November 30: Yes, it IS that easy

Daniel 7:1-28

1 John 1:1-10

Psalm 119:153-176

Proverbs 28:23-24

Every time I've read this passage in Daniel, I've indulged in a bit of speculation about the identities of the various kingdoms. I cannot claim to know what Daniel's vision might have been about, but I am struck by how the prevailing belief gradually sweeping the world is about the primacy and supremacy of man.  Man, human rights, the desires of the individual - these have become the rallying cry, the catalyst for change, the reason for transformation.  The human race has overthrown governments in the pursuit of self interest.  It has changed social mores and redefined what is acceptable, even what is ideal, based on what we deem is, in our own judgement, in our best interests.  And amidst that transition, we rarely hear people asking what God might think; we rarely see people even acknowledge God, choosing instead the convenience of a Sunday deity, confined within the hour and the four walls we call "church", or an entity always and ever so ready to approve of what we choose to do, however much it might run afoul of His own words.

The funny thing about reading the Bible the we have this last year, however, is how it has changed the questions I pose after reading this part of Daniel.  I find it is no longer important to know who or what, specifically, each of the kingdoms might be, or who that most powerful horn with the human eyes and mouth might be.  What I find myself asking is, how have I allowed myself to be crushed underfoot by the final beast? Have I succumbed to the other king when he tries to "change the set times and the laws"?  The answer, sadly, is yes, and every day.  So what a relief it is to read in the NT reading today that "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

If you are like me, there are persistent sins in your life; sins which, when they recur, are particularly discouraging.  I am just so relieved to be able to cry out to Him and do nothing more than confess my shortcomings.  I am just so relieved to be able to say "Look on my suffering and deliver me...defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise. "  I expect to have to do so every day until I die, and am grateful He will listen each time I do.  Amazing, but yes - it IS that easy.

November 29

November 29

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.....So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, "May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you." A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night. Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions' den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?" Daniel answered, "Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty." The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. (Daniel 6:10, 16-24 NLT)

This is one of those stories that we want to cling to. It's hard not to. After all, Daniel has already proven himself to be a man that God holds in high honor. He has been given power by God to interpret visions. But now a little jealousy is creeping in from his peers. Some scheming and dividing of an evil plan ensue, and Daniel, and King Darius, are caught in this trap. Darius loved Daniel, and trusted him wholeheartedly, but the laws of the Medes and the Persians could not be revoked. (We saw this same situation when we read Esther) So the king had no choice but to sentence his friend Daniel to the den. This is where we see God take over the situation, just as He did when his servants Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo we sentenced by Nebuchadnezzar to die in the furnace. God showed off His power. And, just as in the previous story, the King praised the God of Daniel. It all comes back to prayer and obedience. Daniel did not give up prayer, even when it was illegal to pray. He stood tall to show that God is sovereign.
Do we see any impossible situations that can only be righted by God showing up? I can think of a few right now. We need to be a people of prayer.

Are there any times in your life that God showed up big when you gave the situation to Him in prayer? Please share in the comment section below.

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Thursday, November 28

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Daniel 5:1–31

2 Peter 2:1–22

Psalm 119:113–128

Proverbs 28:19,20

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends!  May you be richly blessed in remembering the goodness and glory of God and His provision in your lives today.  I would like to offer several quick remembrances of thanks:

 

1.       For the lovingkindness of God my Savior, Who sacrificed His Son so that I might have life and relationship with Him;

 

2.       For my beloved wife Danielle, who faithfully supports me in running after the visions God has put in my life;

 

3.       For my parents and Danielle’s family, who sacrificed tremendously to give us great opportunities; and

 

4.       For the Grace Church family, who form a loving community of friends and partners in the Gospel; and

 

5.       For our Gospel partners around the world, who are giving their lives so that the glory of God may be magnified and revealed.

 

 

 

I would like to focus today on the two verses from Proverbs and make brief mention of Daniel, who clearly dispenses his responsibilities and displays his character in Proverbs-honoring ways.

