Understanding

I do not believe we can fully comprehend what it means when God says

He does not hold our past against us. Why? Because for the most part, we cannot help but hold our past against ourselves. We wage persistent battles against memories, guilt, regrets, and the like.

We also tend to see change as a future event, not a present reality.

Because our perception of time is linear, we see our past along with the present. So for us, in a sense, the past is always present(exists) and present (now). It is not so with God.

God's reality--His perception of time--is not linear. In His, we already are the new creations He made us to be. Right now, thi moment! We are, not "will be". (And it gets even deeper than that!) Think on this. It will "torque your brain" (a good thing!). Seek to see yourself as God sees you. "But we have the mind of Christ."

(1 Cor 2:16)

Cry Out

Have you ever cried out to God for direction in difficult times--and

received no response? I remember saying to Him, "Lord, I feel like you have put me in the middle of the woods, blindfolded. All I am doing is bumping into trees! Will you please show me the path?" And did a great light suddenly shine before me revealing the path? No! Not even a dim glow! I just bumped into some more trees.

But later, I saw that He had led me precisely where I needed to go at exactly the right time, beyond the scope of coincidence or random events! I learned to trust that He will always do that, even when I cannot see or feel it. It has made our relationship much stronger.

You can trust Him that way too. Perhaps you need this today?  From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:26-27 NIV)

Who's watching you?

I have become accustomed to the idea that people I do not know personally know who I am. It goes with having a "public" profession.

People have come to me in ministry settings and said, "Oh, I saw you at such-and-such-a-place... and I was unaware!

People are watching your life--and that is a good thing! You have a opportunity to influence them for the Lord in ways you could never effect with words. You may never know the impact you have had. And that is all right; God knows.

  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were  not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without  paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in  order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. (2 Th 3:7-9 NIV)

Promises of God

Two things I understand about God's promises to us:

1. Almost all of God's promises to us are conditional: they require something from us in order to receive something from Him. I have seen people who did not understand this become angry with God when the promises did not "work" as they expected.

2. In a conversation with a friend this week about the often-heard phrase, "The Word works!", I said: "I agree--but with an important caveat: it "works" by understanding, not simply by knowledge."

I believe God made it so as a failsafe. Otherwise, a lot of people would be running around "using" Him and His Word to do or get a lot of things they should not be doing or getting.

   "If you keep my laws and are careful to obey my commands, I will send the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees will produce their fruit. Your threshing season will extend until the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will extend until it is time to plant grain again. You will eat your fill and live securely in your land. (Lev 26:3-5 NLT)

A Calling

Has God commissioned you to a task? Is there a "calling" on your

life? Do you know your purpose in the Kingdom? If "Yes!", then

commit yourself to it. Be determined, no matter what (or who).

Not sure or don't know? (And that is all right!) Then be committed

to your relationship with God. Be determined that you will maintain

that relationship no matter what (or who). Understanding will come

in time and as needed through that relationship.

And understand this: our relationship with God is our ultimate

purpose. That is why we were created. It even defines eternal life.

John 17:3: "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you.."

   When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the

  Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. They traveled

  through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a

  Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an

  attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an

  intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to

  hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his

  name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the

  faith. (Acts 13:5-8 NIV)

I AM

God is absolutely faithful to do what He has promised. However,

those promises are--almost without exception--conditional: they

require something from us.

Although it felt unfair at times, looking back over some very

difficult situations in my life, I can say that it was always for

the best. God knows what He is doing.

Let's be certain that we seek, trust, surrender, love, believe, walk

in faith, and fulfill our responsibilities to God before we accuse

Him of failing to fulfill His responsibilities to us.

    I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have

  revealed and saved and proclaimed--I, and not some foreign god among

  you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God. Yes,

  and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand.

  When I act, who can reverse it?" (Isa 43:11-13 NIV)

Testimony

I cannot stress enough the importance of being a living witness to

your children, grandchildren, and any who see or know your life. You

teach in ways you of which you may be unaware.

This is very personal for me because as I shared a few weeks ago, I

am a Believer today because of my grandfather. I thank God for him.

In this life, He was unaware of the influence he had on me, and

therefore, on every person this ministry touches.

Also be mindful that family is not necessarily defined by physical

ancestry. Even if you do not have children, someone somewhere is

watching your life. Teach them well.

