Be patient

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.  You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. - James 5:7-8

As I read these verses I believe James, who jumps quickly from topic to topic in his writing, is specifically writing to encourage the believers, especially those who are being persecuted and suffering under the hand of man, to "be patient".  I get the sense he is saying "don't stop your well doing", "keep your hand to the plow, keep fertilizing, keep watering, the fruit from your efforts will come from God's hand".  And he secures this point with verse 8 saying, "establish your heart".  In other words, "ask in faith, with no doubting" and do not be "a double-minded man" as he instructs in the beginning of his letter in James 1:6-8.  The writer of Hebrews says it this way in 10:23, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." 

Why should I be patient in perseverance?  Why should I be stable and established in my heart to stay the course?  Because "the coming of the Lord is at hand"!  God is here, now.  God is with me and has not forsaken me.  God is ready to nurture, grow, and reap.  God has called me, one of the few laborers (Luke 10:2), and I am needed.  I must allow God to perfect my character in my perseverance so I might add to my faith and grow godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 2:5-8).

It is difficult to read these verses, here in the comfort of my soft office chair in my perfectly controlled air environment drinking my Starbuck's coffee, knowing that Christians in many nations are being persecuted severely.  I have recently completed a book in the Voices of the Martyrs series of books and reading about their persecution, endurance, and unwavering faith is challenging to my faith.  On Friday I read where a Christian in Syria was beheaded and hung from a soccer goal as an example.  Sunday, I learn about 30 Christians in North Korea who are jailed and to be executed for starting over 500 home churches there.  And we "lazy western Christians" as Rev. Siglar said on Sunday, have a difficult time even praying for these front-line brothers and sisters in Christ. 

"Dang it, my computer is a little slow this morning.  Tourist traffic already!  I ate too much, again."  ...  Yeah, I got real problems challenging my faith.  For a country covered with churches and Bibles, I often consider that we might be the weakest Christians on the planet since our faith is rarely tested.  We must make conscience efforts to put every day in the hands of God and declare, "Today, God it is You or nothing.  Everything in this day depends upon You and nothing else."  This call to God, this mindset of dependence, this affirmation in God's deliverance, can change my life today and I can learn to live like those in real suffering who have learned to live everyday this way.  Why do I think I have a choice to not live this way and call myself a follower of Christ?

Mar 10

James 5: ⁷ So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains. ⁸ So you also must be patient. Establish your hearts [strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty], for the coming of the Lord is very near. (AMP)

 

I like Tony Dungee's devotion for today in which he states "My job was to coach, and it was God's to figure out the rest" in response to rumors about his potential firing from Tampa Bay.  So often I hear people planning their careers, or paths at church.  We have "visioning" conferences and sit around and brainstorm about what we want to look like in 1, 5, or 10 years.  Don't get me wrong, goals are important, but only when they are in response to a call or guidance from God (Pr 19:11).  So, James implores us not to plan, scheme, or try to arrange our lives on earth, but to "establish our hearts" for the coming of the Lord. 

How about it?  Am I planning for a better future and giving God lip-service or am I truly dedicated to following God.  I heard on an Emmaus walk a couple of weeks ago that humans typically view ourselves as physical creatures having a spiritual experience.  This view is incorrect in that we are made in God's image, therefore we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.  That simple phrase helps me keep this life in perspective.  How about you?  Is God the context through which you live your life, or do you keep him in a "to be opened only on Sunday's and Wednesday evenings" box?

Mar 7

1 Corinthians 13: ⁴ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

⁵ It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. ⁶ It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. ⁷ Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. ⁸ Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (^[a]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. (AMP)

 

While this is a familiar passage (the whole chapter was read at our wedding), I have yet to master it.  In particular, the "does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking" is a problem for me.  I want what I want, I want it cheap, and I want it now!  You got a problem with that? 

Often, Reja and I find that we treat others better than we treat each other.  I don't get it.  I've worked on not bringing my work stress home, but that doesn't always work.  I've worked on not always needing to be "right."  I've worked on not fussing over every imperfection in our home and in each other, but I'm not there yet.  In short, I have a critical spirit and it comes out mostly at home.  This is part of my character and I alone cannot master it.

Today I pray that God would overwhelm my critical spirit and instead His agape love would flow especially to Reja.  May others recognize Christ in me by the way He loves my wife through me for I alone am incapable. 