 

“He who works his land will have abundant food,

                but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

 

“A faithful man will be richly blessed,

                but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”  (Proverbs 28:19,20)

 

 

On this Thanksgiving Day, I would like to reflect on that thin line between working faithfully and diligently and trusting God.  In light of an uncertain future, whom shall we trust?  Do we trust in our own efforts?  Or in God’s provision?  Or both?

 

The Proverbs and many other Scriptural passages point to God’s blessing of those in positive action.  Please think of Isaiah 40:28–31 or His blessing of the kickstarted Moses, the courageous Joshua, the triumphant David, or the great administrator Nehemiah.  Also, consider Mary’s trusting but active participation in bring Jesus to earth or to those women who sacrificed their normality to follow after the living Christ.  While these folks certainly faced struggles, God’s all-sufficient grace carried them on in service and love of Him and His people.  God provided the strength and will to continue, even in the midst of opposition and struggle.

At the same time, we may go too far in celebrating human effort and achievement.  Our culture loves to idolize and mythologize our sports heroes and other celebrities.  How may we balance the extremes of recognizing our “tragic flaws,” which might paralyze us to inaction, and the dangerous tendency to trust in our own resources?

 

We must recognize two realities.  First, God has given us every ability, talent, skill, and resources; we really don’t own anything more than our decisions, which may consist of actions, words, or thoughts.  Please reflect on any positive tendency or characteristic:  ultimately from the loving hand of God!  This reality makes us stewards or caretakers of the endowments and responsibilities He has given us.

 

With that understanding, we may then consider the second reality:  we must not shirk responsibility, but rather become partners in God’s work on the earth.  This reality finds its most complete expression in the pre-Fall Garden, where God delighted in Adam’s creativity and dominion-building activities.  Only the Fall made it more challenging and brought enmity between the man and the woman.  By analogy, heaven will likely feature similar opportunities to serve and create, but without the Sisyphean toil of our earthly existence.

 

Therefore, may we take our responsibilities and giftings and offer them to the Lord.  May we run towards His plans and goals for our lives, honoring Him through showing His faithful, gentle, and loving character.  May we reflect on how we may serve alongside our loving Father in the business of redemption and renewal.

 

 

Lord, I pray that You would direct our hearts and minds in service to You.  Thank You for giving us many talents, gifts, and responsibilities; help us to dispense these responsibilities in an honoring way.  Take our hearts, minds, and strength for Your service and glory.  Particularly, strengthen us today to become encouragements to anyone hurting that we may encounter.  Give us a heart of compassion and words that would bring life.  We celebrate Your goodness this Thanksgiving.  Without You, we are nothing!  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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November 26

Daniel 2:24-3:30

1 Peter 4:7-5:14

Psalm 119:81-96

Proverbs 28:15, 16

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even it he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up."

Daniel 3:16-18

This is the kind of faith that we should all strive for. Sure, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed that God was powerful enough to rescue them, but that's not what I'm talking about. I mean the type of faith that says, "Even if I don't get what I want, even if I have to suffer, I trust that God is still God and I will not go against Him."

I remember being told this story a lot in Sunday school when I was a kid. But it wasn't until I read it for the first time myself that I was blown away by the real miracle in this story. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were putting their trust in God no matter what the outcome. Even if it meant their deaths, they were standing firm on God and His Word. 

I can remember times in my life when I faced trials and God told me "I'm not taking it away." He wanted me to learn how to trust Him even if I didn't get what I wanted, even if I had to suffer. I am thankful for those times that I had to go through the "furnace" because I have never felt closer to Him.

Are there times in your life where you had to go through the furnace? How do we remain faithful even during those times?

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Monday Blogpost (11/24/13)

Monday, November 25, 2013 [Mercy]

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and
wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for
permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the
chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. (Daniel 1:8-9)

What would you do if you lost everything: your home and possessions,
your family, and your sense of identity? I can only imagine what the
thought of exile must have been like for Judah; one day you believe
that you are the most favored people on earth and the next day you're
taken into captivity. It would be easy to feel abandoned by God. It
would be easy to feel resentment and turn away completely from the
Lord. Some did exactly that – they turned away. But, we have this
amazing example in Daniel.

