The question of the day is: Do I trust me or do I trust Him? The answer should be obvious. But to me, it isn’t always perfectly clear. God wants me to trust HIM, to trust HIS heart, to trust He will do what He wants to do. He wants me to be okay with His methods, His timing, His patience, His gifts, or His judgment. God does not prefer me to get an idea in my head and then run with it.
Sometimes, my ideas do “come from God”. By that I mean, even though they are smeared with my own prejudices, God initiated them. Example: God led me to my wife. God initiated it, but just because He set it up, doesn’t mean that I will treat her perfectly or she will do likewise.
This is where I stumble often: The attitude of trying to accomplish things (no matter how godly or great) in my own strength just because I think God is leading me to do it.
I have realized I have an over-emphasis in MY ability to follow God rather than on God’s ability to lead me. He’s the Good Shepherd. That means, NOT ONLY is he a loving, caring shepherd, but that Jesus is very GOOD at leading.
When a sheep is lost, it’s LOST. That means it cannot find it’s way back. That is the time the sheep needs a good shepherd to find it. The humble heart sees itself in this light. Most of the time I am lost in one way or another and I am dependent on God to reach me and get me back to His will and His ways.
See, one attitude says, “I’m going to follow God and do right.” And the other says, “I’m lost without Him, I’m going to trust that He can find a way to lead me and get me to his will.” Both want to do God’s best but the second is not confused about the source of that ability.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
Putting Myself on the Altar
Romans 12.1 , “ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your reasonable act of worship.”
There are a lot of things I do which I would consider “not sin” or “no big deal” but they are things I like to do. What if some of those things I do are actually separating me from God and His best for me? Again, these are not sinful things, just things I fill up my time with (God give us all things for our enjoyment, right?)
My own personal example is the XBOX.
What if all my playing of XBOX (or eating out at dinner, or this certain hobby, or reading the sports page) was taking me away from God? I think this is where the “Living Sacrifice” thing comes in. I’m not going to earn more of God’s love if I give up more things but I ask myself again: Am doing God’s best thing right now? This is a difficult discipline to maintain.
As a Living Sacrifice, I put myself on that Altar.
I’m not one of these people who things that to please God you have to be on a street corner preaching. Indeed this may be the worst thing depending on the circumstances, in my opinion. We go where we are led.
The question I am driving towards is this: Am I open to not doing the things I want to do, so I can do the things He wants me to do?
I might also aks: Am I open to not NUMBING myself (on all the good things of life) so I can feel a little of God’s pain for this world?
Lord help me to stop and listen. Help me to not just do the “next thing”. Help me to be open to your interruptions.
There are a lot of things I do which I would consider “not sin” or “no big deal” but they are things I like to do. What if some of those things I do are actually separating me from God and His best for me? Again, these are not sinful things, just things I fill up my time with (God give us all things for our enjoyment, right?)
My own personal example is the XBOX.
What if all my playing of XBOX (or eating out at dinner, or this certain hobby, or reading the sports page) was taking me away from God? I think this is where the “Living Sacrifice” thing comes in. I’m not going to earn more of God’s love if I give up more things but I ask myself again: Am doing God’s best thing right now? This is a difficult discipline to maintain.
As a Living Sacrifice, I put myself on that Altar.
I’m not one of these people who things that to please God you have to be on a street corner preaching. Indeed this may be the worst thing depending on the circumstances, in my opinion. We go where we are led.
The question I am driving towards is this: Am I open to not doing the things I want to do, so I can do the things He wants me to do?
I might also aks: Am I open to not NUMBING myself (on all the good things of life) so I can feel a little of God’s pain for this world?
Lord help me to stop and listen. Help me to not just do the “next thing”. Help me to be open to your interruptions.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Taken to Captivity
2 Chronicles 6:36-38 "When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent … and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity … hear their prayer …And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
Sin is captivity, plain and simple. Sin separates me from God. When I sin, I am carried off to captivity. I get to stay there until I turn my heart around (literally: repent). While I am there, I get to suffer in my sin, separated (in a way) from God. This is where Satan eats your lunch. The point of being taken to captivity is to get me to realize I don’t want to be away from God. If I repent, God will bring me back to the good land, to his presence.