  We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the

  next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD. We will tell

  of his power and the mighty miracles he did. For he issued his

  decree to Jacob; he gave his law to Israel. He commanded our

  ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation

  might know them--even the children not yet born--that they in turn

  might teach their children. So each generation can set its hope anew

  on God, remembering his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

  (Psa 78:4-7 NLT)

Controllers

I do not like controlling behavior. "Controllers" are typically very

judgmental and in one way or another pressure you to meet their

expectations. They can do much damage if allowed.

They especially do not like it when you do not let them control you;

you run the risk of becoming their "Enemy Number One". "Controllers"

can also get quite aggravated when you ignore their expectations.

So, what do you do? Please God, meet His expectations for your life,

and seek your acknowledgment and approval from Him. What anyone else

thinks of you is far less important.

(And when I can please God--and by doing so I aggravate a "control-

ler"--do I feel good about that? To be candid: Yes, I do.)

  Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove

  faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human

  court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear,

  but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

  Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the

  Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and

  will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will

  receive his praise from God. (1 Cor 4:2-5 NIV)

Happy Labor Day

 Happy Labor Day!

It is our human nature to attempt to explain away what we do not

understand--or ridicule it if we cannot come up with an explanation

for it. We do not like not being in control. We do not like not

knowing. But then, there is a lot we do not know, isn't there?

So, keep your spiritual "antennas" up. When you encounter something

you do not understand, do not automatically reject it. Proceed with

caution, of course. Take it to God. Ask Him about it first.

  Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

  Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much

  wine." Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and

  addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in

  Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I

  say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the

  morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

  (Acts 2:12-16 NIV)

God is always ready

Have you ever been hesitant to bring a need to God because you felt

you were bothering Him or perhaps you felt ashamed because you got

yourself into a bad situation and could not get out on your own?

God cares about everything that concerns your life because

he loves you. There are no exceptions or limits to His love.

And as for situations we get ourselves into: Read about Lot, Jonah,

David, and Peter, to name a few. (There are many more throughout

Scripture.) They each cried out to God to help them in their

circumstances--which they brought on themselves. And He did.

  While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of

  Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said.

  "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus

  told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

  (Mark 5:35-36 NIV)

Bitter vs. Sweet

Bitter does not become sweet, evil does not become good, and the

wrong thing even when done for a good motive does not become right.

We humans are good at justifying ourselves to ourselves. If only we

could step outside ourselves and hear the unconscious dialog that goes on in our minds... a dialog which God does hear.

He is neither moved or amused. He sees us just as we are--which

should be a goal of how we see ourselves. Today, pick out just one

or two things and think about why you are doing what you do.

    Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them

  and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the

  LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of

  the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

  (Lev 10:1-2 NIV)

A Task

What do you do when God gives you a task you know you do not have

the resources or abilities to accomplish? You do it, of course. (No sarcasm intended!)

In The Matrix Reloaded (Warner Bros, 2003), a Council Member says,

"Comprehension is not a requisite of cooperation.". I like that

quote because it our position with God most of the time. We must

cooperate (agree) with Him even when we do not comprehend

(understand) His ways or purposes. Why?

God always has a plan. His plans work. Ours are subject to fail.

Move forward (cooperate) even without comprehension (understanding).

He will provide what is needed when needed--as long as we are moving.

  Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the

  crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and

  countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote

  place here." He replied, "You give them something to eat." They

  answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish--unless we

  go and buy food for all this crowd." Taking the five loaves and the

  two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.

  Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They

  all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve

  basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

  (Luke 9:12-13, 16-17 NIV)

Faith vs. Feelings

Jesus said, "I knew that you always hear me..." Have you ever felt

as though your prayers went no further than the ceiling?

Faith is not dependent on our feelings, our feelings seldom

encourage faith, and our feelings are not an indicator of God's

performance of His promises. In other words, our feelings have

absolutely nothing to do with whether or not God hears our prayers.

So, the next time you feel that you are not getting through, set

your heart to trust what God said--whether you feel it or not.

  So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father,

  I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me,

  but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that

  they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus

  called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (John 11:41-43 NIV)

Pain

Rejection hurts. Love heals. After a painful experience, it can be

difficult to believe that the pain of rejection could ever be healed

or that you could feel all right again. I know this from experience.

