journey onWord with us

At the beginning of every year, every month and every week, projects are started with great intentions. But any honest person would admit that our great intentions often become issues of regret when they are not completed. Too many times I have started a new diet on Monday, only to regress to burgers and fries by Wednesday. Just thinking about the projects you’ve wanted to complete, books you were going to finish, the time you were going to spend with your children, etc…. can cause varying degrees of frustration and regret. Great intentions in our spiritual lives (where life really matters) left undone will cause us the same measure of frustration and regret. But since I am a strong proponent of yesterday ending at midnight, let me encourage you.

In my weekend reading of the Bible, I was struck by both an Old and New Testament passage about prayer. Elijah prayed and it didn’t rain and then he prayed and it rained (you know the story). A church was praying for Peter and he was supernaturally released. They struggled with unbelief, but our God of grace answered. We all love the great passages that detail God’s dramatic intervention. But do we really pray asking or expecting that in our own lives?  As I started praying on Sunday morning, it hit me that my prayer life at the moment was stale. My great intentions about prayer were being left unfulfilled. I have seen my Father intervene countless times, and prayer is essential to me, but I was praying “from a distance”.

Prayer was still coming from my lips everyday, but absent was the passion and discipline that my Father deserves. My most important relationship was not getting attention. I was still reading the Word, but not communicating well. If you are like me, your confidence level is lower in times like this. It is my firm conviction that those who really see God move are those who spend quality time with the Father.

James 5:17-18
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My intentions are to see God move in my life, just like Elijah did. But it won’t happen “from a distance”. On Sunday morning, I had to square up my prayer life with the Father. And it was time to move forward. Very little is accomplished by using emotional energy on unfinished tasks. God meets us at our point of need, and I am confident that I will see the “rain” come as I seek Him. God loves you and I enough to forgive us for failed great intentions, and bless us in our new endeavors.

I hesitate to use personal illustrations. But today I prayed from a “closer distance” and you can rest assured I have great intentions about my prayer life going forward. And when I (and you) fall down, we’ll get up and begin again.

You may need to finish that book, complete that home project, give your son or daughter that time you promised….and you can begin today. Your relationship with your Savior may be “at a distance”…. and you can square it up today. Never stop living with great intentions, and live with confidence in our God, who brings the rain.

I have a close friend who I think loves the nation’s birthday even more than his own.  He loves each year to take in a multitude of fireworks displays and watch revolutionary era documentaries and movies in the days leading up to, and including Independence Day.  He owns every flag t-shirt Old Navy has ever made, loves picnics, and has been known to go to sleep humming Sousa marches.

He also is responsible for changing his church’s road sign a few times a year.  And makes sure annually that July is assigned to him.  He recently shared one of his sign sayings with me …

faith’s document is a
declaration of dependence

The fabric of our nation’s birth, is woven with the thread of strong faith.  But the freedom earned with the blood of patriots, was the result of our people’s collective desire for independence.  In stark contrast, the foundation of our faith has as its cornerstone, a strong statement of dependence.  I desire God, and He desires me.  I have no hope separate from the sacrifice of his Son.  Apart from Him, “I can’t” is my best.  But, “I can do everything …” (Philippians 4:13) when He is the one I depend on.

In a people so defined by rugged individualism, dependence is more often seen as a sign of weakness.  In my world, as a kingdom citizen, the weak shall be strong, and the meek will inherit the earth.

On this, and every July 4th, I join my friend in celebrating my citizenship and allegiance to the great country I call home.  And while I may call this place my home, my heart knows that it is not.  My true citizenship is in a kingdom of the here and now, but yet not of this world.  My true King is my Creator, and my God.  So on this day, and every day thereafter, I boldly reassert my declaration of dependence on Him.

Without a doubt, there is someone in your life that needs to make a commitment to Jesus Christ as his, or her personal Savior. There is also no doubt that Jesus is the Way to the Father, only and eternally. But we all struggle with doubt, wondering if that particular person in need of Christ will ever take the ultimate step of faith. We don’t doubt God’s love, or His ability to change a life, we just wonder about that special and specific person …

Ten years ago, one of my work associates was anything but a Christian.   It would have  been easy to doubt even the hope of that future reality. But in a great way, God changed his life.  And I often tell him, one thing you can’t deny is “the testimony of a changed life.” He has been transformed from a worldly and self-centered man, to one who possesses a passionate faith and who is a selfless giver. Was he ever too far gone?! … not for God!!

