Last evening, as the sun sank low in the western sky and the temperature outside started to cool off, I headed out for a run. Everything went as planned, except that I was inspired to push hard and run the last mile as my fastest of the three I ran that evening. That can be tough, but I noticed something interesting that really helped me out: as long as I stayed completely focused on the task at hand, I ran strong and didn't falter. However, the second I let my concentration waver I slowed down.
It is easy to let your thoughts drift while running. I noticed how my shoe was feeling a bit loose, which reminded me that I had just retied it before running. Clearly it shouldn't be loose already. By the time I had processed all of that and then briefly wondered whether I should stop and retie, I noticed that my pace had dropped off considerably. As I picked the pace back up, I prayed for strength to finish strong. That is when God stepped in and let me know He was trying to teach me a lesson.
In life we often find ourselves drifting, sometimes to the point of losing our focus. However, God wants our worship. That is, He wants to be the Center of our world. If we allow ourselves to be distracted by the things of this world, then He cannot work in us and through us as powerfully as if we were fully committed. The choice is ours, but we cannot do this alone.
"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13, NKJV, emphasis added). Each and every day, I must invite Jesus into my heart and yield my will to His saving grace. This is what each and every Christian needs to do. We cannot fight in the conflict against evil alone.
Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7, NKJV). We have the promises of God to give us the assurance that He hears our prayers and will answer them as long as we stay within the Father's will. By yielding our hearts and wills to God, we can strive to always stay within God's will.
Running the race of life with purpose will have some hiccups along the way. Just like my evening jog, things both large and small will come along to distract us from our purpose. Ultimately, that purpose as Christians is to prepare the world for His soon return. Are you ready? Are you encouraging others to be ready? Is your will one with His?
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2, NKJV).
Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith. We do not have to run alone. So get out there and run the race of life with purpose and endurance. Then we can each say, along with the great apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NKJV).
On the Mountain Top
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
"Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer."
This morning, while out on the creek just after sunrise, I was treated to a special moment when the sun's rays finally began to pierce through the fog and morning shadows. The humidity that lingered in the mountain valley captured the light and lit up in distinct shafts that sliced through an otherwise gloomy forest. This was a special moment because part of my goal on this trip to the mountains was to spend extra time with God. The scene reminded me of a favorite passage in Isaiah 58:6-11.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."This reminds me a lot of a passage in Matthew 25:31-40. The verses that are particularly relevant are verses 34-36 which says, "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'" Further on, Jesus summarizes the whole principle by saying, "'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me'" (verse 40).
Jesus is explaining how we are called to serve others. As Christians, we should always be seeking to serve. The whole point of these verses is to demonstrate that a life of service is strictly about giving. In each of these examples, it is impossible to have an ulterior motive. None of the people described are capable of giving anything back to the person helping them. No, service is about helping others simply because we have God's great love living in us and that is what life is all about.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Peace or Tension?
In light of the current tensions in our country, the following quote from my reading tonight seemed especially pertinent.
"No distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste, is recognized by God. He is the maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by creation, and all our one through redemption. Christ came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment of the temple courts, that every soul may have free access to God. His love is so broad, so deep, so full, that it penetrates everywhere." PK pp. 369, 370
Sadly, throughout history, we have seen just the opposite from God's people, and even worse often in the name of "religion." What if, instead of seeing others as the world sees them, we were able to see them as God sees them with no distinction between any two people?
There was further encouragement later in the reading.
"Heaven's plan of salvation is broad enough to embrace the whole world. God longs to breathe into prostrate humanity the breath of life. And He will not permit any soul to be disappointed who is sincere in his longing for something higher and nobler than anything the world can offer." PK pp. 377, 378
Right now, the world is offering tension and strife. Thankfully, God is offering peace to all. If only we could all accept each other the way God accept's us, then things would be so much better.
"No distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste, is recognized by God. He is the maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by creation, and all our one through redemption. Christ came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment of the temple courts, that every soul may have free access to God. His love is so broad, so deep, so full, that it penetrates everywhere." PK pp. 369, 370
Sadly, throughout history, we have seen just the opposite from God's people, and even worse often in the name of "religion." What if, instead of seeing others as the world sees them, we were able to see them as God sees them with no distinction between any two people?
There was further encouragement later in the reading.
"Heaven's plan of salvation is broad enough to embrace the whole world. God longs to breathe into prostrate humanity the breath of life. And He will not permit any soul to be disappointed who is sincere in his longing for something higher and nobler than anything the world can offer." PK pp. 377, 378
Right now, the world is offering tension and strife. Thankfully, God is offering peace to all. If only we could all accept each other the way God accept's us, then things would be so much better.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Waiting
This morning, while reading the story of Joseph, something jumped out at me that I had not noticed before. Oh, I'm sure I've read it many times, but it took on a whole new meaning today. With so many things changing in life right now and not being entirely sure where God will take me next, it is always tough to just be patient and wait on God for things to happen.
For Joseph, things go from bad to worse when, after being sold into slavery in Egypt, he is thrown into jail for something he didn't even do. When he was young and enjoying life as his father's favorite, I'm guessing he didn't see this one coming. Once he is in jail, it quickly becomes obvious that God is with him. In life, we have two options: either we are for God or against Him. The story of Joseph demonstrates without a shadow of doubt that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So we see Joseph in jail, but not wallowing in self pity like many of us would do. Instead, he makes himself useful and soon is given charge over all the prisoners because the jailer could see that God was with him. Then Pharaoh's chief butler and baker are thrown into prison "for a while" (Genesis 40:4). Of course, Joseph has no idea that one of these two will ultimately play a large role in helping get him out of jail. When they both have troubling dreams and Joseph interprets for them, the butler and baker have the predictions fulfilled exactly as Joseph had foretold. In gratitude, the butler soon forgets about Joseph. Where we have short memories, God is still working. God's timing was not yet fulfilled and it wasn't until Pharaoh dreamed his own dreams that the butler remembered Joseph and how he had correctly interpreted his dreams (Genesis 41: 9-13) and mentioned it to Pharaoh.
