We are learning . . . .

Old thoughts and reflections worth remembering!

Written during our wilderness time in Texas

Just thinking about being out here in Texas and not knowing why.  Oh, we thought we had a reason but the sinfullness and duplicity of man put a quick end to that.  So we're out here, away from family and friends, with no idea what God has planned.  But I read too much to be without faith that He is in charge and will indeed work this thing out for our good and His glory.

But I would warn you, when you sense God's leading, take a nap.  Give it a break.  Don't charge forward.  We really ought to have prayed more, gotten more council and really investigated what we were getting into.  Had we done that we might well have chosen to live in our car in Greensboro rather than make the move.

But there is some up sides to this situation.  We have far less, though still too much, junk than we did.  We got to experience the kindness, care and support of family and friends as we prepared to move.  We really know we are loved.  We experience God's providence moment by moment.  We are learning about the sinfulness of our hearts and what He wants us to work on.  We get to miss people which is hard but wonderful.  We get to remember all the blessings of the past and look toward those of the future.  We get to find out new things about each other and our marriage.  We get to trust Him better each day.  We get to be convicted and to repent.  We get to discover new and awesome things about living for Him.

Being here is kind of a left-handed blessing.  The bitter with the sweet.  The good and the bad without the ugly.  Daily we confront small crisis and get to see Him resolve them.  Moment by moment we get to experience His comfort in our anxiety.  Night by night we get to sleep (that's day by day since I work nights.).  We get to enjoy learning to pray more deeply and more wisely.  We get to wait and rest.

Oh, I could complain, and do, but I feel foolish when I look at the sum total of our lives here.

All we thought would be a blessing once we got here went south on us.  It has been and is painful so we're learning to deal with anger and bitterness.  We're also learning to deal with pride, learning to see it from new and different directions.  We are learning to not murmur.  We are learning to trust Him way more than we trust others.  We are learning not to assume, suppose and accept on face value.  We are learning to not settle for anything but His best.  We are learning to pray openly and honestly laying our wants at His feet and holding out for them unless we are shown they are off base.  We are learning that we can not do it on our own.  We are learning that sometimes you just have to push forward.

Oh, I could complain, and do but then I just feel silly and foolish.

We are learning that the best cure for anxiety and worry is serving others.  We are learning that depression does not always win and that you can do more than you think even when the depression is at its worse.  We are learning that panic attacks always fail.  We are learning that we are weak and frail by design. We are learning a lot!

We are learning that you can feel sorry for yourself when appropriate but that it passes as you lean on Him.  We are learning that sadness is not a bad thing as long as it is not over much.  We are learning  that tears are often very appropriate.  We are learning that the disciplines of the faith are crucial.  We are learning that living the life takes practice, consistent practice.  We are learning that orthopraxy is only good with orthodoxy (lol).

We are learning that a little crazy is a good thing.  We are learning to be discriminating in our activities and pleasures.  We are learning that we can be too inundated by the world (this election stuff).  We're learning that what goes in the ear can really mess with the head...not to mention what goes in the eyes.  We are learning that Ruko is a blessing.  We are learning to love radio.

Philippians 4:8 ESV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Freedom, Contentment, Presence Part 2

Freedom, Contentment, Presence  Part 2
Contnetment

Hebrews 13:5-6 ESV
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." [6] So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

"And be content with what you have,"

First we get rid of the love of money-stuff and then (only then) can we begin to seek contentment with what we have.

But we do not have to wait for our freedom to be full.  When we cease to covent and act on that coveting we can also begin to reduce the clutter in our lives.  Look around your place - are you really content with all you have or is some of it convicting?

Does some of it make you feel foolish?  Does some of it show you your covetousness?  Does some of it make you, well, ashamed?

Can you answer the question, "Why do I have this and do I need it?"

