Under Who's Authority?

It seems to me that all conflict on Earth, and heaven, exists because of the fight against God's authority.  Man wants his own way.  He wants the right to decide how to live his life.  He wants to do what he wants to do.  And in heaven, the morning star, Lucifer, wanted his way.  He wanted the authority to do things his way.  Man and Satan oppose God simply by wanting to be God.

This drive to be God comes out in many ways.  Pride is the most obvious.  However, any action taken for the single effort of personal satisfaction that directly contradicts the Word of God, no matter the self-justification, is the pursuit of our own authority.  It is all vanity.  Solomon understood this in ways deeper than simple physical consumptions can explain.

Satan, who is described as the ruler of darkness which can also be defined as ruler of the obscure, has a single intention of hiding the Light or obscuring the Truth, preventing revelation or clarity.  Everywhere we try to assume authority, it involves some intentional obscurity of the Truth.  When we self-justify we blur very clearly written Truths.  Thus, we seek to change God's Word which says He is the authority.

When we consciously and purposefully violate God's Word, we become daughters and sons of Satan.  We declare that we are the authority over our world and we will go the way we see as best.  Anything that is not from the Light or Truth comes from someone or someplace else.  Therefore, we should be very sensitive to know the foundation behind our actions.  Do they originate from God's Word and His authority?  If not, there is no life in them and we should abandon them.

Task Saturated

Psalms 40:12a ¹² For troubles without number surround me...They are more than the hairs of my head..."
Psalms 34: ¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
Psalms 34: ¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all

It seems at times in life perfect storms hit - simultaneously.  Too many taskers, all important and urgent consume me.  I'm overwhelmed by the magnitude, number, complexity, and personality dynamics involved.  There is simply no way to get it all done.  No way to answer every question.  No way to thoroughly understand and correctly answer all the questions.  There are personnel evaluations to do in the midst of it all which affect people's pay and careers.  Too much room for grievous errors and too much temptation for anger, resentment, and a "why me" attitude.  God will have to intervene.  Counting on Him as I sprint through this day.  May I pause and remember that it is He who enables, not me.  Things to keep in mind as I tackle way more than the hours of this week and next have in them. 

I'll Fly Away

Yesterday I woke up covered in sin guilt.  My mind felt it was necessary to "dig up bones" and "resurrect memories better left alone" as the song Digging Up Bones sang by Randy Travis says.  I could refeel all the regret, the heartbreak of knowing the pain I have caused in others, the despair of knowing who or what I am capable of being.  My heart was broken, my spirit crushed, and I was again just wondering why God would allow me to stay alive knowing that I could hurt another one of His children again.  As I made light conversation with those around me, on the inside I wanted to yell a warning to everyone around me to "Run, run, as fast as you can.  I have a disease and I don't want you to get it."

But then, the Lord spoke.  He asked some questions.  "Are you telling Me what I can and can't do?"  "Is there a limit to My power?"  "Do you think you are the one I can't save?"  "Do you think you are the one I won't forgive?" ...  "All is vanity" Solomon wrote.  And pity parties are included in that "all".

I remember Pastor Pace saying, "When the devil gets on my shoulder and reminds me where I've been, I just remind him where he's going!"  Sounds good, but it's not the easiest mode to transfer back into.  No matter what I do I can't change the past.  It'll always be as it is.  The hurt is still there.  Will it ever be gone?  I believe the answer is "Yes."

Some bright morning when this life is over, I'll fly away

To a land on God's celestial shore, I'll fly away

When the shadows of this life have grown, I'll fly away

Like a bird from these prison walls, I'll fly way

I'll fly away, oh glory, I'll fly away

When I die, hallelujah by and by, I'll fly away

Love Hurts

Eph 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.