Here is the amazing part of this whole story. This part of the story happens "at the end of two full years" (Genesis 41:1). Imagine if you are Joseph. In interpreting the butler's dream, Joseph had eloquently pleaded with him to "remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house" (Genesis 40:14). If I had been Joseph, I would have been thinking, "just a few more days..." When those days turned into weeks, then months, and eventually years, I would have given up hope of the butler ever doing my a favor. Still, God was ultimately working, keeping Joseph there until it was time to interpret Pharaoh's dream. God brought Joseph out of the prison and elevated him to the Prime Minister of Egypt.
In your life, are you letting God use the difficult times that come along to mold your character? Are you letting Him prepare you for the higher calling He has in store for you? Right now the way forward may not seem obvious. However God has a purpose that He is still working out and whether it is 2 days or 2 years (or how about 40 years like Moses?), God will ultimately lead you where He wants you to be.
For Joseph, things go from bad to worse when, after being sold into slavery in Egypt, he is thrown into jail for something he didn't even do. When he was young and enjoying life as his father's favorite, I'm guessing he didn't see this one coming. Once he is in jail, it quickly becomes obvious that God is with him. In life, we have two options: either we are for God or against Him. The story of Joseph demonstrates without a shadow of doubt that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So we see Joseph in jail, but not wallowing in self pity like many of us would do. Instead, he makes himself useful and soon is given charge over all the prisoners because the jailer could see that God was with him. Then Pharaoh's chief butler and baker are thrown into prison "for a while" (Genesis 40:4). Of course, Joseph has no idea that one of these two will ultimately play a large role in helping get him out of jail. When they both have troubling dreams and Joseph interprets for them, the butler and baker have the predictions fulfilled exactly as Joseph had foretold. In gratitude, the butler soon forgets about Joseph. Where we have short memories, God is still working. God's timing was not yet fulfilled and it wasn't until Pharaoh dreamed his own dreams that the butler remembered Joseph and how he had correctly interpreted his dreams (Genesis 41: 9-13) and mentioned it to Pharaoh.
Here is the amazing part of this whole story. This part of the story happens "at the end of two full years" (Genesis 41:1). Imagine if you are Joseph. In interpreting the butler's dream, Joseph had eloquently pleaded with him to "remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house" (Genesis 40:14). If I had been Joseph, I would have been thinking, "just a few more days..." When those days turned into weeks, then months, and eventually years, I would have given up hope of the butler ever doing my a favor. Still, God was ultimately working, keeping Joseph there until it was time to interpret Pharaoh's dream. God brought Joseph out of the prison and elevated him to the Prime Minister of Egypt.
In your life, are you letting God use the difficult times that come along to mold your character? Are you letting Him prepare you for the higher calling He has in store for you? Right now the way forward may not seem obvious. However God has a purpose that He is still working out and whether it is 2 days or 2 years (or how about 40 years like Moses?), God will ultimately lead you where He wants you to be.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Whatever Is True
As Christians, we are called to a higher standard of living. The world around us is constantly bombarding us with distractions to take our eyes off of Jesus. In I Peter 2:9 we are encouraged to live for God. It says, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." Later in verses 11 of the same chapter, Peter says, "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul."
All of this is bringing us to the main point. This morning I read Philippians where we find one of my favorite verses. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Philippians 4:8). If we are called to be "people belonging to God" and to live as "strangers in the world," shouldn't we live, not as the world encourages us to live but as God is calling us to live? What if we ran all of the entertainment we partake of in life through the test of Philippians 4:8? What if we allowed it to guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions? What would be the result of focusing all aspects of our life on ONLY whatever is true, noble, right, and pure?
We should live our lives in such a way that we show everyone around us that we are "longing for a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16). Most of all, we should all work to hasten the soon coming of Jesus!!!
All of this is bringing us to the main point. This morning I read Philippians where we find one of my favorite verses. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Philippians 4:8). If we are called to be "people belonging to God" and to live as "strangers in the world," shouldn't we live, not as the world encourages us to live but as God is calling us to live? What if we ran all of the entertainment we partake of in life through the test of Philippians 4:8? What if we allowed it to guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions? What would be the result of focusing all aspects of our life on ONLY whatever is true, noble, right, and pure?
We should live our lives in such a way that we show everyone around us that we are "longing for a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16). Most of all, we should all work to hasten the soon coming of Jesus!!!
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Shine As Stars
One of my favorite verses (okay so I have a lot of them, but I do really really like this one) is found in Hebrews 12:1, 2 which says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter or our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." This verse is both a formula and a challenge.
The challenge in this verse is the thought that we are surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." In other words, the whole Universe is watching the Great Controversy playing out here on our small planet. Around us, each and every day, are people who either don't know the love of God, or have an incomplete view or misunderstanding of the love of God. Our job, as believers, is to share God's love with the world around us. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that, "these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." In 1 John 4:7 says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
So why is this such a challenge? Well, because it is tough to be a witness sometimes. Our human nature does not always desire the things of God. Paul says, in Romans 7:18, 19, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing." In our sinful nature, it is impossible to be perfect. People will continue to see a distorted view of God in us as long as we are working on our own. Thankfully, Hebrews 12:1, 2 does not end by telling us that everyone is watching us. Instead it goes on and tells us the solution.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." That's it, so simple and yet everyday we try to do things our own way without Him. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, it becomes His Spirit working in us. In that way, all of those witnesses surrounding us will see Jesus in us instead of our human nature with all of it its sinful faults. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord," II Corinthians 3:18.
