Taming The Wild Emotions

Rogue emotions need to be kept firmly on a leash or even locked up. If we give way to any of them too much, we become their prisoners instead of their masters, and it’s essential we don’t end up trapped inside a cage with our untamed emotions!
Stefan Carey and Andrew Rooke

Over this last year, I have found myself awakened to emotions and feelings that have needed someone or something to tame them and bring them into submission to God’s truth and honest evaluation. It has been quite an amazing realization that all of these waves of emotions lived inside of me but were ignored for many years. Why was I not listening to them? How did this wild untamed stallion live inside of me, unknown for so long, and then one day wake up with such fierce control over my actions? I think that somehow, I believed that if I listened to them, they might make me weak as a leader and a pastor. Like it or not, I have discovered that I am a human, with a beating heart and with feelings about what God is doing in my life, how people in my life are living, and what is happening in my surroundings. As I have been adjusting to this new phenomenon of emotional pressure, it has become very clear that, if my emotions are given the freedom to run, they will run me right off of a cliff. So what do we do with these God-given emotional nerve-endings? How do i keep my heart alive and care for those around me when, not only are my own emotions unstable, but everyone I come in contact with has their own issues with instability?

This is where discipline of the mind comes into play. In the daily devotional book I follow, the author has been focusing on different aspects of “disciplining the mind” and not allowing it to simply wander. The mind, in so many ways, becomes the boundaries for the heart’s emotions. If you just take a moment to watch people and how they respond to emotions, it is easy to see the truth of this statement. When we take these feelings of pain, sadness, anger--whatever the emotion--and place it into the guidelines of truth, then it will protect us and those we love. I was watching a group of people at work, just yesterday, as they allowed one person, who is a complainer by nature, take a situation, stir up everyone’s emotions and, before you knew it, there was anger and disappointment, with no real truth behind the emotions stirred. The few people in the situation who took the time to find out the truth remained at peace. This is the same scenario that happens in every one of our lives on a daily basis.

So now we come to the all-important question of, “what must happen for our mind to be the guiding boundary to the feelings that long to control us?”

1. Submit Your Heart, Mind and Body to the Lord
Too many times we trust our own understanding and, if we are sick and unhealthy, we will never come to truthful, godly answers. I was watching the show “House” a couple of nights ago, and there was a doctor who inadvertently caught the disease that he was trying to cure in a patient and he began to go crazy. Here we have an amazing and well-trained doctor who could no longer be trusted, because the disease was affecting his mind and his emotional responses took control. If we have not submitted our hearts, minds, and bodies to the Lord and allowed Him to cleanse us and heal us, then what makes any of us think that we are standing on stable enough ground to make judgments about what we are seeing, hearing, thinking or feeling?


2. Slow Down and Seek Truth
If you are finding that you have to respond to something immediately while the emotions are fresh, then you probably are not the one in control. There may be a time for those difficult conversations and quite possibly, even consequences delivered for those actions that have taken place, but until truth is sought out it is comparable to taking a person who is driving 100 miles per hour and asking them to be gentle as they go over the speed bumps. When I speak of truth, I am referring to the truth of God and His promises found in scripture when one is immersed with them and not just splashed with a few of the good ideas during a church service.

3. Invite the Holy Spirit to Give Guidance
The Bible is very clear that the Lord has given us free will. It is unclear how it all works out but He has promised to not force you to do anything. He will guide you when the guidance is invited. He will stand, waiting for an invitation, watching your life unfold and weep at the painful consequences of prideful decisions when you think you are wise enough to figure it out yourself. He has great plans for those who will seek Him with all of their hearts.

4. Follow Truth Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
Now this is the most difficult part of following the Lord. Too many of us have been lied to and quickly bought the lie that the Lord wants us to be comfortable. I have always believed that the Lord will stretch us and push us like a partner pushes someone who is exercising. But I have personally found that what the Lord has asked me to do and who he has asked me to be is far more intense than a work-out partner. God has asked me to take feelings and emotions that seem more real than His existence and lay them aside to follow His admonitions. This feels very unnatural, and I am finding that I am being asked to do things like forgive, trust, and be at peace, when my whole being is screaming for me to run the opposite direction. I am being asked to do things that can only be done if given strength and ability found outside of who I am--a strength and ability that is only found in the One who is doing the asking. I am learning that my faith will only grow when I am willing to trust God and walk through pain.

Dear Lord,
Please help me and anyone reading this blog submit our hearts and minds to you. Help us be disciplined and focused. Help us position our lives in a place where we are willing to walk through the fire as long as you are walking with us. We need your perspective more than we need our own understanding. Help us be content in hearing your perspective when our emotions begin to scream at us and we try to take control of our own lives instead of trusting in you and your great plan.
Amen

Luke 2:8-12
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

There is such a great promise that has been given to us in scripture. Not just a promise of a wise or good man, not just a healer or miracle worker but also a Savior! Just think the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings went through so much sacrifice to come and meet us, on our level, as a man so that He could offer us life. We have so much to be thankful for and so much to live for, but it seems that we get so easily distracted. Let’s not get distracted this week from what this season is about but instead embrace all of who Jesus is.

“Christ became what we are that He might make us what He is.” Athanasius of Alexandria

What is getting in the way of you allowing the Lord to transform you into His image and His likeness?

Yes, this season is a great time for you to spend time with your family and your loved ones but it is more important and more pertinent for you to spend time with your Savior. He is standing at the door of your heart knocking asking to be able to come and love you just the way you are. For those of us who have known the Lord for some time and have invited Him into our heart it is still a daily decision to allow Him to enter into the hidden chambers of our heart and transform every habit, attitude, and secret motive. Let this Christmas bring the greatest freedom in your life as you decide to trust in and follow Jesus Christ our Messiah.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

A Psalm

I was praying about what to write and share and I kept coming back to a psalm that my wife wrote the other day. So this weeks devotional is written by Melissa Dahir. I hope that it encourages you and inspires to run to the feet of the Lord and linger there for a while. He sure loves your company.

