Even more....2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Even more.......

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [5] For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

There is a "Why" to the comfort we receive from God and if there is a "Why" for that comfort there is a "Why" for the affliction as well.  First, we have to understand and accept that as Jesus said, we will have tribulation in this world.  It is a fallen, broken world, a far cry from what God intended.  It is a sin ravaged world, warped and twisted, full of sorrow and woe.  Until He returns ( Please God let it be soon!).  We will suffer travesty and affliction.  But affliction is not without purpose.

First, affliction proclaims the creation's brokenness, man's fallenness and the desperate need for a redeemer.  It isn't how it should be!  It must be righted but only God in Christ can right it.  Second, afflictions are intended to demonstrate man's individual and collective need to be dependent upon God.  Third, afflictions demonstrate God's mercy as He brings comfort in or resolution to our afflictions.  Fourth, afflictions are intended to draw us to the only source of purpose and comfort.

Like afflictions, comfort has a purpose that is beyond simply easing our discomfort.  The comfort we receive from God is intended to be passed to others in need, others suffering from affliction.  It is a mercy that is to be extended beyond the recipient to the next person.  It is to be shared abroad to His glory and honor.

Now for an aside.  For over 20 years I have had the privilege of serving, "the least of these."  From the homeless to the addicted to the mentally ill, God has allowed me to serve these oh so special men and women.  Why?  Simply put, because there is typically no ministry to them within the local church.  Right doctrine and a correct worship style are important and good but if there is no ministry to the broken and hurting then the church is failing to fulfill her whole warrant.  There is little, if any true pastoral ministry in most churches today.  By "pastoral" in this context I mean Christ centered, Bible based, "out of the pulpit and on the front lines," ministry.  I refer to the warrant to the church:

1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

That is not pulpit work, that is people work.  That is the work of passing on that comfort with which God comforts us.

Enough of that "bunny trail."

You should understand that in this verse it does not refer to how God "got us through" the affliction but rather how God is comforting us "IN" our dynamic, on going, current affliction.  We are comforted in the affliction we suffer NOW so we may comfort others in the affliction they suffer NOW!  In this verse it is not about the affliction God resolved but it is about the affliction in my life that is unresolved in which God is comforting me.  It is not, "I once went through that and God ......." but rather, "I am suffering X and God is comforting my by Y."

 Certainly we can offer the comfort we received during an affliction that God has since resolved, but we are to be offering comfort even while we undergo an unresolved affliction.  This is a dynamic, in the midst of the affliction offer of the comfort we are receiving!

It is getting out there in the midst of the pain and connecting with a brother or sister in Christ who is dealing with some affliction and connecting with them to share the comfort we are experiencing.  It is not giving some testimony of a deliverance, but a testimony to active comfort in an active affliction.

But alas, we are taught in most local churches to not do this, to keep our afflictions (and comfort) to ourselves.  We are not to disturb the nice neat order with our messy afflictions.  Instead, we are typically sent out into the wilderness to find our own comfort, admonishment, encouragement,  and help.

Pray brothers and sisters and pray hard that God will correct this short-fall in His churches.  Are you in some affliction and are you receiving comfort from our loving God?  Then pray that He will connect you with someone who needs you to share that comfort.  Are you suffering some affliction?  Then pray God will send someone in affliction who has God's comfort to share.

"We" Prayers

I was praying this morning about some folks I'm involved with and was asking God to help me as I served them.  I was using a lot of "I(s)" and "me(s) which bothered me but I persisted in prayer.

Then I was praying for one paricular person and I said, "May we be a blessing......."

It may be a silly point - it may be trivial but that "we" got to me.  I think what got to me was how much I prayed that God would enable me to do this of that - or be this or that and I forgot that it has to be a "we."

It's not "I" who does anything.  It's He and I, emphasis on the He.  It was a shocker for me to realize how even in prayer my self-ish-ness, my self-focus comes into play.  I realized that I was asking Him to help "me" istead of asking Him to allow me to help Him,  serve Him.

I realized that in my corrupt and wandring heart I was using Him like somekind of a supply post where I went and got what i needed (or thought I needed) and then went on my merry way doing my thing - even though I did it for Him.

I came away from that time with a new perspective on my prayer and my service.  I don't want to serve Him but rather serve with HIm.  Maybe that's just a distinction He needed to make for me but it has been a good one.

Think about it - how often you pray "I" instead of "we."  How often you go to Him for provision and then wander off kind of without Him.  The Spirit is not in us for no purpose - so it's always gotta be a "we."

