Ddishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power. This is what it means to be corrupt. Over the years we have heard about corruption in the church, in fortune 500 countries. among politicians, and even in law enforcement.
Corruption has infiltrated every level of our society. People are dishonest. Listen to the media. Do they really tell the truth? Do they really report the whole truth without bias? I think we all know this is not true.
When politicians stand up spinning their campaign promises have we not been burned before. People who wanted our votes and then got elected often pad their pockets with special interest money. Have people at every level of public service not looked into the television camera and lied to us. When will the people say in unison, "Enough is enough. We are not stupid. We can smell corruption and it stinks."
Haven't priests and pastors violated the very trust of the sheep they were supposed to protect and nurture. It is time for true shepherds to stand up for the sheep. Haven't certain scout leaders and volunteer coaches abused the very ones they were entrusted to build up. It is time to invest in these little ones through loving and servant hearts.
I know there are still honest people, Christlike people, and people of integrity out there. They seldom make the headlines. They do not often draw attention to themselves. They just deny themselves, put others first, and serve for the greater good. I am talking about law enforcement officers who shield people with their own bodies who protest the job they do. These courageous police men and women protect their accusers anyway.
I'm disillusioned with all the corruption. It is hard to know who to trust these days and who is trying to pull a con job. God knows the truth. That is what I am looking for. Truth. Truth in our employers. Truth in the Whitehouse. Truth in Hollywood. Truth in the mainstream media. Truth in the classroom without revision. Truth in the church and from the pastor behind the pulpit. May Jesus and His truth deliver us from a corrupt society.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Monday, July 25, 2016
First Responder
He sat in church yesterday morning heavy hearted. He is a fire fighter and EMT. He worked a double fatality wreck earlier that morning. What he witnessed would be difficult for anyone. He knew one of the victims. I prayed for him. As I walked away I thought to myself "I would not want his job."
I thank God for first responders who show up to protect and serve in crisis moments. I thank God for first responders who arrive on the scene to rescue and to offer medical treatment. They willingly put themselves in stressful situations most would flee from.
Do we really think of the emotional toll their job takes on them. We all mourned with police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge recently. What about those first responders who deal with horrific accidents, tragedies, and death routinely. Are we mindful that these first responders at times need to receive care, protection, and healing as much or more than those they serve.
Jesus is the ultimate first responder. He heals. He comforts. He strengthens. He renews. He loves. He listens. He helps first responders as well as the rest.
I can't erase the mental images of what first responders see, hear, and smell as they do their job. I can't take away the sorrow. I can't repair shattered faith. Jesus, our first responder, is the only one who can. He is enough.
I thank God for first responders who show up to protect and serve in crisis moments. I thank God for first responders who arrive on the scene to rescue and to offer medical treatment. They willingly put themselves in stressful situations most would flee from.
Do we really think of the emotional toll their job takes on them. We all mourned with police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge recently. What about those first responders who deal with horrific accidents, tragedies, and death routinely. Are we mindful that these first responders at times need to receive care, protection, and healing as much or more than those they serve.
Jesus is the ultimate first responder. He heals. He comforts. He strengthens. He renews. He loves. He listens. He helps first responders as well as the rest.
I can't erase the mental images of what first responders see, hear, and smell as they do their job. I can't take away the sorrow. I can't repair shattered faith. Jesus, our first responder, is the only one who can. He is enough.
The Sermon Stayed Folded In My Bible
I sat on the front row yesterday eager to preach a fiery sermon. My sermon notes were folded in my Bible. I felt the first prompting from God during the second song we sang. It is hard to describe. Somewhere during that song I asked God if He had something different in mind than that sermon. From that point on during the rest of music I prayed for God's direction.
The more I prayed the more I sensed I was not supposed to preach my prepared message. When it came time to get behind the pulpit a different scripture had come to mind. A short verse by very specific. Tired and burdened people weighed heavy on my heart. I read Matthew 11:28 (NASB)
28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
All I knew to do was to read the scripture, make a few comments and extend an invitation. I did so and several people responded coming to the altar. Many others went around the room praying for people who were weary or carrying heavy burdens.
A dad came to the alar and knelt down to pray. Before long his little daughter came and knelt beside him with her hands on his back. I saw a teenage boy come to the altar and his mother came to pray with him. One by one different ones came to do business with God. A mother and daughter came together to pray. Another mother prayed alone unloading her burdens to the Lord. All across the front at the steps people knelt and talked to God.