I recently read an interesting article posted by a friend on Facebook entitled "Seven Things I wish My Pastor Knew about Homosexuality (originally posted by Maxie Dunnam).  It was an article written by a now happily married mother of two children blasting some of the issues she dealt with during her long struggle with chronic sin.  My intent herein isn't to deal with homosexuality, the Bible is clear enough on that issue.  I simply appreciated the author's honesty in needing consistent and tough accountability.  She decried the feel good, God loves you anyway message of a politically correct church as contributory to her own struggle.  Instead she called for more fiery, unapologetic sermons on the spiritual consequences of sin and the Biblical commandment to live disciplined lives.  In the article, she posted the following which I thought insightful:  "Thomas Aquinas scholar Josef Pieper put it this way:

love is not synonymous with undifferentiated approval of everything the beloved person thinks and does in real life. . . . [nor is it] the wish for the beloved to feel good always and in every situation and for him to be spared experiencing pain or grief in all circumstances. “Mere ‘kindness’ which tolerates anything except [the beloved’s] suffering” has nothing to do with real love. . . . No lover can look on easily when he sees the one he loves preferring convenience to the good."

In today's politically correct society, however, those that take such a stance are berated and even labeled when taking a stand with our loved ones. 
I think every parent knows exactly how this woman feels. A loving parent stops the young child from wantonly running out into the street and strongly disciplines a defiant child simply to ensure their safety.  Good, Godly parents know that children need to be asked nicely one time to behave to teach their children manners, then told sternly to warn their children of impending doom and remind them that they are not in charge, and finally they need swift and decisive punishment to teach them the consequences of disobedience.  Great parents know that a swift painful spanking may in fact one day save their live as they will obediently stop when warned not to step out in front of an unseen car.  It's incredibly tough, however, to consistently complete all necessary steps in child rearing.  It can be emotionally draining, but is an absolute necessity to ensure kids learn the eternal consequences of sin. 
Although I don't agree with everything in the article, I thought it dealt with the subject of sin and accountability reasonably well and was clearly another message from God during this season of Lent.  I too need strong accountability, obviously not for homosexuality, but for sins with which I struggle with daily just the same.  I struggle with gluttony.  I struggle with materialism.  I struggle with lust.  I struggle with anger and how to properly display righteous indignation versus unkind words and actions that contribute to the problem rather than fix it. 
This season of Lent, God has been in my face about my own sin.  About how easily I can observe, comment, and decry the sins of others, yet I have so many of my own.  How I wish I could change, but changing of character isn't easy and sometimes, deep down, I really don't want to change.  I know intellectually I should, but my heart simply isn't in it.  Oh Lord, create in me a clean heart, so that its desires are consistent with your will!

In All Things

"In all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." - 2 Corinthians 6:4-10

I'm always amazed at how God presents His Word to me at the time when some aspect of His teaching is on my thoughts.  He continues to show me all things through the lens of faith.  Faith, and its relation to my everyday life, is His #1 lesson for me everyday.

A few nights ago I was unable to sleep.  (It was after Julie left.  I find I sleep terrible when she's not with me.)  I tried reading some, drinking some, ... nothing helped.  Finally around 2:15 am I prayed that God would help His children to sleep.  I was mindful of how David writes at how peacefully he slept while in the middle of His battles and assassins and other situations.  Obviously, he did this in full faith knowing that God would answer his prayer and "deal bountifully" with him.  By 2:30 am, I was sleeping and slept until 6:23 am, the latest I had slept yet.

Why am I so timid to depend upon God for everyday tasks?  Even sleep?  "In all things" I must remind myself.  When I get up and when I go to sleep.  There is no thing in my everyday that should not depend upon God.  If I don't have faith in Him to deliver me "in all things", then I am "naked and afraid", whether I realize it or not.  When I'm slow to recognize this, I believe it's just a matter of time before God makes me realize it, the amount of time depends upon how stubborn and hard-headed I am.

God is and God loves.  He wants me to sleep well; He wants me to live well; but this is only possible when I fulfill His greatest desire for me - He wants me to trust Him "in all things".  In as much as I have it in my belief that God exists, I should have it in His ability to help me sleep, to love, to overcome my sin nature, to wrap His arms around me and tell me He is there with me "in all things".

"In all things we are more than conquerors in Him who loved us." - Romans 8:37 

Does He Know You?

Reading Psalms 9:7-8 this morning ...

