The Way You Live

"Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God." Matt 3:8

It's easy to give lip service to your life in Christ.  "I'm praying for you" - then you never even think of the request again.  "I want to be closer to Jesus" - then you never make a point to spend time listening to His voice and meditating on His word.  "It's so sad that there are hungry, poor, destitute, abused people in the world" - then you do nothing to help them in their plight.

I must admit, I've done these things all too often.  It is human to be imperfect, but that does not release us from the responsibility to at least try to improve and become better Christ followers.  Paul talked about how we so often want to do the right thing, but do not.  At the same time the things we don't want to do, we do them anyway.  It gives me comfort that one of the pillars of Christianity had the same struggles that I have.  It gives me hope.

If Paul, "the chiefest of sinners" can evangelize his part of the world and plant churches all around the Mediterranean and STILL be studied and revered today, I feel like I can at least do SOMETHING that will impact even one life.  All I need to do is listen to God and take that next step.

Jesus, make clear to us that next step.  Whatever it is, give us your strength and the resolve to obey and we know you will work everything out according to your plan.  Show us what you have placed us here to do.

Are You Convinced?

"Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.  Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises." Romans 4:18-21 (NLT)

I have been thinking a lot lately about how BIG God is.  Creation of the universe, the diversity of life, even our own human bodies are marvels that even modern physics and science cannot completely explain and certainly cannot replicate.

Abraham had been told by God that he would be the father of many nations and that they would be blessed through him.  Problem is, he and his wife were quite old.  He was 100 years old, in fact.  (Remember, no Viagra back then.)  So, that must have seemed completely impossible to Abraham, but he "kept hoping--believing that he would become the father of many nations".  Hope is defined as a confident expectation, not a questionable outcome as many use the word today.  He was confidently expecting that God would fulfill everything that He had promised.  In this, Abraham's faith grew stronger.  I don't know about you, but to me that seems counterintuitive.  Our normal reaction is the longer something does not happen, the less we believe it will ever happen.  Our faith diminishes.  However, Abraham took a much different approach.  He determined that he was going to take God at His word and "never waver in believing God's promise".  Time went by, he was older than dirt, nothing happened.  Sarah's faith wavered, but Abraham stood firm.  Eventually, everything happened just as God said it would and Abraham is the father of many nations.

This makes me think of my own faith.  If I believe that God is so BIG and has done such great things as create the universe, why would I not have complete faith in all that He has said and promised?  Why does it matter that something He has promised takes weeks, or months, or even years to be fulfilled?  I'm still working on the answers.  I wish I could say that my faith was as strong as Abraham's, but it's not.  I still have doubts.  My hope sometimes disappears.  I begin wondering if God was just playing a cruel cosmic joke on me.  Then, verses like Rom 4:21 come back to mind --  "[Abraham] was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises." -- and I am challenged to believe, to stand firm, to confidently expect God's fulfillment of ALL His promises.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."  Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

Blessings all!

Words

Words strain,
Crack and sometimes break, under the burden,
Under the tension, slip, slide, perish,
Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place,
Will not stay still.

-T.S. Eliot

A Good Reminder

I haven't been that faithful over the last year or so in doing my daily devotional (and obviously, blog posts!). Something happened today, not a bad thing, that reminded me how thankful I am to have Jesus in my life.

For a number of years, I did my daily Bible reading and kept up with "My Utmost for His Highest", by Oswald Chambers. Every once in a while, I will get the urge to go and read the daily devotional online. Well, today was one of those days. It was a great encouragement and reminder to me. Hopefully, it is to you too.

October 25, 2008

Submitting to God’s Purpose

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I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some —1 Corinthians 9:22

A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, "If only I were somewhere else!" All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— ". . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified" ( 1 Corinthians 2:2 ).

"I chose you . . ." ( John 15:16 ). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, "This is My man, and this is My woman." We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.

Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you "turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . ." ( Deuteronomy 28:14 ). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.

Undaunted Leadership

"A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough."

- President Ronald Reagan, December 5, 1990

Mother Teresa Lived This

Found this on a blog I follow: http://www.sethbarnes.com/

How in the world can anyone truly live up to this? Mother Teresa certainly got closer than most.