Melancholy - Moving Forward 020614

I hope you've gotten a better appreciation for the soul affliction of melacholy.  Whether you suffer it yourself or know someone who does it is a tough  thing to deal with.  But God is faithful and He will not let us face trials that we can not bear.  I know that sounds hollow, but it's true.

One key to our spiritual life when the affliction of melacholy is present is to keep it simple.  Pray simply.  Read the Word simply.  It is not  time to try for lofty heights or profoound depths of sirituality.  It is time for rest and trust and, well, simplicity.

I often simply pray the Model Prayer or the 23rd Psalm or another Psalm that toouches my need.  I often simly read Pslams of Proverbs to take in what spiritual nourishment I can.  As an old Puritain once wrote, "Do it s you are able in order to do it better."  Be gentle with yourself.

One thing to remember is that our feelings are twisted up by the affliction.  We have to really work to remember thaat what is true is true regardless of how we feel.  I've found that quoting (reading) passages of assurance like those found in Eph. and Rom. can make a real difference.  I just read them over and over not like a chant but to fix my mind and keep it from wandering to the worries melacholy brings with it.

If you are involved with someone struggling  melancholy you have a powerful ministry to be about.  Tenderness, patience and taking care of yourself are critical.  You can not "fix" it but you can be a source of comfort and encouragment.  It will take a lot out of you but God will supply your need.  You will at times, feel helpless and hopeless yourself and the things I've mentioned above will benefit you as well.

Perhaps the gretest thing you can do is to pray for and with your friend of family member.  Pray scripture with them, pray comfort for them, pray piece for them.  They are not defective they are afflicted.  One friend descibes their depression as a bad case of the ful that never ends.

I haven't mentioned medications yet but I need to.  My motto is, "Trust God and take your medications."  God in His providence has provided some wonderful treatments for melacholy and we would be foolish to not take advantage of them.  You want to be on the right med' that allows you to engage and address the melacholy.  I tell those I minister to, "You are not responsible FOR your melacholy but you must be responsible IN it."

The med's don'c cure anything but they do alleviate the melancholy so that we may, to one degrree or another, function responsibly. Remember the quote above, "Do it as you can......"  That's what you want your med's to do.

I'll revisit melancholy form time to time and am still open to questions and dialogue but that's about it for now - I'm "Doing it as I can........"

My prayers are with the melachoy and those who care or them.  You are not alone no mattter how alone you feel.  God is certainly with you and you are in the hearts and minds of many many others who suffer as you do.

May God lead you to the warmth and light of His grace more and more, day by day.

Michael

Melancholy 020414 Help

Melacholy isolates.  Isolation is not good.
But it"s tough to be in groups when one is afflicted with melacholy.

Their funny isn't funny.
Their sadness is too much.
Their smiles are frightening.
Their happiness is sorrow.

Everything is twisted into a knot of pain and darkness.

But - isolation ins't good.

We need each other.

Just being with someone
Quietly
Tenderheartedly
Compassionately
Just being with someone can help

The temptation though is to try to "fix" the melancholy
Resist that

Encourage using tangible things
Simple things
Avoid the high and lofty.

Read then scripture
Gentle scripture
Tender scripture
Read softly
Lovingly

Once, when I was in a particularly tough time I found that emails, texts and even brief phone messages were powerful tools.  I was alone but not forgotten.  People were praying for me thinking of me even rooting for me.  It made a quiet simple difference.

Psalm 7:17 Even when it hurts.

Psalm 7:17 ESV
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

I will!  But that's not always an easy thing.  Our flesh is weak and we struggle with fear and doubt for many reasons.  Some reasons are common others are rare and toxic.

When things are hard and we are anxious we need help in giving thanks and singing praise.    That's our struggle and it's not uncommon.

Let me encourage you to read the Psalms and search out those wherein David struggles as we do.  Pray those if you can't pray your own.

Let me encourage you (and myself) with the words of Richard Baxter - we should,
"Do it as we can in order to learn to do it better."

Little by little, step by step, agonizing prayer by agonizing prayer let us seek His power and mercy to give thanks and sing praise.  

Even as we weep upon our beds until we fall exhausted into sleep - let us thank and praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness and that He has made us His and keeps us so.

Father - I want to cry out in my distress.  It hinders my thankfulness and praise.  Help me Father, help me to reach above my need and anxiety to do thank you and praise you even when it feel shallow and forced.  Father, enable me to do it little by little and better and better for You are indeed worthy of my thanks and prayer.

