journey onWord with us

Marathons are a grueling test. The race course is mapped out. Some runners excel, and others just try to endure. A bit of memory jogging may take you back to the 1980 Boston Marathon, won by Rosie Ruiz who lost her title for cheating. Obviously, the 26.2 mile journey was to be run completely. But as was reported in the Boston Globe, Rosie was not seen on the course until she sneaked in near the end. Just as marathoners should run the race marked out for them, believers in Christ have been given a course. Our course was marked out by the Father, and He will give us the capacity to endure any and all hard turns and heartbreak hills. A look at Hebrews 12:1 set in the context of a race, gives us our training instructions.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that
hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let
us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Our last post focused on throwing off anything that would hinder us as we run the race the Father has for us. Ancient runners would have easily understood running lean. Excess weight or too much clothing would have slowed them down. On the spiritual marathon excesses that hinder should be removed. Be honest with yourself and with God! As a continuation of our focus on throwing off “everything that hinders”, there is a critical “and” that follows. The Word continues and completes the throwing off instructions with … “and the sin that so easily entangles”. There is no mention of a specific sin, and the reference could be sin in general. However, the language could refer to a particular sin; a more personal sin. Maybe specific, particular and personal to you. Either way, the Word is clear, get rid of it!

Every person reading this post can relate to a personally entangling sin. Picture yourself running a race and all of sudden your feet get caught up in something. Even if you don’t fall, your pace is definitely slowed. When I (or you) let a particular sin continue to entangle my life, spiritual pace is slowed. And sometimes there is a fall, and sometimes it’s a hard one. Right now you can commit that sin to the forgiving grace of God, and begin running with a renewed pace. From my study, it looks as if one particular sin is referenced, and it appears to be that of unbelief. Doubting God and living by faith contradict each other. Although as pilgrims on a journey we can easily move from faith to doubt, choose by a choice of your will to trust His plan and His Word, and ultimately, Him. Let the joy of knowing that God will give us release from burdens as we throw off those things that hinder, cause us to “just do it”.

Our Hebrews verse ends with a reference to perseverance. Perseverance is needed for the remainder of our spiritual marathons. You have endured some hard turns already, and there will be new hills to climb. Running lean, with renewed vigor will be a tremendous asset as you keep running. Knowing that the Father has set “the race marked out for us” should give us the confidence that we will finish. How will you finish?

Running lean, minus the excess weight of hindrances and sin equals God being glorified. And think about the finish line … Heaven!

You likely have either participated in a strenuous athletic event, or know someone who has. Typically, the clothing worn at these events will be light. Athlete’s look for any advantage gained through limited clothing and light footwear. Olympic swimmers took the competition to new levels last year with swimsuits that were built light, and for speed. Those on the journey of being fully devoted followers of Christ need to “run the race” like our Olympians.  Reducing any weight that will hinder us on the spiritual marathon that is our journey. Scripture has something to say about the way we run our race.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the
race marked out for us.

Being someone who wants to finish my journey well, I am very aware of struggles that tend to weigh me down. Just last week, in a discussion with a friend, I was reminded of an area that needed some sharpening. Relating my life to Hebrews 12:1 gave me some insight on what to do (and it’s context pictures a race). Great sermons have been preached on this verse, and you have probably heard a few. But in taking a quick stop as we journey, examine the first part of the verse with me, and be encouraged. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses”, takes us to the previous chapter where we see great examples of faith. Those referenced had great journey struggles, but also great faith. Their examples (as a great cloud of witnesses) gives us hope. Faith works, and faith conquers!

Reading this post bears witness that you believe God will honor your faith. You also probably want to sharpen some areas by accepting the second part of the verse, “let us throw off everything that hinders’’. God chose not to give us a specific item that hinders. I believe He did that for a purpose. We may struggle in different areas, but we all have a tendency to carry weight that burdens us on the “race marked out for us”.

What weights are hindering your spiritual effectiveness? What items need to be thrown off? Great athletes give us counsel by the way they compete. Extra weight can be the difference between winning and losing, so even the smallest weight (hindrance) is worth removing. If you are like me, it is easy to picture some weight. If the Father brings something to your mind, commit right now to “throw it off”. Remember, where He gives us instructions, He gives us capacity to accomplish the instruction through His Spirit. Our race will not conclude until heaven, but the leaner we run, the more He is glorified.

Be open to the Father’s counsel about what is hindering you. He cares!

