April 21

April 21, 2012

 

Psalm 43

 

The Inner Conversation

 

We are told by the "experts" that we have 10,000 thoughts going through our minds each day. That works out to 7 thoughts each minute. Now I can tell you from the way my mind works I must have an older model version of a brain. But regardless of the sheer number, the truth is, the most important conversation we have each day is with ourselves.

 

In these psalms David is giving us insight into the conversation in his mind.

 

My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.

My heart is in anguish within me.

Fear and trembling have beset me.

Why have you rejected me?

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

 

What we do with these inner conversations will, for the most part, determine our outlook on life. So how do we bring health to our inner world? I would suggest we include God in the conversation. One of the verses today said this about our God, "Be still, and know that I am God."  God does not shout above our TV, he does not twitter, he isn't on Facebook, he does not interrupt us with emergency phone calls. God speaks with a hushed voice. He waits for us to get quiet so we can hear him.

 

This is one of my greatest struggles in life, getting quiet before God. My heart is wired for performance and action. The idea of sitting quietly, of being alone, of meditation doesn't appeal to me. Yet it is the only way for God to enter my heart and change my inner conversations.

 

So how does the victory arrive for David? By intentionally creating quiet and stillness David is able to open his heart to God and hear his voice. The presence of God literally transforms his heart. God's presence gives him the ability to rise above even the most troubling and difficult situations. It seems that when we catch a glimpse of the beauty, the majesty and the greatness of God, then everything on earth changes. David, in these psalms, does not have a change of circumstances but does have a radical change of perspective. He moves from despair to hope, from complaining to praise and from darkness to light. Listen to a few of his words after his encounter with God:

 

My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.

I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

But as for me, I trust in you.

 

In the end, the victory for your 10,000 thoughts today has everything to do with being in the presence of God and listening to his voice. By the way, when was the last time you heard the voice of God?

 

 

Friday, April 20, 2012 - Psalm 13, 17, 23, 26, 28, 31

Friday, April 20, 2012
Psalm 13, 17, 23, 26, 28, 31

I heard a great Easter story last week that I need to share with all
of you. I have a friend Debbie; she's a Christian who grew up in the
Catholic church, is now Episcopalian, but doesn't really go to church
anymore except for the holidays and funerals. On Easter Sunday
(4/8/2012) she was visiting her daughter before heading to church. As
she was leaving her daughter's house, her grandchildren, Amiya (8 yrs
old) and Ja'den (6 yrs old) began begging to go to church with her.
She was shocked (since these kids had never even been to church), but
happy to fulfill their wishes and brought them along.

When they got to church, Ja'den looked around and began asking,
"Where's God Grandma?" "Is that God Grandma [pointing to the priest]?"
Debbie then explained to them that God was in the church, but He was
invisible. Debbie said, "when you're outside, you can feel the wind
right?" Amiya and Ja'den replied, "Yes Grandma." Debbie said, "Can you
see the wind?" "No Grandma," the kids replied. Then Debbie said,
"That's what God is like; you may not see Him, but you can feel Him."

Eventually, Debbie and the kids found some seats and sat for the
service. When it came time for communion, Amiya asked, "Can I take
communion Grandma?" Not sure about the protocol in the church, Debbie
asked the people around her if it was okay for Amiya to take
communion. One person replied, "as soon as the child can swallow, they
can take communion if they want." So Debbie brought Amiya to the front
of the church to partake in communion. Amiya grabbed her piece of
bread, dipped it in the grape juice, and brought it back to her seat.
Once Amiya put the bread in her mouth and swallowed, she broke down
crying. Debbie asked her, "What's wrong?" Amiya crying replied, "Jesus
is inside of me."

If the presence of God has never brought tears to your eyes, then you
probably don't know God yet. A little over a year ago, I had the same
spiritual experience as Amiya - the Spirit of God came into my heart
and created a joy so intense that I began crying. If you've had this
experience, then you already know the power of God's presence.

