journey onWord with us

Last week was filled with working on our tax return. It is a weary and dreadful process for Genel and me each year. We are firm believers in paying our fair share, but we never estimate enough.  Have you ever noticed that worrying about the taxes you owe or extending your return (and misery) doesn’t eliminate the problem? It’s like that with worry! Emotional, and spiritual, and physical energy is given to something that will not change the facts. Corrie Ten Boom gives us great counsel on worry: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

As I think about worry, I am struck with two thoughts. First, God’s Word gives us very strong insight about it. And second, most Christ followers worry better than they rest in the Lord’s grace and provision. It’s easy to say, “You don’t know my issues” or “That’s just the way that I am,” but it is clear from Scripture that we have the capacity to overcome this common malady. I find that some areas of life are easy to drift from confident faith to fretful worry (taxes). I know the Word, and have the right answers for others, but without consciously choosing to rest in His power and provision, I can worry up a storm. Pardon my southern roots, but I am sure you can relate.

The words of Luke 12 give us confidence for today’s worry and this year’s taxes.

Luke 12:22-26
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

The words of Luke are clear. God cares for ravens and He cares for us, and worry won’t add a single hour to our lives. Would it be reasonable to assume that if you and I yield each part of our day to His care, more internal rest will come? I think Scripture is clear.  Victory comes by committing all things to the Father’s care, and then choosing to believe His Word. A scene from the life of George Mueller, a pastor from the 1800′s, gives greater emphasis to my challenge.

The captain of an ocean steamer tells that on one occasion his ship was engulfed in a dense fog off the coast of Newfoundland. It was Wednesday evening and the captain had been off the bridge for 24 hours when someone tapping him on his shoulder startled him. He turned and saw one of his passengers … George Mueller. “Captain,” said Mueller, “I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.” “That’s impossible!” replied the captain, “I’m helpless!” Mueller suggested, “Let’s go down to the chart room and pray.” The captain thought that he had a lunatic on board. “Do you know how dense the fog is?” he asked. “No,” came the reply, “my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.” Once in the chart room, Mueller got down on his knees and prayed, “O Lord, if it is consistent with thy will, please remove this fog in 5 minutes. Thou knowest the engagement Thou didst make for me in Quebec for Saturday. I believe it is thy will.”

After Mueller prayed, the Captain started to pray. Mueller stopped him and said, “there’s no use for you to pray, God has already answered my prayer. The fog is gone.” AND IT WAS GONE!

It’s paying taxes for me, so what is your issue?  What is the issue that can easily cause stress and worry in your life. If we are not careful, the fog of doubt and discouragement take over. I have found that completely yielding my taxes to the Lord and trusting Him causes the fog to lift. Are you willing to completely release your issues to Him?

Many years ago in another century (doesn’t that make us all sound old), I heard a statistic that although dated, is probably still accurate. The statement was: seventy percent of all communication is self-talk, and seventy-seven percent of self-talk is negative. Wow! Think about the ramifications of that statistic. If it is even close to true, then all of us have a major battle that ensues daily; between our ears. I believe it to be a fairly safe assumption on my part that you (like me) are often pre-occupied internally and therefore distracted externally. Those negative inner conversations inevitably play a role in our confidence, effectiveness and joy.

Have you ever been invaded by thoughts like “I’ll never get to retire”, “He’ll never change”, “I’m so dumb”, “My child is hopeless”, or “Why would God let this happen?” They are just a few of the mind benders that affect our daily outlook. These thoughts are made more difficult to bear when it seems that all that surrounds us is negative. And make no mistake about it; there is a lot that goes on around all of us that is less than positive. So our question must be how can we reduce our ill-advised self-talk, and respond positively to the world around us that tends to wear us out? Scripture tells us in Proverbs 23:7 that, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Today, you and I are living realities of what we are thinking.

In her relatively new book, Power Thoughts, Joyce Meyer gives us great counsel.

