Acts 2:42, 44 (GW) 42 The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 44 All the believers kept meeting together, and they shared everything with each other.”
Over two years ago, my neighbor and I started a Bible Study group to encourage one another in our faith, our Christian lives and in our daily struggles. I have been amazed at how God has blessed our group, multiplied our numbers, and worked in our lives since then. We know each others struggles and rejoice when God answers prayers throughout the year. It seemed each one of us go through times of need and we rally to encourage one another.
In my group, many of the ladies were rocks of prayer for me during a long period of illness and recovery. Their prayers and encouragement during those long months were vital to my continuing faith and perseverance through the struggle. I couldn’t have done it without them and I wouldn’t have wanted to.
Proverbs 17:17 (GW) says, “ A friend always loves, and a brother is born to share trouble.” Peter explained it this way, 1 Peter 1:22 (GW) “22 Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other.” I experienced friends that shared my troubles and warmed me with their love, but we have all seen these words in action in our ‘church’ as we have prayed for one another and shared each other’s burdens.
I call this group our ‘church’ because in the early days after Christ’s resurrection, most ‘churches’ consisted of small groups that met in each other’s homes. As Paul would travel around the areas of the Mediterranean Sea, he would visit the ‘churches’ he helped establish. His mission from God was to reach people that weren’t Jewish and didn’t have much of a ‘religious’ background with the good news of Jesus. Most of his letters, which make up the bulk of the New Testament, were written to the ‘church’ groups he helped establish. In a letter to the church in Ephesus, he wrote about the necessity of each person to the body of Christ or the church.
Eph 4:11-16 (GW) 11 “He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts {to his church}. 12 Their purpose is to prepare God's people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ. 13 This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God's Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray. 15 Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. 16 He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
You can see from the above verses that you each play a vital role in the ‘body’ and without you, we are less likely to operate as church should. As God reveals himself to you in your life, your experiences help build up the body. Paul explained it to the church in Corinth this way in 1 Cor 12:25-27 “25 God's purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness. 27 You are Christ's body and each of you is an individual part of it.” Later in the letter, he writes in 1 Cor 14:3 “But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he speaks to people to help them grow, to encourage them, and to comfort them.”
When we meet, I can see how each of our members functions in our ‘body’. Debbie is a rock of faith and prayer partner, Sarah is a musical and biblical reference guru, Susan is an authentic and open friend, Nikki is a caring empathizer, Christie is an encourager, Cheryl is servant-hearted and I do my best to keep us connected. Without each of these people in our bible study, we wouldn’t function as well.
One of the challenges the author of Hebrews spoke about to the Hebrew church was the challenge of continuing in the faith. Heb 10:24-25 says, “We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. We should not stop gathering together with other believers. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.” The author of Hebrews knew the value of continuing to meet together. The encouragement that the church body received was vital to the church continuing in their faith.
Summer is a wonderful time, full of new possibilities and new beginnings. It is wonderful to think that I have finished one chapter and have a new chance to change my personal, spiritual, and physical life. How many of us started the New Year with a diet? By the time summer arrives, we often remember the goal we set and are either excited or dissappointed by our progress. We often start strong in our new resolutions whether they are to lose weight or start a small group, but as other commitments pressed in we live the life of busyness and forget the encouragement we get from meeting with others in Christ. As the summer begins, I encourage you to think about your role in your bible study. You are a vital member of the body of Christ. If you aren't in a bible study, maybe pick up the small group guide at church and get plugged into a little “church”.
As Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:11“11 Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.” Let us not give up meeting together and stay the course of encouragement. Find someone you can call or email and see how they are doing. Help meet one another’s needs. In doing so, you will discover church living at its most intimate and rewarding level!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Paint on His Canvas
There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you remove all traces of reality. - Pablo Picasso
My life is in color
In Him, it’s complete
Color from grey
He is aesthete
I am the white of his purity
The burgundy of his blood
The purple of his passion
The red of his love
I am the yellow of his joy
The pink of his grace
The blue of his peace
A reflection of his face
I am paint on His canvas
A work of His art
A single brush stroke
Only a small part
Every form, every space
Every shape, every line
Every texture, every crack
Are in His design
In time, His grand masterpiece
Will be fully revealed
In His mind's eye
The whole picture is sealed
Who am I that I wonder
At the stroke of His hand
Who am I that I question
Where I should land
I am paint on His canvas
A work of His art
A single brush stroke
Only a small part
My life is in color
In Him, it’s complete
Color from grey
He is aesthete
I am the white of his purity
The burgundy of his blood
The purple of his passion
The red of his love
I am the yellow of his joy
The pink of his grace
The blue of his peace
A reflection of his face
I am paint on His canvas
A work of His art
A single brush stroke
Only a small part
Every form, every space
Every shape, every line
Every texture, every crack
Are in His design
In time, His grand masterpiece
Will be fully revealed
In His mind's eye
The whole picture is sealed
Who am I that I wonder
At the stroke of His hand
Who am I that I question
Where I should land
I am paint on His canvas
A work of His art
A single brush stroke
Only a small part
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Death to Self
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
In the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Frodo, a hobbit, must carry an evil ring to the Fires of Mordor in order to destroy it. Along the way, another hobbit named Sméagol joins him. This hobbit had come into possession of the evil ring years before and it twisted his body and mind. His alter ego, Gollum, is obsessed with the ring and desires it above everything. It ruined his life and enslaved him, yet he can’t do without “his precious.” As Frodo, Gollum and Frodo’s friend Sam travel to Mount Doom to destroy the ring, it begins to work its change on Frodo. Sam sees the change in his friend and desperately wants to help lighten the load, but Frodo is now as repulsed and drawn to the ring as Gollum/Sméagol.
Sometimes I wonder why God does certain things in my life or allows certain things to happen. As a PK, I know all the "spiritual" reasons....like building faith, perseverance and becoming more Christ-like, but I just can't help wondering why He allows these particular problems into my life. Why not another problem? My friend and I have a similar problem on the opposite end of the spectrum and our conversations usually go something like this....
"I wish I had more...I am just so tired of being...."
"Jeez, I have more than enough of ..... I wish I had less of… Let's trade. You can deal with… and I will deal with..."
"Deal...Lets do it."
And if we could, we would be more than happy to trade problems, because I don't see her issue as a problem and she doesn't see mine as that big a problem. It is amazing to me how God allows only certain situations into our lives unique to our experiences, our personalities, abilities and challenges to our growth.
Sometimes situations are the result of my sin or needed growth areas, but some are just random bi-products of living in a sinful world. Those are the problems that really get me and I can't seem to get past them very easily. It is the little kid in me that screams and stomps her feet and yells, "This is so unfair. Why do I have to deal with this particular problem? Why not another problem that is easier." It doesn't help when the problem is still there years later despite all my best efforts to get rid of it. It hangs on like a rapid animal biting my heels. I can't seem to shake it and it keeps coming back to infect me over and over.
I know. I know....the pithy Christian retort goes something like this, "Well, you are going to keep dealing with this problem until it is truly solved. You just haven't really changed yet." Therein lays the problem. I have tried everything I know to try and done everything I have known to do and have "given" the issue over to God a million times. I know I am stubborn. At a certain point, why can’t I just roll over and truly give it to God. That is the process that is so difficult to go through...death to self.
I cling to the very last shreds of self and hold its putrid essence close to me. Even though it stinks and often ruins the very thing I want to change. I just can't give it up. It is "my precious" and I can't seem let it go even though it may turn me rancid and ruin me.
That is the journey I face and I think most of us face: the everyday challenge of dying to self-will, self-love, self-indulgence. It is the very thing that started this whole mess of sin when Adam and Eve decided they wanted to elevate themselves to the level of God. It is really the only challenge we face. All other problems are wrapped up in this one sin: the sin of self-centered living.
Philippians 1:21 says, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I think this refers to more than just physical death. Every day, I must battle the self-centered sinful being inside that doesn't want to die so that Christ may live in me. Every day, I must hope that I die in order that I might one day truly live.
