Back in 2009 Compassion began challenging people to seek the Lord for a word for the new year instead of making a new years resolution. This challenge has been sent out to their bloggers every year since. I enjoyed the idea so much that in 2013 I joined the ranks of Compassion bloggers who write about their one word. I have asked God for a new
word each year since.
In
2013 I felt that word was PRAYER and pray I did. Lots. Things
happened (concussions) which forced me to my knees in prayer before the Lord. In fact
I think I only survived that year due to prayer!
In 2014 that word was TRUST. Looking back over that year, I saw
areas both personally and professionally where I had to learn to trust God
more than ever. I also saw God open amazing doors as I learned to
trust Him more.
In 2015 I felt that the word
He had for me was PEACE. A lot happened this past year and my peace was challenged greatly at times. Yet through all of the ups and downs, I felt the peace that passes all understanding! (Phillipians 4:7)
As we approached the new year I asked the Lord for a word for 2016. That word is BEGINNINGS.
I was drawn to this passage in Isaiah:
"Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19)
As I read and reflect on that passage of Scripture I can't help but get a bit excited. I also get a bit nervous. Beginnings can signify change. Change is not always easy or comfortable. However, I believe the Lord is speaking this word for a reason. I
don't know what 2016 holds but I know Who holds 2016! I can makle plans but God can take things
in any number of directions. I am usually suprised by how significant the word becomes by the end of each year.
My ultimate goal is to know Him and His
will more.
I am excited to see how this word applies to the coming year.
So what is God speaking to you for the New Year?
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
9/6/14
Back to the Wall!
Over the years, I have always tried to sit with my back to the wall.
It could have something to do with the fact that, as kid, I was attacked from behind at school. I remember sitting on a ramp near our locker area and feeling a sharp pain near the back of my neck. I woke up on the ground with my back and neck bleeding from cuts made when another kid repeatedly hit me with his cleats.
Whatever the reason, I always liked to sit facing the door. I wanted to see what was coming. I learned to live with one eye open! I felt as if I couldn't trust anyone and had to watch my own back.
Actually, It was a pretty miserable way to live.
My relief came as I began to understand the nature and character of God. I found comfort in a passage from the latter part of Isaiah 52:12. While speaking on deliverance for Israel, Isaiah has this word, "...For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
Now that sounds like someone who has your well-being in mind! He goes before them and is their rear guard. We also see from Scriptures that the Lord surrounds us. (Psalms 125:2)
God has my back, my front, my whole being!
Now that is protection you can count on!
It could have something to do with the fact that, as kid, I was attacked from behind at school. I remember sitting on a ramp near our locker area and feeling a sharp pain near the back of my neck. I woke up on the ground with my back and neck bleeding from cuts made when another kid repeatedly hit me with his cleats.
Whatever the reason, I always liked to sit facing the door. I wanted to see what was coming. I learned to live with one eye open! I felt as if I couldn't trust anyone and had to watch my own back.
Actually, It was a pretty miserable way to live.
My relief came as I began to understand the nature and character of God. I found comfort in a passage from the latter part of Isaiah 52:12. While speaking on deliverance for Israel, Isaiah has this word, "...For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
Now that sounds like someone who has your well-being in mind! He goes before them and is their rear guard. We also see from Scriptures that the Lord surrounds us. (Psalms 125:2)
God has my back, my front, my whole being!
Now that is protection you can count on!
3/1/14
I Wil Draw Near
My beautiful wife never ceases to amaze me. She wrote this worship song last week for our upcoming Sunday service. Preceding the song will be Scriptures that contributed to her thought process. I include those passages here and encourage you to spend time looking them up.
Here are the words to her song:
I Will Draw Near
Fountain of Life, flow
over me
'till I'm filled with Your
glory
Spirit renew the fire that
once drew
me into the Holy of Holies
And I will draw near, as I
wait here
I will return to my Father
My heart of stone, I lay
at Your throne
That I may know You and be
known
The sound of Your voice,
fills me with joy
You turn sorrow to
gladness
You don't disappoint, You
never leave
and I am changed in Your
presence
So I will draw near, as I
wait here
I will return to my Father
My heart of stone, I lay
at Your throne
That I may know You and be
known
Only in You are justice
and truth
and mercy binds me to You
How high are Your
thoughts, How great are Your ways
Your covenant is my peace
Bridge:
You satisfy my soul with
good
You bought my freedom with
Your blood
Your fire consumes my sin
You captivate my heart
So, I will draw near, as I
wait here
I will return to my Father
My heart of stone, I lay
at Your throne
That I may know you and be
known
© Sarah Apperson, 2014
Psalms 94:14; 107:9; 111:9-11
Isaiah 31:3; 40:31; 54:10; 55:6-8
Jeremiah 2:13; 3:12; 3:19; 31:13
Ezekiel 36:25-27; 43:5
John 4:14
Acts 2:2-4
Ephesians 1:7-8
Titus 3:4-7
Hebrews 12:29
6/1/13
He Fights For Me - Just A Thought #57
My wife wrote this piece and gave me permission to post it here:
Our son's screams filled the air,
“You're killing me! Stop!” My efforts to remove a splinter from
his foot were not appreciated. I decided to stop until he could
regain his composure. Eventually we ended up putting him in the
bathtub to soak it, as it became evident that any further
attempts
would have to be delayed until he was asleep. CJ has very
instant
and intense emotional reactions, which means that reasoning with
him
just doesn't work much of the time.