Indeed, very few people realize that we have the ability to choose our thoughts and decide what we want to think; most of us passively meditate on whatever comes into our minds without ever realizing our enemy, Satan, uses our minds extensively to control us and keep us from fulfilling God’s destiny for our lives. Each person regenerated through receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior receives a new spirit and a new heart from God, but does not receive a new mind—the mind must be renewed. The intent of one’s heart may be pure and yet the mind still confused. The Bible declares emphatically that we must be transformed by the entire renewal of mind and attitude (see Romans 12:2). This is accomplished by a complete, diligent and thorough study of God’s Word.

If you are a Christ-follower, can you trust that God will always and forever do what is best in your life? Can you accept that His love is perfect and He will always respond to you out of that love? Your answer would be yes, I am sure. But we still battle with the seventy-seven percent negative self-talk. There are many ways I could encourage you in the battle, but let me just challenge you with one thought. From a personal perspective, I have been meditating on what it means to really trust God. It seems to me that we have a strong, but misplaced desire to trust our Father. Our emphasis is pre-occupied with ourselves, and managing trust without experiencing it. You and I can say we are trusting the Father, but releasing our control and depending on Him to respond in love – now that is real trust.

When you and I release control and experience the joy of trusting Him, our thoughts can easily move from self-doubt to real life-changing faith. Could our seventy-seven percent negative self- talk turn positive? It just may sound like this: “Life is hard, but He will guide me to retirement,” “I feel dumb sometimes, but God created me for a purpose,” “My child is wandering, but my Lord is seeking Him,” and “I don’t know why this happened, but I know His grace will guide me.” Look at everything through His love; stop being pre-occupied with all that could be wrong, and simply trust the One who will always and forever do the best for you. Rid yourself of the seventy-seven percent. Trust Him!

It happened just over a week ago. A small group of men and I were sitting around a table sharing some prayer requests. It was a casual, light-hearted group until men started sharing. Requests came that had that impossible feel from a human perspective. However, prayer should never be viewed with human logic. But how many people pray with a strong view of God’s power, and real confidence that He will answer? Or is it more typical that prayer is words spoken in a heavenly direction out of obligation and wishful thinking (although we certainly wouldn’t admit it), without much confidence in the outcome? Where would you stand on the prayer confidence meter?

If you are feeling a bit weak in your personal prayer life, confidence can return today. God has designed for Christ-followers to pray, and He relishes the opportunity to share in our impossibilities. In reading the verse of a song that I learned as a child, I was challenged and refreshed about bringing my impossibilities to the Father.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable;
Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things tho’t impossible;
He does things others cannot do.

excerpt from Got Any Rivers, Oscar C. Eliason, copyright 1945

You, no doubt, have some uncrossable rivers before you right now, and so do I. There may even be some mountains of difficulty staring you right in the face. When we are not firm and steadfast in our view of God’s power, impossibilities look …well, impossible. The old song says that God specializes in things that are impossible. Can we believe it, or are those words just wishful thinking? Experience has taught me that those who pray earnestly with confident faith, see God do “things others cannot do”. Are you ready to experience Him doing that in your life?

Jeremiah the prophet affirmed our assertion in Jeremiah 32:17 with the words, “Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Are those words wishful thinking, or are they blocks of granite to build our prayer life upon? The answer is certain, but our times of prayer often don’t reflect their certainty. Later in the same chapter, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah prayed it, God affirmed it, and let’s just be simple enough to believe it. Nothing is too hard for God! I have lived long enough to see how God does the impossible for those who obey His Word, and simply trust Him. I have also lived long enough to know that Christians often pray with wishful thinking, but rarely with confidence.

Is your prayer life firmly rooted in the truth that nothing is too hard for Him? If you are anything like me, there are times that we get it. Those times are special, and quite profound. They are times of river crossings and mountain passes. There is no wishful thinking in the truth of God’s Word, and there should be no wishful thinking in our prayer lives. Nothing is too Hard for Him. I believe that My God can do the impossible for my prayer group. . .  and for you!