ANYWAY

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help but will attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

*Kent Keith originated this poem in 1968, and Mother Teresa placed it on her children's home in Calcutta in a slightly different version. As a result, many have attributed it to Mother Teresa.

I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Breen!

Great story I came across again today. Reminds me why Reagan is one of my heroes.

How declaring “I’m paying for this microphone” helped Ronald Reagan win a key primary

Ronald Reagan was the underdog.

He had been narrowly edged out by George Bush in the Iowa caucuses a few weeks before. Now Bush, a former UN ambassador, CIA director, and Texas congressman, was the clear frontrunner for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination. In fact, Bush had publicly declared that “Big Mo” — momentum — was on his side.

Reagan and his staff knew that if he lost in New Hampshire, it could mean the end of his campaign. They retooled their strategy and redoubled their efforts in the Granite State.

But the key to victory would turn out to be a powerful, emotional moment no one could have scripted.

Thanks to your support of The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, the full meaning of the moment is still being shared today.

“I thought it had been unfair”

Many people remember Reagan’s famous words. But most haven’t heard the full story of what happened that chilly New Hampshire night.

After Iowa, Bush and Reagan had a clear lead on the other Republican candidates, senators Bob Dole and Howard Baker, congressmen John Anderson and Phil Crane, and former Texas governor John Connally. A local newspaper, The Nashua Telegraph, invited the two frontrunners to a debate. The five others were excluded. This unfairly helped the Ronald Reagan and George Bush campaigns, Bob Dole complained. The Federal Election Commission agreed.

Reagan did too. He offered to split the cost of the debate 50-50 with the Bush campaign, but they declined. Reagan’s campaign then paid for the debate itself.

“I thought it had been unfair to exclude the other candidates,” Reagan later wrote in his autobiography, An American Life. “I decided to invite them.”

But when four other GOP candidates showed up at the debate (Connally was campaigning elsewhere), Bush campaign manager James Baker (who later became Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan) refused to let his man participate.

For an uncomfortable few minutes, Reagan and Bush sat silently on stage with Telegraph editor John Breen. The other candidates stood awkwardly behind them. Soon, the audience grew restless.

Wanting to explain, Reagan began to speak. At that, the moderator called to a sound engineer, “Turn off Mr. Reagan’s microphone!”

Surprised and offended, Ronald Reagan’s seldom-seen temper flashed. “I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Breen!” he snapped.

As Reagan recalled, “For some reason, my words hit the audience, whose emotions were already worked up, like a sledgehammer. The crowd roared and just went wild.

“I may have won the debate, the primary — and the nomination — right there.”

Indeed, Ronald Reagan dominated the primary, winning 49.6 percent of the votes. “Big Mo” had shifted his way. A few months later, Reagan easily won the GOP nomination.

A lesson in leadership

It was a dramatic moment in history, but more interesting is what it says about Reagan himself. After all, what provoked Reagan’s rare flash of frustration was the thought of the other candidates being unfairly excluded, and the moderator’s attempt to keep the audience from hearing Reagan’s concerns.

Another Great Quote

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." --Thomas A. Edison

Quotes

"To win without risk is to triumph without glory." --Pierre Corneille

"If you don't risk anything you risk even more." --Unattributed

"You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through." --Rosalynn Carter

Quote

"Even if you fall flat on your face at least you are moving forward." --Sue Luke

Test the Limits

I'm still here!!

So, I've recently been intrigued by the story of Steve Prefontaine, arguably one of the most dynamic characters in American running ever. Interesting fellow. If he truly ran, and lived, as his coach Bill Bowerman described in his all to premature eulogy, then he is an inspiration.