David knew the power of God's presence and asked for God's filling
regularly. In Psalm 31:1-5, David said the following:

1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

In his times of trouble, David called on the Lord to be his "rock of
refuge," for he knew that in the presence of God, he had a "strong
fortress." A fortress that could not be shaken by anything in this
world; not fear, not despair, not affliction, not even death could
shake the fortress that David had in God. At the same time, David knew
he had to give himself to God in order to experience God's saving
grace. That is why David said, "Into your hands I commit my spirit."
Only when you give your heart to the Lord, can you truly experience
freedom from the bondage of self; the bondage of fear, worry,
impulsiveness, unforgiveness, and despair. Only when you give your
heart to the Lord, can you experience the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Let's surrender to the Lord today and experience the immeasurable
freedom in His Spirit.

God Bless,
Anthony

April 19: Psalms of the Troubled Soul

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

Psalms of the Troubled Soul

“I’m scared.”  “I feel alone.”  “I am struggling with doubt.”  “I feel separated from God.”  “People who don’t even think about God are getting ahead of me.”

 

These sentences above, or at least the sense thereof, represent feelings that appear in the Psalms, the collection of songs that mark the middle of the Bible.  The Psalms represent a great variety of topics, ranging from deep sorrow to great joy and from lament to praise.  They portray the richness of the human heart and the experience of a believer in a dark world.  While written more than 2,000 years ago, the thoughts expressed therein are still as poignant today as any song we might hear on the radio.

 

We begin with songs of a troubled soul.  Psalm 6 shows the raw emotion as David wrestles with his enemies:  “My soul is in anguish./ How long, O Lord, how long?”  He asks for deliverance, remarking that “no one remembers you when he is dead./ Who praises you from the grave?”  His anguish brings him fatigue, too:  “I am worn out from groaning;/ all night long I flood my bed with weeping/ and drench my couch with tears./ My eyes grow weak with sorrow;/ they fail because of all my foes.”  David does not portray himself as entirely put-together, but He does show God as merciful and just.

 

One way that the Enemy attacks us is through isolation:  feeling that we alone are to suffer.  Certainly, the presence, support, and encouragement of loved ones are key ingredients for overcoming our struggles.  Yet, we will fail to have true victory over the Enemy’s attacks apart from trusting wholly in God.  As Hudson Taylor wrote, “they who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.”

 

We cannot completely trust in God without sharing our struggles with Him openly.  Often, we are in bondage because of our inability to put our fingers on the struggles we are having.  We may ask the Lord, “Why do I feel down today?  What should I learn from this tough situation?”  By defining our struggles, we can lay them before the Lord and, like David, seek restoration.  A great myth of the Enemy is trying to convince us that “strong Christians don’t have struggles.”  This is patently false, as Paul explains in 2 Timothy 3:12:  “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted... “

 

Furthermore, especially for men, the Psalms indicate that God has indeed wired us with wide-ranging emotions, and, through reflecting on their sources and God’s sovereignty and love, we may channel these emotions to the glory and praise of our Father.  Many times, our struggles lead us to simple “Why?” questions, not seeing immediate value to life’s predicaments.  Still, we remember the testimony of Scriptures, where Hebrews 12:7–11 explains:  “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?  If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.  Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!  Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

 

In our struggles, we may find ourselves in despair and depression.  While it is natural to find yourself in such a state, please understand that God does not wish His children to stay there.  I am not advocating a simple abandonment to “happiness” and ignorance towards true challenges.  Instead, Scripture details that we ought to find our strength in “the joy of the Lord.” (Nehemiah 8:10)  We also understand that the Evil One uses our depressive feelings to trap us in an unproductive and self-defeating place:  “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)  Satan wishes to destroy all that is God’s, including us, through depression or any other means.  Paul offers a helpful test as we face sorrow, encouraging us to consider the source:  “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)  God may legitimately use our sorrow (as in David’s case in His repentance after his sin with Bathsheba) to draw us to Himself, so we must seek God’s wisdom in the face of sorrow to understand His purpose for it.