Philippians 2:15 encourages us to "become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Today, God is calling each of us to shine for Him to the world around us. We never know who is watching us. If you say you are a Christian, then live it. If you are still on the fence, make a decision for Him today. Time is growing short. Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming soon!" Revelation 22:12. Choose today to be a part of those who Jesus will take to live with Him for eternity.
Let our prayer be the same that Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. "Not my will, but yours be done" oh God (Luke 22:42).
The challenge in this verse is the thought that we are surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." In other words, the whole Universe is watching the Great Controversy playing out here on our small planet. Around us, each and every day, are people who either don't know the love of God, or have an incomplete view or misunderstanding of the love of God. Our job, as believers, is to share God's love with the world around us. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that, "these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." In 1 John 4:7 says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
So why is this such a challenge? Well, because it is tough to be a witness sometimes. Our human nature does not always desire the things of God. Paul says, in Romans 7:18, 19, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing." In our sinful nature, it is impossible to be perfect. People will continue to see a distorted view of God in us as long as we are working on our own. Thankfully, Hebrews 12:1, 2 does not end by telling us that everyone is watching us. Instead it goes on and tells us the solution.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." That's it, so simple and yet everyday we try to do things our own way without Him. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, it becomes His Spirit working in us. In that way, all of those witnesses surrounding us will see Jesus in us instead of our human nature with all of it its sinful faults. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord," II Corinthians 3:18.
Philippians 2:15 encourages us to "become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Today, God is calling each of us to shine for Him to the world around us. We never know who is watching us. If you say you are a Christian, then live it. If you are still on the fence, make a decision for Him today. Time is growing short. Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming soon!" Revelation 22:12. Choose today to be a part of those who Jesus will take to live with Him for eternity.
Let our prayer be the same that Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. "Not my will, but yours be done" oh God (Luke 22:42).
Saturday, May 3, 2014
A Consuming Fire
"For our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). When you think of fire, what is the first thing you see? Perhaps it is a cheerful campfire with people gathered around in friendship, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows. Others who have lived through the fury that can be a fire may think of whole mountainsides going up in flames or maybe their house being lost. That cheerful campfire can grow large very quickly given the right conditions.
In the Bible, when God is referred to as a consuming fire, the context is quite interesting. The first time we see the words "consuming fire" in the Bible is in Deuteronomy 4:24 where we read that "the LORD your God is a consuming fire; a jealous God." Those last three words are intriguing, and we find more insight if we back up to verse 23 which says "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden." Okay, so it seems that God is fiercely jealous and wants us to always put Him first. Fair enough, but what does He really want from us?
Before we answer that question, let's look at the second of three references in the Bible for the words "consuming fire." This one comes shortly after the first time we read it and is found in Deuteronomy 9:3. Again, the context is important so we need to look at verses 1 and 2 as well. "Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall -- Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: 'Who can stand up against the Anakites?' But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you."
If we take a figurative approach to these texts, we can consider Israel in the spiritual sense. In each of our lives, we are called out of Egypt (a life of sin) into a new life with Christ in the Promised Land of Canaan (ultimately Heaven). However, just because we have turned our back on our old ways does not mean that we have arrived at the perfection that Jesus would offer us. Instead, He wants to go before us and root out the sin in our lives. Even when it is not popular and we have an uphill struggle, He will go ahead of us and fight for us. Just as He promised to go before the Israelites and fight for them, so will He go before us and fight our battles today.
So, in the end, it is great news that God is a consuming fire. In Hebrews 12:28, we find what what God wants from us in return. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." It goes on in verse 29 to conclude the thought by saying "for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" The reason that we give God our worship and praise is because of the mighty work He does in our lives. He takes us, puny, sinful human beings, and offers to make us into a new creation. II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" This is fantastic news and this is why we should be praising God and worshipping Him with "reverence and awe."
As we move ever closer to possessing the Promised Land of Heaven, God will go before us and root out those things in our lives that keep us from Him. There are so many distractions in the world around us today, and just as God knew that the heathen people around the Israelites would lead the Israelites astray into idolatry, so God knows that we surrounded by many things that try to keep us from Him. His jealousy is born out of love for us, love so strong that He sent His Son to die for us (John 3:16). In light of the gift He gave us, isn't it a very small thing to give up anything and everything that separates you from Him? Ask God today to come into your life and consume anything that may be separating you from a closer walk with Him.
In the Bible, when God is referred to as a consuming fire, the context is quite interesting. The first time we see the words "consuming fire" in the Bible is in Deuteronomy 4:24 where we read that "the LORD your God is a consuming fire; a jealous God." Those last three words are intriguing, and we find more insight if we back up to verse 23 which says "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden." Okay, so it seems that God is fiercely jealous and wants us to always put Him first. Fair enough, but what does He really want from us?
Before we answer that question, let's look at the second of three references in the Bible for the words "consuming fire." This one comes shortly after the first time we read it and is found in Deuteronomy 9:3. Again, the context is important so we need to look at verses 1 and 2 as well. "Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall -- Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: 'Who can stand up against the Anakites?' But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you."