Daniel was determined.
Even in exile, Daniel was determined to honor God.
Even in exile, God gave Daniel favor with the chief of staff.
Even in exile, God gave Daniel, and his friends, special gifts and
abilities so they could function in their bad situation. (1:17)
Even in exile, God heard their prayers and protected them from death. (2:17-19)

I don't know too many people who haven't felt abandoned by God at some
point in their lives. Some of us might not admit it, but most of us
have felt this way. We've experienced loss in our lives; we've felt
like we were out of place or even in exile (away from everything
familiar). But, this account of Daniel and his friends shows me the
character of God – that even when it seems as though everything has
fallen apart God is still working; that God's is as near as He's ever
been; and, that God is still listening to our prayers, protecting and
providing for us.

--------------------
Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper. Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,
O God of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the
Lord will hold me close. (Psalm 27:9-10)

--
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give
you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)
*Kenny Sullivan*
(201) 218-0751
שלום

November 24

1 Peter 2

 I'd like to share two Grace Church stories to start us off today.  The first is about a senior woman in our neighborhood who needed some assistance. A woman from our church brought her a few meals and because of this kindness this senior woman came to our church on Christmas Eve. Several months later she came to believe the gospel message of salvation. The second story is about a couple of neighborhood kids who started shooting hoops in the parking lot. One man started to invest his time into building a friendship with these kids. Because of this good work, one of these young men came to know Jesus. This young person eventually married a young woman from the youth group and they now live in Florida. Both of them are solid Christians who are serving the Lord.

The apostle Peter nailed this sequence of events when he states, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

 Good deeds are one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal to change culture. The way it works is "good deeds" lead to "good will" which leads to "good news."

Let's be clear about this; we are saved through God's unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. In the end our mission is to do good deeds to open the hearts of people.  

The Church today does not have a good reputation. David Kinnaman in his book "Unchristian" points out that our favorability rating with the next generation is at an all time low of 3%. That means 97% of young people have a neutral or bad impression of the church. We have a huge image issue.  

So what is your strategy to change this perception? You don't need to look any further than 1 Peter 2. The best way for us to engage the culture is through loving people and doing good deeds. The unbelieving world can deny our theology, our creeds, and our gatherings but they can't deny our good deeds. When we reach out with compassionate, loving and unconditional acts of kindness it opens the doors to deeper conversations about faith.  

So your homework this week is to do one act of kindness where you serve someone without expecting anything in return. It would be great to hear your story on our Facebook page. You can join the conversation at:   

https://www.facebook.com/groups/192897197465389/

 

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Fwd: November 23: The Unattainable Standards

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Ezekiel 45:13-46:24
1 Peter 1:13-2:10

Psalm 119:33-48

Proverbs 28:11

The rites described in our Old Testament reading today seem so precise to me, like excruciatingly detailed instructions putting something together where if you miss one step or one part, the whole thing collapses.  Six - not five, not 7 - male - not female - lambs...and a ram!  Or a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect, and grain offerings to boot!  Enter by the north gate, exit by the south one...and vice versa!  And in rooms measured precisely, with very specific functions.  These instructions seem so very demanding!

Not that there is any respite in our New Testament reading.  We are called to be "holy in all you do", to love one another deeply, from the heart, to rid ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Not a day goes by that I do not fail to meet these standards.  

I'm in the middle of a book my father recommended - Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges.  In it, he discusses the sins we tolerate - not the big ones we easily recognize, like murder and theft and adultery, but the ones we are more quickly able to find excuses for, like the first two I've read about so far.

The first one is ungodliness, which he defines as "living one's everyday life with little or no thought of God, or of God's will, or of God's glory, or of one's dependence on God", something very distinct from unrighteousness and, consequently, something a perfectly nice, respectable person might be.  The second, taken together, are anxiety, worry and frustration, the first two of which result from a distrust of God and His providence, the latter a denial of God's sovereignty over all my circumstances.  

