April 7: I don't handle prosperity very well

Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27

Luke 12:8-34

Psalm 78:32-55

Proverbs 12:21-23

Reading Deuteronomy 31 v16, v19-20, and then v29, I was astonished at the clarity of God's Word and Moses's prophecy - that the Israelites, having feasted on God's goodness, mercy and salvation, would reject Him, turn away, and turn to other gods, that "these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering.  They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them."  Not only that, God, through Moses, told them, warned them that they would.  And yet it made no difference.  They could not handle the prosperity; they lost sight of the giver because they focused their attention on the gift.

This happens a lot - certainly to me.  My faith does not handle prosperity well.  I start to think that whatever success I might enjoy was because of my work, my effort.  What hubris, from someone who, as he wrote this, could not even tell you for certain he was going to be alive to finish the sentence much less plan a future, plot a course that would guarantee the achievement of my heart's aspirations.   In that regard, I am like the fool who planned for a future of comfort assuming he still had long to live.  The truth, as I continually discover (helped in no part by raising a teenage daughter and knowing there are boys out there just like I was when I used to date teenage girls), there is NOTHING that is in my control - not my future, distant or near, and certainly not the future of the wife and children I so deeply love, for whom I only want what's best. 

Such uncertainty, such the opposite of prosperity, would seem like a recipe for despair.  Funny enough, it isn't - because it is precisely that inability to depend on myself that, hopefully, will disabuse me of any grandiose assumptions of my own abilities, and will redirect my focus from the gifts , back to the Giver.  And then, having reconnected with Him, I will realize that I need not "worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear."  I will know that, like the ravens, who "do not sow or reap...[who] have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them", God will provide for me, for my wife, and for our kids since, after all, "how much more valuable you are than birds!"

Dear God, we live in a world that instills in us the importance of self sufficiency, that puts great value on being able to depend on one's self.  Please do whatever it takes to remind us how false that premise is, and and to open our hearts and our minds to Your love, Your plans, and Your provision.  Teach us to know the plans You have for us, to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future.

April 6

Psalm 78 April 6 2014

The saying “Hindsight is twenty-twenty” is attributed to Billy Wider, the journalist, filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. The phrase means that everyone has perfect understanding after an event happens. It is easy to look back at history and see how we could have made better decisions.

In my lifetime, if I could go back to do it all over again, here are a few of the changes I would make:

 

1. I would spend more time in God’s Word.

2. I would have spent more time with my wife and children. I would have scheduled more fun stuff.

3. I would have started devotions with my kids when they were very young and not stopped until the day I sent them off to college... regardless of how they protested. I would even endure hunger strikes.

4. I would have moved to a discipleship model of the church in 1983.

5. I would have invested in Wal-Mart and Goggle stocks and sold them in April of 2008. This last one is a joke... if I would have become a millionaire it is likely I wouldn’t be writing this blog and my life would be completely messed up.

 

In Psalm 78 Asaph is reviewing the history of the nation and he had “twenty-twenty” vision as he looks back.    Here are four of his conclusions:

 

1. If we could do it over again, we would make discipling young people the highest priority of church.

            “So the next generation would know them, even the children to be born.”

    There is nothing as important as passing our faith on to the next generation. So what is your plan to teach

     the next generation?  We all need to be engaged in this mission.

 

2. If we could do it over again, we would celebrate and appreciate God’s faithfulness every day.  

            “Time after time he restrained his anger ...”

     What did you do today to celebrate God’s faithfulness?

 

3. If we could do it over again, we would place all of our faith in the WORD of God.  

            “for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.”

    The victorious life is only found as we live believing the WORD of God. It is our faith in his word that   

    supplies the deliverance. Set aside your unbelief and trust totally in the WORD of God.

 

4. If we could do it over again we would KILL sin in our lives before it killed us.  

            “Fire consumed their young men and their maidens had no wedding songs.”

God doesn’t expect sinless perfection, but He does expect us to sin less! We should be progressing in our holiness. We live in a day when we joke about sin. But sin kills people and unless we strike first it will kill us.

 

Take a moment and reflect on your life. If you could go back and do it all over again, what changes would you bring into your life? 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Saturday BlogPost [April 5, 2014]

Saturday, April 5, 2014 [by Keesha Sullivan]

 

"If you [Israel] fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God…" (Deuteronomy 28: 1-2).

 

The key word in these two verses that I had underlined in my Bible was the word "If."  Some of the synonyms for the word "If" are "on the condition that," "provided that," "presuming that," "supposing that," "assuming that," "as long as," and "given that."  So in other words, God could have said, "[On the condition that] you [Israel] fully obey the Lord."