If we take a figurative approach to these texts, we can consider Israel in the spiritual sense. In each of our lives, we are called out of Egypt (a life of sin) into a new life with Christ in the Promised Land of Canaan (ultimately Heaven). However, just because we have turned our back on our old ways does not mean that we have arrived at the perfection that Jesus would offer us. Instead, He wants to go before us and root out the sin in our lives. Even when it is not popular and we have an uphill struggle, He will go ahead of us and fight for us. Just as He promised to go before the Israelites and fight for them, so will He go before us and fight our battles today.
So, in the end, it is great news that God is a consuming fire. In Hebrews 12:28, we find what what God wants from us in return. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." It goes on in verse 29 to conclude the thought by saying "for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" The reason that we give God our worship and praise is because of the mighty work He does in our lives. He takes us, puny, sinful human beings, and offers to make us into a new creation. II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" This is fantastic news and this is why we should be praising God and worshipping Him with "reverence and awe."
As we move ever closer to possessing the Promised Land of Heaven, God will go before us and root out those things in our lives that keep us from Him. There are so many distractions in the world around us today, and just as God knew that the heathen people around the Israelites would lead the Israelites astray into idolatry, so God knows that we surrounded by many things that try to keep us from Him. His jealousy is born out of love for us, love so strong that He sent His Son to die for us (John 3:16). In light of the gift He gave us, isn't it a very small thing to give up anything and everything that separates you from Him? Ask God today to come into your life and consume anything that may be separating you from a closer walk with Him.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Boldness
When was the last time you were arrested for your faith? Here in the U.S. we don't have to worry about that but many around the world live in constant danger because of their beliefs. The early Believers faced a similar threat. In fact, Acts 4 describes a time when Peter and John were arrested for "teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead" (verse 2).
My favorite part of this story happens after Peter and John are questioned by the Sanhedrin and subsequently released. Verse 23 says that "on their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them." After the explanation, the people had a prayer meeting. Hands down, the best line of the prayer is in verse 29: "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness."
When was the last time you knew that a conflict was coming and you stopped to pray for great boldness? The Believers prayer was answered in a mighty way. "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (verse 31). God longs for us to prayer for His Spirit. As our world becomes more and more secular and time grows short, shouldn't we be praying for boldness every day? Boldness to share the Word of God with everyone around us so that we may hasten His soon coming!!!
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).
My favorite part of this story happens after Peter and John are questioned by the Sanhedrin and subsequently released. Verse 23 says that "on their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them." After the explanation, the people had a prayer meeting. Hands down, the best line of the prayer is in verse 29: "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness."
When was the last time you knew that a conflict was coming and you stopped to pray for great boldness? The Believers prayer was answered in a mighty way. "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (verse 31). God longs for us to prayer for His Spirit. As our world becomes more and more secular and time grows short, shouldn't we be praying for boldness every day? Boldness to share the Word of God with everyone around us so that we may hasten His soon coming!!!
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).
Monday, April 28, 2014
This Is Eternal Life
Have you ever wondered if eternal life is possible and how to obtain it? The Bible is very clear on the subject. Jesus says, in John 17:3, that "this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." He also said to His disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him" (John 14:6, 7). To know the Father, we have to know Jesus. So, do you know Jesus?
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Look to Jesus
The quote I shared below is an interesting one, and I would like to share it again. According to the book Steps to Christ, "As we meditate upon the perfections of the Saviour, we shall desire to be wholly transformed and renewed in the image of His purity. There will be a hungering and thirsting of soul to become like Him whom we adore. The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the more we shall speak of Him to others and represent Him to the world" (E.G. White, p. 89). As I read this I couldn't help but think of a Bible verse.
In II Corinthians 3:18, Paul says, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (NIV). How are we being transformed? By reflecting the "Lord's glory." To reflect the glory of Jesus, we must look to him. You cannot see your reflection in a mirror without looking into a mirror.
All too often, as part of our supposed Christian walk, we become quite absorbed in "being good." Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."Clearly it is impossible to be good enough under our own power, and yet we still find ourselves in the trap of looking at ourselves and our "goodness" or lack thereof. Our focus within this mindset of exactly the opposite of where it should be.
If we would but turn our eyes to Christ, we would then be able to reflect HIS character and HIS glory. This in turn brings another question: why aren't more of us reflecting Jesus in our lives? I believe it is because we are not looking to Jesus. I want to encourage everyone to focus on your relationship with Jesus first and foremost in your life. Spend time getting to know Him so that you can reflect His beauty and perfection to the world around you.
In II Corinthians 3:18, Paul says, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (NIV). How are we being transformed? By reflecting the "Lord's glory." To reflect the glory of Jesus, we must look to him. You cannot see your reflection in a mirror without looking into a mirror.
All too often, as part of our supposed Christian walk, we become quite absorbed in "being good." Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."Clearly it is impossible to be good enough under our own power, and yet we still find ourselves in the trap of looking at ourselves and our "goodness" or lack thereof. Our focus within this mindset of exactly the opposite of where it should be.
If we would but turn our eyes to Christ, we would then be able to reflect HIS character and HIS glory. This in turn brings another question: why aren't more of us reflecting Jesus in our lives? I believe it is because we are not looking to Jesus. I want to encourage everyone to focus on your relationship with Jesus first and foremost in your life. Spend time getting to know Him so that you can reflect His beauty and perfection to the world around you.
Just imagine the effect we could have on the world if we started to actually interact with others as Jesus would!!!
Monday, April 15, 2013
To Be Like Christ
"As we meditate upon the perfections of the Saviour, we shall desire to be wholly transformed and renewed in the image of His purity. There will be a hungering and thirsting of soul to become like Him whom we adore. The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the more we shall speak of Him to others and represent Him to the world."
