Category: Purpose

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The Incredible Answer to Prayer

I leave for Kyrgyzstan today. This is one of the great joys of my life. These are incredible people.

In August of 2021, I wrote the post My Last day in Tokmok. This was a lament. I had worked with three amazing women that had uncertain futures. My last sentence was this, “My selfish prayer is that God’s plan for them will be revealed in a way that brings us both joy.”

God answers prayer in stunning, beautiful, and astonishing ways. One of the women has found the love of her life and gotten married. I get to meet her new husband. Lest you worry, they crossed all the T’s and dotted the I’s. They pursued and received the church’s blessing and, more importantly, her uncle’s blessing. Her uncle is a man of strong faith who takes his guardianship of her seriously.

I head to 22 hours in an airplane looking forward to the journey.

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Apocalypse No(w)

On October 25, 1962, I was sitting in the den of our home on Lawrence Ave in Marseilles, Illinois, with my mother, father, and two sisters staring at a small black and white TV. We were all transfixed as the announcer gave us the play-by-play of the events in front of us. We were in the middle of a Cold War raging between the United States and the Soviet Union. Visceral, nasty interrogatories and accusations had been flying between the world’s two major nuclear powers since World War Two. We had Nikita Khrushchev, the shoe-pounding head of the Soviet Union, and on the other side John F. Kennedy of the United States. In the fall of 1962, the Soviet Union had started building medium-range ballistic nuclear missile sites in Cuba, just 90 miles off of the Florida coast. We had all seen the aerial photos from the U-2 spy plane, so we knew the threat was real.

Now it was coming to a head, right before our eyes. President Kennedy had enacted a quarantine (the interesting use of “quarantine” in place of “blockade” technically averted a declaration of war) of Cuba and made it clear that the US intended to use military force if necessary to neutralize this perceived threat to national security. He raised our nuclear readiness to DEFCON 2; it was the only confirmed time in US history. It was reported that one-eighth of SAC’s over 1,400 bombers were airborne, and 145 intercontinental ballistic missiles stood on ready alert, some of which targeted Cuba, others at the Soviet Union.

What we were watching wasn’t an “unscripted” reality show with volunteer contestants, it was real life, and we watched it as it unfolded. The Soviet cargo ship Kislovodsk approached the quarantine zone. It was like watching paint dry as the end of the world slowly crept forward. If the Kislovodsk crossed into the zone, it was game on or the end of life as we knew it. At the last minute, the Kislovodsk discontinued its route and turned back. Nuclear war was averted. In my mind, this was yesterday. It was one of the most terrifying moments of my childhood. Less than twenty years after Hiroshima, my dad, a WWII veteran, knew the devastation of one nuclear bomb and couldn’t fathom the effect of hundreds of them exploding in rapid sequence. My fear was an extrapolation of his but amplified through youth and ignorance.

I get overwhelmed at times by cultural change and world politics. It seems that, as a world, we have passed the tipping point of dystopia. But we haven’t. God is still in control, and we are right on plan. Just because I don’t know the plan doesn’t mean it isn’t happening right on schedule. I remember October 24, but I no longer fear it. Age gives me the wisdom of hindsight.

Matthew 24:6, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

If you woke up today, and I assume you did because you are reading this, God has something specific He wants you to do. There is someone in your world that needs you. There is a person whose life is on a collision course with yours. Don’t be consumed with tomorrow when today is so important. Don’t lose the joy of living today because you fear tomorrow. God has created a great life for you; you need to live it. You can’t do that when you lose focus. Life becomes complex and distracting when you major in the temporal and minor in the eternal.

Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Remember, God loves you unconditionally. It is the very essence of His nature to love you. God created you for His pleasure. He does not get pleasure out of you living in fear. Problems will come, and problems will go, but God’s love for you is unchanging, rock-solid, and eternal.

I am studying the book “Gently and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers.” Several of the chapters emphasize that the very nature of God is to show mercy out of His heart. Not mercy in a detached, rules-based, unemotional sense, but a deeply caring, love-based desire for us. A dysfunctional world, or a dysfunctional life, can hide or shadow how amazingly God loves us and pursues us for His pleasure.

Revelations 4:11, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor, and power, for you created all things, and for your pleasure, they were created and exist.”