A Psalm
Written by Melissa Dahir

Have you ever observed a tree,
Lush and green and fruitful,
As the chilly hands of autumn creep in
And begin to prepare nature for the solace of winter?
The sunlight decreases, greedily stealing its warmth
And the crisp winds begin to blow--
Colder each day, freezing well into the nights.
And the tree, the beautiful, blossoming tree
Begins a transformation.
Her foliage turns from deep, luscious green,
Rich with raindrops, dew and nutrients,
Into brittle, brown decay.
The windy breath of earth blusters through,
Shaking the last few remnants of health from her limbs
Until she stands alone
Naked. Empty. Forgotten.
But have you ever noticed
That she does not resist this process?
She does not cling tightly to her leaves,
To her mere temporary covering,
Crying, “Come back! I will not let you depart from me. I need you too desperately to let you go. I am lost without you!”
She does not cower, ashamed of her unclothed body.
She does not try to grasp that which was not hers in the first place.
No.
Instead, she stands strong against the ripping wind
Brave against the bone-chilling cold
Unafraid. Without bitterness. Without regret.
In fact, with branches stretched from root to tip, all the way out to her Maker,
She readily embraces the storms that arrive
Trusting that He will be there
To protect, to provide, to nourish.
She knows He will clothe her again, more beautifully than before
And her leaves will again give shade to the weary
And her fruit will again be food for the hungry
And when the fierceness of winter has abated
When the silence is no longer foreboding, but instead whispers, “Peace,”
She looks down at her dry, barren branch
And she sees the tiniest green bud
Yawning, and stretching its arms to the warmth of the Son.

It All Works Together

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Have you ever really sat down and tried to figure out what this scripture means? What it is trying to let us know about the heart of God and about our personal lives?

Here a few thoughts that cross my mind:

• I am not alone
This last year has brought many interesting, and at times difficult, situations to the surface for me to face. As I look back and remember the highs and lows of the journey, there has not been one step where I could not recognize the Lord’s presence. God is with me and He is with you, every step of the way!

• There is a plan
It is always easier to walk on hot coals when you know that your next step will bring the relief that your singed toes are pleading for. My most difficult moments in life have always been when I stopped trusting in the larger plan of God and felt trapped, suffering in the storm I was facing. Lift your eyes and keep them focused on the One who can calm the storm instead of the illusion of catastrophe you see before you.

• The Lord knows that I will doubt and get scared at times
There are many scriptures that the Lord has to encourage us. This is one of them. He put this verse here to remind me not to worry but to keep being diligent. He will work out the details, but I must stay on course. The fact that I have doubts and fear does not surprise Him. He not only recognizes that I will be afraid, but He also gave me a nightlight (scripture does say that His word is a light unto my path!) to help me chase away the darkness.

• There is no reason to doubt and get scared at times
I know that I just said that it was OK to be afraid and that God is not surprised, but it is also not necessary. He has already made provision to help you and protect you from whatever is around the corner or behind that door.

• There will be some events in my life that I won’t believe are good at first
I think the Lord put this scripture in the Bible to warn me that I am not going to understand everything but to hang in there anyway. Again, my doubts and uncertainty do not catch Him off guard. He created me and knows me inside and out.

• I must be about His purposes and not my own
This is the surrendering portion that is difficult for so many and especially me. I have already written out and planned in my mind what I think the Lord should do and why. How foolish I am to think that I am smart enough to plan God’s steps! I am doing my best to take all of my purposes and leave them at the foot of the cross.

• Our responsibility is to stay near the heart of God!
This scripture is a promise for those who love Him! Do you love Him? Take some time today and answer that question. If that answer is, “YES!” then take some time and figure out what that love should look like. You might find that your decisions and your life habits do not properly represent the love that you profess. Run to your Jesus today- He is waiting for you!

As you will see in this final portion of scripture, He loves you and me with a ferociousness that is unceasing.

Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving Day and my heart is full of wonderful feelings. I woke up this morning rolling over to a large smile and an “I love you” from my wife, to my youngest son, Noah, peering through our window, ready to pounce on us if we were awake, and to our oldest son, Adam, still sleeping, as he is a teenager and must get his beauty sleep. We traveled about 5 hours to be with good friends in Virginia Beach. The weather is a little cool sitting at about 50 degrees but the wind is still and the skies are clear. And now I am sitting down enjoying a freshly brewed cup of starbucks coffee… Does Thanksgiving really begin better than this?

For your encouragement, I hope to bring to your attention a scripture that is both exhorting and encouraging to my life.

Psalm 147:7-11

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Make music to our God on the harp.
He covers the sky with clouds;
He supplies the earth with rain
and makes the grass grow on the hills.
He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.
His pleasure is not in the strength of horses,
nor his delight in the legs of man;
the Lord delights in those who fear Him,
who put their hope in His unfailing love.

This scripture reminds me to give God thanks for all that He has done, is doing and will do. It reminds me that He has taken care of keeping all of the universe and nature in cadence and if I am wise I will submit and get in step my self. God does not care how strong you are or what you think you can accomplish. He just asks to have that relationship with us that He made such a grand sacrifice to make possible. He is asking me to sit at His feet and trust Him for everything. I think for the first time in many years I am beginning to understand how to do that.