OK - yes, you work hard and have a "right" to have nice things, to enjoy the fruit of your labor------MAYBE!  Maybe you have some culturally endorsed "right" but do you carry it too far?  Let me ask you this.  If you see a brother or sister in need how well fixed are you to really help them?  How much better could you care for those in need if you were content with less?  "Oh," you say, "I give to this and that cause and ministry and the church!"  Yes - many of you do but who gets the lion's share of the spoils?

1 John 3:17 ESV
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

This closing of the heart takes place long before the need is ever seen.  Read Deut. 15 and watch as God's heart breaks for the poor.  Read it slowly and carefully and watch the corruption of covetousness bring God to finally and I believe tearfully conclude that we will always have the poor among us becasue we will NOT obey Him in regards to our money-stuff.

I have learned that covetousness can be a subtle enemy of contenment.  We buy just a little, we keep it simple and we do it often.  Doing it a little and often exposes our covetousness and our lack of contentment - two ends of the same stick.

But I wander.  Are you content with what you have?  No, not do you have enough? - Most of us have too much.  What I am trying to get you to ask is; Does what I have satisfy me, fulfill me or convict me?

What do you have that was bought through a covetous spirit?  What was indeed bought as an idol?  What do you have that was bought so you would feel better about yourself apart from God?  What do you have that you bought to show others how acceptable, successful and good you are?  How can you be "content" with these things still in your possession?  It is little different that Israel in the OT wanting to be like the nations around them so they began to aquire little idols and ended up worshipping alongside the Pagans.

Colossians 3:5 ESV
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

I do not believe we can ever experience the contentment Christ would have us experience unless we work at "killing" the covetousness in our hearts.  So, if you indeed want to be content, covetousness - past - present and future has to be attacked with all our energy and all the help the Holy Spirit can give!

Let me ask something that I ask myself.  How can I be content when I am surrounded by things that are in truth idols?  Must I not cast them down - cast them out?  Must I not cleanse my home of these evil idols to money-stuff?

If that sounds silly, I'll pray for you.  If that sounds legalistic my heart breaks for you.  If there is a twinge of ache in your heart, a glimmer of conviction I thank my God for you and encourage you in casting down and out all the "idols" you have accumulated and surrounded yourself with.

Contentment can not compete with covetousness.  You must choose - and pray.  Contentment comes over time and through effort and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Philippians 4:11-13 ESV
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. [12] I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. [13] I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Getting a Grip when it all Hurts Part 5

Getting a Grip  When it all hurts  Part 5

1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. [8] Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. [9] Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. [11] To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Restore
Confirm
Strengthen
Establish

Do you want it - or not?

I ask that often.  Am I willing to suffer (for a little while) in order for God to bless me with these four mercies?  I take them as indesputable promises and so my answer is a weak but firm "yes."

I don't like the suffering part but I'm not sure we're supposed to like it anyway.  I do think that we are to keep the end in view - add everything up so we may:

James 1:2 ESV
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

and let's not exclude:

James 1:3-4 ESV
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. [4] And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Is this really what we want?  Or do we want to have a haven here instead of heaven there?  Oh how the love of the world smothers all our sense and sensibleness.  How the flesh warps and twists our hearts so that we desire the best here where it can never be available.  How poor and weak are we that we (and I mean WE) seek to live here without a deep desire for heaven.


We are so infected with the;
1 John 2:16
desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-

We forget that all of this, "is not from the Father but is from the world."

We are promised food, clothing and shelter.  We are not promised what kind or how much.  And I am learning that I have too much and that this too much has trapped me in the world.  I am being restored, confirmed, strengthened and established in ways I never suspected. And were it not for the suffering we are experiencing I'd have probably never even seen it.  As we live close to poverty I see the real poverty under which we lived.  As needs grow larger and more un-meetable I see what my real needs are - to which I was blind.  As a sense of worldly failure overwhelms me I discover what true success is - must be.  As the world in my life slowly diminishes heaven grows larger and His mercies and blessing grow more and more grand.