<< Note: Our next article will deal with the next part of this great verse. >>

Have you ever noticed how noisy your life journey has become?  Nonstop vehicles of communication have overtaken our world, and we love it. From twitter to facebook to our deep love of cell phones and anything technological, we have taken a major turn on the path toward eliminating the solitude of life that we so desperately need. It would be less than honest of me to say that I am not caught in that very same web.  I need, as do you, a sense of quiet in our lives that tunes our ear to the Father’s voice.  Distractions (even good ones) will pull at the relationship every believer in Christ wants with the Father. Our Father desires for us to know Him, and wants to be the first priority of relationship on our journey.

When the issues of life get really tough, we want God on “speed dial”.  Needing the Father in this way, reminds me of an instance that happened many years ago, walking my daughter to school. As we entered the front doors of the school, she fell and hurt her leg quite badly. Immediate tears and pain jarred dad into action. My desire to protect, and make her better went into overdrive. Nobody else needed to help her, I would!

It remains important to me, even after all these years, that I was needed to calm her down and meet her at that moment of pain. My father moment begs the question, “Who else but your heavenly Father can really calm your spirit and heal your hurts?”  The noise generated by distractions in our lives so often drowns out the voice of a God who desperately wants to speak peace to our hearts.  Stop for a minute, get quiet, and meditate on a verse that can give perspective to the will of the Father, and what He wants from us …

Psalm 46:10a (NIV)
Be still and know that I am God;

Psalm 46:10a (NASB)
Cease striving and know that I am God;

Psalm 46:10 (MSG)
Step out of the traffic! Take a long
loving look at Me, your High God,
above politics, above everything

In the context of danger and turmoil, what does God say? Whether you prefer “be still” or “cease striving” the intent is clear. Do nothing! Know God! The Message paints a great visual. “Take a long loving look at Me”! Are you getting to know the Father better? Or are the distractions and turmoil drowning out the Father’s voice? “Be still”!  “Cease striving”! The Creator of heaven and earth wants to speak peace. And I believe you want to hear Him.

My role is not to tell you how to grow in silence and solitude with the Father. But honest hearts will confess whether they are being distracted from His voice. He is the author of the solution, and you don’t have to look any farther than Psalm 46:10 to find His answer.

All the new technologies are fun, and also have the potential to be a great source of spiritual good. But they are never to pull us from the one true Source of all spiritual good. Don’t wait for really tough times to develop a quiet heart. Be still, and just maybe “the things of earth will grow strangely dim”, and the peace and joy of the Father will engulf your life.

Life in 2009 has moved at a rapid pace. We began the year with the sky falling economically, needing a stimulus to get going, and lots of questions about what is going on in our world. Now, before we can believe it, the year is quickly coming to a close, and things seem better on the surface. But most people still have lots of concerns about the “state of the world”.

As much as we wonder about the state of the world, parallel that with the state of  your life, in a year that has moved (at least for me) at warp speed.  Do you have any questions unanswered, any prayer requests still open, or a few issues you would appreciate God hurrying up to solve? God knows your concerns and is divinely capable of moving at just the right moment. However, there is an incredible battle that all followers of Christ face: the tension between “I know that He will” and what my constant friend (feelings) tells me. Far too often, our daily internal conversations don’t match the reality of Scripture.

As we attack the end of another year, how do we begin to put perspective on really trusting God? I know that the feelings of frustration and impatience and “hurry up God”, will not just disappear because we decide to move forward with renewed focus. But we do believe that the words of II Chronicles 16:9a still fit our lives today: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him”. With that as a launching off point, why not determine that by faith you will look at each day as an opportunity to see God strengthen your heart. Even if you have walked with the Father for many years, the speed of life and issues of each day can/do causing feelings over faith to rule your spiritual journey. It’s time to refocus. Let the words of David and the Psalms give you the courage to just do it.

Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you
alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the most
High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and
my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

This week, start with a conviction that if you spend time with the Father, and rest on what He teaches you, peace will come. The kind of peace that only He can give. We have a Father that provide’s safety and is our refuge. Don’t think for a moment that life will be easier, but know with faith that He will strengthen your heart. It is my firm conviction that holding firmly to the Word will give far better results than living by the internal feelings of each new day.

A friend recently shared a spiritual application involving his life and his kitchen sink.  Curious yet?!  He shared that he has never lived in a house with a dishwasher.  And that over the years, he has actually developed a strong affinity for hand washing dishes.  Most times end with a sense of accomplishment, and he says that it presents a great opportunity to do some deep thinking.  But the other night, he experienced some specific spiritual insight and application in his life, that I got his permission to share with you.