May God bless you during this season of love and cheer! Never forget that God loves you and hopes to spend sometime encouraging you today! He is truly only a prayer away…

A Thanksgiving Dream

Imagine a time where the past and future no longer matter and we can enjoy the gifts that are sitting in front of us at face value. An existence where we no longer look behind us and wonder “what if?” or have the questions of “why did they?” or “why did they not?” When the past memories of wounding others and being wounded by hurtful words and actions truly no longer have the power to cripple and debilitate. A time when the concern for tomorrow’s happenings is not used as a desensitizing drug to help make us feel better about our present situations. There is truly nothing wrong with hoping for better days in the future. Whether those concerns are financial, relational, emotional, physical or what have you, it is almost normal to want to shut our eyes to today and long for tomorrow to be here. But when we allow this to become habitual we will miss the incredible blessings and miracles that fill our everyday and thankfulness will not be a part of the equation.

God wants us to be genuinely thankful for today! He has moved mountains to bring us to this point in our lives and we can only appreciate our today if we take our eyes off of all of the distracting pains and hopes of this life and focus on Him. We have so many things to be thankful for. In all honesty, there is some temptation to look at this last year and focus on situations and circumstances that may bring a tear to my eye instead of a warm smile to my face. But those temptations only come from the part of my brain that needs to die. It is the part that wants to focus on the flood instead of the life raft. You see everyone has floods in life that will bring brokenness and destruction but not everyone gets the life raft. There are many people out there who are uselessly and tirelessly trying to stay afloat in their own strength. If only they would turn and accept God's love and salvation they would find that there has been a personal life raft that is awaiting for them as well.

I do not know exactly what is going through your heart today. Maybe you have allowed bitterness to settle in and cause the idea of thankfulness to be repugnant to your senses and your soul. If this is you, please listen to these words and allow the God who created you to melt away the coldness that has settled in. It is through allowing bitterness to remain in your soul that you give ultimate authority to pain and suffering, and they will poison you, suck the life out of you and eventually kill you. This is not God’s plan! God never once, in His word, told us that this life would be easy or that He came to bring you “happiness”. But He did come to bring a life of fullness instead of a broken-down, half-filled life!

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

My prayer is to have a thankful heart that is not anchored to anything of the past, except the sacrifice of God on the cross and the amazing ways He has proven His love. And anchored to nothing of the future except the day I get to stand face to face with my Maker. My ultimate goal is to find contentment and thankfulness right here, right now in this very hour and at this very moment.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my life. Thank you for this season where I get the chance to focus on the most precious gifts you have given me. First and foremost, I thank you for making a way for us to have a relationship. I have enjoyed the many private walks and conversations that we have. Many times you are not telling me what I want to hear, but thank you for the honesty and for holding me up when I couldn’t walk or stand in my own strength. I thank you for my best friend and partner in this life, Melissa. My wife has taught me so many things over the last 15 years of marriage, but I think this year we will have to call it the year of courage. She has shown me what it means to truly face life even when everything inside tells me to run and hide. I do thank you for our past 15 years and what you will do in the many years of our future. But I am so very thankful for having her here with me right now in this season of life. I am also so thankful for my children. They amaze me everyday! They have helped me laugh when I didn’t feel like laughing. Watching them grow and live their lives continuously brings a smile to my face. Thank you for our precious friends and family that live all over the world. Their prayers and support have been my lifeline to a renewed sense of hope on more than one occasion. I also thank you for the Foursquare family. Our denomination has walked with Melissa and I, during this time of transition, and has loved us for who we are and not for what we could or could not do. This prayer can go on and on because I have so many things to be thankful for. But I will end it by saying thank you God for keeping my heart soft enough to be able to be thankful. I love you Lord!

Amen

Speak Now As Your Servant Is Listening

1 Samuel 3:4
Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord : The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Samuel was only a young man when the Lord first tried to get his attention. As time passed, his conversations with the Lord became an every day occurrence. Like Samuel, this week, on many different occasions, it seemed as if the Lord was asking for my attention. His message came in many forms and through many voices but, similar to Samuel, it arrived in the form of a restless night of sleep. I think the longest I was able to sleep last night was 30 minutes, as I kept having this one repetitive dream. Many things can be said about dreams and what they mean, but when I woke up the final time, it seemed pretty clear to me what the Lord was telling me. The details of the message are still for my wife and I to pray about and to apply in His time. But the overall message of what it seemed the Lord was speaking is the same message He told Samuel oh so many years ago. “And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.” This portion of scripture out of verse 11 is referring to what God was about to do in Israel and in the family of Eli, the High Priest at the time. But it is amazing when God is up to something. It is always miraculous and causes those who are watching to stand in awe.

Three Steps to Hearing God’s Voice
1. Become desperate for Him
When we allow everyone else to fill our minds with their opinions, we tend to try all of those ideas before we run to the One who knows us best. I personally am finished running to anyone or anything but the Lord. I have learned that the answers found that are farther than 2 feet from the foot of the cross are often full of good intentions, but not usually the complete truth. We must be desperate to hear from Him! He has answers and comfort that no one and no thing can bring. Why settle for the imitation when our God is sitting there waiting with arms open wide to help bring peace for today and hope and direction for tomorrow?

2. Turn down the volume of life
We must not allow all of the noise of life to tune out the gentle and amazing voice of our Savior. One of the most effective plans of the enemy is to encourage you to have life so full and busy that it feels like you’re practically spinning. It is only when we take control of our schedules and step aside from the noise pollution our busyness brings that God can be heard. I believe that there are times when the Lord allows us to fall on our faces because it is the only way we will slow down long enough to hear His heart and accept His healing touch.

3. Quit assuming God is not active
I find myself very guilty of this problem. Even this morning, when I woke up and it seemed the Lord was not only getting my attention but bringing direction--which is something we have been praying for--I began to question if it was Him speaking or just my imagination in overdrive. Why is it that we pray for God to do miracles and then when He does them, we try to find all of the reasons that maybe it wasn’t Him after all?! It’s time that we grow up and allow our lives to walk in the faith that God has granted us! The faith that I am encouraging is one that allows us to assume that God is still in the business of performing daily miracles.

