Praise the Lord!

What causes us to praise the Lord?  For what reason do we praise him?

There can be many reasons; we can praise him for being creator, savior, life-giver, or even the fact that he is Lord.

Reading Psalm 71 today,  

"O Lord, you alone are my hope.
    I've trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.
Yes, you have been with me from birth;
    from my mother's womb you have cared for me.
    No wonder I am always praising you!

My life is an example to many,
    because you have been my strength and protection.
That is why I can never stop praising you;
    I declare your glory all day long. Psalm 71:5-8 (NLT)

Sometimes offering praise to God can feel a bit superficial at best.  But when we stop and think about what the Lord has done in our lives, we cannot help but praise him for it.

That's what the psalmist does here, he sees God's hand in his life from before he was born.  He sees that his life is an example to others, only because of the Lord.

Take a moment today to ask the Holy Spirit to show you times when he has been there for you, and then, like the psalmist, praise him for it!

Knowing Jesus

How well do you know Jesus?

I've been challenged by this thought lately.  I know Jesus as my Savior, as my Lord.  I have been walking with him for over 30 years now.

But there are times when I feel a longing to know him better.  I have noticed that  often it is during difficult or trying times that we get a chance to see more of who Jesus is.  Trials seem to bring about these opportunities.

Didn't many of us come to him when our lives fell apart while on our own?

The disciples had been following Jesus for some time.  They had seen miracles and heard his teaching.  Then one day their very lives were in danger.

"Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Matthew 8:23-25 (NIV)

Notice they knew Jesus well enough to call on him for help.  I'm not sure what they thought he would do, but it is clear by what happens next they did not expect what he did do.

He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

 The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" (26-27)

Think about that for a moment.  Before their very eyes, Jesus took command over the elements.  He rebuked the storm, and it obeyed and became calm.

How?  Simply because he said so.

This caused the disciples to question even deeper who Jesus could be.

Storms can come into our lives in  many different ways.  Life is not always easy, but Jesus can use those times to reveal even more of himself to us.

Are you going through a tough time?  Try asking, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me about yourself through this?" 

There is so much of him left to learn about, so much more to know.

Unity

Last night at ReFuel we were talking about the importance of unity in the Body of Christ.

A scripture that came to mind was, 

"Though one may be overpowered,

    two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)

Ever since the birth of the church of Jesus Christ some 2,000 plus years ago, we have been under assault by an enemy that will always try to destroy us.

To do this, first he will try to divide us.  This works more times than it should.  Why does he do that?  Because he knows just how powerful we are when we are united in one purpose.  And that purpose is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.   If he can isolate us he can defeat us.

I know of many Christians who try to walk this earth alone.  I know of a lot of Christians who have been picked off, one by one, by the enemy.

But a united body of Christ, standing together, locking shields against the enemy, is a force to be reckoned with.

That is my prayer today, to see the church stand united, to see us as one.

There is so much work to do, there is so much at stake here.

Let us join together in fulfilling the prayer of Jesus.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—  I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-23 (NIV)

Who we are

Mufasa:  "Simba, you have forgotten me."

Simba: "No.  How could I?"

Mufasa: "You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me.  Look inside yourself Simba.  You are more than what you have become..."

In the  animated movie "The Lion King," Simba grows up taking life easy away from where he belongs.  As long as Simba can forget he is the son of a king, he can do whatever he likes, ""Hakuna matata!"and all that "no worries" stuff.  He has nothing to live up to, because he has chosen to be nothing.

But then he has an encounter with his father, Mufasa the King, who reminds him that by forgetting who he really is, he has forgotten his father as well. 

We can do the same.  I hear many people say,"I'm nothing, I'm just a sinner saved by grace, I'm a worm..." or other phrases like it. 

While it is true that we were nothing apart from Christ, that is not at all what the Bible says we are now, in Christ.  As long as we believe we are nothing, we can act like we are nothing.  We have no obligation to do otherwise.  After all, who counts on a "nothing" to do anything of value?