Do you ever feel that words like faith, prayer and trust are great for church, but lose relevance in your daily routine? You may have accepted Christ as your Savior, but somehow your practice isn’t matching your position. For you, living by faith has become wishful thinking and praying is more from obligation than from faith. You are not alone, and a look back through history would reveal that your struggle is more the norm than the exception. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. In a great little book that I re-read over the week, Secrets of the Vine, Bruce Wilkerson explains that all believers are destined for fruit. Our lives should bear witness (fruit) of a life change. Mr. Wilkerson, like you and I, went through a season where his passion and faith hit a crisis point. But he did something about it.

Henry Blackaby in his book Experiencing God shares a story about a 19^th century pastor who saw God’s people discouraged, not living by faith and weak in prayer. Sound familiar?! George Mueller was a man who determined that God could meet his needs, and lived like it. Accept his journey as an example of what you can experience.

“When Mueller felt God leading him to undertake a project, he prayed for the resources needed but told no one of the need. He wanted everyone to know that God had provided for the need in answer to prayer and faith, not in response to fund-raising. During his ministry in Bristol (England), he started the Scriptural Knowledge Institute for the distribution of Scripture and for religious education. He also established an orphanage.

By the time of his death, George Mueller had been used by God to build four orphanages that cared for two thousand children at time. In all, more than ten thousand children had been provided for through the orphanages he started. In addition, Mueller had distributed more than $8 million that had been given to him in direct answer to prayer. Yet when he died at ninety-three, his possessions were valued at only $800.”

Mueller had a simple faith. He believed God would answer prayer. He obviously made the Father his first priority. Two centuries later Bruce Wilkerson also made a decision that God would be his first priority. And by the way, Wilkerson then wrote a book that literally helped encourage millions of people. You know it as The Prayer of Jabez. What worked for Mueller and Wilkerson will work for you. The place of first priority is not where God fits into the lives of most Christ followers. How about you? If you are in a season of weary faith and unanswered prayer, you can do something about it.

I can absolutely promise you; make Him your first priority and your life will change. God has poured the blessings of heaven on men like Mueller and Wilkerson down through the ages. He wants to do the same for you and I. But the choice is ours! Will He be our first priority, or just another part of our already crowded agenda?  Our Lord wants to answer your prayers, build your faith and give you joy. Don’t make Him a priority, make him your first priority!

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, we are often confronted with a subtle frustration associated with not living life from our Lord’s perspective (and we can). We live with great intentions, but our pace and energy is too self-directed. Living from His perspective will change our priorities, and slow our pace. As you and I begin this week, will our responsibilities and pace be balanced with eternal perspectives and timeless counsel from the Father himself? They can be!

As I write this post, I must confess that I have not mastered living with the balance I know the Father has for me. For the last two weeks, I have pushed too hard, had too many airline flights, and generally stretched the limits of my time and energy. In chatting with a friend late last week who was a bit worn, I was reminded that being stretched and weary is more the norm than the exception. My assumption is that you can probably relate to pace and responsibilities that crowd out the joy of God’s design for us. And while we could all be proud of what we accomplish with type-A living, I am convinced and convicted that the Father can use us in a far greater way when we live more by His agenda.

As you and I move through this week, almost everything that confronts us will war against living from the Father’s perspective. Strategic planning will help all of us move in the right direction. First, there must be a value that says, “the Father can receive more glory if I live from His agenda.” Without this value we will continue to move according to our own pace. 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 our will, we can slow down, glean His eternal perspectives, and re-direct our pace. This can happen when we make Him our priority, instead of always fitting His timeless counsel around our priorities. The last two weeks have reminded me that I have not arrived, but yesterday did end for me at midnight (and you too). His wisdom for the today’s journey is available.

Proverbs 4:5-8 (NLT)
Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you.

God’s Word through Solomon gives us timeless counsel. The Father’s perspective (wisdom) works! Let there be no doubt that wisdom from the Father is available to anyone who has accepted the gift of salvation. Your schedule this week may even be more chaotic than normal, but your internal pace can be directed by His 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 results in joy not frustration. Start this week determined as I am to move from His perspective…..with widom!