There is a lot of work to be done. Our work is to be obedient to what God has put in front of us. Because he loves us, we know that He does not want us to live in fear. When we fear, we have taken our eye off the one who holds us in His hand. We have forgotten the security gained through His death on the cross. I know there will be tough times, but remember you are loved by the God of the universe who created you for His pleasure.

Daniel 12:13, “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

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Are You Valued the Right Way?

1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'”

I was told this story by someone who didn’t know who originated it; if you do, let me know, and I will amend this post. It’s a perfect parable for defining personal value.

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A father said to his daughter, “You have graduated with honors; here is a car I bought many years ago.

It is a bit older now, but before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them you want to sell it and see how much they offer you.

The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father, and said, “They offered me $1,000 because they said it looks pretty worn out.”

Now, the father said, “Take it to the pawnshop.” So the daughter went to the pawnshop, returned to her father, and said, “The pawnshop offered only $100 because it is an old car.”

The father asked his daughter to go to a car club and show them the car. The daughter then took the car to the club, returned, and told her father,” Some people in the club offered $100,000 because it’s a Holden Torana and an iconic car and sought by many collectors.”

The father said this to his daughter, “The right place values you the right way,” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you. So never stay in a place where no one sees your value.

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Are you in the right place; are you valued the right way?

When I received my first promotion at work, I thought it was because I was the guy with all the answers. Luckily, I had a boss that corrected me on that. I was a command-and-control manager. It was my way or the highway. John McAlister was my boss; he was an old man of forty-five or fifty with many miles on his tires. He taught me that people needed to learn how to do things within their skill set and personality traits. They couldn’t be me anymore than I could be them. John taught me a lot for an old guy. Fifty years later, I still think of him.

When we are born, the two challenges God gives us are finding out who we are and finding where we fit. We are all God’s Holden Torana’s looking for a home. The world will put a value on you, but if you end up at a used car dealership or a pawn shop, you will never know the actual value of who you are.

Psalm 139:13-15, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. So I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”

Never underestimate your value to God. You are more precious than gold. If others do not see that in you, do not question yourself; question where in life you are; you are in the wrong place. One of the hardest things we do is abandon what we know for what we do not know, even when what we know isn’t good for us. Spiritual maturity is learning to walk away from people and situations that threaten your peace of mind, Godly self-respect, Christian values, or self-worth. Walking away has nothing to do with weakness and everything to do with strength. You walk away not because you want others to realize your value but because you finally realize your value.

Peter 1:18-19, “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

My Dad once told me that if I was the smartest guy in the room, I was in the wrong room. Everyone brings something unique to the table. We don’t have all the right answers; we don’t even know all the right questions. We must remind ourselves that sometimes our friends will lie to us, and sometimes our enemies will tell us the truth. Please don’t buy into the lie because it makes life more comfortable; always seek the truth. Those we travel with must see the unique value created within us by Christ. When you recognize your value, you will find it harder to be around people who don’t.

John C. Maxwell says, “Your core value is the deeply held beliefs that authentically describe your soul.” When you doubt your value go to scripture; God will reinforce your value to Him.  Always remember that you are God’s ambassador to the world.

1 Peter 3:4, “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

Never settle for a life that is less than the one God created for you.

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Doing Nothing Accomplishes Nothing

Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

It is interesting that as I open my eyes to the people around me, I see the greatness that God has put in each of us. I can see the light in their eyes come on whenever we touch on their passion; they sit taller; their back is straighter, and they’re more alert and engaged. It is true even when they do not know their passion. The person inside of them comes alive.

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

The person God wants you to be is alive and well. But it is kept in chains because we are afraid of being everything we were meant to be. Somehow, we confuse serving with servitude. We confuse the free desire to be a benefit to others with the worldly view of being subordinate. We have this innate desire to be something more significant, but we somehow are afraid of actually being that person.

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan

It is not you but the Holy Spirit in you who will guide you. The first fear you have to let go of is the fear of failure. The freedom you seek is not the freedom to chase worldly ambition but the freedom of allowing Christ to pick your path. With obedience, we eliminate the worry of failure; it’s God’s plan, and He never fails.

Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

ASK

Everything starts with prayer. Ask that your real passion be made visible and complete. Set aside your worldly needs, God knows you have them, and He will meet those needs.

Matthew 6:25-34, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Concentrate on asking for guidance for living your life with the highest level of joy and obedience.