I don't know how many sermons I have preached in this church. Most Sundays nobody responds during the invitation. On this Sunday I did not preach and yet God moved well over a dozen people to come forward to seek Him. The sermon needed to remain folded in my Bible.
I sensed clearly I was not to preach the sermon folded in my Bible. I may never get to preach it. I went and prayed for some people heavy on my heart during that invitation. Other than that I knew I was not to preach that morning and had done what God wanted me to do. God did the preaching. God did the ministering. He did not need me to add anything to that service.
I never saw such a move of God coming. I had passion for the sermon I had prepared. God never gave any indication I would not preach that message and that He would do something far different that morning. The work of God yesterday morning felt fresh. The Holy Spirit took control and worked in people. He knew the need in people of the morning. He knew the hearts of the people. He knew what people needed far better than me.
I would gladly leave every sermon folded in my Bible if I could see Gid move in ways like I saw yesterday. He comforted people. He lifted heavy burdens. He strengthened people. He wiped away tears. He encouraged people. If I had ignored His promptings and preached the prepared sermon anyway I would not have helped anyone. I would have done my duty but not been a true vessel for the LORD to work through. I would not have been a useful vessel.
God can do more in a few minutes than I could do in a thirty minute or even an hour long sermon. What the LORD has to say is much more important than what I have to say. Too often preachers fall in love with the sound of their own voices more than the voice of God. What He has to say and what He wants to do always trumps what we prepare to preach or have in mind to accomplish.
I want to be yielded to the LORD daily. I wanted to be yielded to Him every Sunday. I want Him to show up in the lives of people to touch them deeply where they need it most. At times that will include comforting, exhorting, forgiving, and restoring. On other occasions that might look like conviction, brokenness, reproof, and repentance. May all lifeless sermons remain folded in my Bible in favor of God blessed services where He works in fresh ways in the lives of people. He knows better than me.
I may never preach that sermon still folded in my Bible and that will be alright with me. He will give other messages. I would not trade services like yesterday for a whole year's supply of sermons.
The more I prayed the more I sensed I was not supposed to preach my prepared message. When it came time to get behind the pulpit a different scripture had come to mind. A short verse by very specific. Tired and burdened people weighed heavy on my heart. I read Matthew 11:28 (NASB)
28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
All I knew to do was to read the scripture, make a few comments and extend an invitation. I did so and several people responded coming to the altar. Many others went around the room praying for people who were weary or carrying heavy burdens.
A dad came to the alar and knelt down to pray. Before long his little daughter came and knelt beside him with her hands on his back. I saw a teenage boy come to the altar and his mother came to pray with him. One by one different ones came to do business with God. A mother and daughter came together to pray. Another mother prayed alone unloading her burdens to the Lord. All across the front at the steps people knelt and talked to God.
I don't know how many sermons I have preached in this church. Most Sundays nobody responds during the invitation. On this Sunday I did not preach and yet God moved well over a dozen people to come forward to seek Him. The sermon needed to remain folded in my Bible.
I sensed clearly I was not to preach the sermon folded in my Bible. I may never get to preach it. I went and prayed for some people heavy on my heart during that invitation. Other than that I knew I was not to preach that morning and had done what God wanted me to do. God did the preaching. God did the ministering. He did not need me to add anything to that service.
I never saw such a move of God coming. I had passion for the sermon I had prepared. God never gave any indication I would not preach that message and that He would do something far different that morning. The work of God yesterday morning felt fresh. The Holy Spirit took control and worked in people. He knew the need in people of the morning. He knew the hearts of the people. He knew what people needed far better than me.
I would gladly leave every sermon folded in my Bible if I could see Gid move in ways like I saw yesterday. He comforted people. He lifted heavy burdens. He strengthened people. He wiped away tears. He encouraged people. If I had ignored His promptings and preached the prepared sermon anyway I would not have helped anyone. I would have done my duty but not been a true vessel for the LORD to work through. I would not have been a useful vessel.
God can do more in a few minutes than I could do in a thirty minute or even an hour long sermon. What the LORD has to say is much more important than what I have to say. Too often preachers fall in love with the sound of their own voices more than the voice of God. What He has to say and what He wants to do always trumps what we prepare to preach or have in mind to accomplish.