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
In the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Frodo, a hobbit, must carry an evil ring to the Fires of Mordor in order to destroy it. Along the way, another hobbit named Sméagol joins him. This hobbit had come into possession of the evil ring years before and it twisted his body and mind. His alter ego, Gollum, is obsessed with the ring and desires it above everything. It ruined his life and enslaved him, yet he can’t do without “his precious.” As Frodo, Gollum and Frodo’s friend Sam travel to Mount Doom to destroy the ring, it begins to work its change on Frodo. Sam sees the change in his friend and desperately wants to help lighten the load, but Frodo is now as repulsed and drawn to the ring as Gollum/Sméagol.
Sometimes I wonder why God does certain things in my life or allows certain things to happen. As a PK, I know all the "spiritual" reasons....like building faith, perseverance and becoming more Christ-like, but I just can't help wondering why He allows these particular problems into my life. Why not another problem? My friend and I have a similar problem on the opposite end of the spectrum and our conversations usually go something like this....
"I wish I had more...I am just so tired of being...."
"Jeez, I have more than enough of ..... I wish I had less of… Let's trade. You can deal with… and I will deal with..."
"Deal...Lets do it."
And if we could, we would be more than happy to trade problems, because I don't see her issue as a problem and she doesn't see mine as that big a problem. It is amazing to me how God allows only certain situations into our lives unique to our experiences, our personalities, abilities and challenges to our growth.
Sometimes situations are the result of my sin or needed growth areas, but some are just random bi-products of living in a sinful world. Those are the problems that really get me and I can't seem to get past them very easily. It is the little kid in me that screams and stomps her feet and yells, "This is so unfair. Why do I have to deal with this particular problem? Why not another problem that is easier." It doesn't help when the problem is still there years later despite all my best efforts to get rid of it. It hangs on like a rapid animal biting my heels. I can't seem to shake it and it keeps coming back to infect me over and over.
I know. I know....the pithy Christian retort goes something like this, "Well, you are going to keep dealing with this problem until it is truly solved. You just haven't really changed yet." Therein lays the problem. I have tried everything I know to try and done everything I have known to do and have "given" the issue over to God a million times. I know I am stubborn. At a certain point, why can’t I just roll over and truly give it to God. That is the process that is so difficult to go through...death to self.
I cling to the very last shreds of self and hold its putrid essence close to me. Even though it stinks and often ruins the very thing I want to change. I just can't give it up. It is "my precious" and I can't seem let it go even though it may turn me rancid and ruin me.
That is the journey I face and I think most of us face: the everyday challenge of dying to self-will, self-love, self-indulgence. It is the very thing that started this whole mess of sin when Adam and Eve decided they wanted to elevate themselves to the level of God. It is really the only challenge we face. All other problems are wrapped up in this one sin: the sin of self-centered living.
Philippians 1:21 says, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I think this refers to more than just physical death. Every day, I must battle the self-centered sinful being inside that doesn't want to die so that Christ may live in me. Every day, I must hope that I die in order that I might one day truly live.
Friday, May 16, 2008
To Love Again Ch 1
A chill swept over her body, and she shivered. Pulling the blankets tighter, Lani tried to slow the thumping in her chest. Nighttime was the worst. When she was a kid, the “monsters” under the bed made her feel the same way. Back then, she knew something was waiting to grab her legs when she turned off the light. The sprint from the light switch to the bed was torture. Eventually she grew out of that night terror.
Until last year that is.
Unlike her childhood monsters, this one had been real. No matter what she did to calm herself, she felt helpless like a child at bedtime.
Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel wind from an unknown hand blow across her face, just as it had that night. Her face prickled with dread at the thought of that hand. In the silence between dreams and reality, Lani tossed and turned.
Snap!
Something closes over her mouth and she struggles to breathe. A hand muffles the sound of her scream as a rough cloth is shoved in her mouth and is pulled tight around her head. It rips her hair and her tongue is shoved back in her throat.
It is too dark to see anything and she tries to struggle, but her blankets hold her entombed. The covers are pulled tighter over her arms and torso, restricting all movement. She is wrapped like a mummy in her own bed. She is helpless.
Waves of cool air rush over her legs and hips. Rough hands touch her. She knows what is coming. In an instant, she resumes her struggle. The pressure on her chest increases as he leans against her. Hot breaths blow across her face. She tries to writhe and kick with her legs, but she is pinned down.
No way out.
Cold chills sweep across her body; she shivers and silently screams to be released.