He is.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not envious or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I've often thought that these verses should be written as:

The Lord is patient and kind. He is not envious or boastful or proud or rude.  He does not demand His own way.  He is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged.  He does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  The Lord never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

This is the New Living Translation version, except where I changed the word jealous to envious.  My Bible text tells me in the Old Testament that the Lord is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5), therefore I didn't think that translation was fit.  You have got to watch some of these translations even though they are easier to read.

These characteristics of God certainly point out where in so many areas I fail to have the character of my Lord.  In fact, I'm having a hard time figuring out the one characteristic I might can claim!  How can I be so very far from His character?  Oh how my heart breaks over its unending failure.  How my Lord bothers with me I will never understand.  Except that, "He is patient and kind. ... He keeps no record of being wronged ... He never gives up ...".  The very character of God keeps me on His mind and He "never loses faith" and "is always hopeful" in who I can become and in who He created.  I fail at keeping my eyes dry just absorbing this truth and acknowledging what I don't deserve.

I pray this morning:         Search me, O God, and know my heart;

                                      Try me, and know my anxieties;
                                      And see if there is any wicked way in me,
                                      And lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalm 139:23-24

Angry, Bro?

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. - Ephesians 4:26-27

The term "conflict avoidance" has become a pretty big term for me in my marriage.  Mainly because I was a major avoider in how I deal with problems.  I've taken time to try to investigate the why I am that way and offer to myself the following: 1) My Dad is a master of conflict avoidance and has never dealt with any problem head-on and whether you like it or not your parents leave an impression of themselves upon you, 2) I had a major anger problem when I was young and into my teens, I should have underscored the word major, and as I learned to control it - a part of that control is to not be in direct conflicts (unless purposeful like sports) that put you in situations where you might not be able to control it, 3) I just don't like confrontations, I get uncomfortable and I feel like the person doesn't like me and I want people to like me (I used to anyway).

All that said, I have thrown it away and resolved to not be a conflict avoider.  I can't be, it is too costly, and I refuse to risk my wife over it.  We now take quick steps, even though we are very uncomfortable, to discuss and be open about our conflict.  Even if we have to expose our deeper emotional responses that we know don't make sense but are how we feel.  It is amazing at how quickly I can heal and how much better I feel once I get something out.  Then, that part is behind me and I can move forward.

As I study this verse, I find it intriguing.  We are told to "Be angry".  I take this as permission that it is okay to be angry.  Sometimes we should get angry - God created the emotion for a reason.  But why does our society and our church outcast us if we get angry?  It must be because we commonly sin when we are angry.  This instruction is careful to immediately say "and do not sin" and to follow it with "nor give place to the devil".

This teaches me that anger is a powerful emotion.  So powerful that the devil looks to use it at every opportunity - "walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour".  We are to use this powerful emotion, "be angry", but very carefully.  It is important to allow ourselves to be angry when it is proper and in the context it should be used so that others may see that some things are wrong and they might, after seeing the anger, resolve to change and reexamine their direction and choices.  Being careful not to sin, I think the term "Merciful Anger" should be our approach.  Mercy can be defined in some ways as power under control; anger is powerful; therefore our application must be anger applied under control. 

Mar 6

Ephesians 4: ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. (NIV)

 

This warning remains one of the keys to my 29 years of successful and fulfilling marriage.  Reja and I are both very strong willed and have a real need to be "right" which leads to arguments of all kinds, none of them really meaningful.  This reminder to ensure that things are truly settled is important to a healthy relationship.  Note that verse 26 says "in your anger."  We're not commanded to not get angry, after all even Jesus displayed anger (John 2:14-16).  Instead, when we're angry, we're to resolve that situation.  Early in our marriage, Reja and I took this verse quite literally and we had a few sleepless nights.  As we've aged, we sometimes find it necessary to simply quit arguing, go to sleep and we usually find that rest provides a fresh perspective and allows us to examine our own behavior,  usually leading to quick resolution. 

 

Reconciliation is God's primary mission and has been ever since the original sin as recorded in Genesis chapter 3.  Reconciliation is also an important mission for man as well as scripture warns us to reconcile before we bring our offering to the alter and explains how we should do so (Matt 18:15-17).  Finally, we are to be sensitive to the needs of others and ensure we aren't impeding their spiritual growth or impeding God's grace in their lives (Matt 18:6). 

 

So with whom do you need to be reconciled today?  Who have you wronged that needs to hear an apology?  Who has wronged you and not apologized?  Perhaps today is the day of reconciliation!