I sincerely believe that one of two things will happen in your life; either the passion revealed to you will become your vocation, or God will give you a tentmaking vocation that also supports your passion. God will always connect the two. God does not expect you to survive on air while chasing your God-given passion. God is enormous on sustainability.

John 6:27 “Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him, God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

DO

Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

“You can’t steer a stationary ship” – I don’t know who initially said it; I assume a pirate; seems fitting. You cannot get anywhere without movement. The most remarkable ideas and plans in life fail for lack of execution. Sometimes making the wrong decision helps you find the right decision. Doing nothing accomplishes nothing.

In some miracles, Jesus asked the receiver to do something. First, turning water into wine required them to “fill the jars with water” (John 2:1-11). Next, there was a blind man who was asked to “go to the pool of Siloam” (John 9:6-10). Next, a grown man healed of leprosy after dipping seven times in a river (2 Kings 5:11-14). Finally, Jesus made a coin appear in a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27). Please don’t wait for an answer; start searching for it. God will direct your steps if you ask. The best place to start is to inventory what God has already done through you up to this point.

James 2:17-18, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

I am always surprised by the number of people that discount their experiences. Things that we try and don’t like or are not good at doing open the door for what we enjoy and can do well. Things we enjoyed doing but didn’t seem to have an objective are discounted as leisure-time activities with no material value other than to entertain us. Everything that happens is part of God’s master plan for your life; every moment has a message; each experience is a guidepost.

Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

ENJOY

Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Once you have a rough idea of what God has already done in your life, you can start moving toward the future. He will build off of your past to create your future. You don’t have to create the person God made you be; it is already there. Instead, you need to find that person and coax them out of the darkness.

God has never wanted His people to live stressful, uneventful lives. He understands how He has made each of us and understands that joy brings us both physical and mental health. That is how He created us. We will receive our highest fulfillment and satisfaction from living the life God has prepared for us.

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

It is your life; it is your shot at happiness. You can focus on worldly success, knowing that in the end, it will not matter, or you can focus on chasing the pure passion of God’s desire for you. That desire will last for eternity.

Isaiah 55:12, “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

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Joy Before the Angels

We remember from Sunday School the remarkable story of Jonah and the whale. We know how Jonah ran from God because he did not want the Ninevites to be allowed to repent. This story brings to our attention that just as God has shown us mercy, he will show it to those we don’t feel deserve mercy. It also shows the extent to which God will go to pursue us for His purpose.

Jonah 1:1-3, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So, he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.”

Few of us remember the story of Nahum. Nahum came along well after Jonah. After the Ninevites first repented, they again returned to their sinful ways. This time it was Nahum who brought them the message. However, the message was quite different.

Nahum 1:3, “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”

The Ninevites’ sin was so entrenched there was nowhere for them to turn. Our God is merciful, long-suffering, and gracious, but He has His limits. God’s judgment will fall on the unrepentant.

We forget that sometimes. We want to dwell on all the richness of God’s love for us to the point that we shy away from what happens when we become unrepentant. We love that God is patient, kind, long-suffering, and willing to bear with our sinfulness. We find comfort in that if we are willing to repent and turn from our ways, He is quick to forgive.

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

But what happens if we harbor unrepentant sin? What is the judgment for those that hold back certain sins as personal property? You know, the sin that we can not shake. The sin that we feel is not destructive; the victimless sin in our lives. The sin we hide in the darkness of our lives? There is no victimless sin. There is no sin that God deems trivial or meaningless.

James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

I’m not trying to shame anyone, just bringing to our attention that we all have unrepentant sin. We all have sins that we don’t recognize as harmful or, worse, don’t recognize as sins. I’m not talking about unintentional sin, although that also is an issue, but unresolved sin. We live in a dysfunctional world that has normalized sin. In the last 50 years, we have normalized most of the sins mentioned in the Ten Commandments. Our quest for personal freedom has made it unacceptable to criticize someone else’s lifestyle choices. This passive acceptance tends to water down our perception of sin. Comparatively speaking, we feel we live less sinful lives as Christians. We don’t do the things that others do.

Isaiah 1, 18-20, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”’

This blog does have a happy ending. Just because we have sins in our lives that have become entrenched or unrecognized doesn’t mean we will face the wrath of God. It does not disqualify us from salvation.

Psalm 62:1, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It is not our behavior that determines our salvation; it is the redeeming grace of Christ.