 

In Deuteronomy 28:1, the Lord is giving Israel a choice. It is the same choice that God gave to Cain. He said in Genesis 4:6-7, "'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."  Again we can say that basically God said, "[As long as] you do what is right, will you not be accepted?"

 

We too have that choice.  God loves us enough that he gives us the opportunity to decide what we want to do. He is as I have heard many people call it a "Gentleman."  He doesn't force Himself on His people.  He asks for our hearts and our complete devotion, but in no way does he force us to give it to Him.

 

Unfortunately, if we look at the latter verses, we find that choosing to go against God's design and denying his offer leads to sin, captivity, excruciating heartache, and curses to fall upon us.  Fortunately, if we look at other verses in the same passage, we find that choosing to follow God's design and accepting his offer leads to holiness, freedom, relief/health, and blessings to fall upon us.

 

Joshua, the man of God that would lead the Israelites after Moses passed, understood this decision.  He said in Joshua 24:15, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

 

I will follow Joshua's lead, and I declare today that, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord with all of our heart, our soul, and our mind.  Lord, thank You so much for giving us choice.  Thank You for giving us the privilege and the honor of choosing You as Lord over our lives.  Thank You that You bless us when we obey Your word. Thank You that through You we have holiness, freedom, relief/health, and blessings.  You are an amazing, wonderful God. We love You.   Amen

--

"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

4/4/14

4/4/14

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me." But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42 NLT)

So, what is it that the Lord finds fault in with Martha? Is there a problem with making meals for people and serving? I think what Christ is most upset with is that Martha is not listening. She is being busy, and not taking the time to listen. After all, the words that come out of Jesus' mouth are the most important that you could ever hear. Which brings me to my point. If the word of God is the most important thing that you could ever hear, then why don't we sit like we are at the Lord's feet listening? Do we use the excuse that we are too busy? We need to be like Mary, sitting at the Lord's feet and listening, not like Martha, too busy to hear the words of the King of Kings.

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Thursday, April 3

THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014

Deuteronomy 23:1–25:19

Luke 10:13–37

Psalm 75:1–10

Proverbs 12:12–14

 

 

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

 

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

 

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  (Luke 10:36,37)

 

 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan resonates in my mind as a crucial corollary to the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9–14).

 

In that passage, the Pharisee proudly “‘stood by himself and prayed:  ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’”  In short, the Pharisee leans on his own righteousness in approaching God and, because of his separation from the tax collector’s lifestyle, deservedly and prudently stands at a distance.

 

Meanwhile, the “‘tax collector stood at a distance.  He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”  Jesus then explains that “this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.  For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’”

 

When we have a proper view of ourselves, recognizing that we are God’s image-bearers but also that we have fallen short of His glory and His standards, we may approach life with a humble and grateful attitude.  We have never deserved righteousness; instead, we receive it as a free gift, the penalty paid only through the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross.  Because of Christ’s atonement, God grants redemption -- a buying back from our slavery to sin and victimization – and victory to His children.  Pride merely separates us from God and reveals our lack of gratitude towards what God alone has done.  Despite this redemption, we still struggle with sin, causing us to cling more and more to God and to seek the filling and empowering of the Holy Spirit for daily living.

 

By extension, the Parable of the Good Samaritan suggests the way in which the redeemed sinner should interact with a hurting world.  Instead of distancing ourselves from the injured and broken, compassion calls us to step in and give freely from that which God has blessed us.  The priest and Levite in the parable did not wish to associate with this outcast, but the Samaritan, inherently humbled by his birth and by the ongoing detest he faced, became involved and ensured this traveler’s survival.  By extending generosity to the poor and needy, we may initiate and propagate a cycle of blessing and the increase of God’s glory and praise for what He has done through His people.

 

How may we develop our hearts of compassion?  Please find below a few brief thoughts:

 

1.        We must draw near to “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love a faithfulness… ” (Exodus 34:6)  We read the Word and pray to receive a revelation of His character, so that we may reflect it in this world.

 

2.       We must truly see other people.  We must seek to understand before being understood.  We may begin by asking questions, such as:  “What is his or her experience like?  What family circumstances have they encountered in life?  Lord, how have you shaped this person?  How may I love them in a similar manner as You love them?”  Observation stirred compassion in Jesus’s heart:  “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

 

3.       We must draw near to people.  We must be willing to invest the time and emotional deposit of being willing to face hurt and rejection.  Bless others, through the Holy Spirit living within you, with your presence.

 

4.       We must remember that the grace we have received is all-sufficient.  “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” (1 Corinthians 15:10a)  “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)  “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)

 

 

Lord Jesus, bring forth in us a tender compassion for the people in our community and around the world.  Give us opportunities to bless others with Your presence and with the gracious gifts that You have poured into our lives.  Grant us eyes to see and ears to hear those who are suffering and alone.  Give us the courage not to look away but to engage.  Take our lives, Lord.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

 

“Take My Life”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QzHnVGDGt0)

By Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio

 

Take my life, and let it be consecrated to Thee.