Fascinating are the words by Soren Kierkegaard, “Now, with God’s help, I shall become myself”. Another insightful and thoughtful comment can be found in John Ortberg’s wonderful book, “The Life You’ve Always Wanted”. He states that “I am called to be the person God had in mind when he originally designed me.” Although the statements above are thought-provoking, are they true? Do you believe that Creator God is really that concerned about your unique design, and ultimate purpose? What would His design for you and me look like anyway?

Far from robotic followers, our Father has built us to be unique and diverse. If you are a Christ follower, I believe there is a you that God wants you to be. I am not sure how much he cares about bearded or clean-shaven, short or tall, green or blue-eyed, Caucasian or Asian. But He definitely cares about the role He wants us to play for His kingdom. And therefore, we are challenged to surrender our wills to His, and learn to live in His freedom. I can say with confidence that He wants you to be Spirit-filled, others-centered and willing to move from your comfort zone, for His purpose. But how do we begin to approach what He has in mind for us? Let’s take two verses as a starting point.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 

It is important to understand that the verses above are speaking about individuals who have accepted the gift of salvation through faith. You have turned from darkness to light and now are secure in Christ. Note that we are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works”. An evidence of your relationship with Christ is the good works that follow. Becoming the you of God’s design, will certainly include fruit from your relationship. Imperfect but forgiven, we have a role to play as ambassadors of Christ. God’s design for you was settled long before there was a you. He knows each of us intimately, and has a specific and unique plan for each of us to fulfill. Can you believe with me that the plan is His, and our submitted lives and resulting good works honor Him?

As I “become myself”, I will sense that God is working in me for His good purpose. And the energy to accomplish this purpose will come only from Him. So many true followers get caught up in trying to “act according to his good purpose”, without growing in their faith. Seek and submit to Him daily, and rest in the assurance that He will work in you. And when our Father is working in our lives, there is energy, and His results.

In Christ, you are unique, gifted, and built for His mission. If you really believe that you are called to be the person God had in mind when He originally designed you, then you must believe that God is on your side in directing you to good works, and His good purpose. As you move towards the next journey turn, be excited that the true and living God has some work for you to do just around the bend.  Eternal work!

Since God is more moved by our hurt than our eloquence, He responds. That’s what fathers do. That’s exactly what Jim Redmond did. His son Derek, a twenty six-year-old Briton, was favored to win the four-hundred-meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Halfway into his semifinal heat, a fiery pain seared through his right leg. He crumpled to the track with a torn hamstring. As medical attendants were approaching, Redmond fought to his feet. “It was animal instinct,” he would later say. He set out hopping, pushing away the coaches in a crazed attempt to finish the race. When he reached the stretch, a big man pushed through the crowd. He was wearing a t-shirt that read “Have you hugged your child today?” and a hat that challenged, “Just do it.” The man was Jim Redmond, Derek’s father. “You don’t have to do this,” he told his weeping son. “Yes I do,” Derek declared. “Well then,” said Jim, “we’re going to finish this together.” And they did. Jim wrapped Derek’s arm around his shoulder and helped him hobble to the finish line. Fighting off security men, the son’s head sometimes buried in the father’s shoulder, they stayed in Derek’s lane (space) to the end. The crowd clapped, then stood, then cheered, and then wept as the father and the son finished the race. What made the father do it? What made the father leave the stands to meet his son on the track? Was it the strength of his child? No, it was the pain of his child. His son was hurt and fighting to complete the race. So the father came to help him finish. (From He still Moves Stones by Max Lucado)

If you are a Christ–follower, finishing the race well is not just dependent on you. You can rest assured that your Father is in your lane, helping and even carrying you. When your emotional, physical and relational space gets invaded this week (and next), let your spiritual reflexes control the boundaries. We are as close to God as we want to be. Let your closeness to Him set your boundaries. You can enjoy the journey!

And I am just curious, would you have shoved the lady’s arm back?

