I sat up last night and watched the end of a baseball game between the Braves and the Phillies. Now I am not a die hard baseball fan, but I was caught up in the drama of a team trying hard not to fold in the last game of the season. The Atlanta team had a huge lead in the wild card race when September began, but they had not come through in that month, had squandered that lead, and were literally one game away from not making the playoffs.
Things looked good as Atlanta took a two run lead into the late innings, but the Phillies chipped away and tied the game in the ninth. Despite the Braves having chances to win in extra innings, the Philadelphia team won the game in the 13th, and, in baseball lore, this team will probably go down as losers because of the outcome. But are they really?
What distinguishes winners from losers? In baseball, as in most games, it is the final score, and all of us try hard to be on the right side of that tally.
My wife says that a Bowman trait is to do everything to win, everything legal that is. My retort is that there is no use in playing a game unless you are trying to win. In my mind, doing your best and trying to win, equate. Not winning per se, but doing my best, and making the effort to win, that is the important thing.
So, how do I stretch a baseball analogy from last night's game into a blog on Oswald Chambers' writings?
Paul, in the book of I Corinthians, states that he has a compunction to preach because that is what God has called him to do. He has to do it, and he has to do it to the best of his ability, regardless of the outcome. The score is not important, it is the doing what he is called to do, that matters.
In baseball, as in life, it is the dedication to the task that is eternal, not the score of one particular game. Do I do my best in what God has called me to do?
I think of one other baseball statistic: Growing up, we had a minor league team in our city and I went to a lot of games, even took my kids later on in life. The thought hit me one day, as I watched those men (boys) compete, that those guys had worked really hard and were very good baseball players, but they might never even reach the major leagues, let alone make the baseball headlines. Were they losers?
Is a Christian worker, toiling in obscurity for a lifetime, a loser because no one knows his or her name?
It is not whether you win or lose, it is how you play the game.
God keeps a different scorecard.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I Have Met the Enemy and.....
I hear stories all the time about how the church is growing in places like China or Africa or Russia, but then I think of the comparison to the church in the United States and wonder how it is that the same explosion is not happening here.
Chambers talks today from the passage in Mark 10, concerning the rich young ruler and the command by Jesus to him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. The man goes away sorrowful because he has a lot of stuff.
Chambers says, "Very few of us truly know what is meant by the absolute "go" of unconditional identification with, and abandonment and surrender to, Jesus."
We in America have a lot of stuff, in fact, and I may not have my percentages absolutely right, but even the poorest of us in the US are richer than 95% of others in the world. Regardless of the percentage, the fact remains that each of us has a lot, and, even though we may give a lot, we don't usually hurt our lifestyle by our charity.
I look at my life and the lives of my family and friends, and I see a lot of giving to others. There is church, United Way, feeding the hungry, sponsoring children from 3rd world countries, and a lot of other good things. But then I look again, and I do not see a lot of denying self in the lifestyle. I may fast for a day and give that money for food to a food bank, but the days before the fast day and the days after are no different, and it was no great sacrifice for me.
Those Christians in other places that are on fire for Jesus, put me to shame with their dedication and lives in following Him. But I say, "they don't have a lot of things, and Jesus is all they have" and use that as an excuse for my life. However that excuse is really a condemnation of my life and my discipleship. I say "I have stuff that I have to be concerned about and they don't". Condemned again.
The meaning of the terms unconditional surrender to Christ and absolute discipleship, are foreign to me, and that is not good.
To paraphrase Pogo, "I have met the enemy, and he is me".
Chambers talks today from the passage in Mark 10, concerning the rich young ruler and the command by Jesus to him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. The man goes away sorrowful because he has a lot of stuff.
Chambers says, "Very few of us truly know what is meant by the absolute "go" of unconditional identification with, and abandonment and surrender to, Jesus."
We in America have a lot of stuff, in fact, and I may not have my percentages absolutely right, but even the poorest of us in the US are richer than 95% of others in the world. Regardless of the percentage, the fact remains that each of us has a lot, and, even though we may give a lot, we don't usually hurt our lifestyle by our charity.
I look at my life and the lives of my family and friends, and I see a lot of giving to others. There is church, United Way, feeding the hungry, sponsoring children from 3rd world countries, and a lot of other good things. But then I look again, and I do not see a lot of denying self in the lifestyle. I may fast for a day and give that money for food to a food bank, but the days before the fast day and the days after are no different, and it was no great sacrifice for me.
Those Christians in other places that are on fire for Jesus, put me to shame with their dedication and lives in following Him. But I say, "they don't have a lot of things, and Jesus is all they have" and use that as an excuse for my life. However that excuse is really a condemnation of my life and my discipleship. I say "I have stuff that I have to be concerned about and they don't". Condemned again.
The meaning of the terms unconditional surrender to Christ and absolute discipleship, are foreign to me, and that is not good.
To paraphrase Pogo, "I have met the enemy, and he is me".
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Either/Or or Win/Win?
Jesus talks about service in the reading for today from Luke 9, and Chambers follows up that reading with:
"We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost."
My primary loyalty is to Jesus, but what do I do when other loyalties conflict? When it is a question of "Jesus wants me to do this, and my spouse wants me to do that", and those wants conflict, then the right choice is Jesus. But how far does that go?
God, through His Word, gives admonitions to husbands and fathers, to care for the ones he is responsible for. That is a big job, and, if it is done right, takes a lot of energy, thought and time. God gives this role a primary spot in my life.
God also gives the man the role of spiritual leadership in the home, and, perhaps, that role is best lived out as he obeys the leadership of Christ in his life. He is to be an example of what following Jesus really is about.
As human beings, we are all jealous for the time and attention of the ones we love, and sometimes it is this trait that gives conflict in following a call of God. Can this be a bone of contention in the household? Sure, but it does not have to be.
God wants the best for each person in that family relationship, and His will is that all love and serve Him first. With the right priority, that service will spill over into the other facets of my life, and all will be blessed.
It is not a question of either/or. Putting God first is a win/win for everyone.
"We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost."
My primary loyalty is to Jesus, but what do I do when other loyalties conflict? When it is a question of "Jesus wants me to do this, and my spouse wants me to do that", and those wants conflict, then the right choice is Jesus. But how far does that go?
God, through His Word, gives admonitions to husbands and fathers, to care for the ones he is responsible for. That is a big job, and, if it is done right, takes a lot of energy, thought and time. God gives this role a primary spot in my life.