Amen

Psalm 5 :11

Psalm 5:11 ESV

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy,and spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You.

Yes !!!!!!

Remember, this is a prayer (also an admonition).  This is a prayer we need to be praying for those we know who are in distress and even for those we don't know.  We all need to be lifting up the Body - often.

Joy and exultation can be hard for folks who are suffering - especially believers ;-}.
We know God is working, we know He has a purpose for all we experience and yet we still struggle to rejoice and exult.  

But maybe, as many of the Puritan writers suggest, we need to focus on our redemption more and our circumstances less.

Oh, I know that's hard to do and the distraction and anxiety of our worldly needs make it almost seem mean.  But I have to remember that redemption is the whole point of my relationship with Him.  It is the "bottom line."

We so want to be comfortable and healthy and solvent.  There's nothing inherently wrong with this unless it (as it does) intrudes upon and diverts us from His great salvation.  

I often remember Job's wanting to have never been born because of his afflictions.  I am very grateful that God included that in the book.  I draw from it a certain comfort and hope in that when I feel that way I know that God understands and appreciates my feeling that way.  

The Puritan writers consistently point out that the things of this earth are meaningless and a distraction.  But they also understand how difficulties and afflictions get our attention and hold it.  As I said the other day, "When I hit my thumb with a hammer it has my undivided attention!"

Somehow we need to call upon Him to give us the focus and discipline we need to rejoice and exult in our pain - I don't think we'll work it up on our own.  Nor do I think kindly meant platitudes are any help.

I spoke a very dear brother today and, well, he  "got" me.  He was sharing his stuggles (and he certainly has some) and he shared how he has found intercessory prayer to be a real means of joy and peace.  He "gets out of himself" and his circumstances and he even shared that he is assured of his redemption through calling out to God for others.

I realized that this is so true.  Although Paul was upheld by the hand of God I also think that he was joyful and could exult in his trials because he knew he was serving others (even us) in remaining faithful.  He prayed and prayed a lot for all the believers he knew, knew about or simply assumed would come in time.

Father, make me aware that my needs are in your keeping and care so I may pray for others.    Empower me to "get out of myself" and my needs and anxiety so I may bring my brothers and sisters before Your throne.  

Keep me from comparing needs and answers so I may humbly and heart-fully lift up OTHERS more than myself.   My pain is my pain but I have entrusted it all to you and others are bringing all of me before You.  Please make Your Spirit bold in and to me to get my eyes off of "me" and on to "them."

Make me keep in mind that my needs and pain are in Your hands and that I can most effectively await Your providence by bringing "their" needs and pain to You.  Cure my myopia, broaden my reach, expand my heart so that it is so full of care and compassion for others that I can faithfully lift them up.!!

Amen

Finger Thinking 021113

Today - something different.

We've looked at the struggles and the battles - the anxiety and fear.  But in all of this - regardless of how heavy it gets we also need to hold on to the hope we have in Him.

Bottom line?  We have the assurance of our home with Him.  That's the big thing - and we can not allow our present trial and tribulations to take that hope from our hearts.

Jesus' teachings were pretty tough when you really read them - as are the teachings in the writings of the Apostles.  Our redemption is the main and plain thing.  That we have to keep our grip on.  All we experience here is, I think, to make us long to be with Him, for His Kingdom to come, for His will to be done in all the creation.

I know - when you're broke or sick or undergoing any other trial it is hard to keep your eyes on heaven.  It is very hard and I would not minimize your distress in any way.

But dearest one - we all have to fight that fight in one way or another.  I am learning, especially from the Puritan writers, that rich or poor, well or infirm we all struggle to keep a grasp on our hope.  It is good to know that His grasp on us is unrelenting.

As I discover the needs of others I am embarrassed by my focus on my circumstances.  No, it's not a matter of, "others are worse off so quit whining."  Rather I am beginning to feel a part of their struggles, their pain, their fear and anxiety.  I am beginning to see more clearly the truth of His Word and the battle we are in.  I am finding that I turn more to Him the more I see the needs of others.

We are not alone in our distress.  We have others who struggle with us and for us.  We are in the company of saints who have been called to demonstrate that He is worthy to be trusted.  We can only do that when we trust Him - and sometimes He has to bring into our lives those conditions that take away everything we have trusted that is not Him.

But whether we are in distress or plenty our need to hope in Him - in our redemption - is never diminished.  Job stated that even if God saw fit to kill him, he, Job, would trust/hope in Him.  Great words but they bring us to the bare facts of the faith.  We have been saved for Him and by Him to be His forever.  We sometimes need to be brought to 
the place where we are confronted by that truth to see whether it is enough for us or not.

