries have played an instrumental role in establishing school, universities, and hospitals throughout the world.  People respond to the love of Christ by seeking the truth about His beauty and excellency.

How may we be involved in the work that Paul describes?  We may certainly give to support the work of the Kingdom; we then become co-laborers with those we support.  Our prayer carries great value, too, as God works through prayer to strengthen His servants and open the hearts of those whom they are serving.  Finally, we may go ourselves.  This last step doesn't just involve taking foreign trips; instead, we have hundreds and thousands of people even in our area who have never understood the love of Christ because no one has yet taken the time.

In heaven, we will see the beautiful fruit of the Gospel in the multitudes surrounding the throne of the Risen Christ, praising Him in every tongue and from every people group.  It will be an amazing testimony to the overwhelming love of God, available even to us!

Lord God, thank You for entrusting us with the Gospel.  Thank you for giving us the joy of participation in Your Kingdom work.  Strengthen Your workers today and open the hearts of those with whom they seek to share this Good News.  Give us courage to trust You completely.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

July 25

Romans 9-10

As I read through today's passages I couldn't help but feel the sting of Paul's words.  Like Paul, I see the story through the eyes of a Jew who grew up in deeply rooted traditions and by God's grace now live a life touched and forever changed by the hand of Jesus.  Now I know that everyone who is reading this has experienced the hand of God and I am by no means minimizing anyone's experience but Paul draws a very clean line in the sand by distinguishing that Israel pursued a law of righteousness but has not attained it. (v.31)  The Old Testament is filled with rules and regulations which the Jews thought would achieve a right standing with God if they followed them.  They followed laws in hopes that the path would lead them to see the Messiah, and when He came, they "stumbled over the stumbling stone" (v.33)  They sought to establish their own righteousness and did not submit to God --  even when He walked with them. All it would have taken is a simple confession of faith. I think the Biblical picture of Jews stumbling over Jesus more than two thousand years ago is not only factual but perhaps symbolic of today's world as well.  There are so many people today who have not made that confession of faith that Jesus is Lord.  In Romans 14:11 Jesus tells us "As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"  Jesus will return. So, here's the next question(s) -  who do you know who hasn't made that confession of faith? Will you be the only reflection of Jesus that someone might see today?  Please keep in mind, as believers we came to the realization that the Bible was God's Word because we encountered the truth firsthand and we were moved by it somehow. While we don't want to get into a tug of war with anyone's opinions, our goal is always to engage Jesus' words and then let God take over. I pray that our actions and conversations give people something to think about when God gives us a door of opportunity.   I pray that God uses us, as He did Paul, to shine His light and reveal the truth that will set them free. I pray that the Spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge rest upon us and that the Holy Spirit gives us words as seeds to plant and they fall on good soil so that God will water them. 


Randi

July 24th post

More Than Conqueror's


I love History.  I could spend all day with a cup of tea and watch documentaries about history.  World War II history is the one piece of history that I am drawn to most.  The hard fought, high casualty, persistent, liberating battle against a barbaric evil the world had never seen intrigue's me and causes deep thought and reflection.  We all know that the Allies' were the victors of WWII  but at a great cost.  It is estimated that between 50-60 million people (3% of the worlds population at the time) died during that war.  I have seen the "after" pictures of the liberated countries and many of their cities were reduced to rubble, uninhabitable, needing to be rebuilt.  The pictures don't reveal much of a victory but speak more to loss.  Homes, neighborhoods, jobs, farms, schools, every facet of life as the people knew it had been destroyed yet the people went in and rebuilt from the rubble.  These victors, who survived a horrific battle, picked up the remnants of their lives and forged ahead to start life a new and to thrive.

We face battles (wars) everyday against sin and temptation as well as bigger battles throughout our lifetime, some more challenging and longer lasting than others.  We do not have to face these battle alone or in our own strength and abilities, we have a victorious ally in Christ Jesus.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all (to conquer deaths grip)- how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?  Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."  Romans 8:31-32 & 34

Our ally, Christ Jesus, defeated death on our behalf and he continue to arm us, graciously giving us all we need to live a continually victorious and thriving life.  We may be scarred and wear the evidence of our battles for all to see but we have so much more given to us, everything we need to continue to live a victors life despite the world around us.  I was struck by Romans 8:35 today.

