What to live for

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV)

Watching people at Disney is interesting. I saw one guy yesterday that had tattoos of Disney characters and images on one leg and images of Marvel comic characters on the other.  I've seen others carrying packages larger than their double strollers and their single child. It makes me wonder what they're living for.  Peter reminds us that it's not enough to simply accept Jesus as savior, but we are literally to die to sins and live a life of righteousness.  Fortunately, we aren't doing this on our own as all the people did in the Old Testament. We have the Holy Spirit - God's very presence in us.  Given to us to help us live the life of righteousness we are called to live. One thing is for sure. God tells us that we are either for Him or against Him.  We must choose daily for whom we are going to live.  It is obvious to me by the news, policies of our government, and our politics, we are a nation of people loving for ourselves.  For whom are you living?  Have you died to sins and living for righteousness, trying to straddle the fence and live for both God and yourself, or simply living for yourself?  

Consequences

...Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10 NIV)

It is said over and over in church that we cannot out give God. I've also emphasized my whole time as a SS teacher that decisions have consequences. Yesterday I talked about what a disaster the day before had been.  I also said that I was making a conscious decision to behave differently. My changes were sutttle to me, but the consequences were dramatic.  I was careful to greet Reja with a kiss, and was rewarded with many opportunities to spend some quality time with her.  She and I were actually the first ones ready and we took the opportunity to go to Epcot and eat breakfast before everyone else showed. Throughout the day, we spent much time walking, holding hands and simply enjoying some quality time together.  We ended the day by splitting off from our group and going to the Magic Kingdom together after Epcot closed just to watch fireworks.  At least for the two of us, yesterday was the Magical experience we desired. 

Note, however, that the magic was much less about Disney and almost exclusively about quality moments together.  I truly believe there had to be some divine intervention, as I don't have the ability to modify other people's behavior.  So this turned out to be a real lesson in reaping what you sow and receiving a much larger benefit than my investment should have been worth.  I'm thankful to serve a god who takes seemingly minor acts of love and obedience and turns them into tremendous benefits!  

Creation

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. - Romans 8:18-25

This was the scripture text for Sunday's sermon.  I was excited as I have never heard a sermon on the creation parts of this text (at least I don't think I have), but as I read I also thought that is a lot to cover in one sermon.  Rev. Mike did an excellent job on the first verse.  So I thought I'd expound upon the rest regarding Creation and see if the great study and wise theologian Russ could comment upon it as well.

Creation was cursed when man sinned.  We usually can't get past ourselves to realize this, but in Genesis this is an indirect event as man is kicked out of Eden.  Too many people think of Eden as a specific place, but I believe the whole of creation was an Eden.  When man sinned and had to leave Eden, he had to leave a creation that was perfectly made and suited for him.  He then had to live in a world where he would have to fight "thorns and thistles" to grow food.

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food. - Genesis 3:17-19a

Apparently, before this man did not have to work for his food, or at least he didn't make a sweat doing it.  But ever since then all of Creation has eagerly awaited for the revelation of those who believe in God.  It moans and groans for that time when it will no longer bear its curse and can be what it was created to be, a partner to man as a part of Creation.  It suffers in bondage to decay and self-destruction.  Apparently all the global warming scientist and political agendas persons have it right, we are destroying the earth, but it is not in the way they think it is.  It is because we sin and sin and sin and refuse to restore ourselves daily, hourly, upon each minute to a proper relationship with Jesus Christ.  Every environmentalist wants to talk about sustainability of the resources of the earth.  If they would accept it, the way to sustain the earth is for everyone to admit their sin, accept Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, and be made whole again before God. 

We and all of Creation will continue to groan together until that time when Christ comes again and restores all.  That time when we are once again allowed to walk with God in the garden of His perfect Creation.  How blessed the ground will be when He walks on it again!  How blessed we will be in that day to share in His perfect Creation!

Unmitigated Disaster

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)

Yesterday was Kerianne's 21st birthday (and the wedding day for Brittany McGrail and Stephen Barebo). I had so hoped to make it a special day for her. We began by letting her "sleep in" and showed at Disney's Hollywood Studios for lunch at 1215. I had hoped lunch at Sci Fi Cafe would be something new and unique.  Being arranged in a late 50's style car table facing a screen playing trailers from 50's B rated Sci Fi trailers wasn't conducive to group interaction. Worse, i had felt feverish all morning and I could tell it during lunch as i went suddenly from cool to sweating profusely. The park was mobbed with people dressed up for the first day of Star Tours, so getting on rides was a challenge to my patience (speaking of unmitigated disasters, this new fast pass system is one).  We scurried from one end of the park to the other using the fast passes I did have starting with the great movie ride in which I stood in line thinking if this doesn't hurry along, I'm going to have to go to the restroom which I finally did - as the doors opened for us to get on the ride - argh!  The day culminated with me breaking my $750 Maui Jim prescription sunglasses on RocknRoller Coaster. We gave up at 7pm and returned to the hotel. To celebrate her 21st we had dinner in the foodcourt. Ugh!  I was frustrated and felt absolutely terrible. I think I got in bed around 9:20. ( BTW, the boys were smart - they got themselves up early and hit the park at opening finishing nearly the whole thing by noon with multiple rides on RnR and ToT.)