God also gives the man the role of spiritual leadership in the home, and, perhaps, that role is best lived out as he obeys the leadership of Christ in his life. He is to be an example of what following Jesus really is about.
As human beings, we are all jealous for the time and attention of the ones we love, and sometimes it is this trait that gives conflict in following a call of God. Can this be a bone of contention in the household? Sure, but it does not have to be.
God wants the best for each person in that family relationship, and His will is that all love and serve Him first. With the right priority, that service will spill over into the other facets of my life, and all will be blessed.
It is not a question of either/or. Putting God first is a win/win for everyone.
Monday, September 26, 2011
The 4th Day
Yesterday afternoon, Mayre and I went to the closing of the Emmaus weekend, and that occasion is always a treat to attend. Each of the pilgrims that want to speak are given a couple of minutes to answer two questions about their time.
What did you experience on the weekend?
What are you going to do with it?
The pilgrims tell of what God has done for them, or what God has impressed on them, or what spiritual baggage they have unloaded from their lives. They then proceed to tell the group what they plan to do with their new-found inspiration when they get back to the "real world". It is easy to get caught up in the moment of a spiritual high and be able to see how your life will be different when you go back to living it in your everyday world. This is termed the 4th Day, and the pilgrims are eager to put into practice their resolutions and spiritual insights.
The 4th Day is not always a piece of cake. The problems and situations that were there when you went to Emmaus on Thursday evening are waiting for you on Monday, and the same people that were a thorn in your side are still around also. Maybe not the first Monday, when you begin your life again, but the 4th Day lasts for a long time and covers a lot of Mondays and Tuesdays and........
How is that scenario any different for me as I write this today? I get up in the morning, read Chambers and the Scripture that goes with it, I pray about what I have read, and then I write what I feel God has impressed me with that morning. Then I resolve to let that teaching impact my thoughts and actions from that point on, and I go on my way into the activities of the day.
What brings me up short, a few minutes, hours, days or weeks down the road, is the realization that I have not lived out my good resolves of the 3rd Day, as I wanted to, in the 4th.
The only way to follow through on all of this is to stay in close contact with the One who gives me the spiritual inspiration in the first place. God gives us the insights and the motivation to think and act as we should, and to follow His promptings, but He wants us to actually stay close to Him so that His strength will make it possible.
Now to just do it....
What did you experience on the weekend?
What are you going to do with it?
The pilgrims tell of what God has done for them, or what God has impressed on them, or what spiritual baggage they have unloaded from their lives. They then proceed to tell the group what they plan to do with their new-found inspiration when they get back to the "real world". It is easy to get caught up in the moment of a spiritual high and be able to see how your life will be different when you go back to living it in your everyday world. This is termed the 4th Day, and the pilgrims are eager to put into practice their resolutions and spiritual insights.
The 4th Day is not always a piece of cake. The problems and situations that were there when you went to Emmaus on Thursday evening are waiting for you on Monday, and the same people that were a thorn in your side are still around also. Maybe not the first Monday, when you begin your life again, but the 4th Day lasts for a long time and covers a lot of Mondays and Tuesdays and........
How is that scenario any different for me as I write this today? I get up in the morning, read Chambers and the Scripture that goes with it, I pray about what I have read, and then I write what I feel God has impressed me with that morning. Then I resolve to let that teaching impact my thoughts and actions from that point on, and I go on my way into the activities of the day.
What brings me up short, a few minutes, hours, days or weeks down the road, is the realization that I have not lived out my good resolves of the 3rd Day, as I wanted to, in the 4th.
The only way to follow through on all of this is to stay in close contact with the One who gives me the spiritual inspiration in the first place. God gives us the insights and the motivation to think and act as we should, and to follow His promptings, but He wants us to actually stay close to Him so that His strength will make it possible.
Now to just do it....
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Acknowlege It or Live It?
I have a tag on the bottom of all my emails that says that the second mile has no traffic jams. In other words, do more than is expected, or required, and you will not be jostled about and inconvenienced by others on that road.
Of course, the reference is to the verse in Matthew's gospel that talks about the requirement of a Jew in Palestine, in the days of the Roman occupation, that forced a man to carry the equipment of a Roman soldier for a mile if commanded. The natural inclination was for the one forced into this service to do it grudgingly, and resent the soldier and the rule, but Jesus admonition was to not only obey the rule, but to go beyond it. I can see in the attitude that Jesus wants us to have, that He would expect the Jewish person to be cheerful about doing the job and to be engaging in his contact with his occupier, along with performing the job required.
This Roman rule was a reminder of the Jew's status in his own country. I'm sure the average person would go out of their way to avoid contact with the occupying force, so as to not have to perform the task, and it would be an out-of-the-ordinary event if he had to do it.
So, how does that relate to me? I understand the principle of doing your best, complying with the law, being cheerful in spite of the circumstances, going above and beyond in those extraordinary situations, but I think there may be something more.
What about those everyday, ordinary, times that I have, just living life each day? Could it mean that I need to not forget the second mile principle there either? Do I have to live that way, or just screw up my resolve for those special times? Is that a possible lifestyle, or just when I read the tag on the bottom of an email?
Should I write it in permanent ink on my hand?
My prayer today is that God would help me to make the "second mile lifestyle" real in my life, not just in special situations, but in all of life's more mundane moments.
Of course, the reference is to the verse in Matthew's gospel that talks about the requirement of a Jew in Palestine, in the days of the Roman occupation, that forced a man to carry the equipment of a Roman soldier for a mile if commanded. The natural inclination was for the one forced into this service to do it grudgingly, and resent the soldier and the rule, but Jesus admonition was to not only obey the rule, but to go beyond it. I can see in the attitude that Jesus wants us to have, that He would expect the Jewish person to be cheerful about doing the job and to be engaging in his contact with his occupier, along with performing the job required.
This Roman rule was a reminder of the Jew's status in his own country. I'm sure the average person would go out of their way to avoid contact with the occupying force, so as to not have to perform the task, and it would be an out-of-the-ordinary event if he had to do it.
So, how does that relate to me? I understand the principle of doing your best, complying with the law, being cheerful in spite of the circumstances, going above and beyond in those extraordinary situations, but I think there may be something more.
What about those everyday, ordinary, times that I have, just living life each day? Could it mean that I need to not forget the second mile principle there either? Do I have to live that way, or just screw up my resolve for those special times? Is that a possible lifestyle, or just when I read the tag on the bottom of an email?
Should I write it in permanent ink on my hand?