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

I am more than just a conqueror.  I am more than a victor.  God loves me.  God did not just send Christ to earth to die in my place and give me victory over death but to give me life to the fullest starting now.  He did not win the victory for me to sit in a life of battle rubble but to be more than that.  Trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and the sword (vs.35) can be the rubble around me in my life but when I keep my eyes focused on my ally, my help, my strength, my provider I am keeping my eyes focused on my hope, my deliverer, the one who loves me more then anyone or anything.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in ALL CREATION, will be able to separate us from the love (the grace, the mercy, the forgiveness, the power, the help,the hope) of God that is in (is found in our ally) Christ Jesus our Lord."  Rom 8:38-39

We are not called to live as defeated children of God but to live as more than conqueror's.  Whatever your struggle, your battle, your hardship, your fear in life you are to remember that you are not alone and that you have an ally who isthere is to help you through.  We are not called to live as more than conqueror's after the battles are over but to live as more than conqueror's while the battle is raging.  We can do this when we remember that God is for us and he will sustain us and he will be all that we need no matter what the battle or what the rubble around us looks like.  He already defeated our enemy and arms us with that same power.  Joy can be found during the trial and we can live in the peace of our Savior and ally even when uncertainty swells around us.  Seek the Father, rest in the Son, and let your life of victory in Christ during the battles be a light to those around you and show the world that you are loved and you live as more then just a conqueror but a thriving child of God.

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
John 4:4

Below is a link to an anthem song for us all.  It is called "More Thank Conqueror's".  Listen and let it remind you of who you are in Christ Jesus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p8_4NbrcKA

Sunday, July 23

Romans 8:9-21

The other day, I was typing a medical profile for a patient. He was a patient who suffered from depression, and anxiety. He was also a patient, with a successful career, a home in an expensive town of Fairfield County, married with kids. As I was typing the information, I found myself wondering, why would this person be so unhappy? He seemed so successful!  So many times, I find myself going back to the old thinking, assuming that the world, the success, the family, the zip code, can heal a person wounds, can satisfy the inner longings of a human being.

Romans 8, reminds me once again that, without the Spirit of Christ living in me, I am like the walking dead.  On the opposite, "if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness." (Romans 8:10). I want to feel alive. I want my spirit to be alive. That will not get accomplished by focusing on the world, and being a highly successful person, but by spending time with Jesus and cultivating a relationship with the Holy Spirit. He is the key to my aliveness, not my busy agenda.

"Busyness… can be a way to avoid God, the meaning of life, and life itself." (Sidney Macaulay). The world, no matter how sweet its promises, can never satisfy, or save me. It just doesn't have that ability.  Only God can, "he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:11).

" You did not receive a spirit that makes you slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship." (Romans 8:15). No doubt, when I focus on the world I am filled with the spirit of fear. It's enough to watch the news for 15 minutes, and I find myself in fear and worry about the future. I look through a magazine, and within a few pages, I am invited to believe that I am not enough, I don't have enough but if I could just buy some more things, I might get there somehow. What an illusion!  

It is a different story when I spend time with God. I am not only told that I am enough, but that I am a daughter, a heir of God. (Romans 8:16). I am not only cured of the spirit of fear and worry, but given the peace that transcends all understanding. The world of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."(Galatians 5:22-23) Every time I find myself in fear, worry, anger, frustration, it is a clear sign, that I am on the wrong path and need to go back to my Father.

Lord, help us to always focus on You, and always choose You. Thank you for being our Father!

 

Thursday, July 20

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017

"For the wages of sin is death, but the [free] gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

48 years ago today, Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, marking a fitting resolution that America would reach the moon before the decade ended.  While the country has sent other manned space probes, the U.S. ended its Apollo program with a final mission to the moon in December 1972.

While great scientific knowledge has allowed us to probe the heavens and investigate the seas below, we struggle to understand human nature and our purpose for living in this earthly tent.  Why are we here?  Why do we all experience pain, with some undergoing tremendous difficulties?

This verse neatly summarizes God's relationship with humankind.  Our sin -- cosmic treason against our loving Creator -- has brought us spiritual separation from Him, ultimately leading to spiritual "death."  Yet, against that backdrop, God has intervened by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to suffer in our place and to provide the gift of eternal life.  This one verse highlights God's rightful justice towards sin and yet His amazing mercy and grace demonstrated to us through Christ.

In 1 Timothy 6:19, Paul speaks about the "life that is truly life."  I love this expression.  It brings to mind the many temptations that offer a pale comparison of the wholeness of life found in Jesus Christ.  We miss the full depth of joy by seeking out some fleeting happiness.

Have you experienced the firstfruits of God's gift of eternal life?  If not, would you like to know more?  If yes, how may you grow more into the image of Christ so that you may take hold of the "life that is truly life"?  (If you'd like to discuss any of these topics, please message me.)

Lord Jesus, thank You for providing the free gift of eternal life.  Thank You for seeing us not as hopelessly lost, but rather as worthy of Your love and grace.  Give us a deeper picture of this "life that is truly life."  Make us more into Your image so that we may honor and glorify You today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

July 19

1 Chronicles 29:10-17

It's mine, no, its' Mine

I have had the opportunity to work with kindergartners this past year.  One of the most frequent conversations that brought tears to their eyes was when one child would give a toy of theirs to another.  The recipient would immediately think they now owned a new gift.  The 5 year old giver would always say, "it's not yours, it's mine". The 5 year old recipient would stare in shock.  If we think of this on a larger scale, how often does God bless us and we confuse ourselves by thinking we now own it. God then uses passages like today's to remind us, "it's not yours, it's Mine".