I want to be yielded to the LORD daily. I wanted to be yielded to Him every Sunday. I want Him to show up in the lives of people to touch them deeply where they need it most. At times that will include comforting, exhorting, forgiving, and restoring. On other occasions that might look like conviction, brokenness, reproof, and repentance. May all lifeless sermons remain folded in my Bible in favor of God blessed services where He works in fresh ways in the lives of people. He knows better than me.
I may never preach that sermon still folded in my Bible and that will be alright with me. He will give other messages. I would not trade services like yesterday for a whole year's supply of sermons.
Monday, July 18, 2016
Planet Earth, Jesus Is Our Only Hope
While politicians wag their tongues in deceptive speeches, Jesus is the truth. In an ever increasing immoral society where standards of right and wrong are reinterpreted Jesus is still timeless and unchanging truth.
When race wars destroy lives and the unity of a nation, Jesus loves people of all colors. When people rage that black, white, and blue lives matter, Jesus stansd for the lives of the unborn declaring their rights and lives matter along with the enslaved, oppressed, abused, neglected, bonded, and forgotten. People matter to Jesus.
When the government lies, oppresses, deceives, and sells the soul of the nation to the highest bidder, Jesus is the still the rock to build life on.
When pundits say there are many true religions and ways to heaven Jesus declares, "I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Nobody gets to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
While news channels work feverishly to stay atop the latest news, Jesus saw the beginning, sees the now, and has already seen the future.
Jesus is the only hope for the world. He is the only way of salvation. He is the true Light of the world even though people prefer to live in darkness. He is the Bread of Life to satisfy hungry souls. He is peace in the middle of the storms of life. He is a firm foundation. He is strength when life weakens a person's resolve to keep trying. Jesus is hope. He is security. He is provider. He is a rescuer and a deliverer.
Jesus is the only hope for a world gone mad and losing her moral compass. Jesus is the true north. He is a safe harbor. Planet Earth, please turn to Him today. Jesus is our only hope.
When race wars destroy lives and the unity of a nation, Jesus loves people of all colors. When people rage that black, white, and blue lives matter, Jesus stansd for the lives of the unborn declaring their rights and lives matter along with the enslaved, oppressed, abused, neglected, bonded, and forgotten. People matter to Jesus.
When the government lies, oppresses, deceives, and sells the soul of the nation to the highest bidder, Jesus is the still the rock to build life on.
When pundits say there are many true religions and ways to heaven Jesus declares, "I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Nobody gets to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
While news channels work feverishly to stay atop the latest news, Jesus saw the beginning, sees the now, and has already seen the future.
Jesus is the only hope for the world. He is the only way of salvation. He is the true Light of the world even though people prefer to live in darkness. He is the Bread of Life to satisfy hungry souls. He is peace in the middle of the storms of life. He is a firm foundation. He is strength when life weakens a person's resolve to keep trying. Jesus is hope. He is security. He is provider. He is a rescuer and a deliverer.
Jesus is the only hope for a world gone mad and losing her moral compass. Jesus is the true north. He is a safe harbor. Planet Earth, please turn to Him today. Jesus is our only hope.
Jesus Is Working
Jesus I know You are working,
In the unknown shadows lurking,
You open and shut the doors,
You pick us up off the floor,
You guide our steps and way,
Interpreting the silence prayed,
You offer us a comforting hand,
You strengthen enabling to stand,
You forgive our sin through grace,
Stepping through time and space,
You open Your word and still speak,
You wipe the tears from our cheeks,
Thank You Jesus You are working,
Behind the scenes always lurking,
May this truth guard our hearts and minds,
Knowing You come through right on time.
In the unknown shadows lurking,
You open and shut the doors,
You pick us up off the floor,
You guide our steps and way,
Interpreting the silence prayed,
You offer us a comforting hand,
You strengthen enabling to stand,
You forgive our sin through grace,
Stepping through time and space,
You open Your word and still speak,
You wipe the tears from our cheeks,
Thank You Jesus You are working,
Behind the scenes always lurking,
May this truth guard our hearts and minds,
Knowing You come through right on time.
Just Jesus And Me
As I sit here alone in this office it is just Jesus and me. It has been quiet today. The phone has not rung. There have bene no emails to answer. Things are calm. I have not had visitors. It has just been Jesus and me.
We have talked. I have laid my burdens before Him and listened for His voice when reading His word. The truth is I prefer His company to the company of any man. He offers me life, hope, peace, refuge, strength, counsel, joy, provision, love, forgiveness, revelation, inspiration, and so much more.