I wonder if this is sort of how I
relate to my heavenly Father? Do I fight the processes by which
He
intends to make me whole? Do I surrender myself to His kind,
loving,
nurturing hand, or do I doubt His intentions towards me?
When I think about the way CJ's
emotional response works against him, and even hurts him, I
realize that the same applies to me. Though I may not
literally scream and kick, I think sometimes deep down, there
are
some negative beliefs which keep me from experiencing the
benefits of
His care.
Like my son screaming that I am
hurting him, my own inner turmoil keeps me from hearing God's
firm,
yet gentle commands: “Trust me. I will be here for you. Listen
to
me: I want you to cling to me. I am your safety and your supply.
I
won't leave you alone. I am your healer, your provider, your
rest...” Instead of realizing the safety provided in His arms, I
stay busy figuring out solutions, and pulling away from His
tender
touch.
“But now,
says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you,
O
Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you
by
name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will
be with
you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you
walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame
shall
not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of
Israel, your Saviour. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and
Seba in
exchange for your life. Because you are precious and honoured
in my
eyes, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in
exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you... '.” Isaiah
43:1-5
My son may not hear
me as I attempt to assure him that I am on his side, but it is
true,
nonetheless. Likewise, whether I choose to believe it or not,
the
truth remains that I have a Father who fights fiercely for me,
who
loved me enough to give his only son for me, who will be with me
always, and who waits for me to understand how precious I am to
Him.
4/19/13
God of Wonders
"How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! (Daniel 4:3a)
How mighty His wonders. I like that. I remember visiting Niagara Falls a few years back. My daughter wanted to go on the Maid of the Mist boat ride which takes you up to the base of the water falls. Now I hate boats but, being a dad, I went along for the ride.
I must say I was not only impressed, I was awestruck!
To see the power of the falls up close left me amazed at the God of wonders and His creativity.
The great thing about God is that not only is He a God of wonders but He is a God who works wonders as well.
"You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples." (Psalm 77:14)
He is a God who provides, heals and guides! He works mighty miracles and still moves today! I have seen first hand the healing power of God. My family has experienced God's provision and guidance first hand.
What has God done in your life?
I believe the wonders of the Lord should cause us to draw closer to Him. We should delight in drawing closer to the Lord. (Isaiah 58:2)
In fact we are promised that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. (James 4:8)
Why not draw near to the God of wonders today.
3/4/13
God Doesn't Make Sense
Isaiah 55:8-11 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
God called Joshua to MARCH around Jericho instead of just attacking the city. How did that make sense? Abraham was told that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age. Make sense? Moses received a message from God via a burning bush. Imagine trying to make sense of that! Jesus walked on water, fed the 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and some fish, raised the dead, healed the sick, died and rose again...you get the picture. Of course none of this made sense. Human reasoning was defied by miracles and unparalleled love.
His ways are higher than ours, His thoughts are not our thoughts.
I'm a sci-fi junkie. I love Star Trek. In the original TV show, 79 episodes, Captain Kirk never once said "Beam me up Scotty." Despite that, people will insist he said it.
That got me to pondering this week about some of the things we THINK are in the Bible.
I have been told that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" is in the Bible. Another one is that "God helps those who help themselves!" Sounds great but it's not there. One that I have heard often is that "God will not give you more than you can bear!" I hate to say it but you won't find that in the Scriptures either. It's just not there. The closest you can find is in 1 Corinthians 10 where it says, "But God is faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it."
That verse talks about temptation, not about overwhelming circumstances, family problems, sickness, etc.
Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carry heavy loads, and i will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I'm gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light."
God has promised us rest, he has promised to sustain us, but he never said we would not have hardship!