In Psalm 24:1 David wrote:  "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it".  In today's reading we see how David realized his responsibility as a steward of God's wealth.  David had wanted to build a house for the Lord and although he had the resources, God told him he was not the one to build the house for His Name (v.3). Although God certainly didn't owe David any explanations, He had good reason.  God chose Solomon.  By definition, being a steward means that one understands the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to him.  David seemed to understand that he did not own any of his gold or silver, it all came from God and now it was time to use what he had been given an abundance of to pass on to his son and get the temple built.  We are here as vessels for God's glory, We, as well all of what we think are our possessions, are His. When we tithe, we are just giving back what is already God's, He just wants to test our hearts to see if we know that.  If you stop and think about it, can we really give God something He doesn't already own?  Today's reading really impacted the way I look at "things".  Perhaps when God sees that we are responsible stewards, He will increase what He gives us to watch over so that we can bless others. Perhaps that's why Jesus told his disciples in Luke 19:26: 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away."  Understanding our responsibility as stewards is important. This might not necessarily relate only to material items. Perhaps it could refer to who God puts in our path to disciple, or to our knowledge and understanding.  We have to remember God is always testing our hearts and is pleased with integrity. Even though David wasn't the one appointed to build the temple, he was still honored to do God's work by supplying the material. There is no portion of time, money, knowledge, or any resource that is ours, and then the rest belongs to God. It is all His. He owns it all and He has simply entrusted  us to use it for His service while we journey through this earth.  I found this changed the way I prayed this morning.  I found myself praying that I use everything God has given me, including my time, as a testimony of gratitude. I pray for all of us that as we go into today we keep in the forefront of our minds that nothing is ours.  I pray we are all good stewards of our God given talents, gifts and resources.

Randi

07/16/2017

U Turn

" They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening." 1 Chronicles 22:30

To me, the concept of thanksgiving and praise is similar to the U turn that I make on a street, when I realize that I am going on the wrong direction. It's easy to get enmeshed with the world. My boss can be in a bad mood, my coworkers insensitive, the clients too demanding, and before I know it, I am upset and angry. I do a google search for answers to a medical problem, and I end up in a complete panic that I might be dying from a severe condition. Not to mention relationships with my loved ones. Why can't they be perfect? Sometimes it takes hours or even days of misery, until I realize that I am on the wrong path. Luckily I have the option to make a U turn. I can turn from misery, to God, by means of thanksgiving and praise. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." (Psalm 100:4)

Thanksgiving and praise is the switch from, focusing on the world, to focusing on God. Not only that, but there are some other benefits:

• Human beings were created by God to praise Him. (Isaiah 43:7, Matt. 21:16). This is my primary purpose as a human being. When I praise and give thanks to the Lord, I am authentic, I am truthful to myself, and I embrace who I truly am, a child of the only, most powerful God. I don't have to follow the fashion, or the world's trends hoping to define or discover who I am. By praising God I am my own unique, authentic self.

• It helps me to appreciate things, and not take something or someone for granted. "The more often we see the things around us—even the beautiful and wonderful things—the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds—even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less." ("Live in Thanksgiving Daily")

• It's God's will for me. It helps me to avoid the dangerous consequences of unthankfulness- bitterness with its companions: complaining and grumbling. I don't want to be in disagreement with God, and I certainly don't want to be a bitter, or a complaining person. "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Lord, when our spiritual GPS tells us that we are heading on the wrong direction and we should make a U turn, help us to always listen to Your voice. Help us to change direction and come to you in thanksgiving and praise. You are our God, worthy "to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Rev. 5:12). We thank you Lord, for being such an awesome God!

July 15: Of sin, repentance, redemption and relationship

1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30
Romans 2:25-3:8
Psalm 11:1-7
Proverbs 19:10-12

A long one today, I hope it is worth the read. I focused on the story of David in the OT reading. A few thoughts:

HOWEVER GOOD OUR INTENTIONS, SIN IS SIN. By the time we get to 1 Chr 21:1 today, we have read that (i) David's attempt at diplomacy was met with treachery; (ii) leading to a battle with so great enemy Joab worried he or his brother Abishai might need help; and (3) then many more battles after that.

We also read of David putting the crown on his head, accepting the job of king - and protector? - of Israel. And so, despite all the wars won, I don't think it farfetched to believe David's concerns might have shifted somewhat; from obeying God, to protecting Israel - still the best of intentions, really. And I wonder - did he then worry if he had what he needed to do the job?

TEMPTATION IS FROM SATAN - AND HE LOOKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY! It seems that it is in this moment of well-intentioned distraction from God's will that David is tempted by Satan, who incites him to take a census of Israel. Some say it was pride at the size of his army that motivated David; a kinder opinion would suggest it was to find out what resources he had to protect Israel...not that it matters, because in both cases he had ceased to trust in God for Israel's defense. Satan saw his distraction from God, and seized the opportunity.

