I Did It My Way

God has given each person free will, even as He is not willing that any person should use that gift for his or her own destruction.  Yet, to some extent, we all do.  Whether you are a Christian or not, rebellion is part of your DNA.  One one extreme is the atheist who rejects God, or worse, the person who is merely indifferent.  On the other extreme is that petty sin that tempts you do choose it when God has something better.  Proverbs 14:12 speaks to this.  So does Proverbs 16:25.  The principle is so important it appears virtually verbatim in two separate scriptures.

There is a way that seems right to a person...

But its end is the way that leads to death.

Proverbs 14:12 (NET)

The prophet Isaiah said basically the same thing to the Hebrews as Jerusalem was about to be overtaken by the Babylonians.  The reason God was allowing such a hostile takeover was because the nation as a whole had turned its back on God, with most folks "doing it my way".  

You were secure in your wickedness;

you said, "No one sees me."

Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray.

You said toyourself, "I exist and there is no one else."

But, 

Disaster will happen to you; you will not know how to avert it.

And it will fall on you, but you will be unable to ward it off.

Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly.

Isaiah 46:10-11

As I read these verses, particularly verse 10, I think about so many people today who say this same thing.  It breaks my heart, because some of those I love believe this.  This godless, worldly philosophy is of the Devil and is the essence of atheism.

This philosophy is prevalent in our public schools and universities.  And, it is one explanation for why so many of our young people go astray in their later teens and 20s.  This is an outworking of the phrase, "Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray."  This happened even to King Solomon, who was judged to be the wisest man of his day!  We need to pray diligently for our young ones, as they are under tremendous pressure to abandon their faith.  The message pervades our world; they hear it everywhere.

People who believe this satanic philosophy do so for a variety of reasons, but one reason is central:  they want to hold on to their sin.  They love their sinful lifestyle, at the core of which is "self-determination", the ability to determine one's own path.  The anthem of this belief system is a "golden-oldie" from the mid-20th century crooner, Frank Sinatra - - "I Did It MY Way!" 

Rebellion is foundational to this movement.  It began with the first being to rebel against God, Satan, and has continued down through the centuries as he has continued his campaign to draw people away from the one, true Source of Life.

'I exist, and there is no one else."  Such self-centeredness!  Of course, if others "do not exist", we do not have to care for them, true?  We don't have to be considerate of their needs.  If GOD does not exist, then we can happily continue in our sins, true?  How very convenient...

For the Christian, our theology turns this belief system on its head.  There is no self-determination in Christianity, no "self-actualization", as Abraham Maslow called it.  There is only "God-actualization" and "God-determination".  A brother quoted Proverbs 3:5-6 yesterday, and it is so applicable here. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Don't depend on your own ability to understand.

In all your ways, give Him your allegiance, 

And HE will direct your paths."

Our faith is counterintuitive to our culture in present-day America.  It runs "against the grain."  To many whose eyes are clouded and ears clogged, it makes no logical sense.  It is offensive.  Many call it "ignorant".  Listen to what God says, through the apostle Paul about true wisdom: {The Message}

"Don't fool yourself.

Don't think that you can be "wise" merely by being up-to-date with the times.

Be God's fool - - - that's the path to true wisdom.

What the world calls "smart", God calls stupid.

It is written in Scripture, 

'He exposes the chicanery of the chic.

The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls.'  "

1 Cor. 3:18-20

God has made it abundantly clear in Isaiah 44 and 45 (and elsewhere throughout the Old and New Testaments) that HE is in control, that our "self-determination" will lead us to disaster.  He gives us the free will to either follow Him or not.  

Let's choose wisely.

Ah Father!  My heart breaks.  I beg You not to forsake those who wander from the Truth.  Please continue to woo them by Your Holy Spirit.  I am so grateful for Your promise to fling Your arms open wide and receive us, yes, even run out to meet us in our repentance, as the father of the prodigal son did in Luke 15.  Oh dear God!  Let today be the day.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Turning a Fool

Today, we close out this 4-part mini-session on the topic of fools.  To begin....
Remember the biblical definition of a fool, given three posts ago:  a person who despises the wisdom of God.  (Proverbs 1:7) (Psalm 14:1)
But, there is a continuum, a range.

People can range from being an utter fool, who declares there is no God, no moral authority based in scripture, and who live their lives according to what they believe to be right.  And, at the other end of the continuum are those who believe in God, revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ, but at times ignore certain aspects of His wisdom.
Examples:
1.  The atheist
2.  The well-meaning Christian who is tempted by some physical substance.  He/she knows that the substance is harmful to the body, the temple of the Holy Spirit.  But, oh how delightful that sin is! Accordingly, he/she falls into it, at least occasionally.
The first example lives continually in the realm of foolishness.  The second lapses into foolishness from time to time.
And, there are all kinds of degrees in between these two extremes.