Brother and sisters I encourage you to live in such a way that God does not need to teach by a hard lesson.  Live with little, fight the covetousness that so easily infects our feeble hearts.  Begin now to loosen your grip on the world so the world's grip on you may be loosened.  Fight the real fight - the fight to live in humulity and submission to Him.  Question every eyarning, every desire, every choice.  Examine every thought and inclination.

If you are suffering, you are not alone and probably your suffering pales in comparison to most -  But suffering, no matter how bad is suffering.  I pray for you that you will not suffer long and that you (and we) will soon be the joyous recipients of the mercies God promises in this verse.

Faith in Affliction Weak or Strong 032414

Faith in Affliction  Weak or Strong

"If it never proves great, yet weak faith shall save; for it interests us in Christ, and makes Him and all His benefits ours.  For it is not the strength of our faith that saves, but the truth of our faith, nor weakness of our faith that condemns, but the want of faith; for the least faith lays hold on Christ and so will save us.  Nor are we saved by the worth or quantity of our faith but by Christ - who is laid hold on bu a weak faith as well as a strong - just as a weak hand that puts meat into the mouth shall feed and nourish the body as if it were a strong hand, but by the goodness of the meat."  John Rogers, The Doctrine of Faith

In Affliction we are confronted with the strength or weakness of our faith.  Indeed I think it is more often the latter than the former.  But as Rogers writes even our mustard-seed faith is sufficient to lay hold of all that Christ provides and promises.  The difference, perhaps, is more in our sense of faith than its sufficiency.  

How often do we, in afflictions, find ourselves confronted with the laziness of our faith and consider it a sign of no or weak faith.  This is not to be done.  The exercise of our faith will indeed be commensurate with its strength or weakness but yet whether one or the other it is sufficient.

If our faith is weak, afflictions are great torments and trials and yet Christ is not stingy in His providence regardless.  It is the object of our faith that is of the greatest import and what we often confuse with a weak faith is actually a misplaced faith.

We tend to trust God to provide according to our own reason and insight and when we do not see that happening we , in our distress, consider our faith to be too weak to have its effect.  But brother and sister, by God's own Word, this cannot be.  His promises are to those who believe whether small or large.

"Lord I believe, help Thou my unbelief," should be a fundamental prayer we pray in affliction.  For we all have areas where our faith struggles to settle upon its true object and grow upon that object.

And, we must remember that our faith is a gift and gifts are given according to the desire of the giver and the need of the gifted.  That one has what they consider a "small faith" is simply an invitation to stand amazed as God grows that faith in time and space.  Indeed, once we are with Him there will be no weak of strong faith for our trust in Him will be complete.

In affliction we will find that we question the strength and veracity of our faith - or at least we seem to.  However I find among believers that it is rarely a question of whether or not God will provide but rather how and when.  This shows that we have faith in Him even if we struggle in the details.
But some believers do struggle with whether or not God will provide.  Wondrously and happily this doubt is usually based upon their view of their own worthiness to even get God's attention much less His provision.  This is "works" thinking and we all do it.  There is nothing like an affliction to kick us into the old, "I'm not worthy," or to bring to our remembrance every jot and tittle of our sins.

Well, we are not worthy -  period.  But in and through Christ we are - but only through Him.  Yes, God may indeed, through some affliction, chastise us for sin.  But this is a mercy for first it falls far far short of what any sin deserves and second it is meant to cleanse, to refine the dross out of our hearts and lives.  Yet we often fail to see the blessedness of God's heavy hand upon us and we miss praising Him for that mercy.

Trusting God in affliction is simple but it is not easy.  The world mocks, the flesh wrestles with shame and the devil accuses and taunts.  That's a tough trio to contend with.  But knowing the source should drive us to look to God more intensly and humbly and - sometimes - desperately.

But, isn't the bottom line our redemption?  Isn't that the aim of our faith as Christ who provides it is the object?  Do we want heaven of relief more?  Do we want the comfort of our salvation or the comfort of things?  Do we want the praise of men or the "well done" of Christ?