Whether I am seated at this desk or sitting on a mower He is there. He is with me in the night watches, in my truck when driving, and when surrounded by hundreds of people. He is available. He listens. He works. He helps. He encourages. He speaks. He leads. He calls.
I have known the bitter sting of those who forsook me in the past. Jesus never has. I have not always lived up to His expectations. I have gotten it wrong many times. Each time He has been there to pick me up, dust me off, lavish me with grace, and restore me.
I've seen the writing on the wall. Brenda and I will not live forever. One of us will go first. The boys will be older, busy with their own lives and families and we will be forced to endure life alone without the other. I have seen this same scene played out over and over again in the lives of senior adult. I have seen them at restaurants eating alone where once they shared meals with a spouse. In those low and lonely days once again it will just be Jesus who will be our close companion.
The phone will not ring. Nobody will knock on the door. No letters will arrive in the mail. Our meals will be eaten alone. The only sound in the house will be that of the television or music. Jesus will still be there. We will not really be alone.
This is my reminder on this quiet and uneventful Monday. It is jut Jesus and me. I find He is enough to satisfy. He is sufficient for all any of us need. Jesus, thank You for being a constant presence and our closest companion. May we always be aware of Your presence and clothed in Your love. In Jesus name, amen.
We have talked. I have laid my burdens before Him and listened for His voice when reading His word. The truth is I prefer His company to the company of any man. He offers me life, hope, peace, refuge, strength, counsel, joy, provision, love, forgiveness, revelation, inspiration, and so much more.
Whether I am seated at this desk or sitting on a mower He is there. He is with me in the night watches, in my truck when driving, and when surrounded by hundreds of people. He is available. He listens. He works. He helps. He encourages. He speaks. He leads. He calls.
I have known the bitter sting of those who forsook me in the past. Jesus never has. I have not always lived up to His expectations. I have gotten it wrong many times. Each time He has been there to pick me up, dust me off, lavish me with grace, and restore me.
I've seen the writing on the wall. Brenda and I will not live forever. One of us will go first. The boys will be older, busy with their own lives and families and we will be forced to endure life alone without the other. I have seen this same scene played out over and over again in the lives of senior adult. I have seen them at restaurants eating alone where once they shared meals with a spouse. In those low and lonely days once again it will just be Jesus who will be our close companion.
The phone will not ring. Nobody will knock on the door. No letters will arrive in the mail. Our meals will be eaten alone. The only sound in the house will be that of the television or music. Jesus will still be there. We will not really be alone.
This is my reminder on this quiet and uneventful Monday. It is jut Jesus and me. I find He is enough to satisfy. He is sufficient for all any of us need. Jesus, thank You for being a constant presence and our closest companion. May we always be aware of Your presence and clothed in Your love. In Jesus name, amen.
Preaching When The Seats Are Empty But The Heart Is Full
I have never met a preacher who did not prefer to preach to a full house rather than to empty seats. Yet, every summer pastors face the same thing. During the summer months the attendance usually dips as people vacation and busy themselves with other activities. Pastors call this time of the year the "summer slump."
On such Sundays there might be more empty seats than people in attendance. Such times can be demoralizing. Other pastors preach to empty seats weekly in small struggling churches. Such worship services can be discouraging to the pastor and congregation alike.
It is a wonderful thing when the pastor can stand behind the pulpit with a full heart of the love and grace of God along with strong faith to deliver the word of the Lord even if the attendance is low. Such preaching can be blessed of God so mightily in the hearts of those in attendance the impact might be equal to the impact of a full house.
Preachers must keep their eyes set above where Christ is seated and not fixated on empty pews or chairs. If there are only two or three people present God is still in the midst. I have preached to a congregation of one before. Yes, you read that right. One!
That day is etched in my mind. It felt very awkward and of course I toned down the volume and intensity. I did not tone down the content of the scriptures. I taught that one all God had revealed to me earlier that week.
Like the rancher who feeds his cattle, so the preacher must feed the flock. The rancher feeds whether one cow shows up or the whole heard. The pastor must feed the sheep whether it is one individual or a crowded congregation. The size of the crowd should not dictate the fullness of the work of God in a pastor's heart. It does though.
Many pastors get very discouraged with small congregations. If the pastor keeps the heart full of the truth and work of God he cannot help but want to share that excitement with a congregation of a dozen, a hundred or even a thousand folks. God is the same for churches of all sizes.