Look at what Paul says is 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, "Brothers and sisters, we don't want you to be ignorant about the suffering we experienced in the provinces of Asia. It was so extreme that it was beyond our ability to endure. We even wondered if we could go on living. In fact, we still feel as if we're under a death sentence. But we suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life."
The key to this is right there in verse 9: "so that we can stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God."
God may not make sense to us, but though we don't understand His ways, we can come to know and understand more of His heart. He wants us to surrender fully to Him!
God called Joshua to MARCH around Jericho instead of just attacking the city. How did that make sense? Abraham was told that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age. Make sense? Moses received a message from God via a burning bush. Imagine trying to make sense of that! Jesus walked on water, fed the 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and some fish, raised the dead, healed the sick, died and rose again...you get the picture. Of course none of this made sense. Human reasoning was defied by miracles and unparalleled love.
His ways are higher than ours, His thoughts are not our thoughts.
I'm a sci-fi junkie. I love Star Trek. In the original TV show, 79 episodes, Captain Kirk never once said "Beam me up Scotty." Despite that, people will insist he said it.
That got me to pondering this week about some of the things we THINK are in the Bible.
I have been told that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" is in the Bible. Another one is that "God helps those who help themselves!" Sounds great but it's not there. One that I have heard often is that "God will not give you more than you can bear!" I hate to say it but you won't find that in the Scriptures either. It's just not there. The closest you can find is in 1 Corinthians 10 where it says, "But God is faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it."
That verse talks about temptation, not about overwhelming circumstances, family problems, sickness, etc.
Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carry heavy loads, and i will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I'm gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light."
God has promised us rest, he has promised to sustain us, but he never said we would not have hardship!
Look at what Paul says is 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, "Brothers and sisters, we don't want you to be ignorant about the suffering we experienced in the provinces of Asia. It was so extreme that it was beyond our ability to endure. We even wondered if we could go on living. In fact, we still feel as if we're under a death sentence. But we suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life."
The key to this is right there in verse 9: "so that we can stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God."
God may not make sense to us, but though we don't understand His ways, we can come to know and understand more of His heart. He wants us to surrender fully to Him!
10/14/12
The Father's Love Letter
My
Child,
You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1
Psalm 139:1
I
know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2
Psalm 139:2
I
am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3
Psalm 139:3
Even
the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31
Matthew 10:29-31
For
you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27
Genesis 1:27
In
me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28
Acts 17:28
For
you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28
Acts 17:28
I
knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
Jeremiah 1:4-5
I
chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12
Ephesians 1:11-12
You
were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16
Psalm 139:15-16
I
determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.
Acts 17:26
Acts 17:26
You
are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
Psalm 139:14
I
knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
Psalm 139:13
And
brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6
Psalm 71:6
I
have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44
John 8:41-44
I
am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16
1 John 4:16
And
it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1
1 John 3:1
Simply
because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1
1 John 3:1
I
offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11
Matthew 7:11
For
I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48
Matthew 5:48
Every
good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17
James 1:17
For
I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33
Matthew 6:31-33
My
plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29:11
Because
I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3
Jeremiah 31:3
My
thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18
Psalms 139:17-18
And
I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
Zephaniah 3:17
I
will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40
Jeremiah 32:40
For
you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5
Exodus 19:5
I
desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41
Jeremiah 32:41
And
I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3
Jeremiah 33:3
If
you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29
Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight
in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
Psalm 37:4
For
it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13
Philippians 2:13
I
am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20
Ephesians 3:20
For
I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I
am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When
you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18
Psalm 34:18
As
a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11
Isaiah 40:11
One
day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4
Revelation 21:3-4
And
I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4
Revelation 21:3-4
I
am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23
John 17:23
For
in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26
John 17:26
He
is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3
Hebrews 1:3
He
came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31
Romans 8:31
And
to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus
died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His
death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10
1 John 4:10
I
gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32
Romans 8:31-32
If
you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23
1 John 2:23
And
nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39
Romans 8:38-39
Come
home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7
Luke 15:7
I
have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15
Ephesians 3:14-15
My
question is…Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13
John 1:12-13
I
am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Dad
Almighty God
Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Dad
Almighty God
Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com
7/2/12
Survive125: I dare you!
Could you survive on less than $1.25 a day?
Survive125 is a game brought to you by 58:, a global initiative to end extreme poverty by living out Isaiah 58. And Compassion is part of the 58: Alliance.
In Survive125, you are asked to make the daily decisions nearly 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty face every day. In doing so their struggle becomes yours.
My daughter and I tried the game. We couldn't make it. Are you ready to play?
Well hang on. It's 8 minutes long but I want you to check out this video first.