Faith in affliction looks to its object and the priorities held by that object.  Which means that our priority should be the glory of God and our ultimate home with Him.  Everything else is NOT unimportant but it is secondary if not tertiary.

Therefore let us turn to Christ in our affliction and to His Word and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in getting our priorities back in line.  Let us allow the anxiety of trials to wash over us and away from us as we call out to God in supplication and thanksgiving.

"Though I am not pleased with God's chastisement, I will be pleased with its effect.  Though I struggle to thank Him for this testing I praise Him for loving me enough to test me.  Though I am assailed with fear let me be filled with His comfort.  May I accept this affliction as a mercy and blessing from my God who is determined to transform me into the likeness of my loving Savior."  ms

Heart Keepers 03 030514

Heart Keepers 03

3.  Earnest supplication and instant prayers for purifying and rectifying grace when sin has defiled and disordered the heart.

Two things here are worthy of notice.  The first is "earnest supplication."  When we go to God in prayer we need to go with a full acknowledgement of the curruption that yet abides in our hearts.  Our prayers must reflect the fact that we are still battling self-love and the fear of man and that even our best prayers are susupect.

Especially when under trials or afflictions our prayers can be mercenary to say the least.  We want relief for our pain and struggle so badly that we will often find ourselves bartering with God for His provision.  We are so focused on the immediate need that we can often hinder our own prayers by not praying fully and wholly.

Fully and wholly?  There is so much to pray for, so many needs of the Kingdom and its citizens - so many brothers and sisters in distress.  There is the church to pray for, those whose needs we know to pray for and in our distress and concern for our situation it is easy - all too easy - to just pray for ourselves without regard to the broader picture.

We can also find ourselves praying, "If" prayers.  You know, "God if You will just X I will Y."  This is bartering with God, trying to strike a deal.  This hinders the effectiveness of our prayers by it's assumption that God "barters" His blessings and provision.  This sullies and minimizes our prayers making them shallow and , well, wrong.

Secondly we need to be sensitive to the needs for "instant prayers," or timely prayers.  These are prayers in and of the moment especially when it comes to heart sins.  I know I have gone to God with my needs and failing to recognize the heart sins yet needing to be dealt with I have prayed ill and been sticken because of my shallowness and self-love.

Sin defiles and disorders our hearts to a greater extent than we see, so our prayers must seek His cleansing and ordering of our hearts.  I would suggest that this needs to be the first part of our prayers.  Praying about praying may sound strange but if our hearts are not in the right frame we will pray amiss.

Praying for purifying and rectifying grace may well need to precede any if not all our prayers.  If you have ever (and I assume you have) been under affliction and in pain you know how the corruptions of the heart can twist your thinking and affect your praying.  Taking time to pray about praying is one good way to discover and root out this sins that would hinder and hamper your prayers.

When you find that your heart is not right, when it is struggling with heart sins, there are always the Psalms that you can pray.  The writers of the Psalms experienced the difficuties of life much as we do.  They felt abandonded by God as we do. They felt overwhelmed by affliction as we do.  They felt all was hopeless as we do.  And yet they always return to trusting the Lord even when the motivation is that there is no one else to turn to (which asctually there isn't).   They struggled with the same ehart sins we struggle with and their guidance in our rpayers can be a great blessing and instruction.

Heat sins will always be a struggle for God's people here.  However we can not allow their commonness to go unaddressed.  Keeping the heart is nowhere more critical than in the areqa of prayer.  Prayer is fundamental to our relationship with God and we need for that relationship to be open and whole from our side as it is from His.  Heart sins, an unkept heart, will hinder and disorder our prayers which in turn will hinder and disorder our walk and witness.

Trusting God 021214

Trusting God  021214

"What are your cares, but the turmoiling of your thoughts?  Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory

Baxter offers that we may and should control our thoughts when we are in distress, even despair and he wisely and kindly adds that we should,

"Cast away the thoughts, and cares are gone.  You may do this if you will, though it be difficult."