Acts 16:31, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”

This blog reminds you to periodically quiet your mind and think about those things that have transpired. Think not just of the significant issues but the minor sins that pop up now and then. Maybe the habitual way you address specific issues or the bias and prejudges that have developed over time. We all have them, and they hurt God as much as the significant issues. Sometimes I think they hurt more because they are unacknowledged and unrepentant. Think of the joy you will bring to God by caring enough about His happiness to seek forgiveness for even the little sins in your life.

Luke 15:10, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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Thorns

Issyk Kul Lake Kyrgyzstan

2 Corinthians 12: 7-9, “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

THORNS

We all face obstacles in our lives. The easy parts are when the car breaks down, or the furnace fails, we know who to call. There is a point specific solution that meets an immediate need. As we mature, we expect these problems; products fail and need to be fixed or replaced. But what do we do when aspects of our lives seem to be failing us? What do we do when the ways of the world invade our peace?

Now, every time I witness a strong person I want to know: “what darkness did you conquer in your story? “mountains do not rise without earthquakes. – Katherine MacKenett

Life’s problems are like splinters under our skin. If untreated, it starts to fester. The small splinter becomes an irritant we can’t ignore. Sometimes our irritation with the splinter worsens as we scratch, poke, and dig at it until it becomes infected. Life is always giving us splinters; Paul called them thorns.

Paul’s thorn was opinioned to be one of several things; sickness (Galatians 4:15), emotional turmoil about the churches (2 Corinthians 2:4), his false opposition (2 Corinthians 11:3-5), a speaking disability (2 Corinthians 10:10), or possible demonic opposition (1 Thessalonians 2:18). It is not that any of these were given to him by God; he called them a messenger from Satan. But to Paul’s credit, he recognized that God could use them to make him a stronger representative of the Gospel.

Deuteronomy 31:8, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

INFECTION OF OUR WORLD VIEW

How do we accept the challenges presented to us daily and turn them into lampposts for the Gospel? This seems so counter-intuitive. In the middle of a bad day, how do I stop fixating on the issues and start reflecting on the good news? I don’t know about you, but most of my issues revolve around someone’s personal agenda; they have or haven’t done something that has caused a problem for me. Maybe it is the way someone twists the Gospel to meet their political agenda. Or maybe it is an issue of recurring ache or pain that never goes away. Maybe it is a constant feeling of not measuring up to our or someone else’s expectations. We all have to deal with what Paul would call “thorns.” We all have aspects of our lives that fester and infect our world view.

Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

When we are in the middle of one of life’s storms is the perfect time to reflect on Christ. Christ allows, endorses, and even creates these opportunities to demonstrate our need to depend on Him and how He can be glorified through its resolution. In the middle of these storms, God looks for us to call on Him. And when we do, He does not disappoint.

Psalm 50:15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

FINDING A CURE

We need to find ways to take world’s weaknesses and shortcomings and make them our personal strengths. Glorifying Christ by using the circumstances we are in to overcome the obstacles put before us. Demonstrating to others that we can not only endure but prosper within adverse circumstances through Christ’s grace.

Romans 12:12, “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer.”

We need to take this moment in time to reverse our fortune. Knowing that God’s plan for us is to prosper, not destroy, should give us the confidence to distance ourselves from self-incrimination and fear to embrace the opportunity to show grace. Situations that could be seen as opportunities to demean or diminish us can become launching pads for us to show our confidence in Christ’s redeeming grace.

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

It is not us that overcomes the worldly issues around us; it is Christ. And in Christ, we have the assurance that He will do just that. If we want to be a positive Christian example to the people around us, we need to do it during our times of adversity. It is our time to rise to the occasion. It is our time to change the world around us one person at a time.

Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

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Little Decisions

“What is always true is that the decisions we make today determine the stories we tell about our lives tomorrow” – Craig Groeschel, Divine Direction.

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

It is easy to point to the grand decisions in our life as having the most impact on our future. What we many times miss is that it was the many small decisions that proceeded the grand decision that set the stage. Decisions about marriage, jobs, or education start with the small decisions made innocuously in the past. Invisible decisions are so ingrained in our existence that we have long forgotten they were decisions.

James 4:17, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is a sin.”

What story do you want others to tell about your life? We are not talking about the story you want to tell, but the story others will tell after you are gone. What things in your life will overshadow your service to Christ? What will be mentioned before they talk about your good works or dedication to Christ? What are all the small decisions you have made that will counterbalance the big decision?