WE CAN CHOOSE OUR ACTIONS... David had many opportunities to step back from sin. He could've not ordered the census in the first place. And he could've listened to Joab, who counseled against the census when David ordered him to conduct it. He chose not to.

...BUT (the story notwithstanding) WE CANNOT CHOOSE THEIR CONSEQUENCES. Not the best example of this, since God gave David 3 choices of consequence for the sin he committed; in any case, each choice - 3 years of famine, 3 months of fleeing from the enemy he feared, or 3 days of plague - were each pretty terrible. God let David choose the packaging, but David had to take the bitter medicine.

YET THROUGH IT ALL, GOD'S PRESENCE, LOVE, MERCY AND RELATIONSHIP ARE UNDIMINISHED. Most of us, when someone ticks us off, we withdraw, we move away. Not so our Lord. David was NOT condemned for his sin. God didn't withdraw - He continued to speak to David. And, in other text, we are told God was "grieved" at the consequences of David's sin.

A few lessons for me today, that are hopefully worth sharing:

1. It is important I keep my focus on God. It is easy enough to avoid the temptation of the obvious sin - say, theft, for example; it is harder to avoid the temptation when the sin is packaged in good intentions. The only way is to stay focused on God and His will, even when I might not understand the why of it all.

2. When Satan tempts me, as he inevitably will, I need to remember that the choice to sin is my own. And yes, it is a choice - one I do NOT have to make.

3. And when I DO, inevitably, sin, it will help to remember that even the most painful consequences are from the hands of a God who has not ceased to love me despite my sin; and while I may not want them or understand them, those consequences are rooted in the same love that gives me the good things I happily accept.

4. And finally, after I do sin, I need to remember that He is there, waiting, ready to accept me back, and that if I feel apart from Him it is because I have chosen to stay away. He is waiting.




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Thursday, July 13

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understand from what he has made, so that people are without excuse....  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator -- who is forever praised....  Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.... " (Romans 1:20,25,28)

Paul's writing in Romans lays out the theological background for the truth that (1) "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and (2) "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (3:23; 6:23)

In these verses above, we see the elements that have given birth to sin through the sinful nature.  On its surface, sin often seems better than the alternative of righteousness.  The essence of temptation is that it draws us away from a greater good by offering a lesser good (or not-so-good).

Paul starts by explaining that God's self-revelation has reached all people through Creation.  He argues that God has made His existence clear -- and, beyond that, His "eternal power and divine nature" -- through the created order visible to us all.  Given that revelation, "people are without excuse."  The writer of Hebrews notes that God will reward those who earnestly seek Him; by looking at Creation, we have the capacity and prompting to seek God.

Yet, many people have chosen not to seek God or chosen to seek other things.  How did this happen?  Paul explains that every person has, in part or on the whole, "exchanged the truth of God for a lie."  While this statement sounds like a mental exercise, it really has a spiritual root, as the following phrase makes clear.  That "exchange" leads us to "worship and serve created things rather than the Creator."  Paul points out that the human heart is saturated with worship tissue; we have a genuine direction towards worshiping.  Without the truth of God in our hearts, however, our worship will be polluted and lean towards created things.  This worship -- and the spiritual off-centeredness accompanying it -- causes us to pursue sin rather than to pursue God.  It may bring short-term pleasure, but leads to long-term pain.

Paul wraps us the meta-description here with a comment on the "depraved mind."  With our hearts corrupted and leaning towards worship of created things, we then find our minds in the wrong place.  We may then justify our sin and even celebrate it.  It creates a vicious cycle that pulls us and others away from God.

This challenging passage and the others from Romans 2 and 3 support Paul's longer argument that we need the loving intervention of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Seeing the nature of our sin makes me hungry to know God better and to become renewed in body, mind, and spirit so that I may worship Him completely.  This spiritual battle continues daily, and, in victory and knowing Him better, there is joy.

Lord God, thank You for using Your servant Paul to indicate the truth behind our sinful nature.  Give us grace to seek You with all our hearts, even when depravity is more of our nature.  Reveal Your truth more fully in our lives.  Make us into strong oaks of righteousness.  Help us to turn away from the fleeting pleasures of sin and towards You.  Point out those lies that we have believe that have caused us to stray from You.  We love You and worship You today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

July 11

Romans 1

Who is Paul? - Who are you?

In his opening sentence Paul states his identity - "a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle - set apart for the gospel of God".  Now we all know that Paul has lots of credentials as a Jew and a Roman citizen (Acts 22), but I found it very interesting that Paul, using Old Testament language by referring to himself as a servant, stakes his claim and identity in his faith in Christ Jesus. Choosing this identity to introduce himself instead of first referring to his Roman citizenship was unheard of at the time.  For Paul to make this claim he had to totally renounce allegiance to anyone or anything else but Jesus, his beloved Master.  He completely accepted and lived out his life, by faith, that the only way of salvation was given freely through God's gracious gift. He realized that while the laws he memorized before age 5 gave valuable principles and guidelines, they were actually given to teach us about the coming of the Messiah and Jesus was Him. He preached it, lived it, was beaten for it, but never denied it. So all this just made me start to take inventory of what other masters I might be identifying with.  There can be nothing above or before my recognition of Jesus as Lord of my life. I have to consciously turn away from any conflicting interests, and renounce anything that may have been more important to me in the past.  I pray for all of us that as we go out into the day we remember our first Love, in Whom our true identity rests.  I pray we are not lukewarm about our faith.  I pray that, like Paul, the power of the Holy Spirit rests upon us and by faith we recognize that we are set apart to serve in love. I pray we persevere, and that we are effective servants for God's Kingdom and are used mightily for His Glory.