Knowing and loving an utter fool is the epitome of heartbreak.  Most of us have at least a passing acquaintance with one and can "see" that person (or persons) in our minds' eyes right now.  What does the Bible tell us about hope for these acquaintances, friends, loved ones?

At first glance, it does not look good.
Proverbs 10:8 tells us that the end of an utter fool is utter ruin.

However, I remind you that all people are fools at one time or another.  Before coming to Jesus Christ, we who are now His beloved, were completely lost, the biggest fools ever!  And, He rescued and saved us!

3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV)

Can we just stop, Christians, and praise Him and love on Him for that!  Oh, Hallelujah!

This is part of the heartbreak of loving an utter fool. We want our loved one to know that joy and peace which come from a relationship with the Lover of Their Souls!
Ok, so let's begin with what NOT to do in "turning a fool".

1.  Do not quarrel with her about her viewpoint.  This will get you nowhere.

If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

Proverbs 29:9 (ESV)

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

Proverbs 9:7 (ESV)

This does not mean that you should not attempt to persuade, have civil discussion, share books, etc.
It does mean that you should not allow yourself to descend to their foolish methods of uncivil quarreling.  Any attempts at persuasion should be done with love and respect.

2.  Do not embrace a fool as a cherished friend, because the fool's foolishness will taint your Christian walk.   This is a hard one to accept.  But, you will not "turn a fool" by hanging out with him and participating in his foolishness.  Foolishness is seductive.  You may find yourself believing worldly philosophies as a result.  When the Bible says, "Bad company corrupts good morals", it means it.  This is especially a pitfall of dating.  I cannot tell you how many of my friends over the years have lamented because, as a Christian, they dated a non-Christian, whom they eventually married.  And, their spouse's indifference or downright hostility to the love of God broke their hearts.
Don't "go there" in your cherished relationships. Again, foolishness is seductive.  (Proverbs 9:13-17)
Here's another verse along those lines:

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)

So, where is the hope for a fool?  What CAN you do?
Let's look back at the verses from Titus.  Notice verses 4 and 5.
It is God who turns the heart of fool to Him.
While He can use us, it is His Holy Spirit who ultimately does the conversion of a fool to a saint.
Our role in turning a fool is as follows:

1.  Demonstrate the love of Christ.
Help, but don't enable.  Forgive.  Be generous.  Be humble.  Be Jesus in their lives.  You may be the only Jesus she ever sees!

2.  Pray earnestly.
I don't mean occasionally pray.  Labor in prayer for him!
Pray that she will get weary of her foolishness.
Ecclesiastes 10:15 tells us that "the struggles of fools wear them out".  Sometimes, people have to get to the absolute bottom before they will look up to God.  While we never want our loved ones to have to experience, pain, loss, devastation or despair.  Those may be tools God will use to draw him or her to Himself.  Pray "whatever it takes, Lord Jesus, to draw them to You." (1 Corinthians 5:5)
Pray that the "goodness and lovingkindness of God our Savior" will appear to her.
Pray that the eyes of his heart will be opened.
As you are led, even fast and pray.  Let your prayers storm the gates of Heaven on behalf of your foolish friend.
The Lord knows your heartbreak.  He has felt it untold quadrillions of times over, due to the waywardness of HIS beloved....

3.   Praise and Trust
When you get "down" over the spiritual state of your friend, praise your Savior!  Praise Him for His great love and for His sovereign will in each of our lives.
And, then trust Him.
It is very hard to trust God when you see someone you love wallowing in folly, like a pig rolls in muddy filth and grunts with enjoyment, when you see a loved one careening off a cliff to destruction.
You may not like the path God sovereignly has your friend on; but, you can still praise Him for it.
Remember this:  our heartfelt praise breaks spiritual strongholds, breaks the chains of the enemy. Our magnificent God "shows up and shows out" when we praise and trust Him!

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

Luke 15:3-7, 21-24 (NIV)

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your longing to welcome us home!  No matter the state of our souls, the extent of our waywardness, the depths of our foolishness, You always stand ready, arms wide open.  
Lord, I'm amazed by You.  
Now, unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before His presence with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, amen.

The Safest Place

Spending a few minutes in Ezekiel this morning, I came across in chapter 11 today's key verse, verse 8:

"You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you," the Lord God declares.

Ezekiel 11:8 (NASB)

In this passage the Israelites were in one of their infamous bouts of disobedience to their God.  They had strayed from His ways, substituting the ways, methods and "ordinances" (vs. 12) of the pagan people groups that surrounded them.  Their rulers and leaders were evil, in this regard.

The rulers' rationalization and justification to the people for doing so was, "If we don't do this the nations around us will ravage and conquer us!"  The bottom line was: they were trusting in their own power and in pagan methods to preserve their safety, instead of trusting in YHWH, their God.

There are many circumstances Satan uses to tempt us to fear.  If He can, after all, scare us out of following God boldly, then he has handicapped our effectiveness for the kingdom of God.