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

2 Corinthians 1:17, “Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? “

I’m sorry, folks, I can’t get over the waste in humanity. All of those people walking the face of the earth living substandard lives thinking they have made it. People whose greatness is shrouded by the perceptions of the world. We compromise, not knowing we are planting the seeds of an unfulfilled life.

Genesis 4:7, “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

There are countless examples of small decisions leading to mundane, soul-crushing vanilla lives that we count as blessings. We go along to get a long hoping that being part of someone else’s plan will prosper us. We long for more extraordinary things deep inside, but we picked the wrong road. We took what we thought was a shortcut to success and found ourselves in a cul-de-sac of unfulfilled dreams. These small decisions raised the price of success until it almost seemed unattainable.

Proverbs 16: 1-2, “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.”

The great news is almost too good to be true. We have heard it a hundred times, but it always applied to others. Who God made you have never changed. Your past decision has not altered God’s plan for your life. It may have made its destination further away, but no less rewarding or attainable.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

If you start paying attention to the small decisions facing you daily, the big decision will take care of themselves. But if you focus only on big decisions, you will find few options. Your God is not just the God of the grandiose, but the God of the mundane. Call on Him in every situation.

2 Thessalonians 3:13, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

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Is God With Us?

Matthew 20:17-19, “Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

I hate stories about myself. I like to live in the shadows. When I’m in a position where I must “perform,” I get not just uneasy but irritated. I hate getting awards; I love achieving them, just not getting them. My social anxiety is paradoxical because I have run large organizations with hundreds of people. I’m fine when I can talk about a subject that does not include me. I don’t like the spotlight on me.

Today I’m going to suck it up and talk about myself. I think there is something in this story that might brighten your Easter. At Easter, we say, “He has Risen.” The response is, “He has Risen indeed.” But do we believe God is with us, or do we go along? Is God tangible?

Luke 24:6-7, “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”

THE STORY

Over forty years ago, I was rising in my career and healthy. I ran ten miles every day. I later was informed that I ran every day because I had an addiction to endorphin, not because I had a fixation on my health. Stress filled my life. Because I had never experienced sustained success in my life, I thought stress was just part of the job. So, I ran to be sane. The endorphin kept me on an even keel so that I could cope. Although I must add that I still exercise and believe in exercise, I’m no longer addicted to it.

It was spring, so I wanted to step up my daily routine, but I had an odd problem. After about four or five miles, my vision would collapse into a small hole in the center of my eyesight; it’s called myopia. I would walk a couple of hundred yards, myopia would go away, and I would start running again. I felt great. There were no other symptoms. All I needed was a shot or a pill to make it go away, and I could increase my workouts. I had a friend, Charles, a doctor; he was a cardiologist. I didn’t have a regular doctor because I didn’t seem to need one, so I got an appointment with Charles. Here is where the story takes a twist. After just a few minutes in the examination room, Charles calls one of his partners in; they talk cryptically and then ask, “What are you doing this afternoon?”.

THE TWIST

I’ll try to make this less boring by getting to the part you want to hear as fast as possible. I spent a week in the hospital as they ran an encyclopedia of tests. The results were that they knew I had a severe problem but couldn’t isolate it. So, they demanded that I quit all forms of exercise until they knew what was causing the problem. This is the place in the story where I learned about endorphin addiction and withdrawal.

Months went by, and the problem progressed. I was sitting on the couch watching TV one night, and myopia struck. These episodes were becoming more frequent. I was instructed to call Charles every time I had one. Charles said stop what you are doing and come to his office a 7:30 in the morning before it opens. I told him that I couldn’t do less short of stopping breathing. It was the first time I was concerned; up to this point, I was mainly perturbed. It was an inconvenience in my life. So, I went to bed.

MY MOMENT

This night I was to understand what it meant to have Christ be with me, not figuratively but literally. At around two o’clock in the morning, I woke to see myself lying in bed. I was above the bed, looking down at myself, sleeping. It wasn’t a dream; I was hovering above myself. I slowly slid down the wall until I was back on the bed, eyes wide open, terrified.

Isaiah 41:10. “‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you, surely, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”

A thousand thoughts were racing through my brain. Everything I thought had significant risk. Then, all of a sudden, Christ reached down. His message was clear and concise, go to the emergency room across the street from Charles’s office and wait. I was calm and relaxed. It was only a couple of miles away, and there was no traffic in the early morning. I went inside and took a seat. I told the nurse that I was waiting for a doctor’s appointment across the street. I had this odd dialog inside my head, part prayer and part discussion; we talked about my future. The nurse interrupted this discussion to say either you’re in or out; this isn’t a waiting room. I guess I’m in was my reply.