SC 89.2
SC 89.2
Friday, February 15, 2013
"Come Out of Her"
This past week, a major event with global repercussions shocked the world. Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation. This unheard of announcement from a Pope quickly gained more attention than the more light-hearted news stories, such as the 2013 Grammy Awards. However, it was at the Grammy Awards that we find what is possibly an even more sinister news item. The winner for Album of the Year??? Drumroll please........ The Album of the Year was entitled "Babel." As a Bible-believing Christian, that set off alarms in my head.
We first find Babel mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 11. "Now the whole world had one language and a common speech" (verse 1, NIV). That is significant. The flood has recently occurred and people are now fully engaged in repopulating the earth. In verses 3-4, the people determine that they should build a city with a "tower that reaches to the heavens" to make a name for themselves (verse 4, NIV). Next God proceeds to confuse their languages so that they cannot continue in the course they have chosen. As a result, after the people scattered out from the former building site, it became known as "Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world."
A quick check of Merriam-Webster's Dictionary describes Babel as "a confusion of sounds or voices" and also as "a scene of noise or confusion." I would suggest that we are living in a scene of noise or confusion today.
We find Babel, or Babylon (built on the site of the original city), showing up later in the Bible when the Israelites are carried off into the Babylonian Captivity. While there, in Daniel 4:30 we find King Nebuchadnezzar praising his own successes saying, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (NIV). The message is clear: Babylon is centered on glorifying humanity and rejecting God as the Source of all Power. In fact, I recommend reading all of Daniel chapter 4 for more on this story and its implications.
Fast forward some more, to the New Testament book of Revelation, and we find Babylon showing up again. Spiritual Babylon is our real concern as Christians, and Revelation dwells on the topic at length. The crowning appeal comes as John hears "another voice from heaven say: 'Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins'" (Revelation 18:4, NIV).
We find in Revelation 13:14, we find a lamb-like beast, representing the United States, setting up an image in honor of the first beast, representing spiritual Babylon. And now, our media and pop culture has awarded arguably music's highest honor on an Album entitled Babel. Coincidence? I don't think so. Time is short, and soon I believe that, instead of something trivial like the Grammys, the United States will be honoring spiritual Babylon officially.
Babylon represents confusion, and in spiritual Babylon we find all sorts of confusion. The Bible says to "Come out of her," meaning that we need to know our beliefs and stand firm in them. Earth's time is short. There is not time for putting off a decision for Jesus until later. Accept Him and begin to study His Word today to find out the Truth about what God wants for each of His people.
We first find Babel mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 11. "Now the whole world had one language and a common speech" (verse 1, NIV). That is significant. The flood has recently occurred and people are now fully engaged in repopulating the earth. In verses 3-4, the people determine that they should build a city with a "tower that reaches to the heavens" to make a name for themselves (verse 4, NIV). Next God proceeds to confuse their languages so that they cannot continue in the course they have chosen. As a result, after the people scattered out from the former building site, it became known as "Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world."
A quick check of Merriam-Webster's Dictionary describes Babel as "a confusion of sounds or voices" and also as "a scene of noise or confusion." I would suggest that we are living in a scene of noise or confusion today.
We find Babel, or Babylon (built on the site of the original city), showing up later in the Bible when the Israelites are carried off into the Babylonian Captivity. While there, in Daniel 4:30 we find King Nebuchadnezzar praising his own successes saying, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (NIV). The message is clear: Babylon is centered on glorifying humanity and rejecting God as the Source of all Power. In fact, I recommend reading all of Daniel chapter 4 for more on this story and its implications.
Fast forward some more, to the New Testament book of Revelation, and we find Babylon showing up again. Spiritual Babylon is our real concern as Christians, and Revelation dwells on the topic at length. The crowning appeal comes as John hears "another voice from heaven say: 'Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins'" (Revelation 18:4, NIV).
We find in Revelation 13:14, we find a lamb-like beast, representing the United States, setting up an image in honor of the first beast, representing spiritual Babylon. And now, our media and pop culture has awarded arguably music's highest honor on an Album entitled Babel. Coincidence? I don't think so. Time is short, and soon I believe that, instead of something trivial like the Grammys, the United States will be honoring spiritual Babylon officially.
Babylon represents confusion, and in spiritual Babylon we find all sorts of confusion. The Bible says to "Come out of her," meaning that we need to know our beliefs and stand firm in them. Earth's time is short. There is not time for putting off a decision for Jesus until later. Accept Him and begin to study His Word today to find out the Truth about what God wants for each of His people.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Persistent Prayer
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land, or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their in and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13, 14).
God never promised that life would be easy, and in fact it appears that He purposefully allows difficult times to invade our lives. God says, "When I shut up the heavens..." The rest of the verse explains that the purpose of trials and tribulations is to encourage God's people to humble themselves before the King of the Universe, to pray, to seek God's face, and turn away from doing evil. What I would like to focus on is prayer.
While God wants to hear from us during the trials and tribulations, He also wants to hear from us the rest of the time as well. In fact, prayer is our lifeline to Heaven, without which we will drift so far from God that it will require those tough times in our life to remind us of our dependence on the Giver of Life. Often we get so caught up in the cares of this world that we forget to spend time in prayer. "Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul. Family prayer, public prayer, have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul life" (Ed 258.3).