Is there a circumstance, or several, making you fearful today?  What is a Christian's antidote to fear?

And, what does it mean to be "safe" anyway?  Does it mean no harm will ever come to you?
No.

While walking resplendent (according to Jesus Christ's example) yields a life of peace and joy, it is not a life free of challenges and sometimes downright pain.   Why?

Let's tackle these questions.

1.  The Antidote to Fear
Simply, the antidotes to fear are prayer and trust in the One who "holds all things in His hands".  If we trust, committing ourselves and our circumstances to God, we can be certain, absolutely certain, that He will:

• do what is right
• guide us
• be with us through every adverse condition
• use all of our situations for His glory and the advancement of our kingdom
• work things out "for our good" (especially when things seem like crap all around us).  (Romans 8:28)

It may not be that He "works things out" the way we'd like, but we can have bedrock, rock-solid trust in His goodness and His sovereignty.
Where is room for fear in that?  No room.  He, and He alone, is our "safest place".

2.   The Answer to Pain
Why must good people suffer?
First of all, there is no one truly righteous, except God.  Christians know this, as it is the first step to becoming a Christian. (Romans 3:10)
But, I'm talking about Christians, those who love God (to the best of their flawed ability) with all their hearts, minds, souls...
Why do Christians, God's family suffer?
Apart from sinful choices which bring suffering down on our own heads, the answer is hinted at in #1 above - - -
All of our life conditions, phases, seasons, circumstances are allowed us so that we can:

• grow in our faith
• be drawn closer to His heart
• become more like our Savior
• bring about the advancement of the gospel message, be instrumental in "His kingdom come, His will be done" (Matthew 6:9-13)
• bring Him glory

So, we must not adopt the methods of the Jewish leaders in Ezekiel 11.  Their methods were to be deceived by and yield to worldly strategies and pagan philosophies to solve spiritual problems (such as dealing with fear and pain).  God's solutions trump and are superior to man's (Satan's) counterfeits every.single.time.

The question is: will we, God's beloved people, be bold and fearless, moving forward in faith and courage, to follow our King in all of life's circumstances?  Are we willing to follow Him and His ways obediently, according to the Word of God, no matter the personal cost?  Is the battle worth it?  Is HE worth it?

Yes, and so be it.   I believe He is worth it all.

Heavenly King and Father God,
"Give us wisdom.  Give us courage, for the facing of this hour....for the facing of this hour!"
In Jesus' name, amen.

An American Celebration

20Daniel said,

         “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,

         For wisdom and power belong to Him.

21“It is He who changes the times and the epochs;

         He removes kings and establishes kings;

         He gives wisdom to wise men

         And knowledge to men of understanding.

22“It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;

         He knows what is in the darkness,

         And the light dwells with Him.

Daniel 2:20-22

I don't know what you have planned today, but I plan to spend part of this God-given day of life to watch the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States.  It will be the first one I have ever had the privilege of watching live.  Why?  I was working full-time during the preceding presidents' inaugural events.

I won't be watching because I am a huge fan of our new president.  He was not my first, second or even third choice in the Republican presidential primary.  Mr. Trump won't be a "perfect president", nor do I expect him to be. The best I can say about today's change of power is that I am "cautiously optimistic".

Instead, I will be watching and celebrating because I am a huge fan of The American Experiment1, as some (most notably Alexis de Toqueville) have called our country.  I believe that the founding principles which made this nation the foremost nation of the world are timeless and God-given. Indeed, if you closely examine the major components of our American legal system you will find parallel after parallel to the Hebrew Law in the Old Testament, even though over the last 75 years "Progressives" have governed us away from that bedrock foundation.

I'm also a huge fan of God, whom I believe to have ordained the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency.  This sovereign act on God's part does not guarantee approval of the man or even that Trump was the best candidate running.  It merely affirms that God works His sovereign will among us and that He answers prayer.

While writing this post (true confession!) I have the TV on.  Rev. Franklin Graham just walked down the steps to the viewing area where he will be sitting during the swearing in ceremony.  In 2016, this man held non-partisan prayer rallies on the steps of the Capitol buildings of every, single one of the 50 United States.  He advocated a return to the Judeo-Christian principles on which this country was founded.

I was one among many millions of Christians praying fervently regarding the outcome of this election and, even though Mr. Trump was not my candidate of choice, I do believe that God heard those many millions of prayers and answered.  Certainly, Mr. Trump was not the answer all of us Americans wanted, but this was His answer nonetheless.

It is imperative that, as Christians, we avoid the temptation to put our trust in a man (or woman), whomever is elected.  It is our civic responsibility and our Christian duty to plunge in and get involved in local, state and national politics.  Yes, it is a nasty business much of the time; but, to do otherwise is to shirk our responsibility and to revile this magnificent gift of American government our God has given to us.  No, this pursuit, this passionate involvement, should never eclipse or take the place of spreading the gospel.  Never!  Likewise, we should not "fall for" the specious argument that "God and politics don't mix".  VP Pence said it well when he declared (and I paraphrase) "God first. Family Second. Country third."