However what does God's word say we are?

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)

And Jesus also said, 

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

 "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)

It's time we accept who we truly are in Christ and rise up to our calling, and live our lives as sons and daughters of the Living God.

As Paul said, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Eph 4:1 (NIV)

Blind obedience

The other day while riding, my wife and I came up on some construction.  You know the kind, a man stands with a sign that says "Stop" on one side and "Slow" on the other.

As we stood there, waiting for the oncoming traffic that was using our lane, I watched a large truck come around a corner.  I thought, how interesting it was that he was using our lane, coming right at us, but there was no danger to us at all.

Why was there no danger from getting hit by that truck?

Because we had made the simple choice to obey the man with the sign.  We waited because he said so.  Even before we could see the oncoming traffic around the bend,, we sat and we waited.

What would have happened if we decided not to obey?  What would it have been like as that truck turned the corner?

Reading Luke 17:11-16 (NIV)

"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance  and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?"  Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

They had asked Jesus for healing, and he gave them instruction.  It is clear the healing came after the obedience, and not before. 

Faith sometimes requires obedience without an answer. 

We can't always see why we need to obey, but in the end it is always for our best.

The Beauty of God

You can tell something about a person's personality by what they create. 

For example, the type of person who engineered a watch has an interest in time, and in precision, making things that always behave exactly the same way, faithfully. 

I was out riding with my wife this past weekend.  As we rode through the curvy country roads, I couldn't help but notice the color of the leaves changing with the season, and the sky with its different shape clouds.  As I entered into a turn, it was as if time slowed down.  The sunlight had an dazzling effect on the scenery, it was like an amazing painting that changed slightly with every passing second!

And I thought, what kind of God would create the world like this?  Why would he make the sky in such a way that it has endless varieties of cloud shapes, or stars?

Or with the coming of a new season, why would he make it so that the leaves all around us would suddenly burst out in brilliant colors, long enough to enjoy, but not long enough to be so common that we ignore them? 

Or take the way light and shadow work together so that the landscape changes as the sun passes over it?

David looked up to the heavens once and he could not help but write a song about what he saw and what it said to him,

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
    It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race."  Psalm 19:1-5 (NLT)

I think far too often we look to God as a provider.  We call on him for guidance, healing , or to fix problems in our lives.

But how about just marveling at how beautiful he must be to create what he does?  We look at paintings and are in awe at the talent of those who create them, how much more should we be in awe of the amazing God of the universe?  What must he be like to want to make something as beautiful as a sunset, or as playful and charming as some of our household pets?

This is a God worth getting to know.

Nourishment For The Soul

I find it interesting when I hear about a celebrity that suffers from depression.  How could that possibly happen?  Some are attractive, rich, talented, and working in the top of their field. 

How could they possibly be depressed?  They appear to have all the things the world values.

Reading Matthew this morning, 

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV)

I used to read this only as, salvation.  You live here, party like a rock star but you don't know Christ.  So even though you have this amazing life, you die and go to hell.

Although that is true, without Christ there is no salvation and eternity will suck, I think Jesus is also talking about missing out on life here and now.

Each of us are created for a purpose, and we find that purpose when our lives are completely surrendered to Jesus Christ.  The "food for our souls" is found here, in our calling.  Satan would like nothing better than to keep us occupied with any other activities than finding this. 

But when you find it, you come alive.  Even when we are tired we can be refreshed in a way that nothing else accomplishes.

When Jesus was tired and sat down by the well and had his conversation with the Samaritan woman (John 4), the disciples returned with some food and urged him to eat. 

He told them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. " John 4:33-35 (NIV)

Jesus nourished himself by doing the will of God, then he pointed to the harvest and invited us to do the same.

Children of God

A long time ago I used to teach music and movement to little kids. 

I would travel to different daycare centers as "The Music Man".  Eventually I was hired by a school and trained as a Montessori preschool teacher.