When I continue to read the stories that surround Samuel and his life, I become slightly jealous at the ease of his relationship with his Maker. I pray that the Lord would count me worthy enough to be used in a fashion that would shape nations and speak direction to God’s people. But I know that this will only take place when I am willing to let Him speak to me and give me direction.

It is a true Virginian autumn for the first time in the Dahir family existence-- where the beautiful color of green has changed to a rainbow of vibrant oranges, reds, yellows and purples. Children are outside raking leaves and playing football in the yard. And I am craving hot apple cider and my favorite drink from Starbucks--a grande vanilla with foam Americano— as the weather has shifted into a crisp coolness. It is the season where anticipation begins to brew as Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. In a nutshell, there is change in the air and it makes me smile. So here is the question of the day! How is it that all of this change causes my heart to skip and fond memories percolate but many of the changes in my life, in my family and in my country bring fear? Why is that? Why didn’t I wake up this morning and wish that it were the spring again, or maybe summer? Why aren’t my emotions exploding inside of my heart due to the fact that all of the leaves are falling off of my trees? After careful thought and consideration about the cause of this peace rather than fear, I came to this conclusion-- I can look outside my window, see all of this change in my own front yard and have it bring a smile to my face instead of a tear to my eye, because I have trust and faith in the future. You see, I know that this season will pass. I am also aware that if the trees do not lose their leaves and the flowers become dormant, then we will not get to enjoy our spring that is coming around the corner. I have so much faith that these changes are here to help us and not hurt us that it actually causes me to worship the Lord because of the beauty before me. Let’s apply this to whatever scary changes might be happening in our country or in our lives. Do you wake up wondering what the Lord is doing and why has He allowed this change in your life? Do the emotions begin in your heart and, as you try to stop them from surfacing, you feel them get stuck in the top of your throat, threatening to choke you if you do not find a release? Do these changes bring insecurity and fear? Imagine if we did not understand why the leaves were falling off the trees and we really thought that we would not see green again. Everyone would be freaking out! The media would be blaming the republicans, and we would be listening to the experts in the field of botany share all of their opinions and thoughts. We would ask God why would He allow the leaves to fall. As if we loved that leaf! We would be sleepless, wondering what He was thinking. Scripture is full of insights that have given assistance to His people in the midst of some of the most difficult situations.

Insights From God’s Own Journal- The Bible
1. There is an order to our presumed chaos
Genesis 1:14-15
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so.

It was God himself who set the seasons in motion and gave framework to our time and our method of growth. Growth is a process that can be quite frustrating, but each step we take will only bring fulfillment and allow the Lord to shine through us.

2. He has chosen whom to put in charge of our surroundings, but we choose who will rule us!
Daniel 2:21
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

One of the big changes that has happened this week is the election of a new leader in the White House. Our responsibility now is to pray for our new president and continue to communicate godly principles as often as possible. However, beyond the call to support our new leader through prayer, we are not subject to him. We are subject to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords only. It is nice to be an American citizen, but our first citizenship is in heaven. It is by that authority that we make our decisions and live our lives.

3. The Lord will bring new life in His time…
Ezekiel 34:26
I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

I am finding that possessing patience for God’s direction and healing can be one of the most grueling processes. But we must never forget that the Lord has great plans of blessing for each of us, and our responsibility is to simply stay focused.

4. If we are to be driven by fear, let it be fear of our God!
Jeremiah 5:24
They do not say to themselves, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.'

The times when my emotions are the most difficult to sort out and confusion begins to rule my day are the times when I begin to fear my surroundings. I have always believed that we worship that which we fear. You see once we decide to fear something we put our time, our money, our emotions to work to deal with that fear. Once we can understand how mighty and wonderful our Lord is the only thing we need to fear is Him. As that fear and respect is in place for our God everything else falls in place. It is then that I won’t worry about my finances because He is powerful enough to supply. It is then that health issue is no longer my issue, but His. It is then that I can surrender all of my yesterday, today, and especially my tomorrow.

In closing, there are many scriptures that encourage us to press through each season of life, and each of them point us to walking in faith and trust in our Lord. I have decided to try and find beauty in the changes of this season and, in the meantime, pray for the Lord to build up my faith and trust in Him. From the beginning of time there has been order and an ultimate plan to God’s creation. It is up to us to submit our lives and allow God’s will to unfold as the proverbial leaves fall off of life’s branches. I believe that you will find new growth in His time and in His way.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

In God's Embrace

I see the light
and his truth therein.
I hear his voice in
The whispering wind.
I gaze upon the mountaintops
and I see his majesty.
I walk through the woods
and feel his presence deep within myself.
I stand in awe of the world in which I live,
and in the stillness, I know he is God.

Robin Ferguson

Melissa and I went out and took a walk this evening. As we walked, we could see the sun setting on the rolling hills, grazing cows in the distance, (yes, I did say “cows”!) and the majestic trees in all of their colors telling us that autumn has arrived. For a moment, I had to just stop and ask myself, “Where am I?” The more that we walked and talked, the more the answer to that question became very evident. We are in the center of God’s embrace. It is funny to me how easily my mind can become distraught with the belief that I am somehow a prisoner to the changes and circumstances of life, when in fact, in some strange way, God has used those very changes and circumstances to bring new freedoms. Truth be told, the only thing that is wrapped around me and holding me in place are the very arms of my God. He is not holding me in place to punish me but to bring protection and comfort. He knows what is needed for this season of life and has an amazing plan to use the now to prepare my wife and me for our tomorrow.

My encouragement for you this week comes at you with a few deep thoughts from the broken brain of a mad man…

• Does God have the ability to weave His everlasting love in between and throughout the plans of the most deranged?

• Are you sure that the desert you are walking through is not a mirage caused by spiritual dehydration?