Eulogy by Bill Bowerman following Steve Prefontaine's untimely death on May 30, 1975:

"All my life, man and boy, I've operated under the assumption that the main idea in running was to win the race. Naturally, when I became a coach I tried to teach people how to do that. Tried to teach Pre how to do that. Tried like hell to teach Pre to do that. And Pre taught me. Taught me I was wrong. Pre, you see, was troubled by knowing that a mediocre effort can win a race and a magnificent effort can lose one. Winning a race wouldn't necessarily demand that he give it everything he had from start to finish. He never ran any other way. I couldn't get him to, and God knows I tried . . . but . . . Pre was stubborn. He insisted on holding himself to a higher standard than victory. 'A race is a work of art' is what he said and what he believed and he was out to make it one every step of the way.

Of course he wanted to win. Those who saw Pre compete or who competed against him were never in doubt how much he wanted to win. But HOW he won mattered to him more. Pre thought I was a hard case. But he finally got it through my head that the real purpose of running isn't to win a race. It's to test to the limits of the human heart. That he did . . . No one did it more often. No one did it better."

Humility

Sometimes you just get a lesson in humility. The Bible says:

"First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall." (Pr. 16:18, MSG)

Just when you think you know all there is to know; just when you think you are a peg above others around you -- that's when you feel the full force of this verse. Sometimes it can be devastating, others it is just a lesson learned after which you become a far better person. I always prefer the latter. Either way, being humbled by the Lord is painful. Fortunately, our Lord's correction is because he dearly cares for us.

I have four children, and they are precious to me. One thing that I absolutely despise is having to discipline them. It hurts me to see them hurt, and when I am punishing them I am the source of their pain. The old cliche is absolutely true, "This hurts me more than it hurts you." As a child, you have no comprehension of that statement, and you scoff at every word. Scoff all you want, it doesn't make it less true.

As a Dad, I comprehend a very tiny sample of what God feels like when He has to chastise me. He's NOT some big tyrant sitting up in Heaven just looking for a reason to blast you with the biggest lightning bolt He can muster. He is a God who hurts when He has to correct us. He would much rather take us in His arms and say, "I'm so pleased with you my child."

My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. (Pr. 3:11-12, NLT)

Focus On Him

You may have already realized that my favorite devotional is Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. God has used it more times than I could say to speak to me, second only to the Bible itself in that regard. Today's entry was particularly encouraging to me, and I hope it is to you as well.

May 18, 2007
Living Simply - Yet Focused

Look at the birds of the air . . . . Consider the lilies of the field . . . —Matthew 6:26, 28

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin"— they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon— all of these simply are as well— yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God’s designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, "Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me." In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you "will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually— just as "the lilies of the field."

The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and "the lilies of the field"— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.

If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live— yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.

Cast on Him Your Burdens

I'm still here! I'm going to post several entries hopefully this weekend to get caught up. However, for today, I just had to share something. Today's "Utmost for His Highest":

April 13
What To Do When Your Burden Is Overwhelming

Cast your burden on the Lord . . . —Psalm 55:22

We must recognize the difference between burdens that are right for us to bear and burdens that are wrong. We should never bear the burdens of sin or doubt, but there are some burdens placed on us by God which He does not intend to lift off. God wants us to roll them back on Him— to literally "cast your burden," which He has given you, "on the Lord . . . ." If we set out to serve God and do His work but get out of touch with Him, the sense of responsibility we feel will be overwhelming and defeating. But if we will only roll back on God the burdens He has placed on us, He will take away that immense feeling of responsibility, replacing it with an awareness and understanding of Himself and His presence.

Many servants set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives. But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated. They do not know what to do with their burden, and it produces weariness in their lives. Others will see this and say, "What a sad end to something that had such a great beginning!"

"Cast your burden on the Lord . . . ." You have been bearing it all, but you need to deliberately place one end on God’s shoulder. ". . . the government will be upon His shoulder" ( Isaiah 9:6 ). Commit to God whatever burden He has placed on you. Don’t just cast it aside, but put it over onto Him and place yourself there with it. You will see that your burden is then lightened by the sense of companionship. But you should never try to separate yourself from your burden.

Unflinching Trust

I finally finished "Ruthless Trust" by Brennan Manning, which I highly recommend. I wanted so share a particularly poignant passage from the book. The Lord has brought this to my mind lately as doubts and fears have grown.