1 Corinthians 15:20-21, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”

My heart stopped four times in the emergency room before Charles arrived. I apologized for getting him out of bed, and then the lights went out. The next thing I saw was a masked man looking down at me, saying it would be alright. God smiled and said, “I told you so.”

GOD IS TANGIBLE

I could have died that night at home alone, but God had other plans. It was His presence that calmed my soul and gave me clarity. It was His plan for my life that pulled me through. Christ was a presence as real as Charles.

Easter isn’t a feel-good story. Instead, it is the culmination of eons of compassion, love, and caring. If we don’t experience His presence in our lives, it is because we don’t believe He is truly with us. Christ paid an enormous price so that we could have a deep, personal relationship with Him. He is there in the room with you now. He will not desert you or grow tired of you.

Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

HE HAS RISEN INDEED

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Being in the Who’s Who of the Bible

The Bible is full of stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The stories weren’t stories like many of the best sellers we read today, they are real people, leading real lives, during desperate times.  To get a mention in the Bible is itself extraordinary, but their acts were not supernatural or over-the-top; they were somewhat mundane. Let me give you a few examples.

Jochebed (Exodus 6:20), the mother of Moses, if she did not decide to put Moses in a reed basket to save his life, he would not have delivered Israel from the Egyptians. I’m sure that Jochebed did not contemplate God’s deliverance of the Jews from the Pharaohs at the time. Ruth (Ruth) pledged to follow Naomi and worship her God. From this act, she eventually married Boaz, giving birth to an ancestor of King David, whose descendant was Jesus Christ. Esther (Ester), having lost her parents, entrusted to an uncle, and banished to a pagan land, saved the Jewish people from destruction. Ananias (Acts 9:10-14) was directed by God to minister to the deadliest enemy of the Christian faith at that time; Saul.

There are more such people mentioned in the Bible. People who God gave a simple task that ultimately changed Christianity. Most of these people had no idea of the impact they would have. Most were doing what they thought was proper but not extraordinary.

I also think of others like Agur, who wrote a beautiful prayer in Psalms (Proverbs 30:7-9), or the famous prayer of Jabez, which is only 33 words long (1 Chronicles 4:10). None of these people were looking for notoriety or fame. None of them set out to make a mark in history. Instead, they all sought the pleasure of God.

How do we become a people of Biblical proportions? How do we live our life so that we will be known when the end of days comes? These people did not live extraordinary lives blessed by God. They were not the movers and shakers of their time. They did not measure the ramifications of their acts; they just obeyed.

FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE

Ephesians 5:1-2, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

How do you live your life? Most of us become caught up in the day-to-day grind. We don’t think about its significance; life is a series of stimuli and responses. We are like Pavlov’s dog, reacting rather than living. Being proactive in life requires taking a risk.

Ephesians 3:17, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

We are filled with all the fullness of life and power of God. To be in the Who’s Who of the Bible, we need to follow Christ’s example. We need to take courageous and improvisational risks. We should consciously seek out those in need and courageously take the risk to love them. Our day planners and commitments need to take the second chair to look for and react to God working through us for others. You don’t have to author a worldwide revival; we need to show compassion where compassion is missing.

REDEEMING YOUR TIME

Ephesians 5:15-16, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.”

I pray that your time is long and your joys are many, but we do not know until the end. We should live our lives as if this day was the last day we have to share the Gospel. This day may be the last chance to tell our family, friends, or neighbors how much God loves them and wants them as part of His family. Today we need to correct a wrong, forgive the past and show compassion to someone in need.

Job 9:25-26, “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good. They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.”

Many people I know wish they had one more moment with a loved one that has passed. They want to share one more conversation; they want to say I love you one more time. KiKi King, an instrumentalist, once said at a TEDTalk, (paraphrased) time goes on to eternity behind us, time goes on to eternity before us making this moment seem insignificant. But this moment is all I have. So, I will live this moment as if it was the most significant moment of my life at this time.

Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

If you want to be in the Who’s Who of the Bible, you have to use each moment as if it was the last and most significant moment of your life.