On an ugly day of persecution, a great follower of Christ was martyred. His name was Stephen. But there was also a man directly involved in his persecution, that we all have come to admire, and acknowledge as a hero of the faith. Acts 8:1 says, “And Saul was there giving approval to his death.” This is the same Saul who was converted on the Damascus road and became known as the Apostle Paul. Wait a minute! But he was a persecutor of the church of God! Knowing me (and you), if I had lived then and knew Saul, I would have doubted that this man would ever be converted, much less become a voice for Christ. The voice that God specifically chose to carry the gospel beyond the borders of His chosen people.  Most would have thought Saul was too far gone … but not God!

Every person reading this post has sung the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace” countless times. But if we had known the author early in his life, there is no doubt that we would have doubted he would become a man of faith. John Newton was a ruthless slave trader, and captained his own ship. It was during a violent storm at sea that he had “a great deliverance.” He life was remarkably changed and generations have benefited from that change. Note the first verse of Amazing Grace.

Amazing Grace! ( how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

John Newton knew grace, and knew that God had “sav’d a wretch like me.” Even though we don’t doubt God’s ability, would we have wondered about this man, Newton? I am thankful that God stretched out his arms of grace, and inspired by how this man’s conversion was able to forever touch the world.

So … who do you love that needs the Lord? Have you ever doubted if they would trust the Savior? The personal story of my friend, the biblical account of Paul, and the historical tale of John Newton are evidence of God’s incredible life-changing love. He gave His best, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for all of us, and all our sins. The truth is, we are all sinners, wretches if you would, and are only changed by faith in Christ.

So today, if you know Him, give thanks that “you were blind, but now you see.” And don’t doubt that those you love can have their eyes opened too. Pray with faith for that special person, and don’t doubt. I trust and pray that one day, you will smile when that person who was “once lost, is now found.”

History has recorded the stories of countless individuals who had it all, and then lost their way. We are left to wonder what causes a person of wealth and, often, wisdom to make decisions that violate the very principles that contributed to their success. There is no example greater than that of Solomon. Everyone knows of his wisdom and favor from God. But for all his epic wisdom and wealth, his journey did not end well. Viewing his life in total would cause one to ask, “How could someone who had it all fall so far?!” None of us will ever be as wise or as rich as Solomon, but his descent from God’s favor instructs us all.

I Kings 4:29
God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.

I Kings 6:11-13
The word of the Lord came to Solomon: “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”

I Kings 10:23
King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

I Kings 11:1a
King Solomon, however …

The words “King Solomon, however” begin a very sad chapter in the Bible. This man of greatness violated the design of God and took multiple wives and concubines (and I do mean multiple). And he took them from heathen nations, in direct rebellion to the command of God to the nation of Israel… “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” — I Kings 11:2b. Chapter 11 continues on to tell of God’s anger with Solomon, and the eventual division of his kingdom. Our righteous God will always deal with us according to our obedience.

His wealth and wisdom are unsurpassed. But unfortunately, his temptations and sin were on an equally epic scale.  And though ours may not be in the same area, or of the same scale, or quite as public as Solomon’s, we are confronted with parallel choices every day.  So what can we learn from Solomon?

We can be reminded of the lesson of Genesis and the garden.  That however blessed we are of God, we are not God.  And although we have at our disposal the Source of divine wisdom, we do not possess it.  We would also do well to pray to God that we not repeat Solomon’s failure to follow the incredible counsel included in the words of Proverbs 4:23.  Words that God authored, but allowed to come forth from his own lips … “Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  And finally, Solomon’s choices were not made or felt in a vacuum, and neither are ours.  The choices you and I make will directly affect others. Those we love feel our choices, both wise and unwise.

If we are not careful, we will view the wisest and wealthiest with a bit of envy. But in reality, the Wisest and Wealthiest simply wants us to seek Him for counsel.  To make choices based on His Word, and then rest with His results. It’s a daily choice … let us pray just as often that we make a wise one.

As I rented a car on Monday morning, I began the day with a bit of frustration. Maybe it is just me, but irritations large and small seem to creep into every day. Aren’t there days where you would like to give the person who said, “don’t sweat the small stuff,” a piece of your mind?! I am comfortable enough in my own skin to accept that life will always be dominated with daily interruptions of the negative kind. What I am not comfortable with is that often the “stuff” large or small can alter my focus. My Lord says to rejoice and I want to, but often I don’t. How about you?