Randi

July 10th blog post

Holding Onto Hope For Those Who Can't Hold Onto It Themselves


I have a friend, we will name this person "Jane Doe" (Jane for short).  I have watched Jane makes decisions in her life that I knew were not going to end in favorable results.  I have tried to share insight and words of wisdom to help Jane during her storms in life, few of them were listened to.  I have always tried to be there when Jane needs me.  One day she called to talk to me about plans she had for her life, plans to help settle the storms.  She was struggling in life, the sea of uncertainty was swirling around her and she was trying her best to figure out how to make it out safely and in one piece.  I listened to Jane's thoughts and could see clearly that the ideas she had were not going to help but were merely her running away, trying to outrun a storm that would not just go away if she hid long enough.  I knew that there was hope for her.  I knew that there was a better solution.  I could see clearly that there was light beyond the darkness of her storm.  I knew that she needed to stay the course and let me help her, let me be her set of eye to see the hope she was blind to.  I shared my thoughts and the hope that I saw for her and for her life if she would let me be there with her.  After a lengthy conversation there was a moment of silence, a sigh, and Jane's response was "I'm going to have to trust you and what you see because I can not see it for myself." 

Why is God calling me to live wholeheartedly for him?  I don't believe it is only for my spiritual, mental and physical benefit.  I believe it is more so because God wants me to join others in their storms so that I can hold onto hope for those who can not hold onto it for themselves.  He wants me to be fully equipped to sail the storms of life with Jane and others like her.

I believe that Paul was a man who lived wholeheartedly for the Lord. He knew the word of the Lord and reflected on it, preached it, lived it out.  He prayed continually and not merely for himself, no, he prayed constantly for the needs of others.  He was a man who knew the Lord, who experienced the Lord all the time, who put the will of the Lord before his own.  I don't believe his wholehearted living was seen by himself as solely for his benefit.  I see a man who lived wholeheartedly for the LORD because he knew the benefits and blessing it could and would have for others.

In Acts 27 21:44 we see Paul living wholeheartedly in the storm at sea with others.  He had told them not to set sail.  He knew the dangers, God had showed him.  Paul was not listened to and into the storm they sailed.  When the storm became bad (hurricane force winds) everyone on the ship worried.  They tired all kinds of things to help and nothing worked.  They finally were ready to abandon ship when wholehearted Paul spoke calmly and assuredly.  The Lord had helped him to see hope in the storm that nobody else could see.  He didn't force them to listen but spoke the truth of the hope he knew was there, the hope he could see and feel.  He gave them the choice, take the life boats and the storm will overtake you or stay here with me and the LORD and you will make it through.  They chose to let Paul hold onto the hope they could not see and that choice brought them safely through.

I have many friends and family members who are going through storms in their lives.  Some are in small storms and others are in category 5 hurricanes with a tornado off in the horizon.  I can't necessarily see the solution for each of them but I have a hope for each of them found in the LORD.  The more time I spend in the word and in prayer the more peace I have for myself and for those friends and family being tossed around by the storms of life.  The more time I spend in prayer for those around me the more my hope in the LORD increases.  I get seasick and I don't like storms but I love the people God has put in my life so very much more.  I am willing to enter the nauseating boats and sail into the storms of life with those God puts in my life. Jane's story that I shared is a reminder to me of how God can use me and my life to help others when they are struggling to see the hope.  It is a reminder of how serious I need to be about my relationship with the LORD.  It is a reminder that wholehearted living for the LORD is not just a nice idea but is key in helping myself in my storms and in helping others through theirs.

If you are in a storm right now and you feel alone, you feel that you have been trying but nothing seems to be working, or you are not able to see any hope I would like to be here for you.  I would like to be a beacon of hope to you today.  You can private message me and we can talk, I can call you or we can email or text, whatever works for you.  I don't have all the answers but I do have a hope that has been shining through the storms I am in and I know that God doesn't want you going through it alone and in complete darkness.  So am here if you need me.

Let us all strive toward wholehearted living for the benefit of others and to holding onto hope for those who aren't able to hold it for themselves.

July 9

Hopeless places

"When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved" Acts 27:20

According to the current edition of The Conference Board Job Satisfaction survey, and for the eighth straight year, less than half of US workers are satisfied with their jobs. It's very easy to lose hope, when for many hours a day, you are stuck doing something that disagrees with you. You try to make a change, apply for jobs, go to interviews, yet nothing seems to happen.