Our thoughts begin in our hearts.  This is the source of all good and evil that we think, feel, say or do.  It is in the heart that despair begins and it begins with our lack of trust in God.  Yes, we all have a lack of trust in God.  We may only see it when we are under some affliction but it is always there.

Many, when things are going well may think or even boast that they are trusting God and I am sure that so some extent they do.  But take away those things that give them comfort and security and the flaw is exposed.  Doubt is a part of our suffereing here and we must accept that there are places where we doubt.

But we need not wait until we are under His correcting hand to begin to address this lack of trust.  We may, through a sincere and diligent examination of our hearts discover this vein of distrust and appreciate the power of it to cause us to stumble.

If you are under some affliction and struggling with your trust in God the only solution is - well - to trust God for your lack of trust.  As the man cried our to Jesus, "Help my unbelief!" we too must be bold about our trust struggle and go to the only source of strength we have.

Scripture abounds with admonitions, promises and prayers for trust in God.  It abounds with demonstrations of His faithfulness and lovingkindness.  Even your life in HIm, if you will but sit and reflect, holds testimony to His faithfulness.

But those pesky fearful thoughts persist.  Not only that, but Satan and the world will encourage and heighten them until they scream so loud they almost drown out everything else.  But we are able to control our thoughts and by the Holy Spirit we are able to strengthen and heal our weak hearts.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Notice something very important in this verse.  It is not "I" who keep me in peace but God who does it.  But I must fix my mind upon Him.  I must do two thing I think.  First I must really pray.  I use the word "really" becasue in matters of trust we can't be hedging or playing.  We must come honestly and openly to Him with our distrust confessing it and crying our for a greater trust in Him.  Where we do not trust Him, we sin and as with any other sin it must be confessed and repented of - wholy and truthfully.

Second - I must fill my mind and hence my heart with those Words of God that call me and encourage me to trust in Him.  I must take the plain truth of His lovingkindness to heart and hold it there tightly.  I know of no better way than to search out those sciptures that speak to the issue of trust and to read them (in not memorizing them) over and over until they permiate my mind and touch my heart.

Trust, even trust in our God does not come easy but it comes.

A Constant Battle 010914

Do you find yourself dealing with, "If You will .......  I will ......." type prayers or choices?

It is so sy to fall into bargaining with God for His blessing and provision.  And this is especaillly true when we are under any affliction or struggle.

Satan loves to bring to our minds all of our sins and even though they are forgiven in Christ he uses their awfulness to make us think we are condemned - even thoug that is not possible.

So we go to God and try to make a deal.  Or we undertake some duty thinking that if I just do this He will bless me.

This is, above all things, an isnight into the sin that yet clings to our hearts.  It's there and it will continue to affect our thinking and prayer.  But we must pray that the Spirit will expose this to us that we may pray against it.  So we may see it coming and bypass it in our prayers.

Oh if we could only grasp the fullness of His forgiveness.  If we were not so tied to ourselves and could see Him and His love through the self-ness we are plaugued with.

This need to prove that we are either really in need or that we are really worthy of His help drives so many of us to despair and confusion.

Take heart in the fact that in this you are not alone.  Most mature believers will tell you that they still struggle with this.  So you are not alone among believers in your struggle.

But you are not alone beyond that either.  God knows the habits of abiding sin.  He is not shocked when we come to Him this way.  He knows our struggle and appreciated the depth of it.  He knows all of our heart and He would heal it of this struggle.

Acknowledge and confess these "bargain" prayers.  Realize that God can not but give us what is best for us.  Yes, He desires - no, He commands our obedience but that is based on who He is and what He has done.  Gratitude does not nullify grace but embellishes and enlivens it.

OK- enough.  That was on my mind because day I caught myself at it.  Mmmmm figured you might catch yourself at it too.

M

Ever Before Me 011014

For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.
Psalm 51:3

Do we - do we really know our transgressions?  Are we as aware of, as sensitive to sin as we should be?  I know I am not and that is a cause for great distress.

I catch myself in sin and am shocked that I never saw it coming.