Working with children was my favorite job.  I remember once my son came with me; that day  I had five 30-minute classes in a row to teach.  I would have the children singing, dancing and spinning around.  Then I would bring out my puppet who would read them a story. 

I would do the same songs and story five times in a row for two and a half hours straight.  My son, after watching me,  asked me how I could keep the energy up through all those classes.

It was the kids, I told him.  At that age (3 to 7) they just went with whatever I wanted to do.  I would shout, "Jump up and down!" or "Spin around!" and they would, with gusto!

Each group was different, each group was fun.

They weren't worried about how they looked, how they sounded, or even being all sweaty and out of breath.  They followed my direction, because they knew when I came they would have fun if they followed along. 

I learned a lot from watching them.

In Luke 18:15-17  we read, "People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

To have that childlike faith takes getting our eyes off ourselves and trusting that the Lord has our best interest in mind.

Can we learn to do that?  I think we need to remember how.

Maybe that's why we are called, "Children of God" no matter how old we are.

Time with the Lord

What are we busy with?  What occupies all of our time?

Today is Thursday, the weekend is almost here. 

Where did this week go? 

I always approach the weekend the same way.  I have this list of things I need to get done, and then I have things I want to do. 

Often times I don't complete either list!  Things come up that take priority or energy.  I'm not one who likes to sit; when I see a list of tasks that need to be performed, I go at them, one at a time, until they are done. 

I find it hard to just sit when I know there are things I need to do.

Reading Luke 10:38-42(NIV) today.

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

I find it rather amusing that Jesus had to say Martha's name twice, perhaps just to get her to stop and listen to what he was saying!

That can be me.  I am so busy that I just don't set some time out to spend with the Lord. 

Things need to get done, they always will.  But spending time with the Lord, in prayer or in his word (or perhaps just telling him we love him) is what is needed.  And although Jesus said of Mary, "it will not be taken away from her..." we can certainly willingly forfeit it as Martha had done.

So what shall we be with this weekend upon us, a Mary or a Martha?

What's on your mind?

Sometimes the greatest battles can be fought in our thought life.  What's on our mind?

Those who create advertisements understand this well.  Often I find myself online checking out the latest motorcycle gear.  I have a few websites my wife and I enjoy shopping at, great fun!

What is interesting  is how the technology has advanced now to the point where,, when I am looking at, let's say a helmet, on the shopping site; guess what pops up when I change over to Facebook?

You guessed it, that same helmet, even the same color!  Why do these websites pay a lot of money to Facebook and other social media sites to do this?

Because they know if they can keep that image in our heads, over and over again, we get to  thinking about it.  Do this enough times,  chances increase we will act and buy it.

Our minds are created that way.  All it takes is exposure to  certain thoughts until we begin to act on those same thoughts. 

That is why Paul (inspired by the Holy Spirit) wrote,

"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.  The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.  The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:5-8 (NIV)

Today let us watch our minds, guard our thoughts.  Let us ask the Holy Spirit to bring to our attention any thoughts that do nor line up with his purpose for our lives.

Follow me

After his resurrection, Jesus was having a conversation with Peter.  He had some difficult news for him,

"Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" John 21:18-19 (NIV)

History tells us this death, for Peter, was to be crucified upside down.

You have to admire  Peter, he says out loud what many of us would only think.  Hearing this news, and the command to follow Jesus, Peter takes a quick look around and wants to know if he's alone in this future.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."  John 21:20-22 (NIV)

At first, Jesus response seemed a bit harsh to me.  But that was until I realized Peter did not affirm he would follow Christ yet.  He was trying to get off the topic, but Jesus brings him right back.

"You must follow me...."

And so it is with us. We see the lives of others and wonder why things don't all seem the same for every follower of Christ. 

The question is not the ones we ask, "Lord what about..."   What about what?  Our prosperity?  Our health?  Our Job?  Our "promise" of a happy life free from trouble?

The true issue here is how will we respond to that one invitation.

"You must follow me...."

Will we? Not matter the cost?