My prayer today is that God would help me to make the "second mile lifestyle" real in my life, not just in special situations, but in all of life's more mundane moments.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
I want to, but I don't want to...
On the surface the reading this morning seems like an easy thing to think about and then maybe write about, but then as I dig deeper, I realize that it is anything but easy.
Chambers writes:
"If there is sin in your life, don't just admit it, confess it."
So there must be a difference in admitting a sin in my life and really confessing it, and that difference seems to me, not only admitting that I have this problem, but really and truly wanting to give it up. And then there is this sin problem of pride that keeps me wanting to keep it all under wraps, so that I can continue to let others think that I am not as bad as I really am.
What is a body to do?
Chambers uses the scripture from Matthew 5 that reads "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
True confession that makes any difference in my life is not only the admission of guilt, but the wanting to turn away from that in my life, and that wanting has to be a supernatural thing from God. Paul says that he does what he does not want to do, but does not do what he wants. Without the power of God to initiate the action, I cannot do it.
So what is my prayer today? That God will show me who I really am, and give me the power to want to change to be the person He wants me to be.
I want to but I don't want to....
Chambers writes:
"If there is sin in your life, don't just admit it, confess it."
So there must be a difference in admitting a sin in my life and really confessing it, and that difference seems to me, not only admitting that I have this problem, but really and truly wanting to give it up. And then there is this sin problem of pride that keeps me wanting to keep it all under wraps, so that I can continue to let others think that I am not as bad as I really am.
What is a body to do?
Chambers uses the scripture from Matthew 5 that reads "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
True confession that makes any difference in my life is not only the admission of guilt, but the wanting to turn away from that in my life, and that wanting has to be a supernatural thing from God. Paul says that he does what he does not want to do, but does not do what he wants. Without the power of God to initiate the action, I cannot do it.
So what is my prayer today? That God will show me who I really am, and give me the power to want to change to be the person He wants me to be.
I want to but I don't want to....
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Willing Servant Form
Chambers talks again today about being a servant, and, again like yesterday, my thoughts go back to the Emmaus Walk and those who serve Jesus there as they also serve the pilgrims.
Once people have been blessed by the walk, most invariably want to join the servant team and be a part of the Walk from the other side of the fence. They have been blessed by the servants on their Walk and want to, in turn, bless others in the same way. They have also seen, and heard stories, of the blessings received in serving others in this way.
As in a lot of other organizations, there is a procedure to go through in order to serve on Emmaus, and there is a form to fill out that indicates your desire to serve. This is called a Willing Servant Form, and the name seems to say it all. I say that I am willing to be used by God in this way in order to follow Christ's example of serving, and to assure that others are blessed as I have been.
But Emmaus is not an end all in itself. Pilgrims are encouraged, almost commanded, to go back into their daily lives and their churches and serve. There are gatherings and weekend walks twice a year, but there is a lot of living to be done outside the Emmaus community. It is easy to serve, and become willing to serve, as a result of a high mountaintop spiritual experience, but does it carry over to where we live each day?
Jesus wants true servants, not just the weekend ones, and the question for me is:
Will I fill out the form for this kind of service, and be a Willing Servant every day, right where I live?
Once people have been blessed by the walk, most invariably want to join the servant team and be a part of the Walk from the other side of the fence. They have been blessed by the servants on their Walk and want to, in turn, bless others in the same way. They have also seen, and heard stories, of the blessings received in serving others in this way.
As in a lot of other organizations, there is a procedure to go through in order to serve on Emmaus, and there is a form to fill out that indicates your desire to serve. This is called a Willing Servant Form, and the name seems to say it all. I say that I am willing to be used by God in this way in order to follow Christ's example of serving, and to assure that others are blessed as I have been.
But Emmaus is not an end all in itself. Pilgrims are encouraged, almost commanded, to go back into their daily lives and their churches and serve. There are gatherings and weekend walks twice a year, but there is a lot of living to be done outside the Emmaus community. It is easy to serve, and become willing to serve, as a result of a high mountaintop spiritual experience, but does it carry over to where we live each day?
Jesus wants true servants, not just the weekend ones, and the question for me is:
Will I fill out the form for this kind of service, and be a Willing Servant every day, right where I live?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Will You Let Me Be Your Servant?
When I went on The Walk to Emmaus several years back, there was a part of the weekend that was very moving for me. In fact, when I think back to that time, the whole sequence of events still has that effect.
Chambers uses this verse from Isaiah 49 today and it has brought these reminders back to my mind again.
"Now the Lord says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant . . . "—Isaiah 49:5
There are two sets of people on the walk I mentioned above, the pilgrims and the workers (servants). At one point on the weekend, the workers sing the following song to the pilgrims as they are eating.
Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace
To let me be your servant too
We are pilgrims on the journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load
I will hold the Christ light for you
In the night time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven
We shall find such harmony
Born to all we've known together
Of Christ's love and agony
Listen to the melody and lyrics here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdmgpMfnjdU
Now the melody and the words are haunting and stirring, and they are an audible reminder of the whole weekend experience, but then the pilgrims learn later on that those who have served them for the entire 4 day weekend journey have paid the same exact cost as the pilgrims. They have done the dishes, cleaned the rooms, set up the meals, served the meals and even cleaned the bathrooms, so that each pilgrim could experience God's love for them individually, and they have paid their own way, just so they could serve others in Christ's name.
Jesus has paid the ultimate cost to serve all mankind, and the least I can do is to be willing to serve others in His Name.
Chambers uses this verse from Isaiah 49 today and it has brought these reminders back to my mind again.
"Now the Lord says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant . . . "—Isaiah 49:5
There are two sets of people on the walk I mentioned above, the pilgrims and the workers (servants). At one point on the weekend, the workers sing the following song to the pilgrims as they are eating.
Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace
To let me be your servant too
We are pilgrims on the journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load
I will hold the Christ light for you
In the night time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven
We shall find such harmony
Born to all we've known together
Of Christ's love and agony
Listen to the melody and lyrics here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdmgpMfnjdU
Now the melody and the words are haunting and stirring, and they are an audible reminder of the whole weekend experience, but then the pilgrims learn later on that those who have served them for the entire 4 day weekend journey have paid the same exact cost as the pilgrims. They have done the dishes, cleaned the rooms, set up the meals, served the meals and even cleaned the bathrooms, so that each pilgrim could experience God's love for them individually, and they have paid their own way, just so they could serve others in Christ's name.