Back to the rental car! The counter representative told me that I was getting a Cube. Have you ever driven a Cube? One of my friends told me I was driving a toaster. And to top it off, the gas tank was not completely full. It all worked out, but a luxury car with XM radio would have been more to my liking. Isn’t it just like us to view life with expectations that create a sense of disappointment? Even though you and I often fail, our goal should be that each day is viewed with a rejoicing heart. Before your natural reaction of “yea, right!” takes over, look at what God breathed to us in His Word.

Philippians 4:4 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!

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

Proverbs 15:15 (MSG)
A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.

Do you think that God had Paul tell us to, “rejoice in the Lord always,” as a platitude that is noble but not realistic? I don’t think so! Do you think a cheerful heart is the product of each day’s circumstance, or the result of a heart yielded to God that chooses to rejoice? If we really want to make our faith contagious, a cheerful heart (even on bad days) is a great place to start. Honest evaluation among Christ followers on the issue of  “a rejoicing and cheerful heart” can help us choose how we want to view each day and be viewed by others. I can promise you that our Father is not concerned primarily with our comfort, and will allow the frustrations and irritations to come. But He says “Rejoice!”….so why not obey?

As I journey through life and meet fellow travelers, I see a lot of “circumstances” but fewer cheerful hearts. Every day will bring a new Cube, and an unfilled tank. So be it! But if my (and your) heart bleeds rejoicing, and people see cheer, could that be a catalyst for them to ask about my Lord? Just a thought!  Days may be long and sometimes hard, but in Christ rejoicing can be the norm. Can we make our faith simple enough just to believe the Truth?

The great John Wooden challenged others to make each day a masterpiece. Could there be a better way to create your masterpiece than with a heart that rejoices “in the Lord”. Remember, the source of real joy and meaningful cheer is from the Lord.

And by the way, there was a reason for the Cube. I was on a mission….for the cheapest price. Enjoy your day…and rejoice!

Twenty-eight years ago today, my wife and I were blessed with having a daughter. I can still remember the day like it was yesterday. If you have been blessed with children, you have similar memories of the day they were born. My wife and I are proud of our daughter, as I am sure you are of your children. We revel in all of their achievements. Most of us who would never brag about our own accomplishments, are quick to speak about the success of our children. When they cry, we cry.  And when they have joy, we share it with them…and with everyone else! It is only natural to speak of what brings us joy. In thinking of how easy it is to speak with pride about our children, I wondered why it is so hard to speak about what gives us the greatest joy.

It would seem normal that all of us who have a relationship with Christ would speak about it more. After all, at the moment of salvation, we gained eternal life in heaven, we were adopted into the family of God, we were privileged to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and have the capacity for His joy. We often said in my growing up days that the most important decision in life was accepting Christ. Everything else in our lives flows from that most vital relationship. So why are we so shy about our spiritual heritage. We all want to be proper in our dealings with others, and often worry about being called a fanatic, narrow-minded, or intolerant. But the truth is: God changed our lives through Christ, and that fact should cause us to speak freely and confidently about who we are.

Nothing can stop me from being a proud father, and I will speak it. Nothing should stop us from being proud Christ followers, and we should speak it! If we believe the world around us needs Christ, and eternity matters, how can we not speak up? We have a great example in Peter and John.

Acts 4:17-20
But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name. Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Peter and John were creating chaos for the religious establishment because they were speaking of Jesus, and that He was the only way of salvation. They spoke at their own peril. Christ had such a profound effect on them that they had to speak. They had a choice.  Obey God and speak, or obey the Sanhedrin and keep quiet. History would have changed dramatically if they had kept quiet. I am glad they didn’t.

Our Father’s message is still one of reconciliation through Christ. Christ followers are to be His ambassadors.  But  can we do it very well without speaking? I am sensitive to the fact this speaking up needs to be done appropriately. Don’t go into work tomorrow waving your Bible. But at the same time, don’t be afraid to speak up when God puts an opportunity before you. One of my most cherished spiritual memories came from simply telling a colleague that I would pray for his father. That started events that led to his accepting Christ. He had been an agnostic. God places us strategically, but we must speak.