Finishing the work assigned to me

Every once in a while I have a scripture that does not leave my mind.  Like a tune stuck in my head, a particular Bible verse will resurface, over and over no matter what I find myself doing. 

The past few weeks, this has been the verse.  In the book of Acts, Paul is speaking to the elders of the church of Ephesus when he says something that just impacts me profoundly.

 After telling them he knows his trip to Jerusalem has suffering waiting for him, he said, 

"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.  I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it's not my fault,  for I didn't shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know." Acts 20:24-27 (NLT)

Later he would write to Timothy,  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.  And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." 2 Tim 4:7-8 (NLT)

What are we here for if not to fight the good fight for his Kingdom?  Are we keeping our ears intent on listening to the Holy Spirit, willing to follow him wherever we go?  Are all of our time, talent and resources available to the cause of Christ?

When it comes time for us to leave this world, will we have the same conviction that Paul did, that we have fought the good fight, and when given the opportunity, we did not shrink back from declaring the good news to anyone who had ears to hear?

Let us begin this week,by working these verses into a prayer 

Lord Jesus,  my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work you assigned me—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.  Help me today to be faithful.  Give me the strength to never shrink from declaring all that God wants those I encounter to know.

Each night Lord, may I have confidence that I fought the good fight for the day, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.  

By your grace, and for your glory may I live each moment for your Kingdom.

Amen

Psalm 25

There are times when I read the word of God and I'm just blown away by it.  I cannot come up with a single thing to add to it, or to make it any clearer. 

That happened to me as I was reading  Psalm 25 this morning. 

Join me this morning in making this Psalm a prayer.  If possible, read it out loud.

Psalm 25 (1-14 NIV)

1 In you, Lord my God,

    I put my trust.

2 I trust in you;

    do not let me be put to shame,

    nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one who hopes in you

    will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those

    who are treacherous without cause.

4 Show me your ways, Lord,

    teach me your paths.

5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are God my Savior,

    and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,

    for they are from of old.

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth

    and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

    for you, Lord, are good.

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right

    and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful

    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your name, Lord,

    forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?

    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.

13 They will spend their days in prosperity,

    and their descendants will inherit the land.

14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;

    he makes his covenant known to them.

Lord, may you confide in us this morning, show us your will for this weekend!

This world doesn't make sense

Recently I listened to a discussion that made absolutely no sense to me.  Have you ever had that happen?

People are jabbering away and you have no idea what they are talking about.  They keep referring to things that make no sense to you.

In this case, this was a problem of having no historical information.  I did not have the same information going into that conversation that the others did. Therefore I did not understand the context, nor could I add anything of worth. 

That can be frustrating.

Many people approach their walk with the Lord that way; we don't understand that mankind was not there at the beginning of all things. 

When bad things happen, we are surprised.  When evil events show up in the news we are amazed.  What is happening to the world?, we wonder.

But we forget, mankind arrived on the scene after some pretty heavy events had already taken place.  Satan's rebellion in heaven took place before mankind was created.  They were placed in a garden where an enemy already had access.

There was a battle long before we arrived and this world we live in today feels the repercussions of that battle - because it is still going on. 

An enemy who hates God has raged war on mankind as well, because mankind was created in God's image.

As John tells us, "We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." 1 John 5:18-19 (NIV)

Today we look around at all the craziness that is going on and we wonder why?  It is because there was a battle raging long before we got here, and we are caught up in that battle. 

Viewing the world in that context can suddenly make things make a lot more sense. 

It can also cause us to be much more alert, especially when our days are full of problems and strife.

As Peter tells us, 

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

But,

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:8-11

Amen

Frustrated with God?

There are times when I get frustrated with God.

He doesn't seem to be working according to my agenda!  Like a child I will pout, perhaps even stop talking to him for an afternoon or so.

This is where the motorcyclist has a distinct advantage. 

I may complain and even dare get upset with the Lord, but then I throw my leg over my bike, start it up and head down the road.  I realize very quickly that I do not want to be on the outs with him.  I understand that he is the Lord, and I am the servant.  I find myself faced with my own mortality and I always find myself asking his forgiveness for my self-centered thoughts.