These are difficult sins for me, not sins I commit just once.  They are a way of life, so deeply ingrained in me as to cut almost to my very core.  Like the instructions impossible to follow in their precision, and the standards unattainable in their stringency, how is one to eradicate the sinfulness ingrained by a lifetime of practice?  Clearly not by our own strength - and the author maps a suggested course:

1.  Apply the Gospel - remember that not only has God forgiven us our sins, He has also "credit to us the perfect righteousness of Christ."
2.  Depend upon the Holy Spirit, by which the sin in our lives has been put to death - do not resort to our own willpower!
3.  Recognize that we still have a responsibility to "diligently pursue all practical steps for dealing with our sins" - an easy example:  identifying situations that make us prone to sin, and avoiding them
4.  Identify specific areas of these weaknesses, these tendencies - these sins!
5.  Arm yourself with scripture - appropriate passages, "memorized, reflected on, and prayed over as we ask God to use them to enable us to deal with those sins."
6.  Pray over those sins
7.  Involve others - accountability.  "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.

The more I read of the Bible, the further I realize I am from deserving the salvation I need, the more I realize how each day I choose to spend on my own, by my own strength, I only serve to dig myself in deeper.  How grateful am I that I can turn to Him and as "Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.  Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart."  How thankful am I that it was never by my strength, it was always going to be by His.

Jon Lanuza
CIMB Securities (USA) Inc
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jose.lanuza@cimb.com
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11/22/13

11/22/13

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. (1 Peter 1:8-12 NLT)

There is something to be said for faith. We blindly follow after a God that our eyes cannot behold. We trust in a future full of promise. We await a return. The world looks at this as craziness. But in today's reading in 1 Peter, we get a clue as to why we believe. Many times in the Old Testament, Jesus life and death is prophesied, and Jesus fulfilled over 360 prophesies. What amazes me about this, is THAT makes Yeshu'a something special. But what I like the most about our reading today is that Peter describes the prophetic spirit that lived inside the OT prophets as "The Spirit of Christ." Peter even says that the prophets of old didn't understand it. They were given this word to speak, many times mixed in with a prophesy about the exile of Israel. But prophesy about Christ is about hope. Hope in a savior that brings salvation for all. One sacrifice, given one time, that covers ALL sin. Now THAT is good news! We have been given the good news, we have seen prophesy fulfilled, we have seen Christ revealed.

How has Christ been revealed in your life? Is there a moment that sticks out to you that was a eye opening moment of Christ-revelation?

You can answer these questions and join in the conversation in the "Comment" section below.
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Thursday, November 21

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013

Ezekiel 42:1–43:27

James 5:1–20

Psalm 119:1–16

Proverbs 28:6,7

 

 

We begin reading Psalm 119 today.  This longest chapter in the Bible shows a godly servant’s reflections on an intimate Father-son relationship and the supreme value of God’s Word.  The writer points out the two-way street of seeking and loving God -- and His compassionate and fatherly response.  Organized as an acrostic, each of the 22 subsections stands alone as a psalm, and each verse makes reference to God’s Word (“law”, “statutes, “precepts,” “decrees,” “commands,” and so forth).

 

The Psalmist clearly has committed his life to seeking out God.  He seeks to “meditate on it all day long” and has “chosen the way of truth.”  He has made serious efforts towards these goals.  The choices to follow God were personal and led him to hide the Word in his heart.  As a result of seeking out the Father, this servant desires purity, holiness, and boldness in his life.  He understands that we demonstrate our love for the Father through keeping His commands (John 14:21).  The servant has signed up for the rest of his life:

 

“My heart is set on following your decrees

                to the very end.”

 

 

Yet, the servant is not merely reaching out to a God that is far off; rather, the Father is closely involved with the servant’s growth.  It is a tender father-son relationship, where the Father imparts knowledge and wisdom along the path toward maturity.  He does so with a combination of gentleness and firmness, as the situation suggests.  He intimately knows His children and what is best for them.  This impartation of wisdom is not a passive or formulaic process.  Rather, it is active:  God teaches, gives understanding, and directs the servant.

 

1.  “Your word is a lamp unto my feet

                and a light for my path.”

 

2.  “I am your servant; give me discernment

                that I may understand your statutes.”

 

3.  “Your statutes are forever right;

                give me understanding that I may live.”