“Mililani! Mililani! Wake up honey. Please wake up!” Lani flew awake at the sound of her mother’s voice. “Oh, my baby! My dear girl!” Her mother grabbed her and held her close, repeating her litany of reassurance. Lani let her mother hug her and stroke her hair. It felt good to be safe in her arms. Finally, her mother released her tight grip and brushed Lani’s sweaty hair off her forehead.
Lani stared into her mother’s almond eyes. They were so beautiful. Green, yellow, and brown swirled together. They always reminded Lani of a lion’s eyes, so deep and rich. Lani had inherited those same eyes from her mixed Hawaiian and African heritage.
Lani looked at her mother’s hair whose curly black and silver-streaked mane was held back by a red headband. It looked as if her mom’s worn face was half-washed. Her parents had been older when they had Lani nineteen years ago. They never seemed old to her, but tonight her mother looked aged beyond her sixty-four years. Lani felt guilty that her mom had to deal with her emotional messes too.
“Honey, are you sure you’re ready to go back?” Her mom’s warm hands rubbed Lani’s back. “You could stay here and continue at the junior college.”
“I know you are worried, but I have to start living again. It has been six months and I can’t stay here forever.” Lani drew her legs up to her chest and hugged them. She was afraid of leaving too, but Dr. Scott believed she was ready to make the leap.
“You just don’t seem ready, especially when you still have such bad dreams. It’s not too late to enroll in a Christian College nearby.” Her mom’s eyes seemed hopeful, as if this time her suggestion would be taken.
Lani sighed, “Berklee is the only college with the music program I need. I already missed the Summer String Fling. Besides, they will only allow me to resume classes with scholarships intact if I return this semester.” She looked at her mother with a sigh. “More than that, I need to get back to my music. I think it will help me.”
What she said was all true, but these discussions with her mom were another reason she needed to get back to school. She couldn’t tell her that though. Not after all they had been through together.
“I just don’t like the idea of this happening again. Do you think it will be safe to go back?”
“Mom, you are not helping me here.” Lani shoved aside her covers, stood, and folded her hands across her chest. “Dr. Scott thinks it will be safer now than ever. The school secured a spot for me in a smaller all-women’s dorm and stepped up security screenings for all students. They are sure it won’t happen again.” Lani dropped her arms and walked over to her mom. Her voice softened, “I need your help to get through this. I refuse to let it ruin my future. Can you please support me?”
Her mom rose without a word and left the room. Lani’s eyes welled with tears. Her psychologist, Dr. Scott, said it was as hard on her mother as it was for her. Lani didn’t understand how that was possible, but the arguments had stopped when Lani started talking to her mom about what happened. This was the first argument they’d had in months. Lani didn’t know what to expect.
Lani went to the bathroom and ran water into a glass. She gulped it down and wiped the drops from her chin. Her mom’s head popped around the corner and Lani smiled. She always came back.
“Here honey, I don’t think I have to worry about you taking too many of these now.” Her mom held a pill bottle in her open palm. “I think you will be just fine if you can handle both your fears and mine put together. Tomorrow, I’ll tell Dr. Scott that I gave the bottle to you.” She handed the prescription sleep aids to Lani.
“Thanks,” Lani cupped the bottle in her hand and stared at them. “Maybe tomorrow will be the start of a new life.”
Her mom smiled, but it was a smile of exhaustion. Lani knew her mom would sleep better once she was gone. Her mom stroked Lani’s hair one more time and said goodnight.
Lani popped the cap off the pills and dumped one in her hand. She would be glad when she didn’t have to take these anymore to get to sleep. At least she didn’t have to wake her mom up to ask her for them anymore. Lani flipped off the light, walked to her bed, and waited for the oblivion of sleep to overtake her.
Until last year that is.
Unlike her childhood monsters, this one had been real. No matter what she did to calm herself, she felt helpless like a child at bedtime.
Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel wind from an unknown hand blow across her face, just as it had that night. Her face prickled with dread at the thought of that hand. In the silence between dreams and reality, Lani tossed and turned.
Snap!
Something closes over her mouth and she struggles to breathe. A hand muffles the sound of her scream as a rough cloth is shoved in her mouth and is pulled tight around her head. It rips her hair and her tongue is shoved back in her throat.