As he rinsed the sink clean, and put the dish strainer in its usual spot under the sink, his mind began to focus on the empty and ordered kitchen sink and how it represented what he wished his life to be.  free from the clutter of everyday “dirty dishes” (stresses, problems, conflict, sin).  Spotless and sparkling, clean and … holy.

He thought of the truth that there weren’t any days that he could ever remember where there weren’t dishes to do.  Some nights found the sink in the condition it was that night.  But many nights found anywhere from a few pre-rinsed and stacked items to a mountain of sticky, baked on messes.  An illustration, for certain, of the days lived in Spirit with confessed sin, and a right relationship as his head hit the pillow.  And also of those nights ending with an unresolved brake in the relationship with the Father caused by seemingly minor, but nagging unrepentant sin, or outright rebellion and a filling with self.

He thought further of the contrast in how he deals with the everyday dirty dishes.  And how, although he wants a clean sink in the end, he is tempted to avoid the labor of stacking, washing, rinsing, drying and putting away.  Instead, choosing to take his dirty dishes and hide them under the sink.  You know, put them in the strainer and then quickly close the door.  The sink’s empty, right?!  If someone comes over to visit, the sink looks perfectly clean to them.  But although the “full cycle” and “strainer-behind-closed-door” approaches both appear to accomplish the same thing, only one leaves the kitchen in order, and clean for the start of a new dish day.  In the latter, the strainer eventually can’t hold the dirty’s anymore, and they come falling out when the cupboard door swings open.

I am not sure how he saw all of that from a clean and empty kitchen sink.  But I’m guessing that some of you can relate.  How important it is to “not let the sun go down” on our anger.  Or allow a break in our relationship with the Father to linger another day.  We are guaranteed dirty dishes, and life can get messy.  We can, and should, desire a clean sink.  But also realize that the stacking, and washing, and rinsing, and drying and putting away is where God wants us.

My friend offered a few verses that he finds encouragement and challenge in, as the mess of his humanity meets the promises and grace of God.

I Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I 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.

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have
peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Honesty would declare that I struggle with selfishness, and spend far too much time frustrated over “my failures”.  It wouldn’t surprise me if you faced some of those same struggles yourself.  And you may even relate to what a friend of mine expressed, just last week. After a bout with anger, he stated, “I can’t believe I did that”.

Each one of our lives are littered with moments we wish we could take back.  God understands those moments, and meets us with open arms when we come to Him with our failures.  But we so often get in the way, choosing to focus on regret, and what was not accomplished, instead of embracing and accepting the boundless grace He so freely offers.

As we approach the homestretch on another year, embrace your weakness and accept insight from author Brennan Manning.  He shares in his book, “The Ragamuffin Gospel”, a prayer one morning, in which he heard a word from the Lord:

Little brother, I witnessed a Peter who claimed that
he did not know me, a James who wanted power in
return for service to the kingdom, a Philip who failed
to see the Father in Me, and scores of disciples who
were convinced I was finished at Calvary. The New
Testament has many examples of men and women
who started out well and then faltered along the way.
Yet on Easter night I appeared to Peter. James is not
remembered for his ambition but for the sacrifice of
his life for me. Philip did see the Father in Me when
I pointed the way, and the disciples who despaired
had enough courage to recognize Me when we broke
bread at the end of the road to Emmaus. My point,
little brother, is this: I expect more failure from you
than you expect from yourself.

You will fail this week, of this you can be certain.  But be even more certain of the truth that the Father will not stop loving you.  Choose this week, to run the risk of failure with a fully devoted heart.  Listen to the words from the chorus of a hymn I remember first hearing as a child … “Only one life, so soon it will pass, only what’s done for Christ will last”.  With eyes that are open to others, there will be opportunities for you to bless and serve this week.  If we spend too much time focused on our own agenda (selfishness), or on how we may fail, the “what’s done for Christ” may never happen.

So as you begin another week, embrace your weakness, risk failure (remember He already knows we will), accept and be a conduit of His grace.  Can you think of someone in your life that might need that from you this week?!

II Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions,
in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The apostle Paul got it, and with that same heart attitude, we can too.  Be weak, embrace grace, and forget regret!

Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Another weekly journey is winding down. You have had some laughs, some irritations, some “life would be great without people” moments, and hopefully some meaningful time with the Father. Time with the Father means different things to different people. For some it may be prayer while driving (eyes open please).  Others may have a few moments of quiet time early each day.   And still others may have that set Bible reading time each day that is organized, and rarely missed. Experience has taught me that most build their relationship (with the Father) into the week, and not the week around the relationship. Great verses such as the ones above talk about seeking the Father, and being still, but thirsting and stillness aren’t what I see as the norm for most Christ followers.

Reading this post won’t change your life, but it may help refocus your relational mindset. We all struggle with the concept of getting things from God as opposed to getting God (relationship). Browsing through a Christian bookstore led to my reading an insightful book by Larry Crabb. The book, “The PAPA PRAYER: The Prayer you’ve never prayed”, focuses on relationship as the first thing in our prayer life. In your busy world, building relational prayer time may seem to be an “out of reach” objective. Could it be that the reason we don’t sense much panting for the Father, and a still heart is because our time with the Father is too one sided? Dr. Crabb used the illustration of the red dot in his book, referring to the place you are currently. It would be fair to say that many sincere followers of Christ are at the place of great spiritual intentions (red dot), but not satisfied with their progress.

As the journey draws to a close this week, be honest enough with yourself to examine your red dot. Are you getting to know the Father in your quiet time, or is a bit of recalibration needed? If you are like me, you have to consciously work at praying without just petitioning. Could I gently persuade you for one week to try relating with the Father first, and then letting requests flow from that point? Try these steps as you begin:

• Commit time to relational praying. If you struggle with this, simply start by praying a Psalm back to the Father.
• Realize that you will, at times, fail in the relationship part, but keep going. Start your prayer time by telling the Father exactly how you feel. Isn’t that what a relationship is about?
• Begin to let part of your prayer be listening time.

Remember relationship before request, and begin where you are. Too many have detoured in the spiritual journey, and are missing a real “best friend” relationship. The Father is waiting!

Have you ever thought to yourself, “if I only had more faith”?  Have you ever tried to work up enough faith energy to make certain God would answer a specific prayer (the way you wanted Him to, of course)?  Maybe you have seen someone else’s dramatic answer to prayer and began to question, “what is wrong with my faith?”

It would be so much simpler if there was a prescription for great faith and dramatic answers. But sadly, just as we live in an over medicated world, we would likely overdose on that “faith” medication.  Or attempt to use it as a substitute, or shortcut to the hard work of the good health of knowing the Father.

Luke 17:4
The apostles said to the Lord, “increase our faith”

After hearing Jesus instruct them on forgiveness, the apostles immediate response was “increase our faith”.  Jesus responds, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed …”.  How does Jesus answer his disciples, when they ask for more?  With the truth of the power of even the smallest amount of pure faith.  But I don’t believe that Jesus was chastising the disciples response.  In Paul’s letters, we find repeated references to growing in faith.  Great potency is found in even the smallest traces of pure faith, but still greater power is found in faith’s increase.

Before we discuss how to grow in faith, let’s pause to look at an occasion of God blessing some weak kneed prayer. You may be familiar with the story in Acts chapter 12, of Peter being put in prison by Herod. The church did what churches do today (in difficult times), they prayed.  I can imagine the intensity of the group praying for Peter’s life.  God dramatically releases Peter, and he goes to the house of the prayer partners, and knocks at the door. A servant girl answers, sees him, and runs with joy to tell the others (leaving Peter at the door).  Note their response:

Acts 12:15-17
“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting
that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” But Peter kept on
knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they
were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet
and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James
and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

Have you ever been astonished when God came through?  We all have!  But there is another important point for us to see in the passage. Although there was obviously some doubt issues going on at the prayer meeting, there was also sincere faith. God knows our weakness, and He knows how satan attacks us. In His choosing, he can take our weak “mustard seed” faith and move mountains. Even when you don’t feel like it, and your emotions fly against you … pray.  And by a choice of the will, have the faith to believe He can take even your weak kneed prayer and answer it.

So how do you begin to see your faith increased?  Right where you are, right now!  Start listening (through His Word) and talking to Him as your best friend.  As the relationship deepens, increased faith will come as He blesses.  If you are new to your faith or a little weary on the journey, don’t wait another day.  Seek God with a genuine heart, bring your mustard seed, and watch Him grow it!