Our trust is in God, who gave us eternal life through Jesus Christ the one and only Savior. (Acts 4:12) Our confidence is in Him, the only wise God, who left Heaven to live among us and who died to redeem us from the slavery of our sin.  Our trust is in the Lord of Angel Armies (El Shabbaot) who ordained the founding of America and who will continue to use her in the progression of His divine plan for this fallen world.

We must continue to pray and work, for the spread of the gospel "from sea to shining sea" and around the world.  We must pray for a Holy Ghost revival in our country which, at present, appears to be drifting more and more into an ungodly mess. (May righteousness fall down like rain!)  We must continue to engage our often godless worldly culture with a love that is grounded in truth and in timeless principles - - - principles of faith, holy living and sound government.  We must do this in the face of unpopularity, even as we find ourselves increasingly in the minority in America. Finally, today, we must celebrate this peaceful transition of governmental power as a good thing - - - as the outgoing leader of the free world affirms and blesses by his presence the incoming leader of the free world.

Here's a bit of patriotic musical inspiration!
https://youtu.be/ruojMCl_DKg

God bless America!

Sources:

1     https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101018151322AARUkzf

Our Plans (Advent, Day 11)

For the past two days I have been on a sort of mini-vacay with a friend and both our moms in Sevier County, TN.  Several weeks ago, we younger ladies had planned this brief get-away with our moms, to enjoy them amid the local festivities of the season.   The Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area is in the Great Smokey Mountains, one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  Over the past several decades it has been a favorite tourist destination.  When I was a child, it was sort of a secret.  Not many folks outside of the South knew about it, nor did they travel to the area because there was not a lot to do except to relax, fish, talk to the natives, etc.  Today, driving down Parkway, I marveled at all the entertainment options available in Pigeon Forge.  In fact, I made the comment that you could stay here for a week and still not see all the shows or enjoy more than a smidgen of the restaurants, see all the fancy exhibits, etc.  It reminds me somewhat of Vegas (a place I visited once and never plan to see again), though on a more wholesome scale.

We had a bit of an adventure getting to Pigeon Forge yesterday.  We attempted to gain access by driving "over the mountain" - - which is the route folks from my mother's area have taken for many years.  The GPS exhorted us over and over again to take a different (longer) route.  We glibly ignored her.  (Mother said later that we should apologize!). Eventually, at the base of the mountain, we encountered flashing signs telling us the road ahead was closed.  What a bunch of dummies we were!  Despite the signs given, we were determined we knew better!  Our stubbornness and pride lengthened our trip by an hour and a half, as we were forced to take the "around the mountain" route, which eventually brought us into the Sevier county area from the other direction.

The New Testament is full of stories where folks misread the signs, ignoring God by making their own selfish plans.  King Herod is one example of this.  He did his best to manipulate the wise men and, later, to attempt to manipulate the will of God by murdering all infant boys under 2 years of age.  He was sure he "knew better".  Another example is the Jewish teachers and leaders of Jesus' day.  They were absolutely certain they "had Jesus pegged".  They could hardly have been more mistaken.

The cynics of this world who say with disdain, "Who cares about the fables and fairy tales of the Bible" are falling into a similar pit.  Tozer describes these as "big, challenging words" from "puny, empty hearts and minds".  Folks who puff out their chests and (figuratively speaking) shake their fists at God fail to see that all of us human beings are in the hands of God, in the final analysis, whether we are willing to admit it or not.  

There's a striking, appalling juxtaposition currently in this local area.  Less than 10 miles from where we are staying, amid the glitz and glamour, the bright lights and man-made monuments, lie ruins of blackened buildings, charred woods, smoldering ashes of the now-crippled town of Gatlinburg.  Just a few days ago near this bustling tourist destination conditions were ripe for "a perfect storm".... foliage that had not seen rain for several weeks and high winds.  Wildfires were started (by arson, it is believed) and the high winds quickly had them raging out of control.  Much of the town and surrounding area was devastated, lives and millions of dollars worth of property destroyed.  

We were turned back from crossing the mountain as we drove to Sevier county yesterday, for this very reason.  Today, we again tried to drive into Gatlinburg, but this time from Pigeon Forge - - - same result.  The town is blocked off all around, until the residents and business owners can begin to recover from the disasters they have endured and continue to endure.

Tozer tells a story about the ruler of Germany during World War I, Kaiser Wilhelm.  The Kaiser heard a sermon on the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.  Greatly offended, Wilhelm spoke to the minister after the service:  "I never want to hear that kind of a sermon again!  Such an event is not at all in keeping with the plans we have for the future and the glory of our Fatherland!"

Oh!  How we tend to make ourselves big....and God small.