Riding a motorcycle reminds me of how fragile I am.  It also allows me to see God's creation and marvel at how amazing he is.

I ride home, as I did last night, and I see the stars in the sky and the darkness all around me.  I find myself praying the words of Psalm 8

"When I consider your heavens,

    the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

    which you have set in place,

 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

    human beings that you care for them?"  vv 3-4 (NIV)

Like Job I realize, he is God, I am man. 

""I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?

    I put my hand over my mouth.

I spoke once, but I have no answer—

    twice, but I will say no more." Job 40:4-5 (NIV)

Difficult times will come.  Times that test our faith, and can cause us to doubt the very heart of God.  But in the end, he has a way of bringing us around and helping us to see.

Because this God of the universe, also happens to be our Father.

--

"Let no one come to you without feeling better and happier when they leave"
Mother Teresa

Teaching or learning?

At Taekwondo last night,  in the small class the higher ranking students outnumbered the lower ranks.

By lower ranks I mean me, a white belt yellow stripe, and an new student who was a new white belt. 

The head instructor took the ten or so higher ranks to one side of the room, then he asked me to teach the new white belt his forms and kicks.  I spent the next 20 minutes teaching rather than learning.

Or did I?  I'll touch on that later.

At first glance someone may ask, "wait, don't you pay to go to class?  Why would you be teaching?  That's not right..."

I'll admit, the thought did cross my mind for a brief moment. 

But in a traditional martial arts school we are taught that everyone helps one another.  It is a natural part of learning.  The classroom is a small community. Each member is important, and each member contributes. 

It is the same with the body of Christ.

"The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,  and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,  while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."  1 Cor 12:21-26 (NIV)

We are far too used to thinking of ourselves as individuals, but the Biblical view of the body of Christ is very different. 

Do we see ourselves that way?  Does the world see us that way?

And oh, by the way, since we retain 90% of what we teach someone else, those 20 minutes did more to reinforce the basics than a few classes combined of "just" being a student. Teaching is a powerful tool for learning. 

Perhaps a subject for another posting!

Abundant life

Are you living an abundant life?

It's a challenging question.  The older I get, the more I think about this. 

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10 (NIV)

I used to love Ring Dings.  There was a time when I could eat an entire box.  All that would be left when I got done was a pile of tin foil balls they came wrapped in.

I could buy them at any store.  They were cheap and required no preparation.  Just unwrap and eat!  Quick and easy.

Then one day I decided to bake a cake.  Just a box cake, nothing too fancy.  But it did take time to mix the ingredients and to bake it.  Then it took even more time for it to cool before I could add frosting and eat it. 

It was very good!  But it was not quick and easy.

When I compared the Ring Dings to the cake, however the Ring Dings tasted cheap.  I decided to stop eating them, they lost their flavor to me. 

Life is like that.  We can watch TV or play a video game, maybe surf the web and live far too much of our days in front of a screen.  To live life that way is quick and easy. 

But is that the abundant life we are promised from the Lord?  Is there a need for the thief to come and steal, or have we already given it up?

To live an abundant life  takes more effort, and sometimes we have to wait a little to reap the benefits of our work.  But in the end the flavor of life is far better when we choose to really live it. 

Rainy days

Recently we tied the record in North Carolina of 12 rainy days in a row.  The last time this happened was 128 years ago. 

The rain fell on everyone and affected us all.  The sun did not shine for some and not for others.  No amount of preparation or wealth could make the sun come out for even just one person.

I was thinking about that as I was reading Matthew this morning.  Jesus said, 

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

In this teaching both groups of people get rain storms that are strong enough to knock down a house. 

CCR used to sing, "It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate son!"  But the truth of the matter is, all of us will face hard times, stormy times, times when our very lives will be shaken.  None of us are fortunate sons when it comes to being exempt from difficult times.

It is not a matter of, "if" those times will come, but "when".