There is nothing like living in the Presence of God. He is my strength, He is my hope.
Sin is captivity, plain and simple. Sin separates me from God. When I sin, I am carried off to captivity. I get to stay there until I turn my heart around (literally: repent). While I am there, I get to suffer in my sin, separated (in a way) from God. This is where Satan eats your lunch. The point of being taken to captivity is to get me to realize I don’t want to be away from God. If I repent, God will bring me back to the good land, to his presence.
There is nothing like living in the Presence of God. He is my strength, He is my hope.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Authority
1 Samuel 26:17, Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?" David replied, "Yes it is, my lord the king."
I don’t know of anyone who has more disrespected than David was disrespected by King Saul. (I saw this because these days it is very popular to disrespect your leadership: President, managers, Senators…) King Saul was hunting David day and night. David had already spared his life once (Saul had promised to cut off the pursuit) and now Saul was hunting him again.
After all this, not only would David not kill him, he wouldn’t even disrespect him, referring to Saul as “my lord the king.”
David saw the king’s title and position came from God. David knew he wasn’t going to change that. David had amazing and total faith in God to the point that he said, “if it was the Lord who incited you against me, then may he accept [my sparing your life as] an offering.”
David knew no matter the circumstances God could be trusted and could do no wrong even if it was God HIMSELF who was causing Saul to hunt him.
I’m sure David did not like being hunted but he knew God was the one who was in control and whatever He chose was best. He didn’t need to dishonor a wicked king when that would actually dishonor the authority God had set up. I certainly would be very tempted to at least talk a little smack. (which David DID do, but only to the kings guard and not the king; See verse 16)
This is the example for me. Last month my Senator voted for something that complete drove me nuts, so I wrote her a letter. I told her what I thought but never disrespected her position. I’m certain because of this she will send me a box of candy. Well, more to the point, everything I do is before the Lord and I desire to honor Him first.
I don’t know of anyone who has more disrespected than David was disrespected by King Saul. (I saw this because these days it is very popular to disrespect your leadership: President, managers, Senators…) King Saul was hunting David day and night. David had already spared his life once (Saul had promised to cut off the pursuit) and now Saul was hunting him again.
After all this, not only would David not kill him, he wouldn’t even disrespect him, referring to Saul as “my lord the king.”
David saw the king’s title and position came from God. David knew he wasn’t going to change that. David had amazing and total faith in God to the point that he said, “if it was the Lord who incited you against me, then may he accept [my sparing your life as] an offering.”
David knew no matter the circumstances God could be trusted and could do no wrong even if it was God HIMSELF who was causing Saul to hunt him.
I’m sure David did not like being hunted but he knew God was the one who was in control and whatever He chose was best. He didn’t need to dishonor a wicked king when that would actually dishonor the authority God had set up. I certainly would be very tempted to at least talk a little smack. (which David DID do, but only to the kings guard and not the king; See verse 16)
This is the example for me. Last month my Senator voted for something that complete drove me nuts, so I wrote her a letter. I told her what I thought but never disrespected her position. I’m certain because of this she will send me a box of candy. Well, more to the point, everything I do is before the Lord and I desire to honor Him first.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Greatness
I am not a great man but there is something about greatness that draws me. I suspect I would know it when I see it. No doubt Jesus was great. But does He want me to be great? I think he does, but not in the same sense as this world might define “greatness”. A sports star might be “great” but if he uses steroids, cheats on his wife and beats his kids he loses his title in my eyes – just as an example.
My working definition of Greatness as I believe God would define it: “The highest level of excellence that you can personally achieve in all areas of your life at all times.” This must be stated with one caveat: no one could be “great” at everything possible in their lives, the Olympic athlete will not also be a concert pianist but these are not what I am talking about. God has not called me to be a Concert Pianist but to the things He HAS called me to, I can be great IN them.