The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, 

and He will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 11:15

He came once as a baby, over 2020 years ago, born into the humblest of circumstances.  He lived a perfect life, allowed his own excruciating death and then defeated Death by rising from the dead, despite all the hordes of Hell brought to bear against Him.  He is God.  He is flawless.  He is coming again.  On that changeless fact we can depend.  When that day comes, we had better be ready, because it will come more suddenly than a forest fire raging out of control.  And, there will be absolutely nothing we can do to stop it.

Father, during this time of terrible tragedy for the people of Sevier county and especially Gatlinburg, TN, please restore what the Destroyer has taken, replenish what the locusts have eaten, what the fires have taken.  Show Yourself mighty in this, Lord!  Be very near and precious to them, bind up the broken-hearted and do the miraculous among them, for Jesus' sake.  Amen.

Source:

Tozer, A.W. From Heaven, pp. 49-52. 2016. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL.

We're The House

Recently, I've been involved in the examination of an old house.  It was built in 1973.  Over the years, it has seen a lot of changes.  The original garage is now a den, and there is a relatively new garage extension.  The walls have been moved to add a 3rd bedroom.  Both bathrooms have been moved.  A screened porch was added on the back several years ago.  The cabinets in the kitchen are new, as is the countertop and the flooring.  It is a house which has been much loved and developed.  As a result it bears little resemblance inside to how it was when it was brand new.  The exterior is somewhat changed, but the changes there are not as obvious.

It still has a few problems, although minor ones, since no house is perfect in all its ways.  There are still issues which must be addressed.

In today's scripture passage, we find the beautiful analogy that we are Christ's "house".

So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gets far more honor. A builder is more valuable than a building any day. Every house has a builder, but the Builder behind them all is God. Moses did a good job in God’s house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come. Christ as Son is in charge of the house.

 Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this bold confidence, we’re the house!

(Hebrews 3:1-6 The Message)

I love The Message version of this passage.  Let's continue to take a good, hard look at the Son of God.  He is in charge of His Church, His House, that redeemed group of humans for whom He came and which has accepted His finished work of salvation.

As the One in charge, he "develops" us.  There are times he has to do some "demolition".  We can always be sure that He does it right, though - - no building code violations, no shortcuts, no shoddy workmanship.  Paul alludes to this when he tells us in Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) ...

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Let's examine our lives today and see where God is "working on" us, His beautiful house.  Are you undergoing minor repairs, or is God tearing an entire wing off of you (an "extreme makeover")?  Is He replacing your roof, your furnace, your bathtub?  Is He merely "redecorating" you at the moment?  Maybe he is adorning you with beautiful things!  Whatever stage of "development" you are in, I pray that you will recognize His hand in your life, Christian, and humble yourself under His mighty, loving hand.  Be bold, as today's scripture says, in your confidence that He has you in the palm of His hand!  He is in control, no matter your circumstances.

Our salvation is finished, secure!  We are forever His, because He is faithful.   Still, as part of His House we are all, after all, "under construction".  :)

I've never visited the Billy Graham library, but would like to, someday.  I'm told that his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, is buried there and that her tombstone bears an unusual inscription:

END OF CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

Father, where my floors are sagging, shore me up;
Where my gutters are clogged, clean me out;
Where there is mold, disinfect me;
Where cold winds blow in and steal my fire, seal me;
Where the enemy gnaws on my bones like a pestilent insect, inoculate me;
Where my rails are wobbly, steady me;
Where my rooms are empty, fill me with your Holy Spirit,
For Your honor and glory alone!
In Jesus' name, amen.

You Didn't Build That!

Life has become extremely busy, these last few days.  Last week, I blogged only twice (which means I had morning devotions only twice), and that makes me unhappy.  But, the past few days were filled with tremendous blessings, and about that I cannot complain.  Not.One.Bit.

That being said, it is with tremendous delight I have the blessed privilege of jumping back into Bible study this afternoon.  Let's resume with Hebrews 3, shall we?

Barak Obama was right.  (Some of you who know me well are laughing right about now!)  Do you remember how, during his tenure as president, Obama made the highly inflammatory statement, "You didn't build that!"  He was talking to a group of people about the small businesses they had "built", making the point that, had not the government provided them the infrastructure and undergirding necessary for the success of the businesses, those initiatives could not have succeeded.1

Now, I am not going to argue the politics of his statement here.  I am, however, going to make that point that, all political considerations aside, you certainly "didn't build that".

4For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Hebrews 3:4 NASB

Just this morning, I was sitting talking with a Christian sister about the church start-up we are both involved with as some of the initial pioneers.  We were reflecting on how God has put that group of pioneers together so very beautifully, so that needs are being met and work is getting done.  In fact, we were agreeing on how stunned we were over the beauty of it!  If we had tried our best to hand-pick people to come on board the project, we would have done an inferior job.  People have volunteered talents we did not know they had.  Who led them to volunteer?  God did.  He knew.  We have even been able to see how years ago He put people into key positions, the purposes of which were not clear at the time.  Looking back, those moves now make perfect sense...