One of Jesus' greatest concerns is that He will return to take His people home only to discover a lack of faith in Him. In the story of the persistent widow found in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells of a widow who kept presenting her request for justice against an adversary before the town judge. The judge "neither feared God or cared about men" (verse 2), but due to the widow's persistence eventually granted her request so she wouldn't "weary" him. Jesus then goes on to make the point that if an earthly judge who does not care for men would eventually grant the widow her request, how much more will an all-powerful and loving God grant us our requests when we continually present them before Him!!!
The warning then comes with Jesus adding, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Prayer is one way in which we are called to exercise our faith. God is ready and waiting to answer our requests, but first we need to show the persistence that demonstrates our faith in and complete reliance on God. Among the things Jesus wants us to pray for is that we may not fall into temptation (Luke 22:40). As time grows ever shorter and the world around us becomes more and more corrupt and sinful, a constant and life-giving connection with God is essential to avoiding temptation.
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 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 crops" (James 5:16-18). Scripture is clear: what Elijah had can be the experience of any believer in Christ. Jesus asked if He would find faith on the earth when He returns. It is our duty to stay true to God, and we begin first of all by maintaining our connection to Him through prayer.
In I Kings 18:41-46, we find Elijah, full of faith, convinced that God will now send rain on the land. The showdown on Mt. Carmel with the priests of Baal is complete (I Kings 18:19-41). Elijah is so sure of the God he serves that he tells King Ahab to "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain," (verse 41) and this before there is even a cloud in the sky!
Elijah then returns to the top of Mt. Carmel to intercede with God on Israel's behalf. Even though Israel has followed after foreign gods, the people have overwhelmingly made a decision to follow the true God again. Elijah begins praying, and after each prayer sends his servant to look towards the sea for any sign of the coming rain. One time, two times, three times, no clouds, no sign of rain. Four times, five times, six times, and by now most people would have given up, but not Elijah because his faith in God is total at this point. Jesus did not tell the story of the Persistent Widow randomly, but really wanted to drive home the point that we need to intercede with God not once, not twice, but many times. Finally, on the seventh time, Elijah's servant returns and reports a cloud the size of a man's hand (I Kings 18:44).
Elijah hurries down to Ahab and tells him to hurry home or else get caught in the storm which soon bursts upon the land. "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). God is seeking people who will "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17), people who will continue to pray, in faith, for God to work in their lives and the lives of those around them.
In Mark 11:24, Jesus tells us that when we ask and believe, God will answer our prayers. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). God is waiting, yearning to hear from his children. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer" (I Peter 3:12). If God cares about us so much and wants to hear from us, then we should give Him the honor and respect He deserves. Will you purpose to spend more time in prayer starting today so that when Jesus comes He will find faith on the earth?
God never promised that life would be easy, and in fact it appears that He purposefully allows difficult times to invade our lives. God says, "When I shut up the heavens..." The rest of the verse explains that the purpose of trials and tribulations is to encourage God's people to humble themselves before the King of the Universe, to pray, to seek God's face, and turn away from doing evil. What I would like to focus on is prayer.
While God wants to hear from us during the trials and tribulations, He also wants to hear from us the rest of the time as well. In fact, prayer is our lifeline to Heaven, without which we will drift so far from God that it will require those tough times in our life to remind us of our dependence on the Giver of Life. Often we get so caught up in the cares of this world that we forget to spend time in prayer. "Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul. Family prayer, public prayer, have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul life" (Ed 258.3).
One of Jesus' greatest concerns is that He will return to take His people home only to discover a lack of faith in Him. In the story of the persistent widow found in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells of a widow who kept presenting her request for justice against an adversary before the town judge. The judge "neither feared God or cared about men" (verse 2), but due to the widow's persistence eventually granted her request so she wouldn't "weary" him. Jesus then goes on to make the point that if an earthly judge who does not care for men would eventually grant the widow her request, how much more will an all-powerful and loving God grant us our requests when we continually present them before Him!!!
The warning then comes with Jesus adding, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Prayer is one way in which we are called to exercise our faith. God is ready and waiting to answer our requests, but first we need to show the persistence that demonstrates our faith in and complete reliance on God. Among the things Jesus wants us to pray for is that we may not fall into temptation (Luke 22:40). As time grows ever shorter and the world around us becomes more and more corrupt and sinful, a constant and life-giving connection with God is essential to avoiding temptation.
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 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 crops" (James 5:16-18). Scripture is clear: what Elijah had can be the experience of any believer in Christ. Jesus asked if He would find faith on the earth when He returns. It is our duty to stay true to God, and we begin first of all by maintaining our connection to Him through prayer.
In I Kings 18:41-46, we find Elijah, full of faith, convinced that God will now send rain on the land. The showdown on Mt. Carmel with the priests of Baal is complete (I Kings 18:19-41). Elijah is so sure of the God he serves that he tells King Ahab to "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain," (verse 41) and this before there is even a cloud in the sky!
Elijah then returns to the top of Mt. Carmel to intercede with God on Israel's behalf. Even though Israel has followed after foreign gods, the people have overwhelmingly made a decision to follow the true God again. Elijah begins praying, and after each prayer sends his servant to look towards the sea for any sign of the coming rain. One time, two times, three times, no clouds, no sign of rain. Four times, five times, six times, and by now most people would have given up, but not Elijah because his faith in God is total at this point. Jesus did not tell the story of the Persistent Widow randomly, but really wanted to drive home the point that we need to intercede with God not once, not twice, but many times. Finally, on the seventh time, Elijah's servant returns and reports a cloud the size of a man's hand (I Kings 18:44).
Elijah hurries down to Ahab and tells him to hurry home or else get caught in the storm which soon bursts upon the land. "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). God is seeking people who will "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17), people who will continue to pray, in faith, for God to work in their lives and the lives of those around them.