 

Along with the Psalmists, allow your emotions to give glory to God.  When you are scared, share that with the Lord, and ask for His comfort.  When you feel alone, ask for His dear presence.  Remember that, above all things, God desires our hearts and wants to be close to us.  May you find strength in knowing of God’s provision:

 

“Even though I walk

                through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

1. How do you feel today?  How can these feelings draw you closer to the Lord?

2. In what ways are you vulnerable to spiritual attack?  What forms might these take?

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I Chronicles 26 – 29

April 18, 2012

I Chronicles 26 – 29

 

Growing up my parents would always tell me and remind me how my body was a temple.  They taught me to protect it, guard it, take care of it, because God dwelled in heart.  He was in me.  (Our conversations then got a little tricky when I begged for a tattoo J) I Corinthians 6:19, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."

Solomon was the next chosen king of God's people and the Temple would be built during his reign.  It was David's desire to build this dwelling place for God, and he had a great influence on it, but it would be Solomon's.  David and his kingdom came together and they gave and they gave "willingly."  The people rejoiced to see their leaders give so many of their riches. 

Knowing what I know about the temple, I know it was more than a structure.  It was beautiful, grand, a representation and symbol for an entire nation centuries ago, and today.  Reading about the riches and splendor that went into it, no wonder an eras are separated with its construction and destruction (later by the Romans in the first century.)  I was thinking today how so much went into the temple.   What are the riches, gold, gems, that make up my temple?  These are the things that I value: my family, friends, time, great food, work, adventures, discovering.  So how do I dedicate these to God?  How can I use these for His glory?  He has given me all I have and all I am.     

David knew that and he gave God the praise.  He gave the glory to God and celebrated His character. 

 

"Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom' you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come form you; you are the ruler of all things.  In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  Now our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name, (I Chronicles 29:10 – 13)

 

God is great.  God is all-powerful.  God is glorious.  God is majestic.  Everything belongs to Him. God rules over all.  He gives all, He is provider.  He gives us strength.  His name is glorious.     

 

He has given us much and we value different things.  Give it back to Him – your time, your family, whatever it is you work for.  He has blessed us.  He has blessed me.  Like David, I may never build a great temple, but maybe my children will.  The temple I have now is a treasure.  Guard your heart, your mind, your body.  Let Him be glorified in you.    

April 17

1 Chronicles 23:2-5 He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. David said, "Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the LORD and six thousand are to be officials and judges. Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose."   Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.   In his last years as king, David made preparations for the temple of the Lord to be built by his son Solomon. He gathered 38,000 Levites and gave them assignments. Building and maintaining the temple were monumental tasks that required a lot of materials, hard work, and coordination. David had a desire to be the one who built this temple for the Lord. But yesterday we read that God told him that it would not be so. It was God's plan that Solomon be the one to build His house. This must have been so disappointing for David.   I am amazed at how David responded to this news from God. He could have easily felt self pity, isolated himself, or refused to have anything to do with the temple. But he didn't. His heart longed to please God, even if that meant letting go of something he desired. He spent the last years of his life preparing for the construction of the Lord's temple, a temple he would never live to see.   I started to think about how easy it is for me to forget the reason behind why I do anything. Colossians 3:17 says that no matter what I do or say, I need to do it for God. How different would my days be if I held on to this verse all the time? Waking up in the morning, driving to work, answering the phone, cleaning my house, taking care of my dog, talking with my family, neighbors, and friends, cooking dinner, playing keyboard at church, writing a blog entry for a Bible reading group... all these things are opportunities for me to bring glory to God. If that is my motivation, then even if I encounter something that is difficult, disappointing, or hurtful, then I will have the strength to keep going.   I encourage you to think about what motivates you. If it's anything other than God, than you are setting yourself up for disappointment. But if you do everything in the name of the Lord, then no matter your circumstances, you will find fulfillment and peace in Him.