Jesus told us to not fear those who can kill the body - I would expand it to include the "its" as well.  He told us to fear that which can condemn our souls.  Well, in Him we do not have to fear the condemnation of our souls and so, though it is a battle, we need fear nothing and no-one.

I know - bold words - but they are not spoken easily for their truth and power leave me with only Him - as though there was ever more anyway.

Father, I pray that we will be comforted by the hope we have in You.  I pray that we will dare to look at the bottom-line of our hope and be willing to accept it.  Father we need to learn to be content with our redemption and not just our worldly conditions.  Father we need to be content with Your grace whatever we are living through.

Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters who are in need and I call out to You to give us all the knowledge that the impact of any need is relative to the strength and maturity of the individual believer.  Knowing that, make us either seek the strong and mature believer for guidance and comfort or make us seek the weak and struggling believer to give guidance and comfort.

Father bring us to that one-ness Jesus prayed for - that one-ness He died for.  Let us understand that if one part of the Body is injured and the rest of the Body ignores it or is unable to discern it - there is something very very wrong.

Father, give us big hope, big hearts and even bigger prayers so that we struggle alongside our faith family either in their presence or in prayer.  

Help us Father, to know the joy of Your salvation even in the distress of being here waiting for You.

Psalm 30:6-7

Psalm 30:6-7 ESV
As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." [7] By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

Oh my, how many of us can say "Amen," to this?

I take special not of the words, "my mountain."  

I have to admit it's convicting because it never was, "my mountain," it was His.

But isn't that common to our struggle?  When things are going well we get a little tunnel vision.  We see us and ours and my and mine and we do not look to Him as constantly as we need to.  We get a little cocky about things and our duties to and for Him slip on our priority list.

Of course the opposite is true as well.  When He hides His face (or seems to) we run the danger of curling into a little ball in the corner and doing nothing in terms of our duties to and for Him.  

Perhaps this is why we need to be a little more tough on ourselves when it comes to our duties.  I'm no proposing some legalistic, rigid, heartless process but rather a commitment to pray and study, etc. daily and intentionally.  

We eat, we go to the bathroom, we go to work, we pet the dog - we do so many things regularly.  Perhaps we need to begin to view (and pray for help to) our "duties" as not quite so lofty and unreachable.  Maybe we need to see these duties as simply the common and simple things believers do.  Which, I am coming to believe they are.

Though we have a special privilege in these things they are not unusual to the believer - or shouldn't be.  

Recently I spoke with some friends and we all were "feeling" kind of numb in our walks.  The temptations was to do something "special" for Him.  But we realized that He is the  one who does the special things - we are simply called to do simple things.  Pray, study. worship, give, encourage, comfort ---- simple things.

If, and he has, God has put His Spirit in us to reside forever then we have all we need in terms of right and ability to engage these duties.  Regardless of our "feeling" when engaging in them we should be about them.  It's hard when we don't "feel" like doing them or they don't make us "feel" better but that in no way decreases the value of them.

Father, it is so easy for us to be tempted to try to bargain with You.  It is so easy to wonder what we need to do to get on Your "good side."  We know this is a deception, a trick Satan wants us to fall for and we really need Your help to fight it.

We struggle with Your assurance of our salvation and our needs here.  Our needs here have a nasty habit of overwhelming us and keeping us from knowing the "joy of Your salvation."  We don't know what to "do" about this - so we ask You to do what needs to be done.  

Whether we need a change of heart or mind, we ask You to heal and help us to engage You in the ways You have provided - regardless of how we "feel."  You know our deepest need and indeed you know our true hunger.  Please keep us from being seduced by opportunity and despair into doing nothing.  Help us - make us - faithful in as much as we can be right where we are.

Amen.........

Psalm 139:2 He understands!!!!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 

(Psa 139:2)

Think about it.  I know you know that God knows when we sit don and when we rise up.  But have you considered that He "understands" our thoughts?  That's not just our good thoughts or our thoughts about Him but He understands our less than acceptable thoughts as well.  He understands!!

Consider:

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.   (Heb 2:17-18)

He understands!!

I don't know how to express the depth and breadth of this.  It, for me, is overwhelming and kind of a scary comfort.  He understands!!

Consider - He was made like us- He was tempted Himself.  Yes, unlike us He did not sin but He "gets it."

Now, this can in no way be taken as some sort of an excuse for our way-ward and inappropriate thoughts - sin is still sin and error will always be error - but He understands!!