Daniel

Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.  I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

                For He is the living God,
                And steadfast forever;
                His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
                And His dominion shall endure to the end. - Daniel 6:25-26

Here King Darius had just watched God shut the lions' mouths and protect Daniel for a night, but then eat Daniel's accusers and break all their bones "in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den".  And so the king was very wise to recognize the power of Daniel's God.  But more so, he recognized Him as much more.  His description of God is very good and I wonder how many of us today are able to write with confidence and complete belief in our heart the words he declared to the known world.

Why don't we wake up every day and say, "For He is the living God and He lives inside my heart!  He is steadfast forever, my rock of salvation who never moves!  His eternal kingdom will never be destroyed and He has made a place for me with Him there!  His dominion over His Creation shall be forever!"  Would I have a different outlook on the day?  How big would my problems look in light of that written upon my heart every morning?  Would I be sensitive to what other people think about me with that declaration on my mind?  I think Yes, Little, and No would be my answers.

The king had come to believe in Daniel's God through Daniel's faith.  Before he had to have Daniel put into the den of lions the king told Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."  What an amazing statement from someone about God who only knows Him from another's witness!  Who around me would make a statement like that for me based on my witness for God?  Worse still, do I even believe with such a pure heart that I could say this and know it in the face of a life-threatening trial?

I think the "whom you serve continually" part of this is where I fail and maybe that's why I would fail the questions above.  Everything Daniel did was a reflection on his close relationship with God.  He was very clear that his relationship and commitment and dedication of life was for his living God.  God honored his sacrifice of life, relenting of anything for himself except to focus himself upon serving God.  Here is where I must focus my thoughts and actions.

Mar 5

Daniel 6:²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! ²⁶ “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. (NIV)

 

What a phenomenal testimony by King Darius.  Clearly he witnessed a miracle and his life was profoundly impacted by that event, so much so that he sought to share that impact with all those with whom he had influence.  This is fascinating and worth reviewing exactly what events led to this radical conversion.  You might remember Daniel from the story of him being cast into the lions den and living to tell about it.  He and three other Hebrew captives were selected for service to Nebuchadnezzar following the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.  You might recognize the other Hebrew slaves by their Babylonian-given names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and you probably remember that they were thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to dishonor God by bowing to a statue of the king.  God saved them just as he would save Daniel a little later. 

 

So what led to Darius' radical pronouncement acknowledging God as the one true God?  First, Daniel completely trusted God and lived to serve Him and Him alone.  He rose to great power in Babylon by remaining close to God.  God revealed to him the meaning of dreams and gave him great wisdom.  He also gave Daniel great strength of character that ultimately challenged the king of Babylon.  It was Daniels dedication to God that allowed God to use him in mighty and powerful ways. 

 

Today in America we don't face lions or fiery furnaces, yet we fold to simple peer pressure that is usually perceived and not really real.  What does that say about our character?  Am I the man of God He needs me to be?  Daniel lived a Godly life and led a pagan king to declare to his whole kingdom that truly God is the one true God.  I would be satisfied to know that my coworkers would know that God is the one true God because they see Him in me, but I fear that isn't necessarily the case.  How about you?  Are you living a life of integrity that clearly declares God to be your God?  Do you boldly approach each day living to please God or chase your own selfish desires. 

 

Daniel's complete dedication and trust in God led to clear acknowledgement of God to a pagan world.  I pray that I may live this day to show God to those around me. 

Mighty Men

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. - 1 Timothy 4:8

What if?  What if I trained spiritually with the same considerations as I do physically? 

At my age I consider the light amount of physical training I do necessary just to try to maintain health, not to be some kind of physical body spectacle.  And I usually am under some conviction to do more.  The idea is that if I can maintain a decent healthy physical condition I can stay off of medicines for cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar control, and the like for a longer time. 

If I were to take that same reasoning, then I'd need to dedicate some time to exercise my spiritual condition.  At a minimum, I'd do a light amount just to maintain spiritual health, probably be under some conviction to do more, but maybe it'd be enough to keep me away from false hopes or other worldly "medicines" for my soul.  Again, this should be the minimum, yet it's a minimum most Christians I know do not accomplish.

My conviction today is why aren't I a mighty man?  David had his "mighty men" who were the greatest warriors in his army and his "mighty men" were victors of many, many battles.  Why aren't I a mighty spiritual man?  I read in the NT were normal men who were powerful in the Spirit of God healed people, preached powerfully, and even raised the dead.  Normal men! 