At the end of the day the pastor will be judged on faithfulness. It is not enough to just preach. The pastor must preach with a heart full of truth and the anointing of God week after week irregardless of the size of the crowd.
On such Sundays there might be more empty seats than people in attendance. Such times can be demoralizing. Other pastors preach to empty seats weekly in small struggling churches. Such worship services can be discouraging to the pastor and congregation alike.
It is a wonderful thing when the pastor can stand behind the pulpit with a full heart of the love and grace of God along with strong faith to deliver the word of the Lord even if the attendance is low. Such preaching can be blessed of God so mightily in the hearts of those in attendance the impact might be equal to the impact of a full house.
Preachers must keep their eyes set above where Christ is seated and not fixated on empty pews or chairs. If there are only two or three people present God is still in the midst. I have preached to a congregation of one before. Yes, you read that right. One!
That day is etched in my mind. It felt very awkward and of course I toned down the volume and intensity. I did not tone down the content of the scriptures. I taught that one all God had revealed to me earlier that week.
Like the rancher who feeds his cattle, so the preacher must feed the flock. The rancher feeds whether one cow shows up or the whole heard. The pastor must feed the sheep whether it is one individual or a crowded congregation. The size of the crowd should not dictate the fullness of the work of God in a pastor's heart. It does though.
Many pastors get very discouraged with small congregations. If the pastor keeps the heart full of the truth and work of God he cannot help but want to share that excitement with a congregation of a dozen, a hundred or even a thousand folks. God is the same for churches of all sizes.
At the end of the day the pastor will be judged on faithfulness. It is not enough to just preach. The pastor must preach with a heart full of truth and the anointing of God week after week irregardless of the size of the crowd.
When The Sermon Wouldn't Come
Last week I never felt settled on a message for Sunday morning at Faith Community Church. Throughout the summer months I have been peaching randomly through the book of Psalms. Early Saturday morning I thought I had the passage and began my preliminary studies.
When I got back to those studies later that night I knew I did not have the right passage. I had no direction. No guidance from the Holy Spirit. No moment of inspiration. No scripture passage suddenly surfaced in my mind.
Exhausted I fell into bed and immediately into a deep sleep. I awoke at 3:30 a.m. groggy but remembering I did not have a message. So I walked into my office and turned on the lamp. I cracked open my Bible and did the only thing I knew to do. I started reading where I last left off reading in Psalms convinced eventually I would find the right passage. I read ten chapters, then twenty, and thirty. I started losing heart when I read forty and then fifty.
Tired I rationalized that I should go back to bed. I thought maybe I should not preach that morning. Dutifully I pressed on past fifty chapters. Finally at 66 chapters the inspiration came. I feverishly studied before climbing back into bed for a brief nap before time to go to church.
It was not a long message but I know God used it. I got a text from someone earlier this Monday commenting on how God used the message in their life.
I am not the first pastor to snuggle through bouts when the sermon will not come. Others have been there before and will be there again.
I recall another time when the sermon would not come. I was preaching a revival in Hudson, TX. I prayed all day asking the Lord to show me what to preach the night. I thumbed the pages of my Bible and yet nothing stirred my soul. I drove to the church that night anxious. An old deacon met me at the door and asked how I was doing. I confessed my dilemma. I will never forget what he said in response, "It's not time to preach yet is it?" His words sunk in and I took my place on the front pew. Sometime during the music a message came. To this day I don't remember what I preached that night but I do remember that God came through showing me what to preach.
I wonder how many pastors turn to the internet to "borrow" a sermon outline from somebody else. Something stale. Something to help the preacher just get through another Sunday. Such sermons are grabbed as a matter of convenience rather than waiting on a fresh word from God. I admit, preaching someone else's sermon is easier than praying and reading 66 chapters of scripture. Yet, at the end of the day I know I preached what God wanted to say to His people yesterday.
So the next time the sermon will not come I will remember this past Sunday and the Sunday at that Hudson revive. I will recalll how God honored prayer and seeking Him. I will trust Him in those hours to give a fresh word for His people. I will trust Him for the anointing to deliver such a sermon. I will also trust Him to apply to the hearts of people.
What I preached yesterday is not important. What is important is God spoke to His people. He gets all the glory.
When I got back to those studies later that night I knew I did not have the right passage. I had no direction. No guidance from the Holy Spirit. No moment of inspiration. No scripture passage suddenly surfaced in my mind.