In my devotional time last Saturday morning, I found myself reading Scripture with the purpose of writing. It was easy to look at how the principles would apply to those who would read my next post. And then it hit me. I was reading the passage wrong. The very words that I wanted to communicate to others had great relevance for my own life. As the new year began just a month ago, I determined that internally some changes would be good for me. Mentally I have sought to align myself with some Scripture verses and a good motto to help achieve my objective. As the year has begun to unfold, I find my internal changes to be a slow work in progress. If  I spend much time thinking about the pace of my progress, it is easy to become frustrated and anxious, which leads us back to the passage of Scripture that had such relevance to me.

Without a doubt you have heard references from Matthew chapter six on the issues of wealth and worry. As the chapter closes there are important words on money and worry that can be exceedingly helpful. However, far too many Christ-followers let the pursuit of wealth become a passion, while anxiety and worry become a lifestyle. And quite candidly, all of us are easily drawn to the thirst for more wealth, and the loss of internal rest and peace. Our personal battles with wealth and worry can be summarized in the level of trust we are willing to place upon the Father. When you and I are confidently seeking His will, and accepting His design, wealth takes its proper place and worry is minimized. As Matthew chapter six closes, accept these principles for your journey.

God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (These verses were taken from The Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language)

Memorizing and applying the above verses will dramatically change any life. Living with a proper perspective on God’s giving, rather than our getting is counter-intuitive. We seem to live for the getting, while forgetting that He can provide all we need. There is also a strong tendency in all of us to become consumed with what may or may not happen tomorrow. But aren’t our tomorrows in His hands? Of course they are! Focusing on today, and what God is doing right now will change us.

From a personal perspective, I must tell you that I have taught and written about the verses above. But last Saturday, I was convicted of their relevance for me, and my need for internal change. I struggle with being too driven to achieve (make a living), too focused on the getting, and therefore often anxious (worried) about what will happen tomorrow. I am great to teach and preach about the Giver, but often lose perspective of what He is doing right now (today). Can you relate?

We are all a work in progress. Giving full attention to what God is doing right now will cause wealth and worry to fade into the background. And we can fully expect the Giver to meet our needs. But it is our choice.

If you were to walk into my office and look around, your eyes would eventually land on the words written on a thin piece of wood. This office memento was purchased from a very cool store containing incredible Christian merchandise. If, with wisdom, I would look at my wooden strip daily and internalize the words, my perspective would stay in a better place. But I don’t always look at it, and then when I do…. well, maybe emotionally applying it is difficult. It is logical to assume that since I bought the wooden piece, I think the words are important. And I do! You may be asking; “Well, what are the words?” I’ll share them with you, but only if you promise to apply them.

Good morning, this is God. I will be handling all your problems today.

As you read the above statement, what was your reaction?  Are you willing to cast your daily burdens on Him?  Can it be that simple?

I am going to make an assumption that, like so many, you prefer to handle your own problems, and struggle with committing them to the Father’s care. Would you agree that even when you are committed to involving God in every part of your day, it’s really hard to let Him have exclusive access to your problems? But be encouraged, we can do it! And also be warned, that if we choose to leave God out of our plans, and direct our own journey, we have no right to expect Him to guide us. Perspective on trusting God to guide you through each day, even in the midst of problems, can be found in a quote taken from Dallas Williard’s book, Renovation of the Heart.

“At the beginning of each morning I commit my day to the Lord’s care.”

A simple statement, yes, but one packed with incredible insight. In Christ, you and I have the ability to present our day before Him, and trust Him for the results. None of us has the ability to make today or tomorrow a perfect day. We live in a fallen world. Our Lord already knows what is in front of us with all its joy and sorrow. Do you think He will give us direction? Of course He will! Just remember throughout the day, when the inevitable problem arises, whisper words like these: “Father, I have given you this day, and now I trust You to guide me”. And He will!  Look no further than Scripture for assurance …

Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

There can be no doubt, that when we trust God, He will guide us. I see the illustration of God’s desire to keep us on track in my relationship with my daughter. If she has a problem, I will move mountains to help her. But she can choose not to involve me. Our Father, the Creator of heaven and earth, wants to direct our paths. But we choose daily whether or not to involve Him. Begin today (and then tomorrow, and the next day) by committing your day to the Lord’s care. Lean on His power, not your ability. He can handle your problems today. Believe it!