 

 

 

From Ruth

What do you fear more God or man?    In today's reading David was able to choose the consequences of his sinful  actions. Famine for 3 yrs, pursued by the sword of his enemies for 3 months, or  the hand of God against the nation for 3 days. David did not want to fall into  the hand of his enemy. His nation just emerged from a famine. So he reasoned, he  chooses what seemed right to him - he took 3 days at the hand of God because he  hoped God would be merciful.   "Fear of man will prove to be a snare but he who trusts in the Lord is kept  safe."  Proverbs 29:25  David seems to have forgotten this truth. God has always protected David's life  from his enemies.  He had to face some difficult trials at the hands of his  enemies and his life was threatened often but God always kept him safe.   Now when faced with enduring his enemies once again he opts to have the abrunt  of God's wrath fall upon the innocent of Israel rather then take the punishment  on his own back. The result was the death of over 70,000 men. The pain David  felt in his heart because of this was more then he would have suffered at the  hands of his enemies. So finally he spoke up and sought the Lord so that the  destruction would end. And just as David had thought God was merciful and  destroyed no more. I think though that David's idea of mercy was no or very  little pain inflicted on the innocent. The choice he seemed to think was right  was so very wrong.  So how does this apply to your life and to my life?  I know that for me I can live in the fear and pain of the past. Sins of my past  that can haunt me. I can fear man. What will they think, how will they treat me?   Man can be cruel and judgmental. But I fear them. If I totally surrender to God  and trust him to work in my life I need not fear man but trust the words of  proverb 29 and know that god will keep me safe.  I need to confess sins not just to God but to those I have hurt, those who, who  with God's strength, can help me find peace from my past and the hope of a  future. I can trust that God is a merciful God.   That is what happened to David. He finally surrendered his sins to the Lord, he  came clean completely and was freed from the guilt and bondage of those sins.  And the result was A heart that could offer unhindered worship to the King of  his life.   If you or someone you know is suffering from the bondage of the past take it to  the Lord, trust that he will keep you safe no matter what life holds and what  man may think. He loves you very much and freedom, true freedom is the sweetest  thing you can possess.  Sent from my iPhone

April 15th 2012

April 15th 2012

Today while he was preaching, Chuck shared a valuable lesson: you can't play you're whole life safe and expect God to be happy with it. It's like offering Him a piece of bread while you have seven or eight loaves in your breadbox. It just doesn't cut it. 

Instead of re-wording what Chuck said today, I'd like to focus on what stood out to me: when Joab tells David to shape up.  

David, at this point, is at the bottom of the barrel. He's aging, he lost everything, he's just down for the count. I think the last straw was the death of his son. Everything around him was falling apart  For David, he lost the will to go on. How many times have we decided that what is dished to us is too much? We just can't take on all the burdens of our daily lives, and can see no point in even trying to continue on. This is where David is. This is where I admit to have been before, and is probably, if you're being honest, a place you've been before too. It's an understandable feeling though. A lot of times, when things fall apart, the easiest reaction is to shut down. Just shut yourself down because you're in so far over you're head that it doesn't matter what you do. A lot of people cry at this point, David does. Some people get angry, some people spend all day in bed, some people drink, some people abuse drugs, but any way you shape it, it's not facing your problem- it's running from it. Sometimes you need to kick yourself to get going. In David's case, Joab did it for him. 

Joab comes in and basically tells David to get his act together. He tells him to wash his face, stop crying, and face his men. How many times have we done this for a friend? It is something that is really hard to do, no doubt about that. As a friend, my first instinct is usually to comfort. But Joab knew that getting past his grief was the best thing for David, so instead of letting him cry, he whipped him into shape. I've had to do this for a few friends, and it gets rough. You risk a friendship, because not all people want to face their problems. Most would resent you for trying to snap them out of their comfortable blanket of self-pity. In the end, though, doing this is the best course of action, because letting a friend wallow in self-pity is not being a friend, it's being an enabler, and it's not something a real friend would do. 

Hope you all had a great Sunday, and for all you Greeks, Christos Anesti! :)