• If surrendering was the only way to find hope, would you spare any resource to bring that person you love to their knees? What are God’s resources?

• Most people think that God has left them- but in truth, they simply do not recognize Him. Do you know what He looks like?

• If I am truly only responsible for my actions, why do I spend so much time trying to figure out why others do what they do?

If you have any great insights that are formed from these deep queries I would love to hear your mind at work. The scripture that the Lord has placed on my heart this week is out of 1 Corinthians. The key to the promise that you are about to read is contingent upon your availability and surrender to God and His plans for you.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

In closing, I am aware that this weeks devotional teaching is a bit eclectic but that is a great representation of what the Lord is doing in my life. He is not just dealing with me in one particular area but is using this time of rest to inspect and prune all of the individual thoughts and attitudes of my heart. Here is the tricky part though. He will not force me to come into His arms. That choice has always been reserved for me to choose. Just as it is with you! Take some time today and ask the Lord what He might want to talk to you about.

I Bring An Offering

I Bring an Offering
By Paul Baloche

I bring an offering of worship to my King
No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing
Jesus may you receive the honor that you’re due
O Lord, I bring an offering to you

The sun cannot compare to the glory of Your love;
there is no shadow in Your presence.
No mortal man would dare to stand before
Your throne, before the Holy One of Heaven.
It's only by Your blood
and it's only through Your mercy, Lord I come!

O Lord, I bring an offering to You, O Lord, I bring an offering to You.
O Lord, I bring an offering to You, O Lord, I bring and offering to You.

I was at church this morning worshipping the Lord when my comfortable space was invaded with an unshakable challenge in the form of this worship song. Do I allow my worship and praise to be directed at other people, circumstances or situations? My answer to this challenge was a quick “no!” because, of course, I only worship the Lord. Then I started thinking of where my heart, thoughts and emotions spend much of their time. It has always been a belief of mine that we worship that which we think is most powerful. That is when it seemed the Lord asked me, “This last week, what or who has been more powerful in your life than me?” And I had to honestly think--was it a health issue, relationship strain, financial situation, emotional wounds, discontent or fear? As these things distract us from worshipping and praising the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, they also demand our worship. They ultimately attach themselves to the core of our being and lay claim to our emotions, time, abilities and even to the people we care for so dearly. We must not allow these distractions to shift our worship’s focus. Believe me--there are times I am so scared by what I am feeling, the confusion that is present and the uncertainty of the future, that I forget about how mighty my God is and begin to question if He can truly take care of me. That is when I have a decision to make. Will I walk in faith or run in fear? Today I have decided to grasp onto my faith and hold firm to God’s promises. I am also praying that tomorrow I can have the same resolve; though, for all practical reasoning, I can not be concerned about tomorrow as there are plenty enough battles to face today.

Lord, please help my life be an offering to you today. May this world and its distractions be unable to shift my focus from your love and your glory. You have always been right there to bring healing, hope, and direction to my life. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Love,

Your Son

What Will It Take For You To Pray?

Most of you are aware that I am enrolled in Liberty University. I have been reading and studying and awakening a new part of my brain that has been dormant for a time. This week’s devotional will come to you in the form of homework. I hope that you enjoy awakening that part of your brain that needs a little exercise.

If there is ever a time that we must be praying it is now! We are on the brink of so much change, multitudes of the human race are fearful over the precious dollar, families are facing relationship strains, health and emotional issues are ever increasing… What will it take to get you on your knees and pleading with Jesus to speak into our world and show us how to take the next step? Here are a few scriptures to look at and study and when you are finished reading, go find a quiet place where you and your Creator can have a heart to heart conversation.



What Will it Take for You to Pray?

1. For our life!
Genesis 32:11
Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children.

2. In Times of Trouble
Psalms 69:13-21
But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
18 Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.
19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.
21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

3. Finding Hope in the Storm
Jeremiah 29:10-14
10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

4. To Remain Faithful
Daniel 6:6-10
So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live for ever!
7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

5. When Strength is Needed
Matthew 26:36-38
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

6. When Turning from Sin and Repenting
Acts 8:18-23
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

7. When Trusting God for Provision
2 Chronicles 7:13-14
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

8. When Deliverance is a Must
Mark 9:17-29
A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered.
22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

9. When Looking for Direction
Colossians 4:2-4
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

10. When Words Are Not Enough
Romans 8:26-28
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Ahhhh! I Am Stuck On A Roller Coaster!

When is the last time you have been to an amusement park? Do you remember the feeling you got as you plummeted head first, downward on that coaster, trusting that as you almost hit the ground, the track will bring you skyward once more? Could you imagine being strapped into this roller coaster and not just experiencing it for a two-minute ride but for an undetermined duration? Over the last 10 months, I have begun to believe that was just how my life was destined to be--full of ups and downs, spinning, getting thrown from side to side only to ultimately find myself sick and wanting to get off of the ride. But the Lord is not that type of God and He does not want that type of confusion in our lives. So what must I do to quit riding this ride voluntarily, all the time believing that I have no choice and must be stuck? Here are a few encouragements out of scripture that I have set as high priorities for me to live by. They have assisted me greatly in getting off of the crazy ride of uncertainty and have helped me rest in a peace that is beyond my own understanding.

#1 Be an ambassador of Christ, of what He has done, of what He is doing, and of what He promises to do, rather than a representation of this world’s desires mixed with our shortcomings and failures.

#2 You must quit blaming and battling the people who surround you and take the fight to the true battlefield, which is your relationship and trust in God.

#3 Fear God and God alone, for that which you fear you serve, and that which you serve is your master!


Here is a personal testimony out of my own life how the Lord stepped into my confusion and brought life.