In Mark 11:24, Jesus tells us that when we ask and believe, God will answer our prayers. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). God is waiting, yearning to hear from his children. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer" (I Peter 3:12). If God cares about us so much and wants to hear from us, then we should give Him the honor and respect He deserves. Will you purpose to spend more time in prayer starting today so that when Jesus comes He will find faith on the earth?
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Bible Studies
Do you have questions about the Bible? If you are searching for answers, I highly recommend trying Bible studies from It is Written. They are all completely free which is always nice in this day where people charge for just about anything. In particular, I recommend trying out the Search For Certainty studies.
Monday, November 5, 2012
This We Know
The story of the Samaritan woman in John 4 is one that requires our special attention. In fact, it is not even the main story that I want to focus on, but the ending. What appears as a random footnote is actually a beautiful summary of the whole story and each believer should take the lesson to heart.
The story begins with Jesus resting near a well by Samaria while His disciples are off to find something to eat. A random Samaritan woman comes down to draw water, attempting to avoid the judgmental glances and comments that would occur if she came to draw water with all the other women of the city. Her life is one of sin and she has responded by avoiding mingling when at all possible. The gossip and snickers of other women is too much to bear.
Jesus sees her coming and grasps upon an opportunity to minister. He asks for a drink of water which initiates a conversation in which He shares with her the deepest secrets of her life. While He is sharing the truths about the Kingdom of God, she perceives that Jesus is the longed for Messiah. Jesus replies in the affirmative and in her excitement, she races off to town to tell everyone what she has found! What if we were as excited about Jesus as she was? What would that mean to the world around us? As Christians, we need to rediscover our deep abiding love of Jesus to the point that we actively seek opportunities to share Him with the world.
An even more important lesson awaits however. As we continue on with the story, John 4:39 explains that many people of Samaria believed because of the woman's testimony. In our lives, we have numerous opportunities to recognize God working around us. Even nature is telling us about God and His love for us. Do we stop to listen when God tries to use people around us to share about His goodness and grace? Do we stop to be still and listen to Him speak to us through nature? How about church? Do we go because it is "what good Christians do" or do we go with a deep earnestness to learn about the Kingdom of God?
While all of these things are definitely well and good, we should not just rely on friends to tell us about God. We should not just rely on the minister. We should not only watch for God's revelation in nature. No, we MUST experience Him for ourselves as the most important part of our life. The people of Samaria followed up this whole episode by saying to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world" (John 4:42).
This is the most important part of our walk. The Samaritan woman did not share Christ with others until she had experienced Christ in her own life. She knew the prophecies as demonstrated in her interaction with Jesus. However, just like so many of us today, she was still going about the mundane details of her life without bothering to tell others of the truth she had been taught.
We can go to church, and learn a lot about God. We can have others tell us their own personal testimony and be encouraged in our walk with God, but we cannot substitute the experience of others in place of our own walk. We must meet Jesus face to face for ourselves. Through the pages of scripture and through time in prayer, we must prepare ourselves to share Jesus with the World. We should all be able to say, with the people of Samaria, "Now we believe...for we ourselves have heard Him, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world!" Then we need to go out and spread the Good News to the whole world!!! If we truly know that Jesus is the Savior of the world, then we need to live our lives in such a way as to reflect that faith.
The story begins with Jesus resting near a well by Samaria while His disciples are off to find something to eat. A random Samaritan woman comes down to draw water, attempting to avoid the judgmental glances and comments that would occur if she came to draw water with all the other women of the city. Her life is one of sin and she has responded by avoiding mingling when at all possible. The gossip and snickers of other women is too much to bear.
Jesus sees her coming and grasps upon an opportunity to minister. He asks for a drink of water which initiates a conversation in which He shares with her the deepest secrets of her life. While He is sharing the truths about the Kingdom of God, she perceives that Jesus is the longed for Messiah. Jesus replies in the affirmative and in her excitement, she races off to town to tell everyone what she has found! What if we were as excited about Jesus as she was? What would that mean to the world around us? As Christians, we need to rediscover our deep abiding love of Jesus to the point that we actively seek opportunities to share Him with the world.
An even more important lesson awaits however. As we continue on with the story, John 4:39 explains that many people of Samaria believed because of the woman's testimony. In our lives, we have numerous opportunities to recognize God working around us. Even nature is telling us about God and His love for us. Do we stop to listen when God tries to use people around us to share about His goodness and grace? Do we stop to be still and listen to Him speak to us through nature? How about church? Do we go because it is "what good Christians do" or do we go with a deep earnestness to learn about the Kingdom of God?
While all of these things are definitely well and good, we should not just rely on friends to tell us about God. We should not just rely on the minister. We should not only watch for God's revelation in nature. No, we MUST experience Him for ourselves as the most important part of our life. The people of Samaria followed up this whole episode by saying to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world" (John 4:42).
This is the most important part of our walk. The Samaritan woman did not share Christ with others until she had experienced Christ in her own life. She knew the prophecies as demonstrated in her interaction with Jesus. However, just like so many of us today, she was still going about the mundane details of her life without bothering to tell others of the truth she had been taught.
We can go to church, and learn a lot about God. We can have others tell us their own personal testimony and be encouraged in our walk with God, but we cannot substitute the experience of others in place of our own walk. We must meet Jesus face to face for ourselves. Through the pages of scripture and through time in prayer, we must prepare ourselves to share Jesus with the World. We should all be able to say, with the people of Samaria, "Now we believe...for we ourselves have heard Him, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world!" Then we need to go out and spread the Good News to the whole world!!! If we truly know that Jesus is the Savior of the world, then we need to live our lives in such a way as to reflect that faith.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
"When I Consider Your Heavens..."