"The Lord reigns forever, He has established His throne for judgment.  He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity." - (NIV)

"The Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.  He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgement for the peoples in uprightness." - (NKJV)

Here again is an illustration where each version's message is a little different.  I guess saying the Lord reigns forever is in a way saying He endures forever, since He will reign because He will endure.  The message that matters is "He and He alone IS the LORD!"  There is, nor ever will be, another.

The Lord has established His throne and He has prepared His throne for judgment.  At the throne of judgment, I'm assuming is a judgment seat.  As best as I interpret God's Scripture, Jesus our Savior, sits on that judgment seat.  Every knee will bow and acknowledge that He is the Lord.  Every soul will stand before Him and He will acknowledge if, in your heart, you believed in Him.  He will then say, I knew you, or I never knew you.  The throne is established by God and is prepared for His Son, Jesus, to sit at it.

He rules the world.  God is and God rules the world, His Creation.  NO matter what anyone says, no matter how intelligent they think they are, this fact will overwhelm them either in this physical world or in the next.  Not only does He rule it, He does it with His character which holds righteousness as a leveling line.  He defines righteousness; He knows goodness; He administers all things with love as a foundation.  In Him and Him alone can come judgment for there is nothing else that is pure, untainted, who's depths spew torrents of love.

I thank God that today and everyday, He does not change.  Whomever may rule whatever place, whomever may win whatever war, but the Lord rules over all and will judge all using His guidelines of righteousness.  I can only pray that I will trust and have complete faith in every area of my life in Him, so He will say to me, I KNOW YOU MY SON!

Bumps in the Road

Matt 7: ²⁴ “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. ²⁵ Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.

Recently, Chris and Julie Garick had a trying time just getting a flight out to Hawaii.  Chris shared in a devotion about how frustrating each and every step of what became a 48hr exodus noting that it was tempting to get caught up in self pity and even question whether God was trying to communicate a message through the frustrations along the way.  He made an excellent point about how ludicrous our thinking becomes during times like these when we get wrapped up in self pity and doubt even being tempted to question God's leadership and direction thinking that we must be outside of God's will. 
I confess that I too get wrapped up in ludicrous thinking.  You all know that I am a man of zero patience, so I encounter situations like Chris described seemingly daily.  Jobs that should take 30 minutes turn into days of frustrating meetings that generate more questions and more work - ugh!  It makes one question whether God is trying to make a statement about being outside of His perfect will. 
After reading Chris' devotion, I'm mindful that in Matt 7 Jesus didn't promise us that the Narrow Gate, as he called God's will, was a life of zero frustrations and dangers.  Instead in Matt 7, note that He said "the rain comes in torrents."  Some days seem like frustrations come in torrents.  I know God loves me and doesn't wish these upon me, they are the result of a broken and flawed world made so by our own sin.  I think, however, that when He reminded us in Eph 4:26 that "in our anger, do not sin" He was saying that he's much more concerned about how we handle these situations than preventing them from occurring.  In other words, being the salt of the earth means that we are to demonstrate Christ's character to the world.  I confess that I can talk a good story, but living it amid a life full of frustrations has proven beyond my grasp. 
God has been on me quite heavily this Lenten season exposing my many character flaws and lack of patience is perhaps one of my worst which oddly enough adds to the list of frustrations almost like a self-licking ice cream cone.  I pray that in this second half of Lent, God would free me from the burden of my shame and guilt and lead me into the freedom of total reliance upon Him to mold and reshape me into the man of God He needs me to be at home and beyond.   

What has Satan ever Done to Me?

"Be ye therefore perfect ..."

As I have mulled the idea of Kina 'ole over in my mind, the thought of having flawless within me and exhibiting flawlessness.  I begin to wonder why we have this internal fear of Satan and evil.  Why is it there?  (A further question is why do people so readily believe in an incarnate evil but refuse to believe in an absolute loving God.)  What has Satan ever done to me?

First, let's look at what he did to Adam and Eve.  They saw the fruit and with hesitation they thought they would like to have the fruit.  All Satan did was make it available and convince them they could decide for themselves (be their own authority).  He simply made readily available those things that permitted for the to be their own authority and fulfill the sin nature inside their heart.  Their sin nature was simply their ability to not choose God or God's Word, all the time.