Jesus has paid the ultimate cost to serve all mankind, and the least I can do is to be willing to serve others in His Name.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
No Clanging Bells Please
Perfection is a hard word. The verse used in today's reading is Matthew 5:48 where it talks about the Christian being perfect even as God is perfect.
Chambers says today:
"The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God's life in us expresses itself as God's life, not as human life trying to be godly."
The last phrase of the quote just jumps out at me. Trying to be godly is where I see myself a lot of the time. Not only trying to be godly, but trying to appear to others as a godly person, is a self-defeating occupation.
It seems to be easy, especially in the church, to let the appearance of godliness and piety become a substitute for the true thing. Even at home, with the ones who know us best, where we don't want to disappoint or disillusion anyone, we keep up the facade, even when we don't feel very godly on the inside.
Chambers says that the secret is God's transforming power operating inside of me. If I let the light of God shine out through me, as He leads me, and make that my real self, then others will benefit, and there will be no need to work so hard to be godly.
Abiding in Jesus Christ is the answer and everything, according to Paul in I Corinthians, is just "clanging brass or a tinkling cymbal".
After all , people around me will benefit much more from seeing a sermon than hearing one any day.
Let Your Light So Shine.........that God is Glorified (not me)
Chambers says today:
"The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God's life in us expresses itself as God's life, not as human life trying to be godly."
The last phrase of the quote just jumps out at me. Trying to be godly is where I see myself a lot of the time. Not only trying to be godly, but trying to appear to others as a godly person, is a self-defeating occupation.
It seems to be easy, especially in the church, to let the appearance of godliness and piety become a substitute for the true thing. Even at home, with the ones who know us best, where we don't want to disappoint or disillusion anyone, we keep up the facade, even when we don't feel very godly on the inside.
Chambers says that the secret is God's transforming power operating inside of me. If I let the light of God shine out through me, as He leads me, and make that my real self, then others will benefit, and there will be no need to work so hard to be godly.
Abiding in Jesus Christ is the answer and everything, according to Paul in I Corinthians, is just "clanging brass or a tinkling cymbal".
After all , people around me will benefit much more from seeing a sermon than hearing one any day.
Let Your Light So Shine.........that God is Glorified (not me)
Monday, September 19, 2011
Living in Life's Changes
How do I handle the things that happen around me? When the circumstances of life are good, I say that God is blessing me, but when these turn to the bad, I ask the question, "why me?"
Chambers says this morning:
"We have the idea that we ought to shield ourselves from some of the things God brings around us. May it never be! It is God who engineers our circumstances, and whatever they may be we must see that we face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations. They are His temptations, not temptations to us, but temptations to the life of the Son of God in us. Jesus Christ's honor is at stake in our bodily lives. Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks His life in us?"
Now, my circumstances are not bad by any definition. God has blessed both me and my family, and I acknowledge that fact, but if He wants me to grow in relation to Him, and this growth involves a change, will I still see this as good, or as just a trial to go through?
Chambers says again today:
"Watch when God changes your circumstances to see whether you are going on with Jesus, or siding with the world, the flesh, and the devil."
Jesus admonishes his disciples in the Garden to watch and pray, and they went to sleep. If God brings changes in my life, I sure do not want to sleep through the lessons.
Change is a permanent factor in our lives. If the changes are engineered by God, and I believe they are, then I need to see His hand in them. If they are what I would consider to be "good" then it is pretty easy, but if they were to be on the hard side, will I still see that hand?
God, help me to see your hand in all of my life's circumstances, and to live in them as you desire.
Chambers says this morning:
"We have the idea that we ought to shield ourselves from some of the things God brings around us. May it never be! It is God who engineers our circumstances, and whatever they may be we must see that we face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations. They are His temptations, not temptations to us, but temptations to the life of the Son of God in us. Jesus Christ's honor is at stake in our bodily lives. Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks His life in us?"
Now, my circumstances are not bad by any definition. God has blessed both me and my family, and I acknowledge that fact, but if He wants me to grow in relation to Him, and this growth involves a change, will I still see this as good, or as just a trial to go through?
Chambers says again today:
"Watch when God changes your circumstances to see whether you are going on with Jesus, or siding with the world, the flesh, and the devil."
Jesus admonishes his disciples in the Garden to watch and pray, and they went to sleep. If God brings changes in my life, I sure do not want to sleep through the lessons.
Change is a permanent factor in our lives. If the changes are engineered by God, and I believe they are, then I need to see His hand in them. If they are what I would consider to be "good" then it is pretty easy, but if they were to be on the hard side, will I still see that hand?
God, help me to see your hand in all of my life's circumstances, and to live in them as you desire.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Temptations to Compromise
Our pastor is in a series in the Book of Galatians right now, and some points from his message this morning tie in with Chambers' writing that is for today. Chambers talks about temptations, not the ones that I consider the "bad ones" like murder, rape, stealing, etc., but the more subtle ones, ones that we can hide under a veneer of "goodness"; ones like pride and not doing our best, and being quiet in the face of possible ridicule.
Christians believe what the Bible says, right? If I say that I do believe what the Bible says and teaches, can I just believe the part I think is right and comfortable for me, or do I have to believe the whole thing? Can I say that there are errors that have occurred over the centuries, and what does not sound right to me must not be the original Biblical meaning? Do I have the right to say that the Bible is God's Word to man, but say that all God has said has not been included, and that the church down through the years has conspired to leave out of the Canon those writings that did not fit into their settled doctrine?
The pastor this morning talked about the temptation to believe what sounds good to us in our human nature. There is a stir in church circles right now about universalism and pluralism-the ideas that all religions lead to the same ultimate end, and all of us will end up in heaven some day, because we are "good", but the Bible does not teach that. So, do we close our eyes to the text and go with what feels right to us, because "God is Love", or do we believe that God is the god of justice also?
Back to the same question from the Truth Project...Do I really believe what I believe is really true?
Do I believe simply because of the culture I was raised in, and can all religions have some part of the truth? Can truth be divided up or is something either true or false?
The temptation is to begin a statement about faith with the words "Well, it seems to me that.....", but I will choose to begin with "The Bible says..."
God accepts us into heaven by faith in Jesus Christ. This is Biblical doctrine and Here I Stand.
Christians believe what the Bible says, right? If I say that I do believe what the Bible says and teaches, can I just believe the part I think is right and comfortable for me, or do I have to believe the whole thing? Can I say that there are errors that have occurred over the centuries, and what does not sound right to me must not be the original Biblical meaning? Do I have the right to say that the Bible is God's Word to man, but say that all God has said has not been included, and that the church down through the years has conspired to leave out of the Canon those writings that did not fit into their settled doctrine?