It is too dark to see anything and she tries to struggle, but her blankets hold her entombed. The covers are pulled tighter over her arms and torso, restricting all movement. She is wrapped like a mummy in her own bed. She is helpless.
Waves of cool air rush over her legs and hips. Rough hands touch her. She knows what is coming. In an instant, she resumes her struggle. The pressure on her chest increases as he leans against her. Hot breaths blow across her face. She tries to writhe and kick with her legs, but she is pinned down.
No way out.
Cold chills sweep across her body; she shivers and silently screams to be released.
“Mililani! Mililani! Wake up honey. Please wake up!” Lani flew awake at the sound of her mother’s voice. “Oh, my baby! My dear girl!” Her mother grabbed her and held her close, repeating her litany of reassurance. Lani let her mother hug her and stroke her hair. It felt good to be safe in her arms. Finally, her mother released her tight grip and brushed Lani’s sweaty hair off her forehead.
Lani stared into her mother’s almond eyes. They were so beautiful. Green, yellow, and brown swirled together. They always reminded Lani of a lion’s eyes, so deep and rich. Lani had inherited those same eyes from her mixed Hawaiian and African heritage.
Lani looked at her mother’s hair whose curly black and silver-streaked mane was held back by a red headband. It looked as if her mom’s worn face was half-washed. Her parents had been older when they had Lani nineteen years ago. They never seemed old to her, but tonight her mother looked aged beyond her sixty-four years. Lani felt guilty that her mom had to deal with her emotional messes too.
“Honey, are you sure you’re ready to go back?” Her mom’s warm hands rubbed Lani’s back. “You could stay here and continue at the junior college.”
“I know you are worried, but I have to start living again. It has been six months and I can’t stay here forever.” Lani drew her legs up to her chest and hugged them. She was afraid of leaving too, but Dr. Scott believed she was ready to make the leap.
“You just don’t seem ready, especially when you still have such bad dreams. It’s not too late to enroll in a Christian College nearby.” Her mom’s eyes seemed hopeful, as if this time her suggestion would be taken.
Lani sighed, “Berklee is the only college with the music program I need. I already missed the Summer String Fling. Besides, they will only allow me to resume classes with scholarships intact if I return this semester.” She looked at her mother with a sigh. “More than that, I need to get back to my music. I think it will help me.”
What she said was all true, but these discussions with her mom were another reason she needed to get back to school. She couldn’t tell her that though. Not after all they had been through together.
“I just don’t like the idea of this happening again. Do you think it will be safe to go back?”
“Mom, you are not helping me here.” Lani shoved aside her covers, stood, and folded her hands across her chest. “Dr. Scott thinks it will be safer now than ever. The school secured a spot for me in a smaller all-women’s dorm and stepped up security screenings for all students. They are sure it won’t happen again.” Lani dropped her arms and walked over to her mom. Her voice softened, “I need your help to get through this. I refuse to let it ruin my future. Can you please support me?”
Her mom rose without a word and left the room. Lani’s eyes welled with tears. Her psychologist, Dr. Scott, said it was as hard on her mother as it was for her. Lani didn’t understand how that was possible, but the arguments had stopped when Lani started talking to her mom about what happened. This was the first argument they’d had in months. Lani didn’t know what to expect.
Lani went to the bathroom and ran water into a glass. She gulped it down and wiped the drops from her chin. Her mom’s head popped around the corner and Lani smiled. She always came back.
“Here honey, I don’t think I have to worry about you taking too many of these now.” Her mom held a pill bottle in her open palm. “I think you will be just fine if you can handle both your fears and mine put together. Tomorrow, I’ll tell Dr. Scott that I gave the bottle to you.” She handed the prescription sleep aids to Lani.
“Thanks,” Lani cupped the bottle in her hand and stared at them. “Maybe tomorrow will be the start of a new life.”
Her mom smiled, but it was a smile of exhaustion. Lani knew her mom would sleep better once she was gone. Her mom stroked Lani’s hair one more time and said goodnight.
Lani popped the cap off the pills and dumped one in her hand. She would be glad when she didn’t have to take these anymore to get to sleep. At least she didn’t have to wake her mom up to ask her for them anymore. Lani flipped off the light, walked to her bed, and waited for the oblivion of sleep to overtake her.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Let Go, So You Can Get Going.