 

 

The servant, in turn, delights in God’s Word and His presence.  His life is not a cakewalk, however, as he faces real struggles and real affliction.  We evangelical Christians may have done others a disservice by proclaiming that coming to Christ is something like an “upgrade package” for this earthly life; instead, knowing God personally gives us both eternal life and eternal purpose.  We are guaranteed to have struggles in this life:  “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted... “  (2 Timothy 3:12)  Yet, the servant receives both freedom (from the captivity of sin and affliction) and comfort in his struggles:

 

1.  “I will walk about in freedom,

                for I have sought out your precepts.”

 

2.  “My comfort in my suffering is this:

                Your promise preserves my life.”

 

 

How might a treasuring of God’s Word affect your life?  One key area is decisionmaking.  When we have hidden God’s Word in our hearts, living according to His Word becomes more possible.  His Word will work within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us into truth and into choosing to serve Him.  When we are faced with a difficult decision, we might reflect on the following questions (and seek answers through prayer or Scripture-searching):

 

1.  What does God’s Word have to say on this topic?  (It may be helpful to find a Bible with a concordance or to make use of a Bible search tool on the Internet, such as via http://www.biblegateway.com, http://www.bible.com, or an app.)

 

2.  What are the various options with this decision?  Which ones would be most honoring to God?  Which path is about living in fear?  Pleasing others?  Serving myself?  (Given that our emotions and will can become torn in such a decision, it is important to seek after God’s wisdom and discernment in prayer.)

 

3.  How can I step forward in faith, given that the future is not clear?  (Here, we may rely on God’s faithfulness [Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 23:4].)

 

4.  How may I align my mind with God’s heart so as to cherish His presence and love Him more, even in the midst of uncertainty and struggle?

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

1.  It appears that there are lasting benefits for following God’s Word.  How can you actively “hide” the Word in your heart even today?

2.  How could you “meditate” more on God’s Word?  How might this affect your decisionmaking?

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Ezekiel 40:28-49, 41 , James 4, Psalm 118:19-20, Proverbs 28: 3-5

Ezekiel 40:28-49, 41 , James 4, Psalm 118:19-20, Proverbs 28: 3-5

The last few Wednesday nights at Young Life, Rico and Jim have been bringing messages of what is sin, what does it look like, our need for the cross and our need for Jesus. Last week when we were talking about sin, the high schoolers were asked "What do you know is a sin?" They shouted out, "Murder, stealing, being mean, fighting, getting arrested, etc.". All very true. Jim was sitting on the floor and shouted out "Pride." Even though I've known Christ all my life I am constantly reminded of the root that pride has in my own life and the lives of others. That night (and in smaller group settings) we have discussed with our high schoolers that sin is a condition in the heart. There are those "major" physical sins as they shouted out, but what about those sins or those dark corners in our hearts and minds that we hope no one ever finds out about. James 4 is such a meaty chapter with so much theology, philosophy, and words that steep in my mind for hours on end. It's impossible to write about this chapter in 3 paragraphs.

There are two ways to start though: 1. How does this scripture apply to me and the human condition and 2. What do I learn about God: who He is and what he is like. Looking at self we see the ugliness of sin and how it filters out: jealousy, pride, coveting, judging others, selfishness, and major conflict. I can check everyone of those off, pride being one of the biggest. I'm reminded that it is tied with the first sin! Adam and Eve wanted to know better than God. So what is the solution? Humility: surrendering self up to God and His sovereign power and wisdom. We are called to "Humble yourself" twice in these verses. I know I have mentioned Pastor and author CJ Mahaney before, but he describes pride as, "Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him"

So finally, we know what we should do, but how? This brings us to Who God is. We can only do it (obey and humble ourselves by looking at verse 6: "But He gives us more grace to stand against such evil desires." We can only do it through Him! James 4 shows is that God gives us grace, he loves the humble, honors the humble, is Judge, and controls the days we have in this world. We truly can do all things through Him (even though it's so hard!) It becomes difficult when these selfish desires: signature and cherished sins fester in our hearts. Confess this sin, be in the Word, have an intimate relationship with God. Do not let this vapor (so short) of our lives fade so fast that we don't do it right. Be humble.