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

 

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect, and use every power as You choose

 

Here am I, all of me!  Take my life; it's all for Thee!

 

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart; it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord; I pour at Your feet, its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

 

Here am I, all of me!  Take my life; it's all for Thee!

Here am I, all of me!  Take my life; it's all for Thee!

Here am I, all of me!  Take my life; it's all for Thee!

Here am I, all of me!  Take my life; it's all for Thee!

 

________________________________________
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Wed Blog on Luke 9

I have never faced death in the eye. Or at least I don't think I have. Maybe there have been Final Destination scenes and moments in my life where I could have died or life would be completely different if I had showed up 30 minutes later. This week we are hanging out with the Coetzee clan and are fortunate to go on adventure in the African bush. We saw a lion that was pretty close and there was nothing in between us. I was in an open air vehicle about 3 feet off the ground, but within easy reach . We joked that since I was the smallest, and have the whitest meat, I would be first do go. The chills that ran down my back when that Aslan-like creature looked at me were unforgettable. I'm just glad he already had a full belly.

In this season of Lent, I have been trying to remember to reflect daily on the days leading to the cross, the sacrifice, and the WHY behind it. As we have been reading Luke 9 the last couple days it shows us a picture of the price we must pay to follow Christ. What it means to be a servant, a disciple, and have an intimate relationship with our Creator. It wasn't in today's reading, but Luke 9:23 is my favorite verse in the Bible, part of my mission statement, and to me the key word is "daily."

I brought up death earlier because while reading I tried to imagine the spirit, the mood, and the thoughts of Jesus. Luke 9:51 says that Jesus looked towards Jerusalem. He knew EXACTLY what every minute would hold. He knew that the moment he walked through those gates that there was a clock ticking down and every second that passed brought him closer to the agony of the cross. By facing Jerusalem that day, Jesus was looking at pain, heart ache, and death right in the face. I wonder if his stomach was in knots. I wonder what his prayers to his Father were at that moment. Maybe he was thinking of me? The amazing thing is that he also knew what was to come. That his body would rise again, that death would be defeated, and that the third morning sunrise would be the sweetest and most glorious in all creation. He reminded his disciples that his kingdom would come, but not in the Braveheart kinda way. There would not be fire from heaven, that angels would not storm the walls. He had his plan and his purpose. To save us all from ourselves and the sin that festers.

Tuesday April 1

Deuteronomy 18-20

Luke 9:28-50

Psalm 73:1-28

Proverbs 12:10

I was excited to see that Psalm 73 was in todays reading. I had an incredible experience with this Psalm last year. I've shared it before in Church and on this blog, but I'd like to share it with you again. This was a moment when I clearly heard God's voice and I will never be the same because of it.

From Psalm 73:
"Look at these wicked people - enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply
Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself  innocent for no reason?
I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain....
Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside...
My health my fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; 
He is mine forever."

Last year, a word stuck in my head and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The word was bitter. Bitter, bitter. bitter. This kept going through my mind and it took me a little while to figure out that God put it there. God gave me this word because He wanted me to learn something from Psalm 73.

The first part of Psalm 73, there are complaints about the wicked and how they seem to prosper despite doing what is wrong. Doesn't God see what they're doing? Why is He allowing them to get away with it? Why am I suffering even though I'm doing the right thing? This isn't fair.

Then there is verse 21. This is the reason that God put the word bitter in my head. This is what He wanted me to learn. "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside." I was that person in the beginning of Psalm 73 who was complaining about other people. Why hadn't they gotten what they deserve? Why don't they understand what they've done wrong to me? I was holding on to things in the past, times when other people had hurt me and I felt that the outcome was unfair to me. 

God was trying to warn me: "If you continue to focus on other people and on what you think they deserve and on what you think you deserve, then your heart will turn bitter. Is that what you want?" 

I could hear myself arguing with God. "But God, what about what they've done that's wrong? What about what they've done to me?" 

And God answered me: "It doesn't matter. You have to let it go. I will take care of it and I will take care of you. I am enough for you. You have to let it go or your heart will turn bitter."

This has been a hard lesson for me to learn because I don't easily let go of things. I can remember an argument I had with someone and be right back in the same emotions that I was feeling then... even if it was years ago. God was warning me that if I continue to hold on to past hurts and things I think are not fair, I will do nothing except hurt myself. He doesn't need me to worry about other people's outcome. He has is all worked out and He doesn't need my help in dealing with other people. He has it all under control. All I need is Him because His strength is enough for me. Again, this has not been easy, but I am learning. 

Let it go because God is enough for me.