A few months ago I woke up and did not recognize who I was. No, I wasn’t going crazy, but so many things in my life had changed that the only thing that looked the same was my face in the mirror. And even that had a stressed look to it! Where I lived had changed, my income had changed, the weather had changed, where I work had changed, my occupation had changed, what my wife and I were talking about had changed, and of course, my children never stop changing. It was as if I was standing there looking at a stranger. The emotions evoked in me caused me to break every rule that was just mentioned. I began to be an ambassador of the world’s desires and my own shortcomings and failures instead of Christ and His hope and love. I quickly starting blaming others and was looking to do battle in all of the wrong places. Then I began to feel the shackles begin to wrap around my heart and allowed fear of the unknown to become my master. It shackled me into the seat of the roller coaster and my thoughts and emotions began to take over and pushed me into panic. This is when the Lord reached into all that I am and reminded me once again that I was created and ransomed for a greater purpose than to allow powerless chains to strap me down and steal even a moment of this precious life.

Luke 4:16-21
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."


Jesus promised freedom! This freedom is ours for the taking but we must not allow the illusions of our entrappings to keep us from believing in and following the promises of Him who paid for our lives by laying down His own.

(Please pray this prayer)

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the price you have paid for me. I give you my doubts and fears and ask that you once again take control of my memories, my present situations and my hope for the future. Forgive me for believing the lies that surround me. Please help me hear your voice and show me what you see when you look at me. I love you and I commit today to not allow anyone or anything to push me back into the seat of that roller coaster. I am free and will live as one who has been set free.

Thank you Jesus!

Amen

Psalm 25

Psalm 25
Of David.
1. To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2. in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3. No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.

David’s first step was one of personal surrender and trusting his God…

David didn’t just trust the Lord with the words that he said, but he walked a faith that trusted God with everything. This would include his needs, his desires, his future, his ego, his shame, his vengeance, his opinions, his very life. David truly put his hope in God’s hands. Will you?

4. Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
5. guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

David realized that if he was going to put his hope in his God, he must also look to the Lord and find His guidance…

What is your source of light along this treacherously dark road we call life? The Lord will always give us guidance, and all we need to do is to simply rest in His loving hands. The funny thing is that some of us have been living in the dark for so long that the light not only brings fear, and unfamiliarity, but it actually brings pain. If you would just allow the light of God’s word to begin cutting through the darkness, you will never have to be scared of the dark again. His light is warmth and full of promise.

6. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

God’s love is not a new, man-made idea, but was present before time was made…

God knows every sin that will be committed and every bad habit that has pointed you down the wrong paths. However, our God is not only good, loving, faithful and compassionate; but He is also forgiving, and longs to have relationship with you. In Genesis, it says that God used to walk with Adam and Eve and enjoy their company. Believe it or not, Jesus came to this earth to make it possible for us to walk with our God once more.

12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.

What is this fear that we speak of?

I read this scripture to my son, Adam, the other day and asked him what he thought it meant. He started talking about respect and how it is not about being scared, but it is about caring what God thinks. I asked him if he feared me as his father and he said, “Yes!” I think we came to the realization that respect, love, and godly fear all flow out of the understanding of authority. God is our loving father, but He is also just and true.

15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.
18 Look upon my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
19 See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

Where are your eyes focused--on the snare, or on the one who can set you free?

No matter how many enemies were after David or what traps he found himself stuck in, David’s eyes were always looking for the Lord. This is a great reminder to me as we face life’s circumstances and difficult situations. I can choose to stare at them and make up stories about how bad they are and havoc that they will cause in my life, or I can look to the Lord and focus on His story. The Lord’s story for you and I is one of freedom, joy and, at times, even laughter.

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!

David surrendered everything but still understood his responsibility of integrity and uprightness…

There are very few things that we are in control of in this life. But here at the end of this wonderful Psalm to the Lord, David lists two of them--integrity and uprightness. What do these two words mean to you? To me, they mean that, no matter what the circumstances look like, how much money is or is not in my checking account, what decisions people that surround me choose or do not choose to do, and what kind of pain I am feeling, I will honor the Lord with my actions, my speech, and my attitude. For this to be true integrity, it must take place no matter who is watching. Integrity and uprightness must always be for the audience of our Lord and our Lord alone.

A Troubled Heart

Luke 19:41

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes…

This week my heart weeps for some of the things I have seen and heard in the lives of those around me. It is so difficult to look around and see people making decisions that cause pain and hurt--not only to themselves, their families, their friends--but also to the heart of God. My quota has been filled and is now overflowing with the stories of God’s people being distracted from the truth and buying into the lies this world and Satan are telling. For those of you reading this who claim to know the Lord as your personal Savior, please read and evaluate where you are at. If you are currently standing where you should, then praise God! But if, when you look around, you become aware that you are not on the right path and not facing the correct direction, please take some time with the Lord and ask Him to forgive you and bring you back to where you should be. God’s plans for us are so much better than what this world and its lies are offering to you.

Listed below are six thoughts that have been bouncing around my mind all week long. 

The Difficult Truth

1. Sin is always pleasurable for a season!

But when it is all said and done, sin will return to demand from you more than you can ever pay. Do not be fooled!

2. Do not trust your feelings!

Though feelings are very important they can also be very misleading. Before you react to your feelings take a few steps to make sure they are leading you down the right path. Bring your feelings to the Lord, share them with someone who will hold you accountable, and know that tomorrow there is a great chance that you will feel differently; so maybe wait until then to jump off the cliff.

3. What you do affects everyone around you!

Most people think that their little sins have no effect on anyone else. Yet that is the farthest thing from the truth. Every decision, both small and large, will either bring life or death to those who surround us--especially to those who are closest to us.

 

The Wonderful Truth

1. God will lead you out of the mud!

There is a way out of that situation that you are in, or that habit that has you in bondage. Jesus made the way! He is waiting for you to cry out to Him and surrender. 

2. God has made a way for you to be clean once more!

Jesus came and died for our sins, and now we do not have to walk around burdened by our shortcomings.