The pastor this morning talked about the temptation to believe what sounds good to us in our human nature. There is a stir in church circles right now about universalism and pluralism-the ideas that all religions lead to the same ultimate end, and all of us will end up in heaven some day, because we are "good", but the Bible does not teach that. So, do we close our eyes to the text and go with what feels right to us, because "God is Love", or do we believe that God is the god of justice also?
Back to the same question from the Truth Project...Do I really believe what I believe is really true?
Do I believe simply because of the culture I was raised in, and can all religions have some part of the truth? Can truth be divided up or is something either true or false?
The temptation is to begin a statement about faith with the words "Well, it seems to me that.....", but I will choose to begin with "The Bible says..."
God accepts us into heaven by faith in Jesus Christ. This is Biblical doctrine and Here I Stand.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Three Shoulder Taps
A question from the Truth Project comes to my mind this morning:
"Do you really believe what you believe is really true?"
Another question follows:
Does my life show that I really believe what I say is true, is actually?
The Bible has a lot to say about prayer, and I say that prayer is important, but is it really. Is it important in my life, or are these just pious words that I write down.
Chambers: "Have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer."
I confess that I struggle with prayer. I know it is important. Jesus prayed, and the Bible has many admonitions on praying, but my life does not show its importance to me.
Our home group at church is going through some reorganization, and, at our meeting on Thursday night, Mayre and I were handed the job of leading in the prayer times at each of our get-togethers. Despite my inadequacy in this area, we agreed to do it.
Then I get up on early on Friday morning, go play golf all day, not giving any thought at all to prayer, and come home to find our home group leader has sent me an email directing me to the Oswald Chambers reading from yesterday, that I had not had time to read, that featured....... Prayer, of course.
So, as I fall into bed last night, I shoot off a quick prayer, that if God wants me to get up and write this morning, before I rush off to play tennis, He will wake me up early enough to do this. He does, and I am confronted with the sad fact of my real unbelief in prayer's importance. Evidently my play time is much more so.
Three taps on the shoulder to get with it in this area, but the question remains: Is it really important?
God says that it is, and my response will be???????
And my prayer is.......Help!
"Do you really believe what you believe is really true?"
Another question follows:
Does my life show that I really believe what I say is true, is actually?
The Bible has a lot to say about prayer, and I say that prayer is important, but is it really. Is it important in my life, or are these just pious words that I write down.
Chambers: "Have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer."
I confess that I struggle with prayer. I know it is important. Jesus prayed, and the Bible has many admonitions on praying, but my life does not show its importance to me.
Our home group at church is going through some reorganization, and, at our meeting on Thursday night, Mayre and I were handed the job of leading in the prayer times at each of our get-togethers. Despite my inadequacy in this area, we agreed to do it.
Then I get up on early on Friday morning, go play golf all day, not giving any thought at all to prayer, and come home to find our home group leader has sent me an email directing me to the Oswald Chambers reading from yesterday, that I had not had time to read, that featured....... Prayer, of course.
So, as I fall into bed last night, I shoot off a quick prayer, that if God wants me to get up and write this morning, before I rush off to play tennis, He will wake me up early enough to do this. He does, and I am confronted with the sad fact of my real unbelief in prayer's importance. Evidently my play time is much more so.
Three taps on the shoulder to get with it in this area, but the question remains: Is it really important?
God says that it is, and my response will be???????
And my prayer is.......Help!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Two Good Reminders
Yesterday was a looooooong travel day, from very early to pretty late, and Oswald had to wait till this morning, but as I read today's devotion, something that he said brought up a couple of points that I had contemplated before.
Here is Chambers:
"God has called you to a higher standard. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest-your best for His glory."
I have read the title of Chambers' book so many times that, I realize, I do not even think of the meaning. He simplifies it today into my language "my best for His glory".
God deserves my very best, not just every once in a while, but always and in each thing that I do, and doing my best should bring Him glory, not me.
I tried, the other day, to actually think about what I was doing as I went through the day, and trying to do it in the best possible way. It actually made a difference in how I acted and made a difference in my attitude as well. The only downside was at the end of the day, as I looked back on what had happened, I realized that there were some attitudes and actions that did not make the grade. Even when I consciously tried to subject everything to this standard, I failed, but maybe if I thought about each action, attitude and thought each and every day, it might become a lifestyle habit. Now that would be good.
The second part is to do it for God's glory and not mine. It is not fun to second guess my motives in everything, but some thinking, as I do go about the day, could at least prod me in the right direction, and I know I need this.
Two good reminders, now to live them out........
Here is Chambers:
"God has called you to a higher standard. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest-your best for His glory."
I have read the title of Chambers' book so many times that, I realize, I do not even think of the meaning. He simplifies it today into my language "my best for His glory".
God deserves my very best, not just every once in a while, but always and in each thing that I do, and doing my best should bring Him glory, not me.
I tried, the other day, to actually think about what I was doing as I went through the day, and trying to do it in the best possible way. It actually made a difference in how I acted and made a difference in my attitude as well. The only downside was at the end of the day, as I looked back on what had happened, I realized that there were some attitudes and actions that did not make the grade. Even when I consciously tried to subject everything to this standard, I failed, but maybe if I thought about each action, attitude and thought each and every day, it might become a lifestyle habit. Now that would be good.
The second part is to do it for God's glory and not mine. It is not fun to second guess my motives in everything, but some thinking, as I do go about the day, could at least prod me in the right direction, and I know I need this.
Two good reminders, now to live them out........
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Standing on the Inside
"There is the story of the defiant youngster who was repeatedly told to sit and be still. Finally, completely exasperated, the teacher says, "Johnny if you don't sit down, I'll..." As the child sat, the teacher asks him what he was thinking now. Without missing a beat Johnny says, "on the outside I'm sitting but I'm still standing on the inside".
Chambers talks today about surrender:
"True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will, and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. Yet God never forces a person's will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again."
Surrender to God is voluntary. God does not tell me to put my hands in the air and give up as He holds a gun to my head. If I surrender under duress, I am just as likely to take it back when the crises is past. That is not a surrender that will last.
But I say "I am an American, and I will never give up. I will stand on the bow of the ship as it goes down and vow never to give in. I am free and independent, and there I will stand".