I love it when my kids call me mommy. It is so spontaneous and affectionate. My bible study was viewing a Beth Moore video, and she said something that struck me. She said that there was never an adopted child that wasn't completely loved. After all the trouble it took to finally get that child, how could anyone ever doubt the love of the parents for their child?
We are God's adopted children and after all God went through to redeem us, how could we ever think we weren't completely loved. Roman’s 8:15 says, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, "Abba (Daddy)! Father!"
However, my deep love for my children doesn’t change the need for me to discipline their internal lives. Just like my parenting, God’s great love for us often takes us to places we might have never chosen for ourselves. Beth Moore also said that with the new covenant of Christ, God prioritized the internal work over the external working of miracles found mainly in the Old Testament. When God doesn't perform a "miracle" or work in our timing, we can be confident that He is still at work in our lives, internally. He wants us to go somewhere, but is working on something that must go, so that we can go where He wants us to go.
We finally arrive we can look back and see how He was with us every step of the way. We will know that we were truly loved even in the hard times. God will use your struggles in an amazing way, either to draw you closer to Him or draw something from you that is hindering His work.
Let go of what needs to be gone, so you can get going to where you are supposed to be. Be confident, like in Phil 1: 6, which says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it in you. He will make your paths straight and show you the way to go. If you are His child, you are loved, He is on your side and He will never let you go until He returns.
We are God's adopted children and after all God went through to redeem us, how could we ever think we weren't completely loved. Roman’s 8:15 says, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, "Abba (Daddy)! Father!"
However, my deep love for my children doesn’t change the need for me to discipline their internal lives. Just like my parenting, God’s great love for us often takes us to places we might have never chosen for ourselves. Beth Moore also said that with the new covenant of Christ, God prioritized the internal work over the external working of miracles found mainly in the Old Testament. When God doesn't perform a "miracle" or work in our timing, we can be confident that He is still at work in our lives, internally. He wants us to go somewhere, but is working on something that must go, so that we can go where He wants us to go.
We finally arrive we can look back and see how He was with us every step of the way. We will know that we were truly loved even in the hard times. God will use your struggles in an amazing way, either to draw you closer to Him or draw something from you that is hindering His work.
Let go of what needs to be gone, so you can get going to where you are supposed to be. Be confident, like in Phil 1: 6, which says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it in you. He will make your paths straight and show you the way to go. If you are His child, you are loved, He is on your side and He will never let you go until He returns.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Eureka, I Found Him
Psalm 119: 169-176
169Let my cry come before You, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
175Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
176I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.
I was watching a show called “Eureka,” where a genius scientist created mechanical geese that wouldn’t fly straight. He set them lose to fly and they dive bombed pedestrians or flew into trees and buildings. They were useless for the purpose he created them. By the end of the show, the scientist discovered an error in the compass that helped the birds navigate. He said, “Turns out, when I built my birds, I made the compass too sensitive. I wanted to be sure they would never get lost, but they are going to get lost. Sure, they will lose their bearings for a bit, but that is how they’ll learn.”
Some of God’s greatest servants got lost too. Peter denied Christ, Abraham slept with his wife’s servant, and Paul persecuted Christians. Each of these servants of God lost their bearings for a while. David was called a man after God's heart, yet he had a man killed and stole his wife. When God revealed David’s sinfulness, he came back to God with a stronger than ever faith. In Psalm 119:176, David wrote, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments (NRSV).”
God knows that we are going to get lost. Even if we don’t rebel, we will occasionally lose our bearings and may wander into idleness, passiveness, or a lukewarm faith. How would we learn to grow and stay on track for the marathon, if we didn’t experience the rough road? When we return, we can appreciate the joy and peace when we finally find God’s path.
When you lose your bearings, find God again.
169Let my cry come before You, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
175Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
176I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.
I was watching a show called “Eureka,” where a genius scientist created mechanical geese that wouldn’t fly straight. He set them lose to fly and they dive bombed pedestrians or flew into trees and buildings. They were useless for the purpose he created them. By the end of the show, the scientist discovered an error in the compass that helped the birds navigate. He said, “Turns out, when I built my birds, I made the compass too sensitive. I wanted to be sure they would never get lost, but they are going to get lost. Sure, they will lose their bearings for a bit, but that is how they’ll learn.”