Too often, I have failed to speak up! You may feel the same. But those around us deserve to benefit from our faith. If I can brag on my daughter, who I love dearly….I can brag on my Savior who loved me dearly….and so can you!  Speak up on matters of eternity, because eternity matters!

If you travel long enough on any journey, there will be some adventures that you did not expect. Whether we would admit it or not, we all have expectations about the perfect family (there isn’t one), the perfect job (haven’t found it), financial well-being, great health and that others would care as much for us as much as we do for them. But along the way, the adventures cause our expectations to diminish. Kids aren’t perfect, a job is lost, debt mounts, and others don’t treat us as we treat them. So how do we keep the glass-half-full view of life in spite of all the adventures?

Even for Christ followers, it is easy to lose joy when adventures seem to dominate our lives. Someone reading this post may even feel that you have tried so hard and “Why hasn’t God come through”? I have now lived long enough to realize that everyone will go through seasons of life that are hard, may seem unfair, and border on almost unbearable. “Does God care when you hurt?”,  “Does prayer work?”,  “And why doesn’t He intervene quicker?”, are a few of the questions that you and I are apt to ask when the days are long and burdens hard.

Logic tells me that you can already articulate a 2010 adventure that has caused you to wonder what God is doing. It was no different for those heroes of faith that marked the pages of Scripture.

-Joseph faced lies, prison and was forgotten during his long struggle, but God came through …
-Abraham waited for a son and then was asked to sacrifice him, but God came through …
-David was persecuted and mistreated, but God came through …
-Paul went through great pressure, persecution and prison, but God gave him joy …
-Peter followed God and it cost him his life …

Encouragement can be drawn from our heroes, but I am convinced that many who read these posts already know lots of Scripture and could teach lessons on the men listed above. Reality is that your adventures may have worn you out, and there is a battle going on between emotional weariness and your long-held faith. So how do you again live with a glass-half-full view, in spite of real pain?

Along my journey, I have learned that I don’t have all the answers. But He does, and He will give us direction. That doesn’t mean that the perfect job will come, family members will straighten out (they have a free will), or that finances will immediately get better. But if moment by moment, and day by day, you will give each adventure to the Father by faith, something will happen on the inside that only He can do. I Peter 1:6-7 gives His view:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

We can look at the heroes and know they made it. The adventures they faced were hard, and often long. God knows what He is doing in our lives. He desires that we seek Him and trust Him in all of our adventures. Does He care? …Yes! Does He answer prayer? …Yes! Is His timing best? … Always! Don’t try to figure it all out, just trust Him today, and for your tomorrow’s. I promise He will come through.

I am fond of golf. I have friends who are passionate about golf (and that’s why they always beat me). My wife and I are fond of walking on long trails, but not passionate enough to do it regularly. You are probably no different. There are things you are fond of that don’t reach the level of a passion. It is probably fair to say that Christian America has a fondness for God, but not the passion to sacrifice comfort for His cause. A logical question for all of us is, “would a greater passion for God bring a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in my life?” If not, why would He desire it of us?

Connecting the quote from our last article, “each of us is as close to God as we choose to be”(Oswald Sanders), with an honest evaluation of our spiritual passion, gives clarity to where we are on the journey. If you are a Christ follower, there is no doubt that you love God and can absolutely be used greatly for His cause. Since yesterday ended at midnight, yesterday’s lack of passion is no longer relevant. What is His purpose for you today?  Finding spiritual purpose without seeking to know God, will only lead to frustration. To know God and His purpose, the Word has to play a vital role in your life.

A favorite author of mine, Beth Moore, writes in Believing God,  “an ongoing relationship with God through His Word is essential to the Christian’s consistent victory!” I don’t know that I have ever met a person whose faith I would want to emulate, that was not a student of the Word. Make no mistake; consistent intake of the heart of God will change you. You will learn His perspective on life, and that insight will shape and reshape you. I am very conscious that many who read our articles have known Christ for many years. But there is a burden in my spirit that American Christianity treats our relationship with God’s Word like I treat my golf game. Far too many errors are made because I just don’t want to put in the time to be the best. But in matters eternal, the stakes are so much higher. Every relationship that you and I have is affected by our relationship to God through His Word.