November 19

Ezekiel 39:1-40:27

James 2:18-3:18

Psalm 118:1-18

Proverbs 28:2

"People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,  but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.  Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!  Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring."

James 3:7-12

Have you ever squeezed too much toothpaste out of the tube? Once toothpaste is out, it can't be put back. It's the same with what we say. Once words leave your mouth, you can't take them back.

 

Words are powerful. That's clear from today's reading. It's very important to be aware of what we are saying. James 3 describes how the tongue is a small part of the body that can bring great evil. Like a spark setting a forest on fire, or a rudder steering a huge ship, the tongue can have a great effect, and unfortunately it is often used for evil.

 

We are all aware of the saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Too bad this is a lie. Personally, I find words can be more painful than physical wounds (I'm sure many of you would agree with me). Memories of physical pain will fade, but hurtful words can wound someone for many years. I would almost rather be slapped across the face, than be hurt by someone's words.

 

Slander, gossip, hurtful talk, quarreling, lying. These are all things that poison our hearts and lead us to ruin. Remember, be slow to speak. Think about what you say before you say it. Ask yourself, "Is this what God would want me to say?" Wisdom also means knowing when to be silent. Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

 

Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."

Monday Blogpost 11/18/13

Monday, November 18, 2013 [Faith]

James 2:17

"So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." 

My spiritual father (mentor) is a man that I've known since I was about eight years old, Pastor Tom Johnson.  He is a great storyteller.  For just about every verse of Scripture or Christian theme that you can think of he has a story to tell. I remember this one story about when he was a new Jesus-follower. 

Having formerly been heavily involved in the illegalities of the Bronx street-life in the 50's, Johnson was getting his act together, doing social work and part-time ministry.  He had just gotten paid, cashed his paycheck, and was walking down the street when he saw a guy that he knew, an upstanding brother.  They stopped and talked for a while.  In the conversation Johnson discovered that this brother had fallen on some hard times.  He had lost his job, had no income, and was about to be evicted.  That's when Johnson said it, the Christian phrase that eliminates all problems: I'll be praying for you. 

It was right then that the Holy Spirit spoke to my pastor: "You've got the money that this man needs in your back pocket."  As Johnson tells the story (jokingly), his hand developed momentary arthritis and he had to force it into his pocket to retrieve the money for his friend.  Instead of just speaking his faith with Christian-ese language, he did something about the situation.  As a result, Johnson says that he's never felt the same way about giving money ever again.  And, I can testify that this is true – if he had to he'd give the very shirt off of his back.

"From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:16-17)

It's one thing to say that we have faith in God, but it is another to put that faith into action.  God has been so gracious to us and so faithful to us that we all have something to give.  Much of our problem is that we believe if we give more we will actually have less.  But, this is not faith, and it's actually not true.  Proverbs 11:25 reads, "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."  That word refresh means "to drink until you're full."  This tells me that if I fill someone else, Jesus will fill me.  That's a promise, but faith is what makes it a reality.

How does this change the way you pray tomorrow?

Have you ever felt as though you had nothing left to give?  How did you overcome that?

November 17

James 1  

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth and took it home to watch it emerge. One day a small opening appeared, and for several hours the moth struggled but couldn't seem to force its body past a certain point. Deciding something was wrong, the man took scissors and snipped the remaining bit of cocoon. The moth emerged easily, its body large and swollen, the wings small and shriveled. He expected that in a few hours the wings would spread out in their natural beauty, but they did not. Instead of developing into a creature free to fly, the moth spent its life dragging around a swollen body and shriveled wings. The constricting cocoon and the struggle through the tiny opening are God's way of forcing fluid from the body into the wings. The merciful snip was, in reality, cruel.

Many times the struggles of life which we consider cruel, are actually producing something very beautiful in our lives. It is hard to appreciate the process while it is going on, but the truth is struggles and trials are God's choice methods of producing maturity. 

That is why James encourages us to consider it pure joy when we go through these cocoon experiences.

So the question is, can you trust God for your cocoon experience?  I would like to ask it in two different ways. Can you TRUST God? And can YOU trust God? Both are critical for discovering joy in the midst of the cocoon.  