Some of God’s greatest servants got lost too. Peter denied Christ, Abraham slept with his wife’s servant, and Paul persecuted Christians. Each of these servants of God lost their bearings for a while. David was called a man after God's heart, yet he had a man killed and stole his wife. When God revealed David’s sinfulness, he came back to God with a stronger than ever faith. In Psalm 119:176, David wrote, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments (NRSV).”
God knows that we are going to get lost. Even if we don’t rebel, we will occasionally lose our bearings and may wander into idleness, passiveness, or a lukewarm faith. How would we learn to grow and stay on track for the marathon, if we didn’t experience the rough road? When we return, we can appreciate the joy and peace when we finally find God’s path.
When you lose your bearings, find God again.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
For Heaven’s Sake, Just Sit Still!
Psalm 46:6-11
“Sit Still!” My mom commanded as I wriggled in the chair. I had been begging her to French braid my hair for weeks, but it was taking too long and my head hurt. After all my begging, I decided it wasn’t worth the pain. But I had gotten what I asked for and couldn’t take it back, so I squirmed.
Now, I find myself repeating this command to my own children. I issue this command for many reasons: when I needed to get them into their car seats, when their hands wandered too close to a hot glue gun or when their fingers wiggle during a nail clipping. However, occasionally I issue this command when my children need to know who is in charge.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is not a request or an appeal for obedience. It is a command. When I struggle with trusting God, when I think He is taking too long to answer a prayer, when I think that change isn’t worth the pain, I often hear God’s command to “BE STILL.”
The sovereignty of God is just a fancy word for being still and knowing that He is God. The rest of the verse says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” When we are able to be still in God’s presence, He can show us wondrous things. When I finally sit still, I am comforted in knowing that He is God and I am not.
When you are tempted to wriggle under God’s authority, remember that He is God and for heaven’s sake, just sit still!
“Sit Still!” My mom commanded as I wriggled in the chair. I had been begging her to French braid my hair for weeks, but it was taking too long and my head hurt. After all my begging, I decided it wasn’t worth the pain. But I had gotten what I asked for and couldn’t take it back, so I squirmed.
Now, I find myself repeating this command to my own children. I issue this command for many reasons: when I needed to get them into their car seats, when their hands wandered too close to a hot glue gun or when their fingers wiggle during a nail clipping. However, occasionally I issue this command when my children need to know who is in charge.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is not a request or an appeal for obedience. It is a command. When I struggle with trusting God, when I think He is taking too long to answer a prayer, when I think that change isn’t worth the pain, I often hear God’s command to “BE STILL.”
The sovereignty of God is just a fancy word for being still and knowing that He is God. The rest of the verse says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” When we are able to be still in God’s presence, He can show us wondrous things. When I finally sit still, I am comforted in knowing that He is God and I am not.
When you are tempted to wriggle under God’s authority, remember that He is God and for heaven’s sake, just sit still!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
How to Avoid Global Thermonuclear War
Matthew 5:38-48
In the movie “War Games,” a teenage boy is searching for a video game company when he accidentally hacks into a government site instead. The kid finds a forgotten government supercomputer with a learning program and initiates a game called Global Thermonuclear War. In doing so, the computer program takes over the real military computer and almost starts a war. The computer is programmed to learn by playing out all the simulation and strategies in its system. At the end of the movie, the computer concludes that no one ever wins at Global Thermonuclear War. The program stops its global attack and concludes, “Strange game... The only winning move is not to play.”
In Matthew 5:38-39 Jesus says, “Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: Don't hit back at all. If someone strikes you, stand there and take it.”
Life isn’t fair, nor should we want it to be. Fairness is treating all parties alike. What we should really want is to be treated uniquely. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus asks us to actively NOT treat people fairly. Our enemies may deserve punishment for their actions, but Jesus asks us to give them better than they deserve. He asks us to love those who don’t deserve to be loved.
No one ever wins when it comes to hate, revenge, judgment, or retaliation. These actions only lead to more hate, revenge, judgment, or retaliation. Until a person is changed by Christ, the only way to avoid Global Thermonuclear War is not to play the game.