It is oh-so-tempting to look at how God uses us in ministry and to get puffed up with pride..."Look what I did!"  Well, no, you didn't.  But, God did.  He used you to accomplish His purposes, to cause His will to be done...on earth as it is in Heaven.  Whether He used you willingly or unwillingly, He used the gifts and talents He gave you, to accomplish His will.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 90:17 ESV

The Builder of All Things...is God.

Oh Lord Christ!  The universe is Your workmanship, but the Church is of it all the most rare, curious and excellent piece.  No less power was required to make the Church than was required to create the universe.  The latter was made out of nothing, and the former out of materials, flawed people, altogether unfit for such a magnificent building.  I am in awe of all Your works, and am so very grateful to be called not only Your daughter, but also Your servant.  Amen.

Source:

1  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKjPI6no5ng

Remembering, Thanking, Watching

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a high school reunion with my husband, who was a teacher and administrator at those folks' middle school "back in the day".  One of the most cool things was to get to meet some of his former students who are now my Facebook friends!  At any rate, we enjoyed hearing how my husband had been an influencer in the lives of these folks, which is something we hear often.  He was an amazing educator, who influenced for the good many, many young lives.

Then, this morning, one of those alums posted an article that will be in tomorrow's Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper (print edition - - it's online today). 1 What an amazing story, that brought me to tears!

In the Spring of 1971, the high school had hired a football coach who was highly acclaimed.  The football team had a longtime losing record; so, they were very excited to get this "excellent catch".  (I'm sorry....regular readers to this blog know that puns just happen to me...) Although hired in the spring he immediately began to put the next fall's team "through the paces", working them hard!  In those two weeks that April, he really worked them hard, which heightened the disheartened players' expectations for a winning season, come fall.  He really made an impression on those boys.

In God's divine plan, though, this coach was involved in a serious traffic accident two weeks after starting to work with the team.  Due to brain damage, a long recovery began.  The team got a new coach, and life moved on.

Fast-forward to the present, 45 years later.  The students believed that the short-tenured coach was long-dead.  No obituary could be located, however; and, it was discovered he is still alive!  Though still severely impaired, he has lived a fulfilling life over the intervening years.

It would be easy to read about his life and say, "What a shame!"  But, listen to this...

Two years after the accident, the coach was well enough to hitchhike a ride home.  He was picked up by a high school student, who shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with him.  His testimony now is that God spared his life so that he could live that moment with that high school driver, so that he could receive new life, eternal life through Jesus Christ, his Savior!

It is because of the Sovereign Father's mighty plan that last weekend, 45 years later, a 70-year old former football coach, with garbled speech, was able to gather with 80 former students, whose lives he impacted so mightily in two short weeks. He was able to share his testimony of what Jesus Christ has done for him.  And, I imagine that he deepened their understanding of every blessing that belongs to believers in Jesus Christ.

4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. 6I pray that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of every blessing that belongs to you in Christ. 7I have had great joy and encouragement because of your love, for the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Philemon 1:4-7

Paul wrote these words about his friend, Philemon, but surely the hearts of the gathered classmates and the heart of the old coach were similarly refreshed as they remembered and thanked each other, for their brief time together.

How often we fail to realize the sovereign workings of our perfect God!  How often we question and fuss and fume and rail against Him when His plans differ from ours!  How often we fail to realize the impact of a single encounter or a brief one, for that matter!  We truly do not realize what God is doing, through our most mundane, everyday moments.

From this day forward, let's be more thankful and more watchful, careful to use every moment of our lives to show God's love to our fellow man, to live out the gospel of Christ, to tell of what He has done for us.

Dear Jesus, I thank you for the life and testimony of this great man of God, this former teacher/coach/football player whose greatest "claim to fame" is that he got to meet and know You. By his own testimony, "this world is not his home; he is only passing through..."  Dear LORD, I am so humbled!  Give us all hearts full of thankfulness, gratitude and love to see our acquaintances, friends, family, and even total strangers come to know the love that is ours, the perfect love that can be theirs as well...in You.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

Staples, G. B. (2016, September 1). Life With Gracie: Accident derailed coach's life but his journey inspires others. Life With Gracie: Accident Derailed Coach's Life but His Journey Inspires Others. Retrieved September 2, 2016. 

The Insanity of God

In my hometown Tuesday is the "cheap night" at our local movie theatre.  So, yesterday afternoon late, Hubster and I decided we'd see a movie.  At first, we were looking to go see "Ben Hur", which has been out a few days. Then, we noticed that there was going to be a one-night, single showing of a movie called, "Insanity of God".  Intrigued, we read the description on Fandango, and knew our choice was made.

The theater was packed.  We also ran into some of our church's ministerial staff and church friends were there, which was cool.  We sat down with our popcorn and Coke, and began to be blown away.

Here are my take-aways from this powerful movie.