Perhaps you would say that I am being too scrupulous.  But is that even possible?  Are there some sins that deserve more attention than others?  Are there OK and not OK sins?  Do I consider the opportunity for sin in every choice and decision I make?  Can I be too scrupulous concerning my sin?

Why can't I cry with Paul:   Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?  Romans 7:24

I hear much talk about pornography, drugs, adultery and fornication (among others) but I do not hear much talk of envy, covetousness, fear of man, etc.  Are we making distinctions between the seriousness of sin?

Take, for example, one I struggle with constantly:  The desire to have material comfort and security over and above having a strong and effective witness.  My prayers are constantly assaulted with interruptive and distracting thoughts concerning my "needs" which inhibits (to say the least) real heart-felt prayer for His glory and the salvation of those around me.

Or, consider the struggle in praying when one is envious of those who do not have to deal with my trials and afflictions.  It is hard to pray when one's heart is envious and covetous.  These are sins few others ever see and yet they are there and of no less import than any other.  Yet it is easy to dismiss them or at least minimize them because they do not fall into the category of "big sins" (as though there was such a thing).

I want to know my transgressions as David knew his and to hate them more that I may love Christ more.  I want to be more sensitive and active concerning those sins you don't see and probably wouldn't suspect that hinder my prayers and plague my heart.  They are so easy to miss or dismiss that I must pray for the Holy Spirit to make my conscience raw and sensitive to these sins.

How can I know His salvation and its worth if my sins are not always before me?

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

Being of more value. 012413b

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?   (Mat 6:26)

Continuing His lesson Jesus gives us an example from nature.

He asks us to consider our "value," to our Father.

Birds can't sow, reap or gather - yet they are provided for.

If you can't sow, reap or gather - does thin not suggest that God will feed (provide for) you?

Is this just about food?  I think not!  This is about value.

Actually I believe it's about who we look to in order to determine our value.

Birds?  I'm of greater value that birds?  Actually the idea here is that we are "of so much MORE value" than birds. 

Birds have a role in God's creation no less critical to the sustaining of that creation than anything else.  God maintains everything they need to fulfill their role in His creation.  There are lots of birds - that takes a lot of maintaining.  It's not a simple thing nor is it insignificant!

Then there is "us."  We were God's viceroys in the Garden.  Note:


Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 
(Gen 1:26)

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 
(Gen 2:15)

God's intention for us was to be His means of maintaining His creation.  We were to work and keep the garden which in turn would provide for all the creatures of the creation.  Pretty important stuff!  

Now, in this fallen world our role has changed.  Now we are called to show forth His glory, to be holy as He is.  We are his witnesses, living testaments to His glory and goodness.  How much value can we put on that?

Consider:

". . . . when He comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."   (2Th 1:10)

Whose "value" do we choose accept?  His or the world's?  Who do we look to?  How do we measure it?  

The redemption of the creation - the birds - cost Him His Son.  However the price was demanded for our sin not for the birds' sins (birds don't sin they just suffer its effects).  So He paid the demanded price - for OUR sin - that He might redeems His creation.

Where in our fleshly spectrum of value do we really put that?  Is it first or just a close second?  Do we really accept that we are valuable enough for God to give His Son?  Are we willing to accept that his love for us was so great that he sent His Son to be a man, to suffer and be tempted as a man and then be killed as a criminal?  How valuable does that make us?

Are we willing to accept and live with Jesus as our total net worth?  Are we willing to be rejected and scorned and put down by the world so that we might live out His gracious gift for and to us?

Or do we play with the world's criteria for worth and value measuring our lives by their standards?  And how well have those standards served Him or His creation?  How cruelly have the standards of the world dealt with the world?

Think on what God has done for and in you.  Consider what you might be tempted to trade it for.  In times of weakness and suffering it is not uncommon for us to fall into "if only," and to see ourselves as worthless failures.  It is a struggle to cling to God's love and the value He has given us - He has made us ultimately valuable - He has given us a worth beyond words - Pray and think on that.