And who is better enabled to do just that than a Christian? My eternal questions have all been answered: God has already said I am significant in HIS eyes, He has already told me that HE is my very great reward in this life and in the life to come. God has promised to watch over me and be my rear guard. He will neither slumber nor sleep. He also promised me I will have trouble but he has overcome the world.
I read something this week that stirred me and challenged me on my view of my own excellence and greatness. In the movie “300” the Spartans are in incredible shape. There are many opinions about how these men got to be this big and some of them are discussed on this link below. This is the gym that got them that way in a matter of 16 weeks in some cases. Their outlook on excellence is portable into many areas of life. There are some photos as well and the change can be seen in their eyes.
http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=36
My working definition of Greatness as I believe God would define it: “The highest level of excellence that you can personally achieve in all areas of your life at all times.” This must be stated with one caveat: no one could be “great” at everything possible in their lives, the Olympic athlete will not also be a concert pianist but these are not what I am talking about. God has not called me to be a Concert Pianist but to the things He HAS called me to, I can be great IN them.
And who is better enabled to do just that than a Christian? My eternal questions have all been answered: God has already said I am significant in HIS eyes, He has already told me that HE is my very great reward in this life and in the life to come. God has promised to watch over me and be my rear guard. He will neither slumber nor sleep. He also promised me I will have trouble but he has overcome the world.
I read something this week that stirred me and challenged me on my view of my own excellence and greatness. In the movie “300” the Spartans are in incredible shape. There are many opinions about how these men got to be this big and some of them are discussed on this link below. This is the gym that got them that way in a matter of 16 weeks in some cases. Their outlook on excellence is portable into many areas of life. There are some photos as well and the change can be seen in their eyes.
http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=36
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Careful what you ask for
1 Samuel 7:5, “Now give us a king, to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
1 Samues 7:7. [God said], “it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”
I used to think the Israelites were so stupid. Why did they constantly reject God? Why did they always do the wrong thing? Then I realized I WAS the Israelites. Almost every time I look at them now, all I see is me. To me, they are a mirror of the human heart.
I can’t count how many times I have looked to the world around me to give me some “standard” of how to measure or conduct myself. “How does the world invest it’s money and it’s time?”, “How does that person define themselves?”, “How should I define myself?”, “What has value?”, “How valuable is that person?”, “What does it mean to contribute?” This is all exactly same as the above verses.
The Israelites were so busy trying to be like the people around them, they were rejecting the God who loved them and saved them. They wanted to look like the other nations because they were a little “weird” having no king. God WANTED them to look different so that HE could get the credit. God WANTED the rest of the world to look at and marvel at Israel – a nation who’s KING is GOD not whose king ACTS like he’s God.
From now on the question should be, “God, what do you think about this?” May God’s be the first opinion I look to.
1 Samues 7:7. [God said], “it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”
I used to think the Israelites were so stupid. Why did they constantly reject God? Why did they always do the wrong thing? Then I realized I WAS the Israelites. Almost every time I look at them now, all I see is me. To me, they are a mirror of the human heart.
I can’t count how many times I have looked to the world around me to give me some “standard” of how to measure or conduct myself. “How does the world invest it’s money and it’s time?”, “How does that person define themselves?”, “How should I define myself?”, “What has value?”, “How valuable is that person?”, “What does it mean to contribute?” This is all exactly same as the above verses.
The Israelites were so busy trying to be like the people around them, they were rejecting the God who loved them and saved them. They wanted to look like the other nations because they were a little “weird” having no king. God WANTED them to look different so that HE could get the credit. God WANTED the rest of the world to look at and marvel at Israel – a nation who’s KING is GOD not whose king ACTS like he’s God.
From now on the question should be, “God, what do you think about this?” May God’s be the first opinion I look to.
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