1.  Most of us American Christians have no idea what persecution for our faith is like.  In countries that are "closed" to the gospel of Jesus Christ, persecution is generational.  Persecution is considered to be both a familial as well as a spiritual birthright.  In China, unless you have been to prison for your faith in Jesus Christ, you are not fully trusted by the underground Christian community.  Prison is their seminary.

2.  There is One True Church of Jesus Christ.  Do you pray for "the persecuted church"?  I have, and do.  But, there is not "the persecuted church" and "the free church"; there is just The Church.  One Body, consumed and propelled by One Spirit, following One Savior, our Lord Jesus.  Similarly, there are not "missionaries" and those that "fill the pews".  We are all missionaries, or should be.  I was shamed to hear the words of my denomination's current leader who said that of the millions of members of our denomination in America, most will go to their graves without having told one, single person the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I can only conclude that our reluctance to share the gospel on a day-in, day-out basis is due to our belief that either: 1) It is not a truth worth sharing or 2) Jesus doesn't really matter.
Yes, we pray for "the persecuted church" because we see them as "the needy ones"; we ought to pray for "the flabby church", because we are the ones who are poor, and wretched, self-indulgent and blind.

3.  God wastes nothing.  No trial or tribulation or hardship we endure, especially those we suffer because of our faith in Jesus Christ, ever goes unnoticed or unused by God.  We may never see how God will use it; but, He will.  Or, we may get to see how God uses it, but not completely.  For example, there is a story in the movie about a man imprisoned for his faith.  In the filming of the movie, as that scene was re-enacted on celluloid, for posterity, the Spirit of the Living God moved yet again, using that trial for His glory AGAIN!
Think about Paul's imprisonment.  Honestly, I do not think he had ANY idea that his little letters would form the backbone of the New Testament.  Many of them were written while he was under house arrest for his faith.
So, if you are suffering today because your Savior and Lord is Jesus Christ, and you are faithfully following Him, God will use and continue to use your sorrow, your pain, your loss to grow your faith as well as the faith of others, and perhaps even those around the world, especially if we yield to Him and let Him be God.
Don't think that your faithful ministry is for nothing. He never wastes anything, but instead uses it all to His glory.

4.  Finally, the movie made me consider the kind of faith I want.  And, here's my renewed commitment.  I want:
a faith based on the Word of God, no matter the cost,
a faith courageous in every circumstance,
a faith that enables me to truly see with Spirit-eyes EVERY opportunity, and to seize it
a fighting faith, one that confronts evil and defeats it
a miraculous faith that "moves mountains"
a faith that I don't merely possess, but a faith that possesses me, a radical, insane faith.

…16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For our light and temporary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs our troubles.18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.…

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Dearest, precious, most Sovereign Father, Your all-powerful works among us humans demonstrate Your perfect plan....a plan that seems rather insane to us most of the time.  Often, it requires us to make super-human sacrifices, because Jesus matters.  He matters eternally, both now and forever. And, because He is all-in-all, no persecution we endure here is either insignificant or forgotten.  I thank you for that.  Almighty One, I lift up to You in prayer today all who love You truly and who are giving their last ounces of strength in Your service, moment to moment.  Strengthen our flabby faith, Jesus, and make us into warriors, brave-hearted warriors, for the sake of Your name, and for the spreading of Your gospel, over the whole world.  In Jesus' name, amen.

A Hob-nail Boot

Does that look like a boot to you?  Does to me.  It's a seashore scene from South Africa.  Do you know what a hob-nail boot is?  It's a boot with short nails inserted into the sole in a regular pattern. The primary purpose for these nails is to give the sole more durability, but they also serve to give traction to the boot.  No slippery soles with hob-nails.  You step on something with a hob-nail boot and whatever you step on isn't going anywhere.

I figure there are situations in most of our lives, Christians, which frustrate us.  In my case, I get very aggravated when I see .... well, let's just call it "evil prospering".  I do not like to see evil prosper. When the anti-God side wins, it makes me mad, especially when I've poured heart and soul into what "should" have been "the winning side".  Are you feelin' what I'm feelin' this morning?  Can you point to an area like this in your life and say, "uhm-hm, yeah...."

It SEEMS like God is oblivious, at times like that, doesn't it?  Paul must have felt this type of consternation because he often referenced it in his letters.  Today's text is Ephesians 1:20-23.

20which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

In a moment I'm going to reference some other places Paul echoes this same theme.  But first, look at Psalm 110:1 - - 

Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

Yes, this verse has dual applicability, like a lot of OT prophetic scriptures.  It referred to David's reign, first of all, but also to God's speaking to Jesus, in one of those intra-Godhead conversations. You may recall that Jesus tied the Pharisees up in knots over this verse, in Matthew 22:41-46.  In that exchange, by the way, He was declaring his Messiahship to them; but, they were too obtuse to either see or embrace Him as such.  In Acts 2:34-35, Luke referenced this same verse from Psalms, recounting Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, the very day the Holy Spirit was given.

Here, now, are the other Pauline references:

 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.