If you have been rejected by someone you loved--or someone you

thought loved you (or should have)--God can heal that pain. I know

this to be true from experience as well.

Peace, security, and well being begin in a relationship with God.

Seek this first and above all else. Healing begins from that place.

  The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and

  gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread

  every day of our lives." Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No

  one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in

  me will never thirst. But you haven't believed in me even though you

  have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to

  me, and I will never reject them. (John 6:33-37 NLT)

Regret and Grief

Regret and grief: Some are paralyzed by it while others are

propelled by it. It all depends on one's response to it.

Do not grieve over your past, regardless of what it has been. It has

value: It got you to where you are today. That is important, but not

the most important thing.

The most important thing is not as much where you are today, but in

what direction you are going. (Paraphrased from a quote by Oliver

Wendell Holmes)

God does not grieve over your past because He has a future for you.

    By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

  There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked

  us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing

  us one of the songs of Zion!" How can we sing the songs of the LORD

  while in a foreign land? (Psa 137:1-4 NIV)

Miss understanding

When some people hear "God will do all that He has promised.", their mind interprets it to mean "God will do everything I want when and how I want it." I have even heard it taught that God "has" to do so-and-so because of the way they interpret certain verses.

I hurt for those who have been damaged by erroneous teaching. God is loving and faithful, however, He--in love--will not allow us to impose our will on Him in such a manner.

God will do all that He has promised; that is indisputable and absolute. It lies with us to understand what He has promised and bring our lives into agreement with it.

    In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when  Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his  reign as king of Judah. He was thirty-two years old when he became  king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He walked in the ways  of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he  married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD.

  Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not  willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for  David and his descendants forever. (2 Ki 8:16-19 NIV)

Boot Camp

What is spiritual training and how do we do it? There are

similarities to athletic training, as Paul suggested in today's

Scripture. We must study, communicate, exercise, and be tested--

the part we least like.

1. Maintain a relationship with God (communication);

2. Read the Bible and follow Godly teaching to learn (study);

3. Put what we learn into practice every day (exercise);

4. Use what we have learned in difficult situations (testing).

Someone would be downright silly to go to a gym to build muscles

without resistance training, e.g., lifting a bar without weights.

The same principle applies spiritually: No one will build any

significant spiritual strength without resistance.

    People tell silly stories that don't agree with God's truth. Don't

  follow what these stories teach. But teach yourself to be devoted to

  God. Training your body helps you in some ways. But devotion to God

  helps you in every way. It brings you blessings in this life and in

  the future life too. Here is a true statement that should be

  accepted without question: (1 Tim 4:7-9 ERV)

Honesty

Honesty question for the day:

Is it more important to you to get what you want, when you want it,

and how, or, to wait for what God wants for you, when He wants you

to have it, and how--even if it conflicts with what you want?

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to

God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end,

"Thy will be done." - C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

   There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity

  under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant

  and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to

  tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a

  time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a

  time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time

  to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw

  away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a

  time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and

  a time for peace. (Eccl 3:1-8 NIV)

Promises Promises

Has God ever promised you something that did not happen? (I can

almost hear the counting going on right about now...)

There are two primary reasons why this happens:

No. 1: We do or do not do something that prevents, modifies, or delays what God promised. He has given us authority to do that. It is called "free will"--think of accepting or refusing a gift. 

No. 2: We have not reached the time of the promise's fulfillment. In other words, "It's not over yet."

  Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take  the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:10-11 NIV)

Know your Value

Is it just me, or does there seem to be a pandemic of arrogance

these days? Being arrogant has been defined as "having an

exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities or showing an

offensive attitude of superiority."

While there is no shortage of those who think they know more,

better, or everything, do not be concerned about them. Why? Like

Jesus, you will likely never please them no matter what you do.

Find your value and identity in your relationship with God. As long

as you are right with Him, it really does not matter what a few

"know-it-all's" think about you. (And God really does know it all!)

  Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she bowed

  at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would

  not have died." When Jesus saw Mary crying and the people with her

  crying too, he was very upset and deeply troubled. He asked, "Where

  did you put him?" They said, "Lord, come and see." Jesus cried. And

  the Jews said, "Look! He loved Lazarus very much!" But some of them

  said, "Jesus healed the eyes of the blind man. Why didn't he help

  Lazarus and stop him from dying?" (John 11:32-37 ERV)