Exhausted I fell into bed and immediately into a deep sleep. I awoke at 3:30 a.m. groggy but remembering I did not have a message. So I walked into my office and turned on the lamp. I cracked open my Bible and did the only thing I knew to do. I started reading where I last left off reading in Psalms convinced eventually I would find the right passage. I read ten chapters, then twenty, and thirty. I started losing heart when I read forty and then fifty.
Tired I rationalized that I should go back to bed. I thought maybe I should not preach that morning. Dutifully I pressed on past fifty chapters. Finally at 66 chapters the inspiration came. I feverishly studied before climbing back into bed for a brief nap before time to go to church.
It was not a long message but I know God used it. I got a text from someone earlier this Monday commenting on how God used the message in their life.
I am not the first pastor to snuggle through bouts when the sermon will not come. Others have been there before and will be there again.
I recall another time when the sermon would not come. I was preaching a revival in Hudson, TX. I prayed all day asking the Lord to show me what to preach the night. I thumbed the pages of my Bible and yet nothing stirred my soul. I drove to the church that night anxious. An old deacon met me at the door and asked how I was doing. I confessed my dilemma. I will never forget what he said in response, "It's not time to preach yet is it?" His words sunk in and I took my place on the front pew. Sometime during the music a message came. To this day I don't remember what I preached that night but I do remember that God came through showing me what to preach.
I wonder how many pastors turn to the internet to "borrow" a sermon outline from somebody else. Something stale. Something to help the preacher just get through another Sunday. Such sermons are grabbed as a matter of convenience rather than waiting on a fresh word from God. I admit, preaching someone else's sermon is easier than praying and reading 66 chapters of scripture. Yet, at the end of the day I know I preached what God wanted to say to His people yesterday.
So the next time the sermon will not come I will remember this past Sunday and the Sunday at that Hudson revive. I will recalll how God honored prayer and seeking Him. I will trust Him in those hours to give a fresh word for His people. I will trust Him for the anointing to deliver such a sermon. I will also trust Him to apply to the hearts of people.
What I preached yesterday is not important. What is important is God spoke to His people. He gets all the glory.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
A Gentle Breeze On A Summer Day
The heat scorched the grass and pavement on the ground,
Miserable the heat makes resolve fail and come unwound,
Waiting makes the perspiration bead and drops start to roll,
Parching the throat, weakening faith and strength of my soul,
And yet grace abounds in the form of a blowing gentle breeze,
Blowing gently on my face cool reviving but not a deep freeze,
A refreshing wind offering relief from Texas mid July heat,
Providing a second wind guarding against one more defeat,
A gentle breeze blowing on a hot blustery mid summer's day,
Helps impatience where God has sovereignly planted to stay.
Miserable the heat makes resolve fail and come unwound,
Waiting makes the perspiration bead and drops start to roll,
Parching the throat, weakening faith and strength of my soul,
And yet grace abounds in the form of a blowing gentle breeze,
Blowing gently on my face cool reviving but not a deep freeze,
A refreshing wind offering relief from Texas mid July heat,
Providing a second wind guarding against one more defeat,
A gentle breeze blowing on a hot blustery mid summer's day,
Helps impatience where God has sovereignly planted to stay.
Work In Your Corner Of The Field
O worker for the Lord, let me encourage you to keep laboring in your corner of the field. Keep hoeing that ground. Keep planting that gospel seed. Keep your eyes on the task. Don't concern yourself with the rest of the field. Content yourself to labor where you are until the job is done.
I know it gets hot and the work is wearying. I know at times the droughts do not bring the harvest you had prayed and hoped for. Keep plowing. Keep planting. Keep praying. Don't get distracted by those with fancier machines,newer farming implements, or larger fields with more workers. Keep working faithfully in your corner. Do the work God has put before you.
Keep your eyes focused on what the Lord has entrusted to you. Everyday go to work plowing, planting, or harvesting. Do it when you feel like it. Do it even when you don't. Do it when you see tangible results and do it when you only see barren fields. Keep praying. Keep teaching truth. Keep preaching the word of the Lord. Keep sharing the gospel. Keep loving people. Keep shepherding sheep. Keep signing the songs of faith. Keep investing in students. Keep welcoming the little children. Keep laboring in the good times as well as the hard times.
Faithfully keep your hand to your plow not looking back so your can make your furrows straight. Plant your seed in prayer believing God to cause the growth and to bring the harvest. Prepare yourself to weather some storms along the way but do not let them discourage you. Keep to your work in your little corner of the field. Why?