I'm not suspicious, nor do I think God intentionally caused any of these things, but you'll notice, I didn't start my day with devotions. If nothing else, devotions center me under God and remind me to keep things and view all things from the perspective of the victory represented by the cross.  True, lasting, penetrating joy comes only from God, not Disney or any other man-made thing.  

By far the worst part, Reja was grumpy or at least non-communicative all day.  Upon reflectio, I believe my first words to her yesterday were something along the lines of "you better hurry or we'll be late for lunch."  Chris had written an excellent devotion regarding a wife's countenance being a measure of her husband's success at loving her as Christ loves the church.  

Today I'm going to be decidedly different.  I'm choosing to start today as I know I should.  I got up earlier than everyone else and have retreated to a quiet place to consider my own failures.  I begin today focused on what truly matters and I greeted my wife with a kiss.  Today I'm choosing to live differently. 

Rejoice! Rejoice!

God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change his mind.  Does He speak and then not act?  Does He promise and not fulfill? - Numbers 23:19

I find that verse from God comforting and encouraging.  How often we somehow reason that our God is incapable or unwilling!  We dare to appoint human characteristics to Him.  Our God does not change His mind, what He has said will stand forever, He acts upon His Word and He fulfills His promises.  How encouraging and uplifting this thought should be to us.  God is not man and He will not disappoint us.  We can depend upon Him in all things and we can trust in Him where we can't in man.

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.- Zephaniah 3:17

That same God who acts upon His Word has said that He is a Mighty Warrior who saves.  He saves us from our sin and works actively in us towards His character within us.  How do I imagine that the Creator of the universe and lover of my soul takes great delight in me?  It is so hard to grasp this concept when I most often do not even like myself, yet He takes great delight in me!  So much so that He rejoices over me with singing?  It seems so hard to accept.  But Jesus also commented on it in Luke 15:7 indicating that there is "rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents."  And the following story in Luke 15 of the Prodigal Son teaches us how the Father rejoices at our homecoming.

Our God acts upon His Word and fulfills His promises.  He takes great delight in us and rejoices over us with singing.  Our God.  The God who loves us with an unending and ever-bountiful love.  His love pours over us and He walks with us, around us, and within us.  How great a God and Savior we have!  

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Blessed

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40 NIV)

Blessed. Sometimes you just need to take a moment and thank God for all the tremendous blessings of this life. Today I'm thankful for the incredible blessings of friends and family. Not just in general, but specifically for God placing me in a situation wherein I've been taught to recognize His activity in this life.  I'm thankful for Him giving me parents who above all else love Him and taught me the great benefits of a life devoted to God. I'm thankful for God placing a woman in my life that has enough love and grace just to put up with me. I'm thankful for two awesome kids who have placed their trust in Him and who have been blessed with a heavenly dose of joy that makes them incredibly fun just to hang out with. I'm also thankful that they have divine wisdom to make good choices including friends that are also fun to include in our family.  I'm thankful for the beauty of His creation that is a clear testimony to his constant presence and ongoing creation. Finally I'm thankful to be blessedly  with some time away from work and the resources to enjoy a little man-made fun and inventiveness. Disney may be the happiest place on earth, but it's not for the reasons they think. Thankful for the people God has given me to enjoy it with. Now, off to Space Mountain!

Enduring Hardship

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children.  ...  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. - Hebrews 12:7,11

I was teary-eyed yesterday listening to a radio broadcast by Focus on the Family of parents who have had incredible hardships through their children's physical health or even death.  One mother was testifying how she had come to know God through that hardship and even with the pain of the loss of her daughter, she felt so very blessed that she had been in her life and that the experience had led her to the saving knowledge of Jesus.  I found her story compelling and telling of how to live out this concept.  The broadcast link is HERE.