The difference between the two groups of people in Jesus' teaching was that one built their lives on the Word of God, while the other did not. Therefore one life weathered the storm well, while another did not.

As a Christian we are not promised sunny skies every day, but we are promised a solid foundation that will see us through this life and bring us into the next. 

Choices

It had been a long week.  Not a bad week, but a long one full of activity.

Yesterday I rode my motorcycle for the first time in two weeks for my one-hour commute to work.  The rain we've had has prevented me from riding, so it was great to get on the bike again.

That's a great way to end a Friday work day!  The stress of the day was further behind me with every mile.  I was ready to relax, the weekend is here!

However the weather not only took away my opportunities to ride these past few weeks, there was another activity, not so pleasant, that I have not been able to do.  It struck me in the face as I rolled into our driveway.

Our lawn needed mowing... badly.

I had two choices, get out there and get it done before the sun went down.  Or put it off to another day.  With a little nudging from my wife I ignored that little voice in my head that just wanted to relax.  I went out and mowed the lawn with our push mower. 

Now it's Saturday morning and I'm looking at the weather forecast, "cooler with periods of rain."  Yes ladies, I'm really glad I listened to my wife and just got it done!

Life is full of choices like that, isn't it? 

We as Christians are indwelled by the Holy Spirit nudging us to make the right choice, and all the while the voice of our flesh wants us to do what pleases the flesh.

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Gal 6:7-10 (NIV)

Who are we going to please by our choices today?

How much time do you have?

James Taylor wrote a very familiar song about a friend he lost.

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone

Susanne the plans they made put an end to you

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

I just can't remember who to send it to

I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you again

We think that don't we?  Each evening we lay down our heads and under most circumstances we think that the people in our lives will be there when we rise. 

We think we have plenty of time with them, but this is not always the case.  Children grow up and move away, people in our lives pass away. Time with the people in our lives is a limited resource. 

What will we do with the time we are given with them?  Watch another show on TV?  Play another video game?  Cancel a time to get together because we are "too tired"?

Interestingly enough, James Taylor has a clue where to turn.

Won't you look down upon me, Jesus

You've got to help me make a stand

You've just got to see me through another day

My body's aching and my time is at hand

And I won't make it any other way

We are in a relationship with the living God.  We need his wisdom and we need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as to where and how we spend our time on this earth.

"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15 (NIV)

May everything we do, and the people we do it with, be for the glory of God.

Possessions

"You can't take it with you..."

Last night I had a dream where I was dying.  Kinda strange.  But in the dream I was trying to give away a few rings that I wear.  I wanted someone to have the rings as I felt the time ticking away to my death, but I couldn't find anyone who would take them. 

Fortunately I woke up!

I thought about that dream as I got around this morning.  Looking at the rings now, I realize that I will eventually die.  Chances are these rings will end up in a box somewhere, forgotten. 

Reading Luke 12

"And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.  He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

"This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)

Most of us would not consider ourselves as rich as the man in this parable.  But, we have possessions, nonetheless.  We all have our things, our stuff.

Let's take a moment to look around at the stuff we own.  At the things we spend our time, talent and treasure on.  Then picture that day when you pass from this world to the next.  What will become of these things?

I'm not saying that you should get rid of the things, that's not the point of the parable.  However we do need to ask ourselves, "I have used my resources to acquire these things... am I just as rich toward God?"

Victorious?

How do we live a victorious life in Christ?  How do we stand in the face of evil?

Let's look at two different times in Peter's life.  The first one is very familiar to many of us.  It happened after Peter, in his own strength, was bold enough to cut off a man's ear to protect Jesus, yet his bravery left him, and we see here the result.

"Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?"

He denied it and said, "I am not!"

One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"  Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed." John 18:25-27 (NIV)

Then there is this one, when Peter was addressing the crowd on the day of Pentecost.

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah."