So if you will choose to be close to God, you must also choose to be close to His Word. We all have to make a decision … fondness or passion? If you desire to consistently have His perspective, start today with a fresh view of the Word, and it’s power in your life. Yesterday really did end at midnight, and the Creator of each new day wants you to have His insight. When you gain it, there will be no doubt about purpose and fulfillment.

One of the statements I can honestly say I hate to hear is, “he or she is very religious”. That declaration can have all kinds of meanings, all very dependent on the essence of a person’s faith. A person can be religious … and lost. Some religious individuals think that good works are what matter. Some have a corporate religion that they hope will get them into heaven. But the Bible is clear. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Some may call it narrow or intolerant to say there is only one way. But our Bible, and Christ’s words are quite plain and crystal clear. Faith in Christ is what gives true salvation. And the way it exists and is lived out, is in relationship, not religion. When someone by faith accepts Christ as their personal Savior, they are changed internally and eternally. Scripture tells us that  “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come”! (2 Corinthians 5:17) You probably affirm these same principles, but I must ask you, how is the relationship?

Most meaningful relationships will have times of warmth and seasons of emotional distance. Think about the relationship that you have with God through Christ. Are you in a season of closeness or a period of “not so close”?  Dr. Oswald Sanders gives all believers in Christ a great framework of how to view our most meaningful relationship. He stated  that “each of us is as close to God as we choose to be”. Now that’s food for reflection and growth.

For a moment please evaluate with me the closeness of your relationship to the Father. Some may be at a great spiritual place, while others are feeling a bit distant. The key in this assessment is an honest heart. I am a firm believer that when we are living at a distance, the Holy Spirit will make us aware and draw us back with love, to a more intimate relationship with the Father.

Our authority, the Word of God, gives us the path to more intimacy. James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you …”. If you have the relationship, but are feeling even the least bit distant, just choose to move towards God. When I was young, I heard these words: what we give God, God takes, what God takes, God cleanses, what God cleanses, God uses. You may not feel like moving towards the Father, but step out anyway. The joy of your relationship can be fresh again.

I accept that we have religion, but what we really have in Christ is a relationship. It is designed by the Father to be the closest, most meaningful relationship of your life. But He lets us “choose just how close we want to be”. Draw closer and leave the results to Him.

Multi-tasking is standard operating procedure for most individuals who have a desire to be effective in this modern world. As an illustration, one night last week I was on a trip driving at about 70mph, talking to my wife on a cell phone, in a rainstorm, when severe lightening lit up the sky. At that moment, I realized too much was happening for me to drive safely, and I got off the phone. We now live in a world that let’s us accomplish more through technological advances, but often with less focused thinking. Have you ever been talking to someone on the phone, while completing a task on your computer? Shamefully, we all have! With all the conveniences technology has brought, we have to navigate the potential for distraction, and in reality, less effectiveness. But how can we relate multi-tasking and distractions to issues of the heart?

We all believe that in the core of our being, the Heart, we need to have things in order. When worry, anxiety, too much activity, guilt or any other issues distract us from having a heart at rest, our effectiveness suffers. While having a heart that is at peace, and that is focused on honoring God and caring for others is definitely the Father’s design, it is admittedly a struggle. Just as cell phone calls seem to come at all the wrong times, life’s issues seem to get in the way of us having a heart that is undivided and fully focused on the purpose God has for us. You may recall verses that say “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart” or “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. So although it is not easy, relentlessly pursuing an undivided heart is God’s will.

A passionate, emotional follower of God knew a bit of our heart issues (excluding the cell phone dilemma). David, “a man after God’s own heart” made a conscious choice to pursue an undivided heart. His words are clear:

Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

From a theoretical standpoint, we would all say, “give me an undivided heart”. But from the place we all live, heart issues need constant attention. David was realistic in knowing that he was apt to wander and needed God’s help for his journey. We are no different. And a willingness to examine our values, motives and daily agendas from His perspective, will give us a renewed sense of direction. Most of the circumstances and people in our lives will seek to divide our allegiance (heart). But if first and foremost we seek His way and commit to walk in His truth as David did, there will be rest we cannot manufacture and results we could not achieve alone. But is it worth it?

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there be any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I love cell phones, and multi-tasking is part of life. But when all the advances pull us from loving and caring for others (starting at home), then we are distracted and less effective.  And when our hearts are divided, we are eternally less effective. Examine your heart and go forward today with an undivided heart.