"Endure hardship as discipline."  I find this easy to grasp sometimes, but extremely difficult at others.  I have to consider Jesus' answer to the disciples in John 9:2-3, "His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?  'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.'"  Discipline by definition is a "practice of training people to a code of behavior" and "a branch of knowledge".  It is plausible then to consider that discipline is a training inside of us for a behavior and knowledge.  Applying what we know from a previous blog entry (see More Than Conquerors) that the good that is being worked inside of us is the revelation and perfection of God's character in us, then we can see how we might can endure hardship, or any other event in our life, as discipline (behavior training and knowledge of God).

This discipline produces "a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it".  Obviously, we have the option to not be trained and to just hope we survive.  But, as a parent this is the absolute worst option I would ever want for my kids, to endure a discipline and receive absolutely no benefit.  It is a wasted event and one that will likely have to be repeated.  The faster they pick up the purpose to the discipline the faster I react to their learning.  Although, sometimes I wonder if God allows things to happen in our life so that learned character will show or shine for others to see Him in us.  Even so, there is always more work in us that can be done.  We are always able to get "closer still" to Him.

Will You Get In?

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

Why do we let stresses get us or tear us down?  Is it the responsibility of it all?  Do these responsibilities of wanting to raise our children right and make the best decisions for them, wanting to do a good job and produce a quality product and reputation, wanting to be a good son or daughter and take care of our parents weigh us down?

What if it was your responsibility to live a perfect life among spiritually retarded people in a cess pool of physicality?  Jesus came down from heaven to live within a physical body with the spiritually minded idiots and morons.  Then He has to find a way to communicate with these people, equivalent to us trying to talk in a way a protozoa would understand, and to do it well enough for them to be able to communicate His message to others.  I find that this is quite a responsibility He undertook.  But I do not see where it interrupted His joy.

When we stay in communion with God, we have a joy within us.  We are secure in where we are, wherever that may be.  We are confident that He will never leave us; that He is with us; and that no matter what happens He has it covered. 

I read this story recently: "Let’s imagine you’re near the beautiful but dangerous Niagara Falls.  A circus performer has strung a rope across the falls with the intention of pushing a wheelbarrow from one side to the other.  Just before stepping on the rope, he asks you, 'Do you think I can accomplish this feat?'

"His reputation has preceded him, so you reply that you believe he can walk the tightrope.  In other words, you have faith that he will succeed.  Then he says, 'If you really believe I can do it, how about getting in the wheelbarrow and crossing with me?'  Accepting his invitation would be an example of remarkable trust.

"It isn’t difficult for some people to believe that God is capable of performing mighty deeds.  After all, He created the entire universe.  Trust, however, requires that we depend on Him to keep His promises to us even when there is no proof that He will.  It’s not so easy to get into that wheelbarrow and put our lives in His care. Yet it’s a step we must take if we are to 'be anxious for nothing' in all of life’s circumstances."

When we "get into the wheelbarrow" and trust God completely we can then be joyful in all things and at all times.  Jesus knew that God was there, with Him in all ways.  We must be sure that we know the same.

More than Conquerors

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. - Romans 8:26

(Forgive us our trespasses ... Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.) God's Spirit, His presence, is with us.  We are always weak in ourselves but in Him we are strong.  Only He is our strength.

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28

(Your will be done ...)  God is our strength and He doesn't sit idly by waiting on our call.  He "works" for those who love Him, and not just any work, but work for our "good".  Since there is only One who is good (Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19), He works for Him in us.  His will is to destroy sin in us (the work of Satan).

What, then, shall we say in response to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

What is my response to God's work in me?  If He is working in me, if He is my strength overcoming my sin weakness, what sin in the world or in any spirit or man can overpower the living God? 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? - Romans 8:35

Is there anything in Creation that can overpower the living God who works in me according to His will of destroying sin for my "good" or His work in me?  Is there anything more powerful than God's love for me?  Can I ever believe I am left to myself?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:37-39

"We are more than conquerors" of the sin in our lives because Jesus conquered sin.  "We are more than conquerors" of death because Jesus conquered death.  What exactly is "more than conquerors" anyway?  How can you be more than a conqueror?  Either you win or lose right?  You are conquered or you have conquered.  How can you be more than a conqueror?  ...  "We are more than conquerors" because it has already happened.  Sin and death have been defeated.  We do not strive to conquer it now.  We, as children of the Most High God, are inheritors.  We are the princes and princesses to the King.  He has conquered for us.  We are why conquering of sin and death happened.  We, the church of believers, are His prize, His bride.  "We are more than conquerors" because of the immense value He has placed upon us.  "We are more than conquerors" because He has conquered and He works His work in us and nothing will ever overpower Him.