Recently, one of my friends quit her teaching job, because the work place was unbearable. Another friend, has so much anxiety at work, that she is considering whether or not she needs to be medicated. Others tell me, they want to leave Fairfield County, because they can no longer afford the cost of living. The more I focus on the world around, the easier it is to get discouraged and hopeless.

"We become so focused on the problems of today that we fail to consider what a wonderful future God has in store for us. We begin to see only the storm, and not the God who controls the storm. We see the waves crashing on the side of the boat, and not the One who walks on the sea, beckoning us to walk toward Him. And if we do step out, we focus on the rough waves, not on our loving Savior"

When faced with a hopeless situation, I can ask myself, who do I allow to dictate my reality? Is it the voice of the world, or the voice of God? The Lord tells me that I am His child (John 1:12-13), and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139-14). He tells me that, He has a great plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11), and everything will work out for my good.( Romans 8:28) "What is impossible with man is possible with God."(Luke 18:27).He came so I can thrive, "to have life, and have it to the full". (John 10:10)

I've read somewhere, that what we think about, expands into our lives. It's the beginning of a new week, and I choose to focus on God, His Word and His vision for my life. I choose to stay positive and make an effort, to find something positive in every encounter, to find God in everything I experience. "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty". (Churchill Winston)

Lord, I pray, that You help us focus on You and on "whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, excellent or praiseworthy." (Philippians 4:8). You, and only You, are the answer to our hopeless places.

July 8: Of Kung Fu Panda - "There are no accidents".

1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81
Acts 26:1-32
Psalm 6:1-10
Proverbs 18:20-21

You know what a "Dang it!" situation is. It's when you do the right thing and things fall apart; you make the right choice and set yourself back. You pick a line and it is the slowest. You move one over and your first line picks up, and you are stuck again. A really good example - years ago, I read a Peanuts cartoon - first 100 kids in line got free candy. Lucy is standing behind Charlie Brown, and she asks if she might go ahead. Charlie Brown, ever the gentleman, lets her cut in front of him...only to find Lucy is kid #100. The look drawn on Charlie Brown's face was the epitome of "Dang it!"

In today's NT reading, I suspect that if Paul had heard the conversation between Agrippa and Festus, the earthly part of him would have had a "Dang it!" moment. After Agrippa had heard Paul, and at which point Agrippa seems to be on the edge of conversion, he says "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment." And then he turns to Festus and says "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

Consider what must have been going through Paul's mind - he could have been free, free to go out and preach God's word to a broader audience, free to live and eat and sleep in conditions far better than prison, free from the threat of murder hanging over him.

I like to think, though, that Paul, more than anyone, understood last week's reflection - that what earthly eyes see as triumph and disaster are but two sides of the same coin of God's perfect will. And so while part of him might have wanted the freedom his choices had put beyond his grasp, he understood that it was God's will that had put him in this "Dang it!" moment, and he accepted it peacefully, even joyfully.

Yesterday my youngest son and I got up at 5am to drive a total of 3 hours and spend 3 more hours around a pool just so he could swim two events, each lasting less than a minute. At the start of his second event, I saw he wasn't at the starting block. He wasn't paying attention, and he missed it. He apologized, and said it was "an accident". Thoughts of all the effort to train, to get up early, to get there, all rumbled through my head followed by a loud, unspoken "Dang it!" I pray that I might learn to approach these situations as I think Paul did - acknowledging God is in control in all things and, consequently, there is no reason to think any situation is a "Dang it!" moment. Or as master Oogway said in Kung Fu Panda..."there are no accidents."



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Thursday, July 6

THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2017

Today, we continue the account of Paul's submission to the Roman and Jewish ruling authorities, as he seeks to present the case of permitting the emperors' subjects to freely serve and live for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke's account makes clear that Paul had many opportunities to take shortcuts:  either through accepting a "disciplinary" punishment or offering a bribe.  The former would have voided any chance of receiving broader legal recognition for believers, while the latter would have betrayed his integrity.  Paul must have known the length and depth of suffering that he would face when he set out resolutely for Jerusalem.

The Bible -- and Christian history thereafter -- provide many examples of self-sacrifice for the greater good.  Having received the fullness of eternal life, trading temporal resources of time and money to pour eternal blessings into others' lives makes perfect sense.

What causes has God laid on your heart?  How may you further these causes, with His help and guidance?