"To live without risk is to risk not living," my paternal grandma used to say. The way of trust is risky business, no doubt about it. To change careers suddenly because one feels unfulfilled, to assume energy-depleting care of elderly parents, to retreat for three days of silence and solitude with Jesus without climbing the walls, to volunteer for a summer in the sub-Sahara with only meager spiritual resources, to take an unpopular position with rumblings of fear in the background, to conquer disillusionment when one finds untrustworthiness where least expected--all these challenges require a willingness to risk a journey into the unknown and a readiness to trust God even in the darkness.

A person should not act impulsively, of course. A careful discernment process involving family, friends, and a spiritual mentor should precede every major decision. But when the appropriate time comes, only the disciple with an unflinching trust in God will dare to risk. And that trust is not naive; it knows that the possibility of making a mistake and getting hurt is very real. But without exposure to potential failure, there is no risk. (emphasis mine)

Wonderful insight. I just pray that the Lord will give me the strength to have that "unflinching trust" in Him.

Keep On Knockin'

It was good to be back in church today. I've missed 3 Sundays because of my trip to Cali. Larry Wynn's sermon was about prayer and how we, as Christians, MUST take this activity seriously. I admit, I don't pray enough and I was challenged. Larry used Luke 11 as his scripture, and one particular passage really stood out to me:

And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. (Luke 11:9-13, NLT)

The Lord really knows how to encourage a fella, huh. Have you considered lately what an incredible God we serve?

Time for a Nap

Church History exam number 2 is complete. Hallelujah! I'll sleep good tonight.

Have you ever felt like you were being tested? Sometimes God gives you a direction, with minimal details, and you move forward. Invariably, doubt and discouragement hits from seemingly nowhere. You have to ask yourself, is it God who causes that? No way. In times like that, think of verses such as:

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you. (Deut. 31:8, NLT)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, NLT)

Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. (1 Chron. 28:20a, NLT)

He Cares

SO much to talk about, but now that it is about midnight, I think I will forego any long discourses until later.

I've been thinking a lot lately of how God takes an interest in the smallest details of our lives. One of the passages in the Bible, which has given me great comfort is:

What is the price of two sparrows-one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. (Matt 10:29-31, NLT)

JESUS said this. Think about it. Of all the millions of creatures; sparrows, horses, dogs, cats, duck-billed platypuses; God knows when even one of them dies -- and He cares! We are the apple of His eye; the pinnacle of His creation. How much more does He care for us?! If He has the hairs on our heads numbered, does He not care when we are down? Does He not care when we have upheavel in our lives? Does He not care when we feel far from Him because of our own misguided actions? The answer to that question is in Matt 10. He cares more than we can know.

A Man's Greatness

"A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men."

I read this recently, and was particularly challenged by it. Do I look down on folks who seem to be less privileged than I? Do I belittle others who haven't had the opportunities that I have enjoyed and been blessed with throughout my life? Do I unwittingly ignore those who seem unimportant by the world's standards? God forbid.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Ps. 51:10, KJV)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Ps. 139:23-24, NLT)

That's my prayer. Clean out the junk that would allow me to treat anyone as unimportant. Jesus loves EVERYONE He created. We are ALL important in His eyes. He expects us to love the same folks that He does. That's a bunch of folks. Pretty much everyone, no matter how 'little'.

It's Not All About Success

Today, I happened upon a quote from Mother Teresa: "Obedience, not success."

Who would have known that so much could be expressed in only three words. It reminds me of how the Bible itself can jam so much meaning into the most seemingly simple passages. What a wise, Godly woman she truly was. She understood, probably more than most humans ever will, the concept of success in God's eyes. It's not about how many awards you get, it's not about how well-known or liked you are, it's not about how many great things that you have done. It's just about simple obedience.

Dictionary.com defines obedient this way:

Dutifully complying with the commands, orders, or instructions of one in authority.

It made me think, "Am I complying to the Lord's commands in my life or am I doing my own thing?" I won't pain you with my answer to myself. It isn't a bad thing to be reminded that there is One who is much greater than I who has all authority. The bad thing would be if I didn't act on that truth. So, my prayer today is "Lord, help me to pursue obedience NOT success."