Many theologians say that that was then, this is now, that men can't do that in our time.  I just don't read those things in the Scriptures.  My Word of God says that God is the same for all time, His strength does not diminish, His Spirit is not less or more, He is at the beginning and the end and will be forevermore.  The Word tells me that His Spirit is inside of me and that Spirit is the Spirit of the living God.  Therefore, I have to assume it is only me, the shell around that Spirit, that keeps that Spirit of all mighty power and love from healing people, preaching powerfully, and even raising the dead.  I can only assume that I am not spiritually fit and I need to work on becoming spiritually strong and healthy so He can reach out in powerful ways to others, so others can believe in Him as their Lord and be healed, and so others can proclaim and worship that He is Lord.

Mar 4

Genesis 6:  ^5-7 God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil—evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart. God said, “I’ll get rid of my ruined creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes and bugs, birds—the works. I’m sorry I made them.”
⁸ But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah. (The Message)

Last night's Devotion by Jimmy Whited at our Emmaus cluster meeting was from Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life."  It was drawn from Genesis 6:8 and Jimmy entitled it "We bring a smile to God when we:"
1.  Love Him supremely - God is relentless in his pursuit of a love relationship with us
2.  Trust Him completely - true faith that He knows best
3.  Obey Him with our whole heart - a Holy God doesn't have to explain Himself
4.  Praise and thank Him completely - God is pleased when we recognize His good gifts
5.  Use our abilities -

He summed up his message with this "Our focus shouldn't me on how much pleasure we get out of life, but how much pleasure God gets out of our lives."

I thought this was outstanding and worth sharing.  My goal today is to bring a smile to God's face through my attitude and actions.  So how about you?  Will your attitude and actions bring a smile to God's face today?

Martha, Martha, Martha!

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:41-42

I get the idea in this event that there is some similarities to the Prodigal Son parable.  Martha is much like the older brother and resents the sibling who has done little in the way of responsible work.  Martha has opened her home to Jesus and is doing the work to care and feed for Him, His disciples, and likely others.  Yet her sister saw the Lord Jesus as who He is and properly sat at His feet. 

Martha surely felt good about herself for her generosity but once the work was great she quickly needed help and her sister was doing nothing but worshipping.  Crazy Mary!  How can she worship when so much is to be done!  She is so upset she charges the Creator of the universe to do something!  Wow.  But Jesus answers with care and says "only one [thing] is needed ... Mary has chosen [it]".  That is, she has chosen to worship at My feet and there is nothing more needed for life. 

I am often concerned for those that do God's work a certain way because that's the way it has always been done.  Where is the call in that?  Maybe God is calling for it to be done exactly in that manner, but I think we should be so very sensitive to looking and listening for that call.  How many of us do God's work but don't worship at His feet first?  Then we charge our Lord and Savior to prosper that work!  Wow.  We don't have the courage to ask a single person if they know Christ but somehow have the courage to charge the Lord of the universe to prosper our work?  Hypocrites we all are!

May we pray and worship our eternal Hope first and always.  God will bless His work, so may we listen to be careful to join that work and not our own.  May our attitude always be that everything is dependent upon Him and nothing else.  It is either Christ the Lord or nothing!

Mar 3

Luke 10: ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (NIV)

 

I wonder how often we get so busy trying to do something for God that we miss an encounter with Him?  It is clear to me that Satan uses busy-ness in my life to distract me from kingdom work and encounters with God.  I wonder how much of the busy-work at church is also a distraction.  We meet, we discuss, we make plans, we draft vision statements, we build budgets, we evaluate staff, we practice music, we buy equipment, and clean and maintain buildings.  Like Martha's busy-work, this is all really important work.  Yet, I wonder if we don't let these distractions become our focus; a very real distraction that is easier to occupy our time than time spent in true worship, study, prayer, devotion, and service to others. 

 

Yesterday's sermon by Mike Sigler entitled "Unleashing the Power of Prayer" made three points.  We unleash the power of prayer when we 1) make prayer a way of life - subjecting everything to prayer, not just things beyond our control like health and death; 2) we believe in its effectiveness - we pray expectantly and look for answers; and 3) when we take advantage of its availability - God is literally inside us and therefore is always available to talk, listen, guide, convict, console, and affirm.  The last one, though by everyone's admission in Sunday School is the one where we fail.  We fail to take advantage of the availability of prayer.  It's not that we don't have time, we are undisciplined and too easily distracted by "important" things.  Take time today to stop all your distractions and simply sit at the seat of the Master, listen to His teaching, then get up and DO WHAT HE SAYS!