So, to answer my own question, what has Satan ever done to me?  He has only simply made a way for me to be my own authority.  This is quite different from the entertainment industry version of evil that we see on TV and movies.  This is not some kind of horned demon with red eyes rising from the smoke of fiery flowing lava and flames.  This is the most subtle, almost kind nudging, thoughtful presentation of a means to directly disobey God in such a way as to directly confront who He is.  The absolute cunning of the method is brilliant.  Put your image out there as some monster so people think they will recognize you, then wrap your arms around them and tell them how great they are in the most personable way, something that is completely opposite of the image they think of you.  Then persuade them to do a single act that attacks who your enemy is.  ...  And this method has worked since man was put on the Earth.  We are so stupid.  I think sheep are smarter than we are.

Yet, we have another choice.  We have a flawless Holy Spirit we can rely upon!  We can choose to know God's Word and reflect upon it.  We can be ever watchful for our own selfishness, carefully looking for areas where we want to be our own authority, and we can ask God to be the authority in that area.  WE CAN ALWAYS RUN TO HIM!  It is our choice.  And it is our choice all the time: the first time, the second time, and the last time.

Kina 'ole

All good Methodists are familiar with this John Wesley quote.

Do all the good you can.  By all the means you can.  In all the ways you can.  In all the places you can.  At all the times you can.  To all the people you can.  As long as ever you can.

 I found a similar Hawaiian quote. This is for the definition of the Hawaiian word - Kina 'ole (The i and the a are long).

Doing the right thing in the right way at the right time in the right place to the right person for the right reason with the right feeling, the first time.

I think it is interesting.  The place where I read this had obvious Christian roots.  There were many subtle and some not so subtle indications of their beliefs.  Another definition of the word is "flawlessness".  What an awesome way to describe the character of Christ within us - flawless.  And having such, we should exhibit flawlessness as a result. 

I Have Decided

After yesterday's devotion or writing I had the song I Have Decided to Follow Jesus written by S. Sundar Singh in my head all day.  The lyrics are as follows:

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.

"No turning back."  I resolve that I have decided, I do believe, I will have faith.  I'm not just a fan of Jesus, I'm a follower.  I will not be deterred.  I will not turn back to who I am without Him.

1. Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
   Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
   Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.

"Though I may wonder."  I will have doubts.  I won't understand everything I think I see and feel.  I will not be able to comprehend or out argue those who do not follow.  But "I still will follow".

1. The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   No turning back, no turning back.

The past is the past.  I will leave it there.  The only thing before me is Christ.  "I die daily ... for me to die is gain, to live is Christ."

1. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.

The world will not come with me.  This is my faith journey.  Even if the whole world turns their back on me and shuns me, "I still will follow."

1. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   No turning back, no turning back.

What an awesome message!  I can't escape its John Wayne toughness to faith.  Yet it is gentle and from the deepest sympathies of the heart.  Jesus is upon that message to us and others.

What's the real Question?

It has been a crazy week.  Trying to fly out on a 7:30 am plane that was broken (that plane didn't leave airport until after 5:00 pm), trying to reschedule for the next day's flight since there was no way Delta could get us from home to Honolulu that day, getting told that I REALLY needed to be at the meeting the next day, finding the only flight anywhere by anyone to get me there, leaving at 6:00 pm and flying all night with stops in Dallas-Fort Worth and Las Vegas before arriving at 6:00 am, getting luggage, car, and to hotel by 7:30, getting picked up at 7:50 and at the meeting at 9:00 am, sitting in it until 11:00, eating lunch and at another meeting at 1:00.  Long day.  

The odd thing about the whole day is, everything was seemingly against us.  Every line was long, every red light was red, every delay was delayed, every seat was uncomfortable, etc.  Honestly, I very seldom experience such things, or I seldom notice them.  I usually just laugh when everything planned goes awry.  What else can you do?  