There is a real tension between what we are taught growing up and what God desires of our lives and will. He wants us to love so much that we give up any right to ourselves, and that is hard for me to do. I know, deep down, that it is the way I should go, but everything around me says "assert yourself and be your own man".
So do I surrender myself on Sunday and forget it the rest of the week? Another rhetorical question that I know the correct answer to, BUT...
sadly, most of the time I'm still standing on the inside..
Chambers talks today about surrender:
"True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will, and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. Yet God never forces a person's will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again."
Surrender to God is voluntary. God does not tell me to put my hands in the air and give up as He holds a gun to my head. If I surrender under duress, I am just as likely to take it back when the crises is past. That is not a surrender that will last.
But I say "I am an American, and I will never give up. I will stand on the bow of the ship as it goes down and vow never to give in. I am free and independent, and there I will stand".
There is a real tension between what we are taught growing up and what God desires of our lives and will. He wants us to love so much that we give up any right to ourselves, and that is hard for me to do. I know, deep down, that it is the way I should go, but everything around me says "assert yourself and be your own man".
So do I surrender myself on Sunday and forget it the rest of the week? Another rhetorical question that I know the correct answer to, BUT...
sadly, most of the time I'm still standing on the inside..
Monday, September 12, 2011
Soldier On
Chambers sometimes uses the expression "Soldier On", and, although he does not use it in this reading, it is certainly implied. I believe this is an English expression that means to continue to do something in a determined way, even though you don't understand why and may not even succeed. This appears to be an action that goes right along with today's devotion:
"There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you."
Chambers' admonition in all of this confusion is to "Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now."
There is a gospel song with the lyrics:
"So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart"
This seems to be the sum total of it all. God wants the best for me, and He knows the future, so why not trust the One who cares, to lead each step, every day, even though I can't see or understand.
Here I am, at this stage of my life, still trying to understand, still confused a lot of the time, still seeking Him, still wanting to know the big picture, still, still, still...
But then the words come to me..
Soldier On....
"There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you."
Chambers' admonition in all of this confusion is to "Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now."
There is a gospel song with the lyrics:
"So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart"
This seems to be the sum total of it all. God wants the best for me, and He knows the future, so why not trust the One who cares, to lead each step, every day, even though I can't see or understand.
Here I am, at this stage of my life, still trying to understand, still confused a lot of the time, still seeking Him, still wanting to know the big picture, still, still, still...
But then the words come to me..
Soldier On....
Sunday, September 11, 2011
EVERYTHING?
What does doing everything as to the Lord mean anyway?
First of all it may mean that I do what God wants me to do. That would rule out doing anything that is not pleasing in His sight. No sin can creep in to this mode.
Secondly, it can mean that I do everything to the best of my ability.
Chambers says today:
"The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God's power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done."
Doing everything as to the Lord is one of those phrases that roll easily off the tongue, but if I think about, really ponder what that means, it takes on a much more difficult meaning.
EVERYTHING, from the most menial tasks to the most difficult and challenging, is included in this admonition.
In order to do even a part of that I have to stay in close contact with the One who is the ultimate judge of my actions and thoughts, and even that staying close is subject to not doing my best.
EVERYTHING: If someone would present me tonight with a detailed list of all the things I had done today, and I had the chance to look at each one and rate my performance, would I find that I had done my best on none, part or all? Even knowing I would get that list might be enough to make me think about my performance as I went through the day.
EVERYTHING: Think about it!
EVERYTHING?
First of all it may mean that I do what God wants me to do. That would rule out doing anything that is not pleasing in His sight. No sin can creep in to this mode.
Secondly, it can mean that I do everything to the best of my ability.
Chambers says today:
"The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God's power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done."
Doing everything as to the Lord is one of those phrases that roll easily off the tongue, but if I think about, really ponder what that means, it takes on a much more difficult meaning.
EVERYTHING, from the most menial tasks to the most difficult and challenging, is included in this admonition.
In order to do even a part of that I have to stay in close contact with the One who is the ultimate judge of my actions and thoughts, and even that staying close is subject to not doing my best.
EVERYTHING: If someone would present me tonight with a detailed list of all the things I had done today, and I had the chance to look at each one and rate my performance, would I find that I had done my best on none, part or all? Even knowing I would get that list might be enough to make me think about my performance as I went through the day.
EVERYTHING: Think about it!
EVERYTHING?
Saturday, September 10, 2011
God's Training Regimen
Of all the people in the world, I have the time to have a personal time with God. Retired, with no schedule to speak of, time to be alone, time to study and to write, I have no excuses, but I find that, like Paul, I do not do what I want to do.
Chambers speaks on that subject today, even as I read him late in the day after the kids are asleep. He says:
"Are you saying, But I can't be expected to live a sanctified life in my present circumstances; I have no time for prayer or Bible study right now; besides, my opportunity for battle hasn't come yet, but when it does, of course I will be ready? No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God's work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you.
God's training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint."
Even as I look back on these past few days over here in Arkansas, I can see times that I had to be quiet and worship, but I filled my time with the Wii, riding bikes, watching football and playing games. All of that was good, and fun with the kids, but even when they were resting or asleep at night, I just read or worked puzzles or something, anything but.
If this time is God's training time, I am not in shape to be of much use to Him. Or as Chambers says, useless or a hindrance to someone else. Not things to be proud of for sure.
Recognition of spiritual preparedness is good, but doing something about it is better.
God help me to choose the better....
Chambers speaks on that subject today, even as I read him late in the day after the kids are asleep. He says:
"Are you saying, But I can't be expected to live a sanctified life in my present circumstances; I have no time for prayer or Bible study right now; besides, my opportunity for battle hasn't come yet, but when it does, of course I will be ready? No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God's work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you.
God's training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint."
Even as I look back on these past few days over here in Arkansas, I can see times that I had to be quiet and worship, but I filled my time with the Wii, riding bikes, watching football and playing games. All of that was good, and fun with the kids, but even when they were resting or asleep at night, I just read or worked puzzles or something, anything but.
If this time is God's training time, I am not in shape to be of much use to Him. Or as Chambers says, useless or a hindrance to someone else. Not things to be proud of for sure.
Recognition of spiritual preparedness is good, but doing something about it is better.
God help me to choose the better....
Friday, September 9, 2011
Dummy, swing the Bat
It is true that a lot of the times when I read what Oswald Chambers has to say on a given day, especially when it relates to Christian service, that I have the tendency to look back at my life and analyze what I have done in the past and my motives for so doing. Indeed as he says today:
"It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not bringing every thought [and project] into captivity, but are simply doing work for God that has been instigated by their own human nature, and has not been made spiritual through determined discipline."