ALWAYS GIVING THANKS

Ephesians 5:20-21, “Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Giving thanks is the frosting on the cake. Recognizing God is the difference between a good person and a righteous person. If we show loving, caring compassion toward everyone and do not credit the author of our story, then we have done nothing of value. God is the Alpha and the Omega; everything starts and ends with Him. Everyone we come in contact with must know this. Our life must center on and radiate out from Christ. The light in the darkness we shine is not our light but a reflection of His light. Our humility is genuine because we understand the power of the one who sent us. We accomplish all things through Christ.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Our story is never going to be amended to the Bible. But there will come a time when we will have to face Jesus to account for our faith. So, while there is still time, please make the most of it. Take courageous impetuous risks, knowing God has your back.

1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

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God’s Insatiable Love for Us

Psalm 31:7, “I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul. “

Love is a tricky animal to tame. It can be the thrill of a lifetime while simultaneously being our greatest fear. Love is one of those things we crave to the point of distraction. We know, untamed, it will destroy us, and yet true love is a bond that can’t be broken. We have committed so many sins chasing after love. If we were ever the fool, it was because of love. But there is only one pure, deep, passionate, and powerful love; it comes from Christ.

The love that God lavishes on His people never operates apart from His holiness, mercy, omnipotence, justice, or other divine attributes. It is the glue that holds all of His attributes together.

PURE

1 John 4:18, “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. “

Pure love drives out fear. When we rest in the arms of the one who truly loves us, we are secure. Pure love is described in Corinthians. When we read this passage from a human perspective, we see a goal or an objective to which to aspire. To be all of these things for another seems impossible. But God is all of these things for us. Corinthians not only describes how we should approach love toward each other, but it also describes how God loves us. God did not create two standards, one for us and one for Himself. He created a single standard of how He loves us, then asks us to try to love others the same way. Reread this passage; this time, read it as God’s description of how He loves you.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud, or rude. It does not demand its way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. “

How pure is this? He was scourged, humiliated, and hung on a cross to demonstrate His love for us. He did not do this because we deserved salvation. He did it to open the door to salvation for wicked, stubborn people. His love for us was not dependent on our love for Him.

Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

DEEP

Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Several passages in the Bible help us understand that God’s love runs deeper than anything we have ever experienced. This last week, NASA reported to have observed a single star 28-billion light-years away; that’s 168 trillion miles. When God says that nothing in all of creation can separate us from His love, imagine 168 trillion miles in front of you, in back of you, above you, and below you. His love is greater than all of that. But more importantly, it is the depth of His love within your heart. It goes to the core of who you are; who you were created to be. You were created to be loved by the author of the universe.

Ephesians 3: 17-19, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

PASSIONATE

John 11:35, “Jesus wept”

Jesus wept. I don’t know of a more provocative statement than this. The God of the universe, a perfect being in nature and existence, cried over one of His own. Knowing the nature of Christ and the nature of man, it is incredible that He would weep over us, but Christ does. He does because we are part of His family; we are errant, headstrong, wayward children, but we are His children.

1 John 3:1, “See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!”

One of the more remarkable aspects of God’s passion for us is that He knew what we would become from creation. All of our pigheadedness still gives Him great pleasure to call us His own.

Ephesians 1:5, “God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.”

All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of His wings; His passion for us is unceasing. There is nothing we can do to make Him desert us. All we need to do is repent, and He is gracious to forgive.

Psalm 36:5-7, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings. “

God left us a guide and companion so that we would always know He is present in our lives. He understands that we cannot love as He does. He gave us a voice to reassure us when we feel alone or forgotten. The benefits of the love of God towards His children are blessings of joy for those who keep His Commandments.

Romans 5:5, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. “

POWERFUL

Job 36:22, “God’s power is unlimited. He needs no teachers.”

Job said it very succinctly; His power is unlimited. There is nothing He can’t do; no task is too small or too big. His power is beyond our ability to understand. The God that loves you, the God that wept over you, is the God of unlimited power that can make your life meaningful. He not only wraps you in His love, but He also has the power to protect you from evil. Here in Job, we read the definition of His power.

Job 26:7-14, “God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight. He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with his clouds. He created the horizon when he separated the waters: he set the boundary between day and night. The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke. By his power, the sea grew calm. By his skill, he crushed the great sea monster. His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?”

LASTLY

1 Corinthians 2:9, “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him'”

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