In the movie “War Games,” a teenage boy is searching for a video game company when he accidentally hacks into a government site instead. The kid finds a forgotten government supercomputer with a learning program and initiates a game called Global Thermonuclear War. In doing so, the computer program takes over the real military computer and almost starts a war. The computer is programmed to learn by playing out all the simulation and strategies in its system. At the end of the movie, the computer concludes that no one ever wins at Global Thermonuclear War. The program stops its global attack and concludes, “Strange game... The only winning move is not to play.”
In Matthew 5:38-39 Jesus says, “Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: Don't hit back at all. If someone strikes you, stand there and take it.”
Life isn’t fair, nor should we want it to be. Fairness is treating all parties alike. What we should really want is to be treated uniquely. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus asks us to actively NOT treat people fairly. Our enemies may deserve punishment for their actions, but Jesus asks us to give them better than they deserve. He asks us to love those who don’t deserve to be loved.
No one ever wins when it comes to hate, revenge, judgment, or retaliation. These actions only lead to more hate, revenge, judgment, or retaliation. Until a person is changed by Christ, the only way to avoid Global Thermonuclear War is not to play the game.
Friday, May 2, 2008
If The Past Is Past, Why Can't I Get Past It?
I was watching a movie called EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED. This is the Russian man's letter to his American friend with whom he shared an adventure to find some people from the American man’s past.
"I was of the opinion that the past is past, and like all that is not now, it should remain buried along the side of our memories. I have reflected many times upon our rigid search. It has shown me that everything is illuminated in the light of the past. It is always along the side of us, on the inside, looking out. Like you said, "Inside out." In this way we will always be alongside each other. I will always be along the side of your life and you will always be along the side of mine. I am sending you this because we have shared something to exist for and of course, in case someone comes searching.”
There are so many things from my past that continue to live along the side of me. Whether they are people or experiences, they never truly leave. Some of them I wish were not there, some are still with me in joy and some I wish were still with me today.
Phil 3:13-14 says, "No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven."
There is no greater tragedy than to live in the past. Beth Moore says that if the past is not a traveling companion alongside you, helping to make you a better person, then it is a burden dragging you down. This is not such an easy task though. This verse in Philippians illuminated the past to me. Instead of straining and reaching for what is already behind me, I need to strive to finish the race. In looking forward, I will eventually receive the prize of heaven, which is the ultimate illumination of our lives.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, never so much as imagined anything quite like it-- What God has arranged for those who love him."
What God has arranged for our lives is like nothing we could ever imagine. If we stubbornly cling to the past or our ideas of what our life should be, we will withhold all the blessings that God has in store for us. I think we shouldn’t just put the past behind us, but we should allow it to run along the sides of our lives and use it to help propel us to the finish line and of course, in case someone comes searching.
"I was of the opinion that the past is past, and like all that is not now, it should remain buried along the side of our memories. I have reflected many times upon our rigid search. It has shown me that everything is illuminated in the light of the past. It is always along the side of us, on the inside, looking out. Like you said, "Inside out." In this way we will always be alongside each other. I will always be along the side of your life and you will always be along the side of mine. I am sending you this because we have shared something to exist for and of course, in case someone comes searching.”
There are so many things from my past that continue to live along the side of me. Whether they are people or experiences, they never truly leave. Some of them I wish were not there, some are still with me in joy and some I wish were still with me today.
Phil 3:13-14 says, "No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven."
There is no greater tragedy than to live in the past. Beth Moore says that if the past is not a traveling companion alongside you, helping to make you a better person, then it is a burden dragging you down. This is not such an easy task though. This verse in Philippians illuminated the past to me. Instead of straining and reaching for what is already behind me, I need to strive to finish the race. In looking forward, I will eventually receive the prize of heaven, which is the ultimate illumination of our lives.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, never so much as imagined anything quite like it-- What God has arranged for those who love him."
What God has arranged for our lives is like nothing we could ever imagine. If we stubbornly cling to the past or our ideas of what our life should be, we will withhold all the blessings that God has in store for us. I think we shouldn’t just put the past behind us, but we should allow it to run along the sides of our lives and use it to help propel us to the finish line and of course, in case someone comes searching.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