I can see my life of service as not being devoid of self-seeking honor in a lot of cases, and I think it is good to realize this. Perhaps that might keep me from making that mistake again.
But there is a danger in all of that introspection. I can see myself as the imperfect soul that I am, dwelling on all the impure motives of service, and paralyze myself from any further Christian activity. After all I don't want to make the same mistake again, do I?
When God points out my sins and shortcomings, it is not for me to dwell there and wallow in the "woe is me" part of my life. He wants me to grow, and that growing involves doing.
Does the baseball player refuse to swing the bat because he once hit into a double play?
Do I sit in my chair and write my blog and turn down opportunities to serve Jesus? When I feel His call, I can't just stand there with the bat on my shoulder, can I?
From somewhere a voice comes, "Dummy, swing the bat!"
"It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not bringing every thought [and project] into captivity, but are simply doing work for God that has been instigated by their own human nature, and has not been made spiritual through determined discipline."
I can see my life of service as not being devoid of self-seeking honor in a lot of cases, and I think it is good to realize this. Perhaps that might keep me from making that mistake again.
But there is a danger in all of that introspection. I can see myself as the imperfect soul that I am, dwelling on all the impure motives of service, and paralyze myself from any further Christian activity. After all I don't want to make the same mistake again, do I?
When God points out my sins and shortcomings, it is not for me to dwell there and wallow in the "woe is me" part of my life. He wants me to grow, and that growing involves doing.
Does the baseball player refuse to swing the bat because he once hit into a double play?
Do I sit in my chair and write my blog and turn down opportunities to serve Jesus? When I feel His call, I can't just stand there with the bat on my shoulder, can I?
From somewhere a voice comes, "Dummy, swing the bat!"
Thursday, September 8, 2011
On the Road Again
Mayre Lou gave me a travel mug one time that played "On the road again" by Willie Nelson, and that song seems to define our lives these days.
Yesterday was another of those travel days, heading from home toward Arkansas, to help out with some child keeping while the parents both go on trips out of town. Noel is in Toronto, doing some work (?), while Donna goes on a two day retreat with her Honors freshmen. We get to stay with Archer and Cady Gray, and be a part of their lives for a few days. It is a pretty long trip, but we break it up into two days, with a stop in Alabama or Mississippi, so it is manageable.
We look forward to being with these two. They are great kids, but live too far away from our home. They are two of our favorite grand kids, we have 7 favorites, and we'll spend the week playing games, reading stories and just doing grand parent things.
So, here we are in Starkville, Mississippi, getting read to cross this state and head into Arkansas. The weather is cool and sunny this morning and we will be "on the road again".
Let's go Willie.....
Yesterday was another of those travel days, heading from home toward Arkansas, to help out with some child keeping while the parents both go on trips out of town. Noel is in Toronto, doing some work (?), while Donna goes on a two day retreat with her Honors freshmen. We get to stay with Archer and Cady Gray, and be a part of their lives for a few days. It is a pretty long trip, but we break it up into two days, with a stop in Alabama or Mississippi, so it is manageable.
We look forward to being with these two. They are great kids, but live too far away from our home. They are two of our favorite grand kids, we have 7 favorites, and we'll spend the week playing games, reading stories and just doing grand parent things.
So, here we are in Starkville, Mississippi, getting read to cross this state and head into Arkansas. The weather is cool and sunny this morning and we will be "on the road again".
Let's go Willie.....
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
What Do I Want To Be (when I grow up)?
We hear that question all the time. When we are little, people will ask us that, and we answer with a fireman, a doctor, a policeman, a ball player or whatever has appealed to us at that age.
When we are in school, especially as we go toward higher education, schools ask us to declare a major, a field of study that will lead us out into the world to be productive citizens.
As we think about work, the question comes; what will make you happy and fulfilled? It is another way of saying, what do you want to be.
I got a note last night from our grandson, just beginning his first year away at college. I can hear the happiness in the note as he tells about how his running is going, about the courses he is taking and the stuff he is learning, about the new friends he has made, and just in general how great his college experience is going so far. I can just picture him, going about the campus with a perpetual smile on his face. He is doing what he wants to be doing at this moment in time.
Chambers talks today about having living water pouring out of our souls to be a river of blessing to someone else, or to a bunch of someone elses.
We are all still growing up, and the question is still pertinent: what do I want to be when I grow up? The emphasis is on "I", and that emphasis is misplaced. For the believer, Jesus is the guide to the answer, but I must ask the right question:
"What does God want me to be?"
That is the place of joy and true fulfillment, for Sawyer in college and for me in retirement, and for all the others in between.
When we are in school, especially as we go toward higher education, schools ask us to declare a major, a field of study that will lead us out into the world to be productive citizens.
As we think about work, the question comes; what will make you happy and fulfilled? It is another way of saying, what do you want to be.
I got a note last night from our grandson, just beginning his first year away at college. I can hear the happiness in the note as he tells about how his running is going, about the courses he is taking and the stuff he is learning, about the new friends he has made, and just in general how great his college experience is going so far. I can just picture him, going about the campus with a perpetual smile on his face. He is doing what he wants to be doing at this moment in time.
Chambers talks today about having living water pouring out of our souls to be a river of blessing to someone else, or to a bunch of someone elses.
We are all still growing up, and the question is still pertinent: what do I want to be when I grow up? The emphasis is on "I", and that emphasis is misplaced. For the believer, Jesus is the guide to the answer, but I must ask the right question:
"What does God want me to be?"
That is the place of joy and true fulfillment, for Sawyer in college and for me in retirement, and for all the others in between.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Events of the "Last Days"
I have been reading a book by Joel Rosenberg, The Ezekiel Option, a fiction story set in the last days. Rosenberg is a good writer with knowledge in several areas. He blends geopolitical situations with current history to produce a scenario that could correspond to the events foretold in the 38th and 39th chapters of the book of Ezekiel. His main characters are caught up in events in the United States, Russia, Israel and the Arab countries of the middle east. The book is part of a whole genre of literature concerning the last days, and plays to a fascination, especially in the Christian community, about what will happen in those times.
Over the years, authors, pastors, historians and others have delved into the pages of the Bible, especially books like Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation, to give us a picture of what is going to happen in the future. Our natural inclination is to want to know what will happen, especially if we think that we may be actually living in these "last days".
Contrast this with what Chambers has to say in the reading for today:
Watch with Me. Jesus was saying, in effect, "Watch with no private point of view at all, but watch solely and entirely with Me."