Play To Win

 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

"Play to win" we might would say today.  We all know, either from playing or from watching, that it takes lots and lots and lots and lots of training to become good at something.  And if you want to win, you either need to have more talent than the other team or you need to train harder than the other team.  Here we are told that we have a purpose, it is not worthless.  We do not discipline ourselves and sacrifice for no cause.  There is a cause and it has a purpose.

We are to train, to discipline, to strive towards, to condition, to focus ourselves towards His calling.  Too often this road is tough, it requires strength, stamina, dedication, belief, faith, and love.  Tony Dungy comments that the "word for race is agon, from which we get our word agony.  It signifies a match or a race in which endurance and determination must overcome those moments of difficulty that come in any race."  (Every time I hear the word agony in relation to sports I think of the ABC Sports video of the ski-jumper crashing at the bottom of the ramp while they said "and the agony of defeat".) 

So often we want to quit or back away from our faith whenever the going gets tough.  We must be careful to never settle for straddling the fence.  We should not say we like that Jesus message and believe in Him enough to have our fire insurance, but we aren't going to get much closer because that road is really hard to walk.  The Bible promises persecution.  A race promises to be difficult, arduous, and may require us to push ourselves past what we believe we can accomplish.  Our faith development must also be such.  However, just as when you exercise and train rigorously and come to love it, even though it is difficult, so we will come to love the training of our faith, knowing that it produces character and we will look forward to those things that can make us stronger. 

On my home-gym wall it says "Without self-discipline it is impossible to succeed".  Yoda said, "Do.  Or do not.  There is no try."  It's time to recognize what we're doing, and "Just Do It".  (I think I just broke the record for phrases in a blog post.)

May 9

Luke 5: ¹⁵ Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (NIV)

Overwhelmed.  I just can't seem to get it all done.  I spend my workdays in endless meetings; each one important, but each a different topic, all needing direction, decisions, and sometimes just to gripe.  Then as everyone leaves to go home, I tackle numerous emails and phone calls, again each one needing a decision, approval, recommendations, review and comment.  Ugh!  enough already!
Then as I drove home after 8pm last night, I noticed I had missed a text from someone desperately needing assistance.  When am I supposed to meet her needs?  I'm convinced that Satan is overwhelming me with work to keep me out of God's kingdom business.  As I prayerfully considered what to blog about today, I felt empty, spent, poured out, yet not nearly enough to satiate all the needs. 
I'm glad I serve a savior who has experienced my weariness.  Numerous times scripture says He withdrew to a "lonely place" and PRAYED.  That's it!  I'm never going to be enough to satisfy anyone including myself.  Why am I worn out?  Because I'm not relying on God to meet people's needs, I'm doing all I can.  I'm not enough.  In fact, I'm nothing.  People don't need me.  They need what I have - a relationship with a savior who can genuinely make a real difference in their lives.  As I start this day, I pray that God will fill me with His spirit and He will meet those needs that most need to be met.  Most importantly, I pray that he meets the needs of a lonely lady who has reached out for help.  If not me, I pray God will meet her through someone who can share Him in such a way that she is led to life eternal.

He Created

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. - John 1:1-3

These verses are hard to handle for many people.  "In the beginning Jesus was with God and was God?  In the beginning?  Wasn't He born millennia later?  In Him all things were created?"  I can certainly understand that confusion provided someone doesn't or hasn't yet conceived the totality of who Christ is.  Jesus is God as much as God is God. 

He came and dwelled among man, something I find absolutely stunning.  As much as we teach and preach on the ascension of Jesus it is His descending that I find to be the real miracle.  I find that when I go to the homeless and poor to help or even teach I am uncomfortable and I have trouble discerning why.  I can only assume it is because I have an error in how I perceive them, looking upon the outside and not upon their humanness.  Or it is because I am intently aware that they are perceiving me as not equal to themselves and that makes me uncomfortable.  Maybe a combination of both.  But for Jesus to come to us who are spiritually bankrupt and the poorest of all poor being lost in sin and having no concept of God's realities demonstrates the greatness and power of His love for us.

In His love all things were created and are beautiful.  Today we have blue skies, green grass, colorful flowers, and mild weather.  It is very difficult to not notice the extensive beauty of His creation around us.  A week ago, in the flooding, it was much harder to see it for most people.  Likewise, when all is well in our relationships and successes it is difficult not to notice and be thankful and grateful, but in the storms it is much harder to see it.  Yet it is in that storm that we might see Him in ways we would have never seen before.  For many people, it is the only way they will ever see Him.  Jesus created all of it so that He might be seen by more better, so that we'd learn to start each day mindful that if we aren't relying upon Him then it is a lost day.

Look out today and see His beauty and know that all created things, including me, are beautiful.  God doesn't make junk.