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."  Acts 2:36-40 (NIV)

What we are seeing here is Peter before the crucifixion, and then Peter after the gift of the Holy Spirit had been given, just as the resurrected Jesus had promised.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)

The lesson is clear, we cannot live a victorious life without the power of the the Holy Spirit in our lives.  We need to pray daily for the strength to please him, the boldness to proclaim him, and the heart to love each other as we should.

Esther

When I was younger I used to feel like I was born in the wrong time.  I would watch movies about knights and feel a longing for that time.  I would look at the modern world around me, and sigh, feeling as if I simply would fit better in that time than this one. 

Ever feel like that?  I think that is where nostalgia comes from.  We see another time or even another place, and feel as if we belong there rather than here and now.

Esther was a beautiful young Jewish woman who was raised by her cousin, Mordecai, after her parents died. 

Circumstances led to her going from being unknown to being queen.  The story sounds a bit similar to Joseph's, with the exception that Esther does not appear to have any foreknowledge or dreams.  However, she does appear to be in the "right place at the right time" to rise to this position and be able to obtain the favor of a king.

To make a long story short, all was going well, until a man named Haman had a plot to destroy all the Jewish people in the kingdom.

Esther was in a position to help, although it might cost her life to speak to the king without being summoned.

But Mordecai said something very interesting to her, "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:13-14 (NIV)

It is the same for us. God's Kingdom will come, and the Gospel will be preached to all the nations whether we speak to our neighbor or not. 

However, perhaps just like Esther, we are alive now, and live where we do, for such a time as this?

The right time for dreams to come true

Sometimes there is an answer as to why God has us wait for something.

Two years after the cupbearer was released from jail, the Pharaoh has a couple of dreams that disturb him.  And now, finally , the cupbearer mentions Joseph as a man who can interpret dreams to him. 

Joseph is brought before Pharaoh and tells him that only God can tell him what the dreams mean.  Then he tells Pharaoh the dreams are pointing to seven years of bumper crops, then seven years of famine.  He will need to store up food in the first seven years to survive the second.

 

So why the wait? 

Why two years of waiting?  Psalm 105 tells us the reason.

"He called down famine on the land

    and destroyed all their supplies of food;

and he sent a man before them—

    Joseph, sold as a slave.

They bruised his feet with shackles,

    his neck was put in irons,

till what he foretold came to pass,

    till the word of the Lord proved him true.

The king sent and released him,

    the ruler of peoples set him free.

He made him master of his household,

    ruler over all he possessed,

to instruct his princes as he pleased

    and teach his elders wisdom." Psalm 105:17-22 (NIV)

Let's look at this in Genesis 41:38-41 (NIV)

"So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.""

Joseph has now gone from favored son, to slave, to jail trustee, to second only to Pharaoh.

If Joseph had gotten out of prison two years earlier (his plan) he would not have been in position to fulfill his God-given dreams.  If Joseph was freed two years earlier, how would Pharaoh have found him when Egypt needed him? 

He would have been long gone and his dream would not have been realized.

God's timing may seem hard, and it can be, but it is always perfect.  Joseph's life was not his own, he was called to a greater purpose.  And only God knew when he was ready, and how to work all the parts together to bring about his plan, and the dreams he had put in Joseph's mind.

We may not always understand why we need to wait, but from God's perspective, there is always a reason.

Dreams

So Joseph has gone from a favorite son to a slave and now to a prisoner. 

What happened to the dream, is it dead?

Yes, it is true that the Lord gave Joseph favor with the warden who put him in charge of everything.  Joseph is learning leadership and administration. 

But let's face it, he is still not free.

He is a prisoner, and far from his dreams.

Do your own dreams feel far off sometimes?  Something that perhaps God put into your life, a desire deep inside you.  Yet when you look at your circumstances you know that unless God moves, nothing will change and make that happen.

And God doesn't appear to be moving.

Then one day two servants of Pharaoh are thrown into prison with Joseph and have dreams.  Joseph interprets these dreams for each of them.  