Father,

In these tough times I see my sin and my errors.  I see how I have been deceived and schemed by the world, the flesh and the devil.  Now, in my distress those three cruel enemies taunt me and pour shame upon me.  Help me Father, to cling to Your gracious gift as the only thing that matters.  Let the cruel accusations and aspersions of those three enemies drop from my mind and heart.  Deafen my ears to them, let me be comforted and let by Your Word and Your Spirit as I seek to  follow You in whatever circumstance I find myself in.

Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.   (Pro 30:7-9)

In the name of Jesus and for His glory, amen.

Anxious?

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?    (Mat 6:24-25)

I am astounded at the "therefore."  Jesus has called His hearers to a point of decision, Mammon or God.  It's a hard choice in that our service to Mammon can be so very very subtle and has roots running deep into our flesh.  We can make the good choice but that only initiates the hard work of "rooting out" Mammon-ness.

But having called them to a point of decision He goes on as though they had indeed made the right choice.  He is telling us, "Having chosen God over Mammon do not be anxious about your life."  then he enumerates many of the things we do ge anxious about.  I hesitate to see this list as definitive (that is limited only to what is here) but rather I am tempted to expand it this way:

"Do not be anxious about those material things you need God to provide so that you may serve and honor Him while you are here."

I am reminded of Abraham when he was called to sacrifice Issac.  I can think of no greater "hard place" to be than the one he found himself in and yet he states:

Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:8)

As i read this I wonder if we might consider that God will provide Himself with what is needed for His children to live in obedience and service.  The twist here is that God is providing it for Himself to us for His glory and honor.  Hope that's not too weird I don't want to start a theological fuss!

But if everything God does (and calls us to do) is for His glory - can't we see that he is providing it for Himself to us so we might glorify Him?

He KNOWS what we need - we THINK we know what we need.  See the difference?

Jesus asks a question we need to prayerfully consider and seek the Spirits guidance concerning:

"Is not life more than.....?"

Isn't it?  Really?

Please know I am aware of how tough a question that is and how so very much works to keep us from accepting this and living it out.  I am especially aware at how parents struggle so very much to raise their children to know this and live this.  We are in prayer for you all - please be in prayer for us as well.

msanders.bc@gmail.com

Isn't it?? Really?? 012313

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?    (Mat 6:24-25)

I am astounded at the "therefore."  Jesus has called His hearers to a point of decision, Mammon or God.  It's a hard choice in that our service to Mammon can be so very very subtle and has roots running deep into our flesh.  We can make the good choice but that only initiates the hard work of "rooting out" Mammon-ness.

But having called them to a point of decision He goes on as though they had indeed made the right choice.  He is telling us, "Having chosen God over Mammon do not be anxious about your life."  then he enumerates many of the things we do ge anxious about.  I hesitate to see this list as definitive (that is limited only to what is here) but rather I am tempted to expand it this way:

"Do not be anxious about those material things you need God to provide so that you may serve and honor Him while you are here."

I am reminded of Abraham when he was called to sacrifice Issac.  I can think of no greater "hard place" to be than the one he found himself in and yet he states:


Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:8)

As i read this I wonder if we might consider that God will provide Himself with what is needed for His children to live in obedience and service.  The twist here is that God is providing it for Himself to us for His glory and honor.  Hope that's not too weird I don't want to start a theological fuss!

But if everything God does (and calls us to do) is for His glory - can't we see that he is providing it for Himself to us so we might glorify Him?

He KNOWS what we need - we THINK we know what we need.  See the difference?

Jesus asks a question we need to prayerfully consider and seek the Spirits guidance concerning:

"Is not life more than.....?"

Isn't it?  Really?

Please know I am aware of how tough a question that is and how so very much works to keep us from accepting this and living it out.  I am especially aware at how parents struggle so very much to raise their children to know this and live this.  We are in prayer for you all - please be in prayer for us as well.

msanders.bc@gmail.com