Lord God, thank You for showing us the power of persistence in Your servant Paul.  Make us passionate about seeing justice done and mercy given in this dark world.  Fit us for these causes and allow us to be a great blessing to many people.  We love You and honor You today.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

July 5

1 Chronicles 1-2

A few years ago I went on one of those ancestry websites to see how far back I could trace my lineage .  I thought it would be kind of interesting to see if a website could tell me more than I already knew from what had been passed down to me through stories from my parents and grandparents.  Sadly, I didn't find out anything that I didn't already know.  In today's reading we see from the beginning of God's time line all the way to King David!!  As I was reading this I began to see a clearer picture of how we, as believers, are connected to that time line.  We too have a place in God's story, although we can't see the whole picture in this moment. I don't think Abraham, Isaac, Esau or Israel thought that their future lineage would be connected to Perez, Boaz, Obed, Jesse or King David.  In reading through the genealogy, we see God's plan to make the Word become flesh unfold, one generation at a time. It just made me start to think about where and how we might fit into the time line of God's eternal plan.  We have no idea how our lives, or our children and grandchildren's lives will piece together.  I often wonder how my life and the course of events that took place will have an impact on God's timeline for the generations that will follow.  Like Noah, Abraham and all the others that followed in the line, we  are called to step out in faith, with confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.(Heb. 11:1).  Somehow, we all fit together into God's lineage and His perfect plan.  All I know is that with each generation, we get closer to seeing God's glory revealed.  As we go into the day the Lord has made for us, I pray we all avail ourselves to God and dedicate our minds, our ears, our eyes, our hands, our hearts to be part of His magnificent plan. I pray the Lord uses our feet to carry us to the next person who will be a strand in the bond of Christ.


Randi

July 4th blog post

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

spring clean·ing

spriNG ˈklēniNG/

noun

noun: spring clean; plural noun: spring cleans; noun: spring cleaning; plural noun: spring cleanings

1. 1.

   a thorough cleaning of a house or room, typically undertaken in spring.

I've had my fair share of "spring" cleanings over the years.  For months I will live with the mindless accumulation of clutter and mess comfortably by my side without thought, care, or issue.  It all becomes a part of my house that I am used to dwelling in.   Then one day, usually when the Sun starts to shine bright through my windows and I throw open those windows for a fresh breeze to blow that, I look around the house and realize I have let clutter and mess slowly grow around me where it doesn't belong and with things I don't really want or need lying around.  I take an inventory, make my list (remember last week???)  and set to work with focus, determination, and a wholehearted mindset to get to work and not give up until everything that needs to be cleaned out is.

The young King of Judah, Josiah, did some spiritual spring cleaning in the land God entrusted to him as well as in his own life.  For years Judah (as well as Israel) had let the idolatry of pagan lands creep in and set up a place in their land and hearts.  Pagan gods were given a home right next to the alter of God (the very place the LORD said he would make his home and live among His people), high places had been built, priest of Baal had been commissioned, Asherah poles had been made and weavers of Asherah hired, shrine prostitutes had been built sleeping quarters, articles had been created to honor the starry hosts, shrines at the city gates had been erected, horses and chariots had been dedicated to the sun, alters had been set up to make sacrifices to pagan gods, mediums and spiritists had taken the place of the prophets of the LORD.  The spiritual clutter and mess in Judah was significant and had become a normal part of life along side the LORD.

Then one day a book is found, the Book of the Law, and for first time King Josiah's heart is hit with the truth of God's word and his eyes are open to see the clutter and mess of sin that has been allowed to make it's home in his land and in his heart.  He wastes no time.  He shares these truths that have been revealed to him with others and then sets out to clean up the clutter and mess, to remove the sin and it's stench completely (no trace to be left behind).  He doesn't just remove he also adds, restores.  For the first time in decades (I think centuries is more like it) he has the people observe the Passover, to remember the God who saved them from their physical slavery at a time when their hearts had become a slave to their sins and clutter. 

I too can sit in the clutter, mess, and sin in my life, blind to it, comforted by it.  My heart, which I dedicated and gave to the Lord as his, often pushes him aside to make room for other things that fill my time and attention.  Work, working out, entertainment, Internet, social media, ministry,  general busyness, other people, and sometimes nothing at all just laziness are a few of the things I can let take a place in my heart that was meant for, that was dedicated to the LORD.  These spiritual clutters, and others (as well as unrepented sins), prevent me from living the wholehearted life I wrote about last week.

King Josiah was a wholehearted man.  2 Kings 23:25 tells us that when the word of the lord struck his heart and he did a spiritual spring cleaning he lived the rest of his life, "with all his heart and with all his soul, and with all his strength..." (also found in the book of the Law that he read, in Deuteronomy 6:5).

Again, I am reminded this week of the importance, the necessity of reading God's word every single day.  I can not read it just to check it off my to do list.  I need to ask the Lord to show me, to give me wisdom, to help me see new things in it each day that will grow me.  I need the LORD to use his word to reveal to me, to give me eyes to see those things that I have let set up a home in my heart and life which distract me from him or get in the way of my wholehearted living for the LORD.  Then the hardest part is doing the clean up, is removing them from my life with no trace left.  I can't store some things to bring out later and that is where the clean up becomes very difficult.  But I am on a journey toward wholehearted living and this is a step, an eye opening reminder that it is not an easy journey but it is one that is so very worth it.  I am also not on this journey alone.  The LORD is with me and he can be my strength if I ask him to help me (Phil 4:13).