Galatians 6:9 (NASB)
9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Do not lose heart. Trust the Lord for new strength as you wait on Him. Know that in due time, at the proper season, a harvest will come. Don't grow weary and quit. Sit before the Lord daily and let Him renew your strength. Let His strength make you like an eagle to soar above the storms. Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)
31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
I know it gets hot and the work is wearying. I know at times the droughts do not bring the harvest you had prayed and hoped for. Keep plowing. Keep planting. Keep praying. Don't get distracted by those with fancier machines,newer farming implements, or larger fields with more workers. Keep working faithfully in your corner. Do the work God has put before you.
Keep your eyes focused on what the Lord has entrusted to you. Everyday go to work plowing, planting, or harvesting. Do it when you feel like it. Do it even when you don't. Do it when you see tangible results and do it when you only see barren fields. Keep praying. Keep teaching truth. Keep preaching the word of the Lord. Keep sharing the gospel. Keep loving people. Keep shepherding sheep. Keep signing the songs of faith. Keep investing in students. Keep welcoming the little children. Keep laboring in the good times as well as the hard times.
Faithfully keep your hand to your plow not looking back so your can make your furrows straight. Plant your seed in prayer believing God to cause the growth and to bring the harvest. Prepare yourself to weather some storms along the way but do not let them discourage you. Keep to your work in your little corner of the field. Why?
Galatians 6:9 (NASB)
9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Do not lose heart. Trust the Lord for new strength as you wait on Him. Know that in due time, at the proper season, a harvest will come. Don't grow weary and quit. Sit before the Lord daily and let Him renew your strength. Let His strength make you like an eagle to soar above the storms. Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)
31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Hebrews 10:35-39 (NASB)
35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Be Careful Where You Walk and With Whom You Walk
Our feet can lead us to places that do not honor God. We can keep company with people who will lead us astray. It happens everyday all over the world. It happens to the intelligent, slow learners, the popular, the forgotten, the saved as well as the unsaved.
As a child there were places my mother forbid me to go. One such place was the local bowling alley. My other knew people of low morales and lower character hung out there. Yet the urge to go check it out proved irresistible. I disobeyed riding my bike to the place. I walked in that dark bowling alley filled with curiosity. On the surface it all seemed perfectly fine. Below the surface things happened there my mother knew would destroy me. Drinking. Drugs. Immorality of all sorts. When she discovered I disobeyed her I had to face some negative consequences.
Where are you walking these days? Where are you frequenting? Who accompanies you? What influence are those people having on you spiritually and morally?
Psalm 1:1 (NASB)
1
How blessed is the man who does not
walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the
path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of
scoffers! 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB)
33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
As a child there were places my mother forbid me to go. One such place was the local bowling alley. My other knew people of low morales and lower character hung out there. Yet the urge to go check it out proved irresistible. I disobeyed riding my bike to the place. I walked in that dark bowling alley filled with curiosity. On the surface it all seemed perfectly fine. Below the surface things happened there my mother knew would destroy me. Drinking. Drugs. Immorality of all sorts. When she discovered I disobeyed her I had to face some negative consequences.
Where are you walking these days? Where are you frequenting? Who accompanies you? What influence are those people having on you spiritually and morally?
Psalm 1:1 (NASB)
1
33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
There is no getting around this truth. Who you spend time and where you go will impact your life to go toward God or away from Him. For example, spend your life with like minded people of faith, studying scripture, worshipping, and serving and you will most likely grow closer to God. Spend your time with people who rebel against God and go to places of darkness to do evil things there and you will most likely join in.
So I shout with a megaphone, "BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU WALK AND WITH WHOM YOU WALK."
Who Are We To Question God?
When we find ourselves in less than desirable circumstances it is easy to question God. We question if He cares. We question if He has abandoned us or forgotten us. We question if He is aware of our troubles. We even question His silence and lack of bringing the long sought after relief.
Of course He cares. Did He not demonstrate that on Calvary forever? Romans 5:8 (NASB)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We can also question God's faithfulness and yet this again has been settled forever. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NASB)
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
2 "Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
3 "Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
2 "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
4 'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.'
5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You;
6 Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."