As Patti and I pass through this time of testing and trial we have "not so good thoughts."  Fearful thoughts, legalistic thoughts, hopeless thoughts, fleshly thoughts and murmuring thoughts.  They just come and when they do they distress us - greatly.  But I keep having some interesting thoughts as well.

I think, "Why me, why this,why now, why so heavy?"  Kind of like Moses I want to say, "Here I am Lord, send Aaron!"   Even, "Let this cup pass from me!"  But I am humbled when

I have the thought, "If not me, then who?"  I struggle to accept that this is His will for us right now.  Not to sound arrogant - but, He picked us for this and this for us for His glory and honor - not to mention our blessing.  This makes us no more "special" than any other believers - it just makes us the ones He is using where we are, in this circumstance.

With no Egypt there would have been no Exodus.  Without a crucifixion there would have been no resurrection.  No, I'm not elevating myself or my situation but I am trying hard to see it within the context of God bringing glory to Himself and strengthening me.

What helps is, He understands my fearful and anxious thought,s and though I know He desires that I overcome them by trusting Him, He is sympathetic to my weakness and frailty (which is part of what He wants me to see and appreciate so I will lean on Him).

Please dear ones hold tight to the truth that He understands all our thoughts!  Yes, He disapproves of many and worries for us over others but none of them come as some cosmic shock to Him.  He knew we'd have them and has provided relief for and from them because He understands!

Father my heart and my mind are weak and rebellious.  Only You can temper and tame them.  Knowing that You understand and that You sympathize and provide is such a comfort.

But Father, do not let me grow lazy or complacent concerning them.  Let me take hold of them and bring them to You for Your ministry and mercy.  Be gentle with me Lord for I am much like a little rabbit - jumpy and anxious.  Care for me by giving me the heart of a child when it comes to You.  Give me stronger trust and firmer assurance as each day passes and my imaginings and fancies prove false though frightening.

Let me know more and more Your lovingkindness and Your understanding and open myself to Your instruction and care.  Make me remember Your past mercies and provision and be deaf to the lies and cries of the deceiver.  Let me look only to You and hear only You as You minister to me through Your Word, Your Spirit and Your people.

Thank You for letting me know - You understand!!

Amen

EXTRA For we who fear, pray and work to fear rightly!

Sinful fear -- not uncommon - not good.

In his work, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear, John flavel writes some things that I have found convicting and heart breaking in my life.  Perhaps you will be blessed by his words as I was.  I highly recommend the book as a companion to scripture in these difficult times.  He writes of 3 kinds of fear, natural, sinful and holy --- well worth reading and following his guidance.

"Some fear more than they ought, some fear before they ought and others when they ought not at all.  The strong Christian fears God, not man.  The weak Christian fears man too much and God too little."

Based upon what we find in Hosea Flavel writes:
"But their eyes do not look to Me for protection and deliverance.  They expect more from Egypt than from heaven, more from a broken reed than from the Rock of Ages.  Do not fear their fear!  It drives them from Me to the creature.  It first distracts them, and then ensnares them.  In marked contrast, see that you and all the faithful in the land sanctify Me in your hearts, and make Me your fear and dread.  Rely upon Me by faith in this day of trouble.  See that you give Me the glory of My wisdom, power, and faithfulness by relying entirely upon My attributes that are engaged for you in so many tested promises.  Do not give yourself to sinful and vain dealings, as those who have no interest in Me nor experience of Me."

"Sinful fear will cause the best people to attempt to help themselves through sinful compromises."

Isa. 30:15-17a
"In a word, one act of faith will do them more good than Pharaoh and all his forces.  But they refuse to trust God."

"The sinfulness of fear lies in its exess and immoderacy when we fear more than we ought. . . . . Our fear exceeds the value and merit of its cause.  It is a great sin to love or fear any creature above its worth, as if it were master of all our temporal and eternal comforts."

"To trust in any creature as if it had God's power to help us, or to fear any creature as if it had God's power to hurt us, is exceedingly sinful."

Isa. 31:1
"It is a sinful and dangerous mistake to give to a creature that trust and dependence that belongs to God alone."

"Be careful not to fear any man, as if the power of making or marring you were in his hands - as if it were his will and pleasure to save or ruin you.  Do not fear those who can only touch your body, as if they could damn your soul; do not attribute to any creature God's sovereign and incommunicable power."

"The sinfulness of fear consists in its power to dispose and incline people to use sinful means to escape danger.  This casts them into the hands of temptation."

You are in our prayers.