The dream for one of them, a baker, doesn't end so well, but the other, a cup bearer who has Pharaoh's ear,  will be restored to his place of status.  Joseph asked only one thing, "But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.  I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon." Gen 40:14-15 (NIV)

Hope must have risen in Joseph.  How could it not?  Now was the time he would get out.  God told him what the dream meant, this man has the ear of the Pharaoh.  It looks like a pretty good plan.  He must have been thinking, "any day now my life will get better..."

 

But Joseph can't catch a break at this point.

"Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand— but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him." Gen 40:20-23 (NIV)

Why? 

Joseph has a hope of freedom and a better life and then he is forgotten. 

Why?

This waiting will last another two years. 

Perhaps, as with you and I, the Lord was not done working in Joseph yet. 

Joseph has to become a different man.  Not a boy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  But a man who is seasoned and ready to save a nation. 

Think of Justin Bieber (I know, painful, but just go with it).  Here is  a talented kid with fame and influence, and seemingly no character.  Tat some bible verses on his body, he's still a punk.  Because fame can do that when you are not ready for it.

 

Joseph may have felt his time was completed and he is ready, time to get out.  But it is not up to the clay to tell the potter when there has been enough heat for it to be hardened.  The clay doesn't get a say, and neither do we. 

Because only the Lord knows what has to be worked out of us, and I suspect as long as we insist we are ready, the more work has to be done.

But the hope is here, in this promise.

" And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Phil 1:6

All that matters is that we are conformed into the image of Christ, and our God will do whatever it takes to get us there.

Joseph's life is about to get very interesting!

Don't waste the wait

Continuing with the journey of Joseph today.

Joseph ends up in Egypt, a slave of a man named Potiphar.  He has gone from favorite son to slave.  A bit of a downfall.

However the Lord was with Joseph and he rose in his position as slave and was in charge of all of Potiphar's house, appreciated and trusted.

Joseph was making the best of a bad situation, keeping his integrity with the Lord.  So he was blessed and lived a good life, right?

Let's see what happens next...

"So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph's care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,  and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"

But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.  No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"  And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." Gen 39:6-10 (NIV)

Eventually Joseph refused her one time too many so she set him up on a false rape charge and Joseph found himself in jail. 

Joseph did the right thing, yet was falsely accused and landed in a cell, life went from bad to worse. 

And God allowed it.

But remember, this is God's plan not Joseph's.  God has a bigger dream for Joseph than he can imagine.  And he is allowing events to test Joseph, to refine him, and to prepare him for that dream. 

"Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character." Psalm 105:19 (NLT)

We cannot choose when God will open our doors, but we certainly can choose how we will behave in the waiting.  And perhaps that is what the waiting is all about?  Perhaps while we wait for our dreams, God is testing our character as he did Joseph's.

Life looks dim for Joseph, but his story doesn't end there.

And neither does ours.

When dreams fall apart...

Have you ever looked at the circumstance of your life and wondered, just who is in charge anyway?

Let's take a look the life of Joseph. 

Joseph was  a 17 year-old  who had some dreams that indicated his brothers and his father would bow down to him. 

So here is Joseph and things seem to be going well.  He is the favored son of his father and has dreams of an amazing future. 

But not everyone was happy with his dreams.  Joseph's brothers hated him for being his father's favorite and even more for the dreams he had.

And that resentment puts them on an ugly path, as resentment always does.

"Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other.  "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.""- Genesis 37:19-20 (NIV)

This plot ends with Jacob being told his son was dead and Joseph being sold as a slave, headed for Egypt. 

What happened?  Everything was going so well?  Where is God in all this?

Have you ever felt like that? 

God gives you a dream or a promise or a direction.  Then it seems everything in life has more power than God.

Is this what it means to be called by God?

At those times it is important to remember what Jesus said to Pilate during his trial.  Pilate thought he was in charge of Jesus' fate, Jesus knew where the true authority over his life came from.

Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." John 19:11 (NIV)

I have heard it said that God has to make the dreamer ready for the dream.  For the next few days, we'll take a look at how that played out in the life of Joseph.