Of course He cares. Did He not demonstrate that on Calvary forever? Romans 5:8 (NASB)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We can also question God's faithfulness and yet this again has been settled forever. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NASB)
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
In Job's sufferings he initially worshipped. In time he questioned God. God responded in strong fashion. Job 38:1-3 (NASB)
1 Then the LORD answered
Job out of the whirlwind and said, 2 "Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
3 "Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
Have we not been guilty of the same things from time to time? Have we spoken words or offered counsel without knowledge? Have we ever thought we could instruct God? What follows in the book of Job [Job 38-41] is God asking a series of questions to reveal Job's limited knowledge.
Eventually truth set in. Job humbly replied, Job 42:1-6 (NASB)
1 Then Job answered the LORD and said, 2 "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
4 'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.'
5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You;
6 Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."
Perhaps we all need a reminder of who are we to question an Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent God? Who are we to doubt Him? Who are we to try and declare things which we do not understand? Repentance is in order if we find ourselves in any of these places.
No plan or purpose of God can be thwarted. The trouble is we do not often know the plan or the purpose of God for our lives. We want what we want. What we want is to reap the fruit of prayers and labors,, avoid pain, skip the trials, and bask in the blessings. God wants to mature us, to make us more like Jesus, and skillfully shape us with the scalpel of suffering. He knows what He is doing.
Today what do you choose? Trust or skepticism? We can trust God and His faithful work in us or we can rebel and question not only what He is doing or not doing but, also question the motives behind His actions.
He loves us. That is forever settled. Like a parent offering counsel and direction for a child for the child's on well being, so God does in the lives of His own. Job did not see that God would use him as an example of faith and perseverance to hundreds of millions through the centuries. Job did not know his story would forever be persevered in the sacred scriptures. Job did not know how many people would draw strength from reading about his experiences. Job certainly did not know in the end his suffering was minuscule compared to the 140 years he lived afterward. AllJob could feel was pain, confusion, and loss. Job did not understand and he dealt with the foolish counsel of those who through they spoke for God.
You can't see the outcome of your situation yet. Don't judge God prematurely. You have waited this long; wait a little longer. You have trusted Him in previous trials; trust Him in these present ones too. You persevered through the pains of life up to this point; so there is no reason to stop now. One blessed day God will shed light on what He has been doing all along.
Who are we to question God? Who are we to offer instruction to God as if we know better than He? No, my brothers and sisters, let us not be quick to speak of things we do not understand. Let us patiently press on trusting God. He knows what He is doing.
Monday, July 4, 2016
How Do You Respond When Everything Crumbles Before Your Eyes
How do you respond when everyone you cherish, when all you worked hard to build, and when all your resources crumble before your eyes? Do you despair? Do you weep in grief? What is your initial reaction? Do you doubt God? Do you fall into a state of shock? How do you or how would you respond to the rug being pulled out from underneath the world you have labored to build? How does or how should a person react when the walls come tumbling down of everything that is or was important?
Do you worship? Do you bow down and give homage to God in the worst cascading circumstances you can imagine? That is exactly what Job did after learning about the loss of his possessions, his servants, and his ten children. His initial reaction was worship. Read it for yourself. Job 1:20 (NASB)
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
Do you worship? Do you bow down and give homage to God in the worst cascading circumstances you can imagine? That is exactly what Job did after learning about the loss of his possessions, his servants, and his ten children. His initial reaction was worship. Read it for yourself. Job 1:20 (NASB)
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
Yes he grieved. Yes he felt intense sorrow. Yet in the midst of such gut wrenching pain he still chose worship. The word worship means to bow down, to prostate, to pay homage. I have not worshiped in far less troubling circumstances. My initial reactions many times have been frustration, pouting, depression, despair, doubt, anger, impatience, grumbling, worry, discontent, and not worship.
I read this passage this weekend. The weight of it stuck to my soul. I am still chewing on it. How do you get to the point where you love God so much, you trust Him so much, you revere Him so much you choose the path of worship instead of worry. I need to get there. I want to get there.
Job felt pain. He did not fake it. He grieved and as we read the rest of Job we know he struggled. He suffered. Yet he worshipped. He worshipped in grief and in loss. He recognized the sovereignty and goodness of God at the same time from a place of immense sorrow and suffering. He built his life on the solid foundation of the bedrock of God and His faithfulness.
It is a place I want to mature to one day. It is a place I need to build the structure of my life. It is the place I want to dwell forever. When everything crumbles, loved ones, health, finances, possessions, friendships, and career I want to choose worship. Only God can being me to that place. Only God can install that mindset and heartbeat in all of us.
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