For us to TRUST God we must believe that God is loving and in sovereign control. It is not easy to TRUST God during times of adversity. No one enjoys pain, and when it comes, we naturally want to relieve it as quickly as possible. But in order to discover the joy of adversity we must see it through His eyes and not ours. Joy comes when we say, "I can't explain what God is doing in the adversity but I trust that He is in control; He is wise and He is loving."  When we trust this God, we can have joy.

So I end with this question. Can YOU trust God? To show OUR trust when in the middle of adversity, we willingly continue to obey Him, and intentionally worship Him and cheerfully share the good news with others. James says if you have this attitude and persevere under the trial, you will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

 

 

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

November 16: Of raising children and disaster relief...

Ezekiel 33:1-34:31

Hebrews 13:1-25

Psalm 115:1-18

Proverbs 27:21-22

I found the way God talked about the land of Israel interesting.  He did not say it was owned by the people of Israel; rather, that they possessed it, which struck me to mean "had it in order to use it", without the rights of ownership.  It seems to me, then, that what we have isn't ours - God merely allows us its use...for His purposes, not ours (note how He calls out those who disobey His commands!).  What then are His purposes?  The readings today give us some idea.  

We are likened to watchmen tasked with alerting the people of any approaching threat; if we don't, we are responsible for that person's fate.  To me, this is most evident as a father to my children.  I am not called to be their friend, but the father God gave them to help them grow in the ways of God, into the people He plans for them to become.  Yet though they are my children, it is so difficult to get them to listen, to obey, to build the habits I believe they need to have, the relationship with God I want them to have.  Sometimes I feel I am not even "one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear [my] words but do not put them into practice".  How much more difficult other people?  The reading still gives us guidance - we are not held accountable for the results; we are held accountable for the effort.

What else are we called to do?  Today's reading in Hebrews helps too...we are to keep loving one another as brothers and sisters, show hospitality to strangers, remember those in prison - as though we were together with them! - and those mistreated - as though we ourselves were suffering!  That is pretty tough, but we are blessed to have an abundance of role models today, some of them from halfway around the world, where so much of the world has focused and so many have converged to share in, and try to, alleviate the pain and suffering caused by typhoon Haiyan.  Not just nations, but individuals from around the world have given of themselves to try and help - I hear news of friends who have taken their own planes and their own ferries to move goods to the disaster areas; there is that story of the Japanese boy donating his life savings; there is the picture of two little girls in California running a lemonade stand to raise funds.  

Sometimes, when I try to do what I can, be it when raising our kids or trying to help those affected by the typhoon, my efforts seem so small and so insignificant, against challenges that seem insurmountably large.  How wonderful to be reminded by the psalmist: "All you Israelites, trust in the Lord - He is their help and their shield."  And so, as Paul writes, "we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?'"

What challenges seem most relentlessly daunting to you?  And how do you remind yourself that God is in control?

Wednesday's blog

Ezekiel 27-28, Hebrews 11:17-31, Psalm 111:1-10, Proverbs 27: 15,16

I have been waiting all year to write about Hebrews 11. It's one of my favorite chapters in the entire Bible. I'm thankful that Apryl wrote about it on Tuesday, because when I read the entire reading on Wednesday, my heart was drawn to Proverbs 27:15-16. It was actually a funny moment in our house cause I was listening to the NLT audio while getting ready and Divan was grabbing something from the room. Of course he walked in at this passage and the translation goes, "A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands."(Proverbs 27:15, 16 NLT) He just started cracking up, looked at me, and said, "You know a man wrote this!" Lol. It's so true though! Solomon is know for the hundreds of wives he had. So imagine the flooding that happened everyday!!!

Divan and I ways have the debate if I am complaining or not. I like to call it "communicating" or "whining" which sounds cuter. I reason with myself that it's ok to complain to Divan about whatever because he is my husband and he has to listen. Also if I don't share my complaints (about whatever) he won't know what I'm feeling (blah blah blah). I think this is partially true, but I was also convicted in some ways. I read an article this week by Billy Graham's grandson talking about marriage and how we are to give our partner 100% of ourselves. How we are not to keep a tally of wrongs of our partner (I Cor 13) and the meaning of One-way love; the kind of love Christ shows us. Just like this Proverb said, the complaints of a wife (or husband for that matter) is rough and is game for a grudge or wrong.