"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands. You put everything under his feet...O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!!!" -- Psalm 8: 3-6, 9
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." -- Psalm 19: 1, 2
Time spent in nature is often one of the best ways to be reminded of the glory and majesty of the Creator of the Universe. This past weekend, while camping on the banks of a stream flowing through a beautiful mountain valley, I had occasion to remember these two verses.
As the sun was setting, the moon was shining bright in contrast to the slowly darkening skies. High clouds were streaming overhead and provided just the right canvass for the late day colors to play across. I could only pause in wonder and thank God for allowing me to see such a glorious display. He reminds us constantly of His power and majesty, but most of the time we are too busy with the cares of this life to even notice.
Next time you are outside, pause and look around you. Take in the sky, the wind whispering through the trees, the birds singing nearby. Stop long enough to forget your cares and remember that God is in charge.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." -- Psalm 19: 1, 2
Time spent in nature is often one of the best ways to be reminded of the glory and majesty of the Creator of the Universe. This past weekend, while camping on the banks of a stream flowing through a beautiful mountain valley, I had occasion to remember these two verses.
As the sun was setting, the moon was shining bright in contrast to the slowly darkening skies. High clouds were streaming overhead and provided just the right canvass for the late day colors to play across. I could only pause in wonder and thank God for allowing me to see such a glorious display. He reminds us constantly of His power and majesty, but most of the time we are too busy with the cares of this life to even notice.
Next time you are outside, pause and look around you. Take in the sky, the wind whispering through the trees, the birds singing nearby. Stop long enough to forget your cares and remember that God is in charge.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Why We Fight
"Every
single soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he
is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting
will influence the battle as a whole" (Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery). As a general in World War II, Bernard Montgomery probably knew a thing or two about fighting. He recognized that battles are won by the combined effort of each and every soldier.
One of the key battles of World War II was the invasion of Normandy, called Operation Overlord. Precision timing was required from multiple elements of the armed forces, including amphibious landings, paratroopers and glider borne troops, as well as full naval and air support. One of the crucial tasks of the battle was given to the airborne troops. In addition to repelling German counterattacks, the paratroopers were directed to capture the causeways leading inland from the beaches as well as capturing strategic villages and towns inland at important crossroads. This would prevent the Germans from bringing reinforcements in to attach the beachheads that would hopefully be established during D-Day.
On the flight over the English Channel, the planes hit a bank of clouds about 5 miles from the Normandy coastline. Veering apart to avoid in-air collisions, the giant formations were hopelessly scattered when they emerged from the clouds a short time later. The pilots hit the green light telling the paratroopers to jump much earlier than they should have or in the wrong location. Troopers came down all over the place, except generally nowhere near their objectives.
However, in the planning stages, each soldier had learned not only his own mission, but all the other missions and objectives for the other airborne troops. Thus, what could have been a disaster actually turned into a benefit for the Allied invaders. Soldiers would locate themselves, and then go about fulfilling whatever mission was nearby and thus the overall battle plan was still mostly in place. If each soldier had been lazy and decided to not bother with learning the details of the plan, Operation Overlord would have become a huge failure, but instead the paratroopers were committed to the mission and improvised to insure one of the greatest victories of all time.
As Christians, we need to remember that we are in a war. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12, NIV). God desires that we follow Him with all our hearts. "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12, NIV). God calls us to be His witnesses to the "ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NIV). Our part in this great war is to demonstrate that God is just and that created beings can and will choose to follow Him fully.
God has given each of us specific gifts with which to spread the Good News of Salvation. Use those gifts to tell others of His love and grace. Live your life so that you can say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (II Timothy 4:7, 8, NIV).
One of the key battles of World War II was the invasion of Normandy, called Operation Overlord. Precision timing was required from multiple elements of the armed forces, including amphibious landings, paratroopers and glider borne troops, as well as full naval and air support. One of the crucial tasks of the battle was given to the airborne troops. In addition to repelling German counterattacks, the paratroopers were directed to capture the causeways leading inland from the beaches as well as capturing strategic villages and towns inland at important crossroads. This would prevent the Germans from bringing reinforcements in to attach the beachheads that would hopefully be established during D-Day.
On the flight over the English Channel, the planes hit a bank of clouds about 5 miles from the Normandy coastline. Veering apart to avoid in-air collisions, the giant formations were hopelessly scattered when they emerged from the clouds a short time later. The pilots hit the green light telling the paratroopers to jump much earlier than they should have or in the wrong location. Troopers came down all over the place, except generally nowhere near their objectives.
However, in the planning stages, each soldier had learned not only his own mission, but all the other missions and objectives for the other airborne troops. Thus, what could have been a disaster actually turned into a benefit for the Allied invaders. Soldiers would locate themselves, and then go about fulfilling whatever mission was nearby and thus the overall battle plan was still mostly in place. If each soldier had been lazy and decided to not bother with learning the details of the plan, Operation Overlord would have become a huge failure, but instead the paratroopers were committed to the mission and improvised to insure one of the greatest victories of all time.
As Christians, we need to remember that we are in a war. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12, NIV). God desires that we follow Him with all our hearts. "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12, NIV). God calls us to be His witnesses to the "ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NIV). Our part in this great war is to demonstrate that God is just and that created beings can and will choose to follow Him fully.
God has given each of us specific gifts with which to spread the Good News of Salvation. Use those gifts to tell others of His love and grace. Live your life so that you can say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (II Timothy 4:7, 8, NIV).
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
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