3. There is nothing that you can do to mess up the love that God has for you!

No matter where you are at and what decisions you are swimming in, God loves you. The book of Revelation tells us that Jesus stands at the door and knocks, waiting for us to open the door. He is knocking on your door and wants to help bring life where there was death. All you need to do is call to Him!

 

Dear Lord,

Today, I pray for my friends and for myself. I pray that we do not lose focus and will strive to serve you. For those who are married, please keep their hearts soft towards one another. Help them serve each other and not become selfish. For those who are parents, help them be patient with their children and remember that we are to be the example for them. For each of us at our jobs, please help us be the best employees as we consistently represent you. And for those people that are watching us to see if our faith is genuine, Lord, please help us shine for you. If there is anyone reading this that needs to make a 180 degree turn and change their ways, help them feel your love and guidance. Be with your people, as it seems that the enemy is finding ways to enter in and wreak havoc. I pray for your protection.

 

In the name of Jesus!

Amen

Even If...

Do you ever find yourself saying this about situations in life?

Even if…

Even if he or she is not honest… I will be!

Even if everyone else has decided to jump off the proverbial bridge… I won’t!

Even if I get scared… I won’t run!

Even if I don’t understand… I will trust!

Even if they are all crooked… I will walk straight!

Even if it isn’t fair… I will forgive!

Even if it costs me my life… I will not bow!

All of these are wonderful statements and promises of faith. But what happens when it is time to face one of those horribly difficult situations that life produces and, no matter what you pray or how you beg, you are not only asked to continue to face the fire but are also being forced to climb into the furnace?

In the book of Daniel, the Bible tells us an amazing story of how three young men chose to not bow their knee to any but God, and in turn was forced to literally walk into a furnace. To some, it may be a surprise to learn that Jesus was sitting in the furnace with them and that, because of His presence, the flames didn’t scorch them. Yes, that part of the story is miraculous and is the part that would be the climax if a movie were being written. But there was a conversation that took place before the flames ever licked their flesh. This conversation took place between the three young faithful Jewish boys and Nebuchadnezzar, the nemesis King that was demanding of them worship or their very lives. These young men had a choice to acquiesce to the demands before them and do what the crowds were doing, or they could choose to follow through with their promise of the “even if…”

 

Daniel 3:16-18

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

 

The part of this story that hits me square in the middle of my heart has nothing to do with the fact that they are facing the fire, as we all will have fires to face. It is not that there are evil men and woman who will cause pain and fear, as we are all capable of becoming the ones inflicting that kind of destruction. But the difficult part for me was the part where they were going serve their God even if He did not rescue them. They were sure that God had the power to do so. They were staking their whole existence on the fact that God was able. But even if God did not use His power to save them, they would not bow. Now we are dealing with an amazing subject. Why would God not use all of His immutable power, His infallible wisdom, and all of His omniscient knowledge to assure that these faithful young men did not have to walk through the fire?

 

In this story, He did save them; but for every story we read about Him stepping in and altering the situation, there are many where He does not. Why is this so? In truth, we will never have a good answer to this question until we meet Him face to face and understand more than we do while in this broken human form. But scripture gives us a glimpse of His purpose. And for now a glimpse will have to be enough.

 

1. To Bring Maturity and Completion

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

 

2. God is untameable and does not work according to our plan

Just think of this awesome song we sing based out of Genesis 1, Psalm 19, and Psalm 150.

 

“Indescribable.” Written by Laura Story

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

Creation’s revealing Your majesty

From the colors of Fall the the fragrance of Spring

Ev’ry creature unique in the song that it sings

All Exclaiming

 

Indescribable uncontainable

You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name

You are an amazing God

All powerful untamable

Awestruck, we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing, God

 

Who has told ev’ry lightning bolt where it should go

Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow?

Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light

Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night?

None can fathom

________________ 

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

Creation’s revealing Your majesty

From the colors of Fall the the fragrance of Spring

Ev’ry creature unique in the song that it sings

All Exclaiming

 

3. Worship comes in many forms

Hebrews 11:32-40

32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.  39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

There are many attitudes, memories, unfulfilled expectations, and situations that daily ask me to bow to them. But I decided long ago that I will bow my knee to my God and my God alone.

 

So today I find myself quoting these amazing two words, “Even if…”

Even if I can’t see the future… I will not bow!

Even if I experience pain… I will not bow!

Even if I get scared… I will not bow!

Even if I don’t understand… I will not bow!

Even if it isn’t fair… I will not bow!

Even if it costs me my life… I will not bow!

Even if God does not do all that I think He should… to Him alone will I bow!

As you read Daniel, chapter 3, I challenge you to act as if it were you speaking to the king, and I want you to picture the king as being the very obstacle, habit, attitude, sin, or any other distraction from God’s plan you may be facing. In fact, fill in the blanks with your own name, attitude, sin, memory, pain, or life situation that currently stands before you.

"O _______________, I do not need to defend myself before you in this matter.  If I am thrown into the blazing furnace, the God I serve is able to save me from it, and He will rescue me from your hand, O ____________. But even if He does not, I want you to know, O ___________, that I will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

The Lord is a great God, with a great plan for your life. Run to Him and He will always be right there with you- no matter what brought you to the furnace you are facing. He is only a call away. He loves you, just as you are!

Timely Intrusions

Melissa and I were having a decent morning. All week long we had many conversations regarding our future: where to live, where to work, and what to do with ourselves. These conversations have some moments of fun and excitement (and silliness), but they were also stressful and left us seeking the Lord, hoping that He would just spell it out so clearly for us. That particular morning, we decided to leave a few minutes early to drop her off at Virginia Tech and stop at Starbucks to take advantage of her wonderful discount as an employee. When we walked in to Starbucks, the pastor from the church we are attending was sitting there with another pastor. His name is not important to the story, but for the record, he is a leader in our denomination and one of the leaders that I have always respected and appreciated. Melissa and I said hello and went outside to read our devotional. (Now remember that we have been praying for the Lord to speak to us. We are asking Him to make it so clear that we can’t possibly mess it up.)