This time, I just truly wondered how I was out of God's will.  Maybe I wasn't supposed to be here or have taken this job?  I certainly had more than one thought about not doing it and we had had several meetings to not do it, but wanted to be loyal to this person who asked us, not his company.  Did I not perceive God's direction?  ...  Then I realized that the whole conversation in my head was ludicrous.  

Somewhere a Christian has had his family broken apart, his wife and son and daughter taken, his wife used as a sex slave and passed around as each person gets tired of her, his daughter trained up to be a slave and used too early for evil, his son put in a brain-washing camp to be used as a fighter for evil, and he himself beaten, only kept alive so he can be beheaded for the world to see.

Somewhere a Christian is looking for food and water.  He might live in the slums of Honduras or Haiti.  He might have to look for scraps in the trash or find water in a ditch.  Somewhere a Christian mother is holding her child and sleeping in a box.  The box is their home. 

Did any of these not hear God's instruction?  Did they not perceive God's direction?  The question is ludicrous.  

All of us have not heard God's instruction.  All of us have not perceived God's direction.  We are all Adam and Eve.  We have all pursued our own desire at some time.  We have all wanted to be our own authority at some time.  Yet, God made a way.  This life is temporary.  We are just passing through this physical world.  The real world is the eternal, where God is and where God isn't.  

So, the only real question is have I decided to follow Jesus?  If so, how am I showing His love to His children, those who have decided and those who haven't.  Every possible other thing, will pass away.

LIttle Reminders

Malachi 3:6a “For I, the Lord, do not change;

Once in a while we need a little reminder that God is still in charge, still loves us, and will see us through whatever valley of life is consuming us at the moment.  Wednesday AM must have been one of those moments.  To set it up, Reja and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary by driving Mom to Birmingham to have a heart catheterization.  Mom's check in and procedure had gone extremely well and I was very thankful and of course our church overwhelmed us with calls, texts, and posts of support and concern.  There were hundreds of people praying and I had a calm assurance about the whole medical issue.  It should have been enough to simply have the opportunity to be together all day on our anniversary, but I couldn't help the feeling of inadequacy with the simple card I had stashed in my backpack to celebrate the occasion.  I should have called ahead and ordered flowers, or arranged a special dinner, or something to mark such an incredible milestone.  In addition to feelings of inadequacy regarding our anniversary, I was missing a lot of key meetings and taskers at work. I tried to use the time in the waiting room to keep up, but I had mixed emotions as I sat glued to my laptop that I wasn't being good company.  Worse, there was maddening bafoonery going on at the office and I really needed to get a couple of senior leaders together, bang them on the head and invite them in a not-so-politely way to grow up and contribute in a measurable way to our nations defense. 
So as Reja and I sat at breakfast Wednesday morning, I simply felt pulled in one too many directions at that moment.  Sort of an "I'm completely incompetent to even draw breath today" kind of feeling as I felt like I was trying to do too much and not getting any of it correct.  As we finished a sweet lady walked up with a cheery "good morning" as she reached to clear our breakfast plates.  For the mood I was in, that should have been more than enough words, but this woman wasn't going to quit.  She was from Birmingham and was going to fulfill her southern bell role by striking up a genteel conversation over bussing a table.  She asked what brought us to Birmingham thinking it was some sort of high-profile business or maybe a simple vacation.  When Reja shared that we had come with Mom for a medical procedure, she immediately offered to pray for her and inquired as to Mom's first name. 
That moment struck me more heavily than if Ryan had punched me in the arm.  God sent her to remind me that there was no place or situation I could go that escaped His reach.  Again, our church had bowled us over with contact inquiring about Mom, but something about a complete stranger approaching us brought a clear message from God.  Perhaps I expected the support from our church, but when this lady approached on the worldly mission of bussing a table, she didn't let that worldly job stop her from being on a heavenly mission. 
I'm thankful that God doesn't change, that we can't evade or over-extend His reach.  I'm thankful that He can use complete strangers to remind us that He is still in charge, circumstances do not dictate His love or His work, and that He can act in consistency with Himself at any point He deems it necessary.  He also reminded me that in all my worldly work and roles, my first and foremost calling is to be about His business.