Jesus was in the Garden on the night of his betrayal, and asked Peter, James and John to keep watch while he went a little farther to pray. They did not understand what was going on, so they slept. All Jesus wanted them to do was to be with Him as He went through the agony of this time, but they slept.
Jesus wants us to stay with Him, and Him only, as future events swirl around our world, and in our own lives. Not that being knowledgeable and concerned about the future cannot be important, but that our focus should be on Him.
After all, He is the One who holds all the keys....
Over the years, authors, pastors, historians and others have delved into the pages of the Bible, especially books like Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation, to give us a picture of what is going to happen in the future. Our natural inclination is to want to know what will happen, especially if we think that we may be actually living in these "last days".
Contrast this with what Chambers has to say in the reading for today:
Watch with Me. Jesus was saying, in effect, "Watch with no private point of view at all, but watch solely and entirely with Me."
Jesus was in the Garden on the night of his betrayal, and asked Peter, James and John to keep watch while he went a little farther to pray. They did not understand what was going on, so they slept. All Jesus wanted them to do was to be with Him as He went through the agony of this time, but they slept.
Jesus wants us to stay with Him, and Him only, as future events swirl around our world, and in our own lives. Not that being knowledgeable and concerned about the future cannot be important, but that our focus should be on Him.
After all, He is the One who holds all the keys....
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Hoarded Resources
Something that Chambers said today jumped out at me. Blessings from God must be "poured out" to Him to be of any use to those around me. He talks about hoarding, and that has been on my mind lately. He says:
"If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it. Yet if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything to the Lord, other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you."
When I hear the word "hoarded" my mind always seem to go to the old hymn He Giveth More Grace by Annie Johnson Flint, and the verse that says:
"When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun."
I mostly think of hoarded resources as money, assets that will insure my survival when times get hard, security in my last days, but Chambers takes it a step farther. All blessings need to be given back, poured out of my life, an offering to God that will bless others. This in turn becomes another blessing, so that the bowl of blessing does not ever run out.
In thinking about this, I ran across a blog on the Internet that spoke of Elisha and the woman of Zarepath. She gave him the last bit of flour she had and as a result her supply never ran out. In this blog, Rachel's Ramblings, the writer pointed out:
"I don't know for sure, but I imagine that the pots weren't ever brimming with flour and oil, but that each day there was just enough for that day. That each day the widow had to trust that the prophet's promise was true. That each time she began to prepare another meal, she found that there was enough food to meet the immediate need. "
Do I trust enough to pour out my hoarded blessings like this widow?
"If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it. Yet if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything to the Lord, other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you."
When I hear the word "hoarded" my mind always seem to go to the old hymn He Giveth More Grace by Annie Johnson Flint, and the verse that says:
"When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun."
I mostly think of hoarded resources as money, assets that will insure my survival when times get hard, security in my last days, but Chambers takes it a step farther. All blessings need to be given back, poured out of my life, an offering to God that will bless others. This in turn becomes another blessing, so that the bowl of blessing does not ever run out.
In thinking about this, I ran across a blog on the Internet that spoke of Elisha and the woman of Zarepath. She gave him the last bit of flour she had and as a result her supply never ran out. In this blog, Rachel's Ramblings, the writer pointed out:
"I don't know for sure, but I imagine that the pots weren't ever brimming with flour and oil, but that each day there was just enough for that day. That each day the widow had to trust that the prophet's promise was true. That each time she began to prepare another meal, she found that there was enough food to meet the immediate need. "
Do I trust enough to pour out my hoarded blessings like this widow?
Thursday, September 1, 2011
A Worthy Calling
As I was coming back to the condo this morning, from getting a haircut, there was a program on the radio talking about adoption or foster care. The couple who was being interviewed by the program host, talked about, not only the joys of the process, but the problems inherent in the situations. They spoke about the church's involvement and suggested that it can be a two way street. The church can make people aware of the problems of children in need and the Christian's ability to be Christ to these at-risk ones, but it can also be part of a guilt trip, laid on couples who want to do something to help.
What does all of this have to do with the reading for today? Chambers says:
"Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind, placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life."
We have a yearning to be holy, to be right with God, but we can not let our actions be out of sympathy for others and their situation. There is a fine line between being led by the Spirit, and seeing a need that we might be able to help. They might be the same, but maybe not.
Mayre Lou and I decided way back, to take a young boy into our home, only for 1 weekend a month, to get him out of a children's home environment for just that short period of time, and give him a taste of what a "real" home looked like. We thought we could help him, but our sympathy for his situation did not count the cost to our own 3 kids. After a few months of this, we told the home that we just could not do it any more. Did God lead us to do this, or were we just naive enough to believe that our sympathy could make a difference? We probably gave the boy another feeling of abandonment, that hurt more than helped, and that we regret.
Is there a place for Christian adoption and foster care? Most definitely, and it is a worthy calling. Couples who are called to this are saints, for sure. Where God is in control of a family, and leads them to do this, there is rejoicing in Heaven, but in our case, where sympathy was the motivation, it was not enough.
God wants us to seek holiness, and the only way to do this is to stay in a vital relationship with Him and not let our emotions cloud the path.
I should have learned that years ago, and the question is, have I learned it now?
What does all of this have to do with the reading for today? Chambers says:
"Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind, placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life."
We have a yearning to be holy, to be right with God, but we can not let our actions be out of sympathy for others and their situation. There is a fine line between being led by the Spirit, and seeing a need that we might be able to help. They might be the same, but maybe not.
Mayre Lou and I decided way back, to take a young boy into our home, only for 1 weekend a month, to get him out of a children's home environment for just that short period of time, and give him a taste of what a "real" home looked like. We thought we could help him, but our sympathy for his situation did not count the cost to our own 3 kids. After a few months of this, we told the home that we just could not do it any more. Did God lead us to do this, or were we just naive enough to believe that our sympathy could make a difference? We probably gave the boy another feeling of abandonment, that hurt more than helped, and that we regret.
Is there a place for Christian adoption and foster care? Most definitely, and it is a worthy calling. Couples who are called to this are saints, for sure. Where God is in control of a family, and leads them to do this, there is rejoicing in Heaven, but in our case, where sympathy was the motivation, it was not enough.
God wants us to seek holiness, and the only way to do this is to stay in a vital relationship with Him and not let our emotions cloud the path.
I should have learned that years ago, and the question is, have I learned it now?
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