My challenge this week is to start the spiritual spring cleaning toward wholehearted living. 

What is the Lord showing you is the spiritual clutter in your heart?  Are you ready and willing to start the cleaning process to help you move closer to wholehearted living?  Don't be so quick to pass this question by, sometimes the things we have lived with the longest are the hardest ones to recognize as needing to go.  The hardest ones to say goodbye to.

Sunday, July 2

Acts 21:17-36

Do people really change?

In Acts 21:17-36, the Apostle Paul returns to Jerusalem. He is welcomed warmly by the brothers, but almost killed by the other Jews. Once again we find him ready to die for his faith. The Apostle Paul was born, in Tarsus of Cilicia. He studied Torah, at the school of Gamaliel, in Jerusalem. By his own account, Paul was a dedicated Jew, and one of the best Pharisees of his generation. (Philippians 3:4–6; Galatians 1:13–14) He played an important role in persecuting the early disciples of Jesus, in the area of Jerusalem. He was present when Stephen was stoned. He was sent to Damascus on a mission to "arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem."(Acts 9) It was on the road to Damascus, where he encountered the resurrected Jesus. His life was forever changed. From that point on, Paul became a follower of Jesus. Almost 2000 years later, he is described, as one of the greatest names in Christianity.

He definitely changed. The catalyst for that change was his encounter with the Lord. Real change comes only when we truly meet the Lord. "All ministry comes out of relationship. Power comes out of suffering, and anointing comes out of intimacy." (Graham Cooke). When we get close to the Lord, everything changes. "The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." (1 Corinthians 4:20) I don't think we can come in contact with the power of God, and remain the same. "That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead, and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 1:19-20)

 I tried to change myself so many times. I moved to a different country, I pursued relationships, I made friends, I changed schools, and jobs. I've read a tone of self-help books that promised solutions, in a few easy steps. I pursued degrees that were supposed to make me a better person. None of my attempts to change or fix my life worked.  I did get a sense of temporary relief, but it was just temporary. At times, it felt like, I was chasing a mirage, full of promises but unattainable.  How many times I engaged in trying to change others? The more I tried, the less I succeeded, and the more frustrated and exhausted I was.

Now, I realize that true change comes when we have an encounter with Jesus, on the road of life. I think that every changed person, has a Damascus encounter story. One of the slogans at Grace Church is, "Love God, Love People, Make Disciples". The only way to bring change, is to bring Jesus in. Sometimes Jesus will speak directly into a person's life or situation, as it was with Paul. Most of the time, it is our mission to bring Jesus in, to facilitate a Damascus encounter, to make disciples. We are not to waste our time in ridiculous, earthly attempts to change, but we need to believe in the power that we have as Christians. What can I do when people have no interest in experiencing God? I can still bring Jesus in, by praying for them.

There are many people traveling on the road of life right now, but how many will get to meet with the resurrected Christ?  What can I do about it?

 

Of Hezekiah, Paul and Rudyard Kipling

2 Kings 18:13-19:37
Acts 21:1-16
Psalm 149:1-9
Proverbs 18:8

A tale of two endings - or were the endings really all that different?

In the OT reading today, Judah, the weakened remnant of Israel, is attacked by the Assyrians. King Hezekiah offers a terrible ransom, striping the Temple bare, but it isn't enough. The emissaries of the king of Assyria demand surrender, threatening a war Judah knows it cannot win, refusing a peace Judah now knows it cannot buy.

Faced with its utter and incontestable helplessness, and with a wavering people tempted by the enemy's promises of abundance, Hezekiah finally does what he should have in the first place: he acknowledges his sin and his helplessness, he repents, and he cries out to God. And God hears his prayer, accepts his repentance, fights Hezekiah's battle for him and defeats the Assyrians. And in the progress from devastation to deliverance, God is glorified.

The NT reading is different...or is it? Paul insists on returning to Jerusalem, despite the fact so many have counseled against it, worried about the fate that awaits him. In fact, in today's reading we see how a prophet named Agabus took Paul's own belt and tied his hands and feet with it, saying "The Holy Spirit says 'In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"

Yet for all this, Paul will not be dissuaded. He seeks to do God's will, whatever his circumstances at present, and whatever difficulties such obedience might bring. And in the coming days we will be reminded of the price he paid for such obedience: a most terrible price, so different in nature from the outcome Hezekiah and Judah received, but one that allowed him to be just as much an instrument of God's glory.

Two different sets of circumstances; two different results for the people involved. Yet God was glorified in both instances. My father used to read me a poem by Rudyard Kipling, called "If", and one of the lines he taught me was "if you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same". This makes so much sense now - because in Hezekiah's and in Paul's cases, God was in control, and He was going to be glorified either way. The triumph of Judah, and the suffering and crucifixion of Paul - they were the same: they were God ordained, for His glory.

I pray that I, that we, are able to take the example of Hezekiah and turn to God in times of trouble, and the example of Paul and persist in our obedience despite the difficulty God might permit, in both cases for His glory.




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