1 Cor. 15:27

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Ephesians 4:15

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Colossians 1:18

12but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 

Hebrews 10:12-13

The last enemy to be eliminated is death.  

1 Cor. 15:26

This plan of God's, to give Jesus Christ the spot of King Jesus, has been going on long before Jesus was ever born as a human baby.  The same Person of the Triune Godhead who was the Creator-of-all is the same One who put on flesh (Greek: sarx) and the same One who now sits at the right hand of God the Father, advocating for us, interceding for us ... and ruling over the Church as well as this entire world.  Death - - the last enemy to be destroyed.  Oh, He triumphed over death when He rose from the grave, but He will not totally destroy death (as it still serves His plan) until "the end of time", as described in Revelation.

So, why can't we see it?  We are not designed to see God's master plan, unfurled outside of the bounds of Time.  If we could, we would not need faith, would we?  But, even then, our humanity limits our understanding.  Even in those times when God peeled back a corner of Heaven and revealed to one of us His ways, we dealt with that knowledge in incredibly imbecilic fashion, generally speaking.  He is "beyond us" - - far past our limited understanding.

Still, He rules.  He reigns.  Even when it does not look like it around here.  Even when it appears as if evil is crowing triumphantly, evil is a pawn in God's mighty hand.  Ephesians 1:21 emphasizes that NO spiritual entity or power is superior to Christ Jesus, NO matter how things appear.  Christ's "hob-nail boot" is on Satan's neck.  It is finished, Satan.  You.Are.Done.

Seeing is not believing, unless you are looking with eyes of faith.  That's what I have resolved to do, today.  How about you?

Father, Son and Spirit, You rule over all.  I choose to trust You and even to praise You today, even in the face of discouragement, disappointment and fear.   Keeping my eyes fixed on my Head, Jesus, banishes those negative, incapacitating emotions.  King Jesus is on the throne!  He has it all in His hands.  Hallelujah for that.  What a truth worth praising!  What a King worth worshipping!  In Jesus' name, amen.

Israel's Time-out

Most of us can remember time-out, or being "grounded".  Are there any "perfect children" out there?
No, I didn't think so, lol!  Our parents, at some time or other, took away some of the privileges of "sonship", due to our disobedience.

We are in Romans 11 today, a chapter in which Paul is describing how God has done this with the nation of Israel.  He has set the Jewish race aside during this present Gentile age.  Why did God do this?  Because of their refusal of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Because of their refusal to believe (11:20).   (More about God's "why" later...)

Does this mean that God has permanently abandoned His chosen people?  Absolutely not! As Paul says in verse 29:  "The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."  God is keeping His promises to His chosen people, although it may not look that way to a casual observer.  And, in vs. 11 we read that they did not stumble and fall permanently.  So, God is now, in this present day, saving a remnant of Jews (vs. 5).  But the majority of them have been blinded spiritually, experiencing a partial hardening of their hearts toward salvation through Jesus Christ.

25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

Paul calls this a "mystery", a μυστήριον, in the Greek.   When we read, "show you a mystery" in the New Testament, we need to understand that the phrase is better translated "tell you a secret".  In other words, these "mysteries" are God giving some new revelation that He had previously kept to Himself.1

This brings us to the rest of God's "why" about hardening the hearts of the Jewish people.  He did it so that Gentiles would be evangelized and "grafted in" to the tree of salvation.  (I wrote about this in a previous post: "I'm a Wild Olive Branch, How About You?"  You can read it here: http://resplendentdaughter.blogspot.com/2014/08/good-morning-ezra-8-begins-by-listing.html )

Does that mean that He makes it impossible for Jewish people to be saved?  NO!  God's hardening does, however, make it more difficult.  Paul warns us Gentiles to not let this situation make us "conceited" over what God is doing in the lives of the Jews.  Instead, it should make us grateful, that salvation was extended to us Gentiles at all!

This explains why it is so difficult to witness to a person of Jewish heritage/faith.  Of all people in this present Church age to come to Jesus Christ, Jews find it the most difficult.  So close, but yet so far!  Interestingly, when those of Jewish heritage DO come to Jesus Christ, I truly believe that they "get it the most right" of any of the Christian sects, because they "marry" the beautiful feasts of Judaism with their salvation through grace, in Jesus Christ.  They are able then to see most clearly how God has revealed Himself over the eons, in one continuous glory.

If this idea of God hardening the hearts of the Jews (or of anybody else, for that matter) bothers you, come back tomorrow.  We'll explore this conundrum in more depth, as well as looking at how Israel will be once again be returned to the preeminent position.

Father, first of all, I acknowledge that my understanding is limited.  I'm just grateful that You choose to reveal Yourself to us humans at all.  We are not meant to understand everything.  You have had a magnificent plan all along.  Thank you for allowing us to learn the minutest portion of the mysteries, the secrets of Your heart.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

http://doctrine.org/pauls-mystery/