Have you ever noticed how Monday mornings are a time of good self talk?  We have thoughts of a better week, a better diet (no french fries this week), plus an “I can do it attitude”.  But as we journey through the week, something happens.  And by Thursday, we are just surviving … and eating those fries again.  What happened?   Energy drains come from a multitude of sources, and come at you from all sides.  It could be people who drain you, kids who pull at you, or just the sheer amount of responsibility that conquers your week.  And then leaves you gasping for air, as you head into the weekend.  Before you know it, you arrive at the Monday morning of another new week!  A fresh perspective on how to approach all your days, may just help you convert your weeks into meaningful victories.

Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects a face so a man’s heart reflects the man.

As I have thought about this verse, it has become obvious to me that the heart too often reflects a weary man.  The weight of the journey, and the energy drains too often are a reflection of our tired hearts.  If you don’t believe me, just look around.  But I am convinced that an application of just a couple of verses, with an attitude of “I can apply them”, can help anyone begin a strategy of daily rejoicing.  The weeks may not be “easier”, but the energy gains from the Holy Spirit will be noticeable.  When a person’s heart reflects the joy of the Father, others (especially those who are closest to them) will see visible evidence of life as He meant it to be.  Consider these verses …

Psalm 118:24
This is a day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice.

You would probably agree that the above verses are easily passed over.  We all know the principle of rejoicing, but the reality may seem a bit fanatical … even to most who call themselves Christians.  Reflect a bit on your life this week.  And evaluate how you have approached each day.  And when you contrast the Scripture above, don’t confuse the verses with happy self talk.   They can be the norm for anyone who has come into a life changing relationship with Christ.  But how?!   A couple of thoughts may give us a start:

• Start each day personalizing a prayer of Psalm 118:24. “Father you have made this day for me to be a reflection of your love and grace. I rejoice now with a glad heart in the opportunities you will place before me today”.
• Decide that rejoicing is a reflection of your trust, not a reflection of your day.  Every day will have it’s set of trials.  But the Father says “rejoice”, and by a choice of the will, we can.

Challenge yourself with the verses above, daily for just one week.  You will find that the application of Scripture in such a simple form will change your week, and ultimately, your life.  Believe the verses, quote them, personalize them and leave each day to the Father.  And in all of it, find joy in your journey!

Life tends to move at a fast pace for most people.  Too much work, too little down time, too many activities and a sense that there has to be a better way to find the joy of living.  For those of us who have a made a decision to follow Christ, there tends to be a subtle frustration associated with not having the balance we believe the Lord has for us.  We live with great intentions, yet miss the Father’s best because of an unwillingness to adjust our lives to a pattern that redirects control from our design to His.  Even our church lives can add to the “too much” syndrome, and be a part of pulling us away from His best.

As I write this post, I must confess that I have not mastered living with the balance I know the Father has for me. Just last week, I pushed too hard, had too many early flights, and generally stretched the limits of my time and energy.  Some byproducts were, a lost a cell phone (you must be weary of cell phone stories) and a bit of sleep deprivation. And while I could be proud of what I accomplished with this type A mentality, I am convicted that the Father will use me (and you) in a far more effective way if we move more on His agenda.

As you move through this new week, almost everything that confronts you will war against the balance that is available through submitting to God, and his Spirit. A bit of strategic planning will help all of us move in the right direction. First, there must be a value that says, “the Father can get more glory if I move on his agenda.” Without this, we will continue to move according our own game plan.  Which, for most of us, is too fast, too stressed, and not all that enjoyable.  It may be a good excuse that our jobs, and responsibilities demand that we live out of balance, but the excuse just covers our selfishness. The next step is to attack the struggle with the Word of God. By a choice of the will, decide with me that the best way to redirect is to accept the counsel of God’s Word, and commit to applying it.  Many of you, like me, have been on the journey with Christ for a long time.  But there are still areas of growth for us to achieve.  My personal irritations this week caused me to reflect on the changes that I need to make.  Many people reading this article will agree that some changes are needed in their own lives. Look at what Proverbs tells us.

Proverbs 4:5-9
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or
swerve from them.  6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will
protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.  7 Wisdom is
supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have,
get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you;  8 Embrace
her and she will honor you.  9 She will set a garland of grace
on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.

Look at the priority of wisdom. Let there be no doubt that the wisdom of the Father is available to anyone who has accepted the gift of salvation.  So as you look at these verses and meditate on them, begin to ask for what you know is available (WISDOM). My experience is that godly wisdom typically slows us down, causes us to focus more on the needs of others, prompts us to patience, and creates true balance. The result … those in our lives will see a better picture of the Father’s design for living.  Journey with me this week, seeking wisdom.