I try to remind myself to live like Philippians 2:14-15, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without a fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Not only can complaints be destructive in a marriage, but in all relationships: professional, family, and friends. It goes beyond that and out speech is a testimony to a life that follows Christ...being a child of God. By our work with lack of complaint, we will be set apart from out generation who rejects God.

Friday November 15th 2013

Friday November 15th 2013

No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. (Hebrews 12:22-29 NLT)

Today we are given a look into a worship service. At first, I thought that we were taking a glimpse into a worship service in the future (heavenly Jerusalem, countless angels, etc...), but as I read it again, I realized the tense. The tense is present, "you HAVE come...!" No, we are being given a picture of worship that we all take part in every week, in fact all the time. A worship that takes place in both the physical realm and the heavenly realm at the same time. God is right there in front of us, and so we worship Him alone. God is...here, right now, present, waiting for our worship. He may not be physically visible to us, but His fingerprints are everywhere. There have been times that I have struggled with this idea. Do you ever struggle with worshipping something unseen? If you do, how do you get past that roadblock and worship the Living God?

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Thursday, November 14

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013

Ezekiel 29:1–30:26

Hebrews 11:32–1:13

Psalm 112:1–10

Proverbs 27:17

 

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1–3)

 

Reflecting on the faithful testimony of the lives of the Chapter 11 heroes and Jesus Himself, the Hebrews writer urges his readers to commit to running the race with perseverance.  Many times, commentators have acknowledged that the Christian life more closely mirrors a marathon than a sprint.  An encouraging book that I read early on in my walk with Christ, Finishing Strong, pointed out how pressing on to the end proves much more valuable than starting with a reckless abandon.  The author, Steve Farrar, highlighted that only one in four men finish well.  The falling away of the other three robs wives, children, families, communities, and churches of the support of the wise veterans of the faith.

 

Hebrews 11 offers a picture into those characteristics that God esteems, as demonstrated through these historical figures of the faith.  Given that these folks did not have the full testimony of Scripture and evidence of Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, their faith appears even more precious.  Those celebrated heroes still wavered, sinned, and hurt others, but their hearts returned to their true north through faith.

 

Just within this small snippet above, we find encouraging and practical counsel for succeeding in the race of life:

 

1.       Remember the testimony of those who have proceeded before.  Heroes challenge us to raise our expectations in ourselves and, in the case of faithful believers, in the greatness and providence of God.  Without heroes and their life-testimony, we may lose heart.

 

2.       Remove the distractions.  Any athlete in training must narrow his or her focus and avoid certain foods and activities.  As I heard a friend share, “focus on the positive, forget the negative, and avoid the in-between.”  We don’t simply follow some sort of hopeful mind control or behavior modification, but rather the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Still, we do have responsibility of guarding our hearts and minds and not becoming distracted by the frequent obstacles that the world presents.

 

3.       Focus on the goal and persevere.  In long-distance running, training helps to build speed and endurance, but one must dig deeper – into the will – at points during longer runs.  Too often, we avoid applying our will toward the “right” instead of caving for the easier path.  Applying our wills requires a) knowing the goal and the merits thereof and b) remaining focused on achieving it.  In the case of walking with God, we must grasp the wonder and goodness of knowing God and living for Him.  May we find revelation of His goodness through each day.

 

4.       Expect difficult patches.  If we recognize that challenges will certainly emerge – and that God remains sovereign and loving through them – their scale and scope diminish, and we may still rejoice in knowing that He continues to work out His purposes.  Too often, I complain at simple misfortune when God intends for me just to cling to Him more closely.  I have been recently telling my heart, “Ah, another opportunity to know God better and love Him more.”  How will you respond to or anticipate these tough moments?

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of perseverance, and thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to encourage us to continue in the race marked out for us.  Strengthen us in our confidence in You, and enable us to provide an example for others seeking to finish well.  Let us not grow weary in encouraging and building others up.  Bring words of encouragement and refreshment through Your Word and Your servants placed in our lives.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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