We begin reading our devotion and the message is talking about walking through the fire and how the Lord is there with us through the flames.

Isaiah 48:10

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

The writings also spoke about the flames changing and reshaping us into looking more like our Lord. As Melissa and I talked and tried to apply this wonderful and yet painful truth, the visiting pastor came out and asked if he could share something with us. Of course we said, “NO!” Ok, not really. We invited in the intrusion and allowed him to speak into our lives. The words of wisdom, the vision, and encouragement he shared with us were exactly what we had just read. After he left, we had to laugh (that is after we stopped crying) because the Lord’s message was as clear and concise as it possibly could be.

Do you need the Lord to speak into your situation? Or do you just want reaffirmation that He is still present and cares that you are alive?

Here are some of the many ways that the Lord has intruded into my life to speak His words of encouragement…

1. The Bible
2. My times of solitude
3. My wife
4. My children
5. Friends & Family
6. Strangers passing by
7. Movies
8. Books
9. Dreams
10. Music
11. Beauty of Nature
12. Preachers
13. Worship
14. Prayer Times
15. Breathing

I hope you are beginning to get the picture that is being painted! The Lord will use everyone and everything to remind you of His love. He will actually meet you and intersect your life just how you need. The stories going through your mind of solitude and abandonment are pure lies. It is too easy to allow the depravity of circumstances, the world and its broken advice, and the twisted lies of Satan to convince us that the Lord is not near and that He does not even care. The Lord has done all that He can do to get your attention, and now it is up to you and I to step beyond the story that is being told and look for God’s fingerprints.

What is it about life’s storms that cause us to want to stop, stare and begin to run from every truth and promise? One of the most amazing parts of the Lord is how He has a way of getting our attention even when we do not know how to stop staring at the storm.

In closing, prepare your heart, as the Lord loves you so much that He has already planned how to intrude into your well laid out life this week and make Himself known once more.

By the way, the message that the Lord gave that day was for us to be patient and wait for Him. He was not done melting us down. This message from the Lord is not what I wanted to hear. But it is funny that it doesn’t upset me to continue sitting in the fire when I know He is there with me. I guess that is what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo must have felt (Daniel 3)…  

Will you take a moment and tell me how the Lord has intruded into your life and made Himself known? I would love to hear a testimony out of your daily life.

To Hear

Mark 12:28
28. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29. “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
31. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
32. “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and
there is no other but him.
33. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

I have the honor of teaching a home bible study starting this week, so I have been studying this portion of scripture in order to spend a few months teaching through it. As I was studying the first portion of this scripture called the “Shema” (which means “to hear), the Lord began challenging me on my view of traditions and how I focus on Him daily.

If I was a good Jewish boy I would pray this portion of scripture as a prayer from memory at least twice a day--once at night and once in the morning.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

The more that I have studied, prayed and pondered on the Shema I have come to this conclusion:

Too often, I allow my desire to not appear “religiously bound” as the excuse for being inconsistent with some of the most crucial elements of my walk with my Lord. Elements such as:

• Reading scripture consistently enough that I can quote it as well as some movies I have watched or music I have heard.

• Praying consistently enough that when the threat of a lion’s den or a fiery furnace comes our way, the only natural thing to do is to fall on my knees--just like every other day!

• Allowing the Holy Spirit to come and help me, not just when I think I am out of strength, but in every single moment of this life. Because what strength of our own do we really have anyway?

Here is what the Lord is showing me in this scripture as I try to truly HEAR what is being said:

“Hear me now Kristopher! I am God. I am beyond your understanding and have more compassion, love and power than your little mind can imagine. I am the one and only God! You have no need to fear, as I am here and above me there is NO other!”

I am not sure what you do on a daily basis to escape the fears of life and keep focused on the Lord, or how often you do it, but I am finding that I need to keep my life in His hands every moment of my day. It is when I begin staring at the details of life and its circumstances, and stop keeping my eyes on the Lord and His goodness, that things in my life quickly falls apart.

5 Steps to Hearing

1. Turn down the other noise!

We must consistently retreat from the loud distractions that we face on a daily basis.

2. Train your ear to know the Lord's voice!

The Lord's voice is distinct. But we must continue to train our ears or we may miss what He is trying to say...

3. Quit trying to multi-task!

It seems that our present day speed of life and technology has trained us that focusing in on one thing at a time is no longer worthwhile. So we attempt to do many things at once to keep our brains entertained. While we are seeking our Lord, we need to set things aside and give Him our full attention!

4. Listen even when we do not like what is being said!

As I watch my children tune me out each time I tell them to do a chore or finish a task, I am reminded of the many times that I have ignored the Lord and His promptings. It is almost like I have the ability to convince myself that He is not speaking at all, when Jesus went to the cross to assure that His message of love and hope would actually be heard.

5. In those moments when the Lord seems distant press in and stay consistent!

This is so important! It is through our consistency in focusing on the Lord and keeping our heart's desire to know and serve our Lord that we can survive the darkest night. The enemy of our souls would like us to believe that the Lord has deserted us and has nothing more to say. But it is in those hours of questioning that our faith grows and our testimonies about who our God is get polished!

Lord,

I pray for each person that will read this small teaching. I pray that, through the words that have been written, the reader would be challenged to set aside the agenda of his or her day and trade it for your plan. Please teach them how to hear your voice and how to hear your truth. The world tries to offer its version of truth, but the ideas are incomplete and broken. Keep the desire to know you and hear your direction on a moment-by-moment basis ever before myself and others.

Amen