What is 58?
58: is an unprecedented global alliance of Christians, churches and world-class poverty-fighting organizations working together to end extreme poverty in our lifetime.
Three of the organizations I am passionate about are a part of 58: Compassion, International Justice Mission and Living Water International. Who's missing? YOU!
Play the game, watch the video and remember, for 1.3 billion people around the world, poverty is not a game!
Survive125 is a game brought to you by 58:, a global initiative to end extreme poverty by living out Isaiah 58. And Compassion is part of the 58: Alliance.
In Survive125, you are asked to make the daily decisions nearly 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty face every day. In doing so their struggle becomes yours.
My daughter and I tried the game. We couldn't make it. Are you ready to play?
Well hang on. It's 8 minutes long but I want you to check out this video first.
What is 58?
58: is an unprecedented global alliance of Christians, churches and world-class poverty-fighting organizations working together to end extreme poverty in our lifetime.
Three of the organizations I am passionate about are a part of 58: Compassion, International Justice Mission and Living Water International. Who's missing? YOU!
Play the game, watch the video and remember, for 1.3 billion people around the world, poverty is not a game!
3/15/12
3-Way Calling
I have been thinking about calls lately.
Not the telephone kind.
No, I was thinking about what happens when the Lord calls us. The call might be into (or out of) ministry, to move or not to move, etc. It might be a call to move in a radical direction or a call to pull back and spend some quiet time with Him.
Whatever the call, its the response to that call that I was chewing on this week.
I did some digging and found 3 ways people responded to the call of God in the Bible.
1. Confusion
2. Eagerness
3. Flight
First up is Samuel. In 1 Samuel 3 we read of the Lord calling young Samuel in the night. Three times Samuel gets up and goes to see Eli, the Priest he was working with. Each time he asked if Eli was calling him. It was the third time around (1 Samuel 3:8) when Eli finally understood it was the Lord calling Samuel and told him how to respond. Sin led Eli to be confused and Samuel was not trained in hearing the voice of God.
In Isaiah 6:8 we see the prophet's response to the call of the Lord. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah was ready to go where God was calling Him.
Then we have Jonah. Yeah, the guy who ran... the opposite direction.
(He did repent and answer the call later.)
Obviously we need wisdom when the call of the Lord comes. James 1:25 tells us to ask for it.
I don't always seek the Lord when I feel He is nudging me to do the uncomfortable. Sometimes, like Jonah, I run.
My desire is to know Him more, to seek His face and the wisdom only He can provide. I want to move with God in eager anticipation. The next time the Lord calls, I want to answer like Isaiah.
Not the telephone kind.
No, I was thinking about what happens when the Lord calls us. The call might be into (or out of) ministry, to move or not to move, etc. It might be a call to move in a radical direction or a call to pull back and spend some quiet time with Him.
Whatever the call, its the response to that call that I was chewing on this week.
I did some digging and found 3 ways people responded to the call of God in the Bible.
1. Confusion
2. Eagerness
3. Flight
First up is Samuel. In 1 Samuel 3 we read of the Lord calling young Samuel in the night. Three times Samuel gets up and goes to see Eli, the Priest he was working with. Each time he asked if Eli was calling him. It was the third time around (1 Samuel 3:8) when Eli finally understood it was the Lord calling Samuel and told him how to respond. Sin led Eli to be confused and Samuel was not trained in hearing the voice of God.
In Isaiah 6:8 we see the prophet's response to the call of the Lord. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah was ready to go where God was calling Him.
Then we have Jonah. Yeah, the guy who ran... the opposite direction.
(He did repent and answer the call later.)
Obviously we need wisdom when the call of the Lord comes. James 1:25 tells us to ask for it.
I don't always seek the Lord when I feel He is nudging me to do the uncomfortable. Sometimes, like Jonah, I run.
My desire is to know Him more, to seek His face and the wisdom only He can provide. I want to move with God in eager anticipation. The next time the Lord calls, I want to answer like Isaiah.
6/4/11
Digging up Bones
As I work on my book I am dredging up memories of past events, turning over the soil and seeing what comes out.
I am discovering there was still some meat on some of those bones. Not every experience needed to be thrown out.
I believe God is a God of redemption!
He can redeem the worst situation if we let Him!
As I write about past church experiences, both good and bad, I am finding that not all was as it seems.
Oh the bad experiences WERE bad. However, it is the end result that is different.
Looking back, I see how God was still there, calling, wooing, moving. It took some time (decades) before I saw it.
Isaiah 41:13 says, "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
Now I am seeing His guiding hand as I chart the course that led me to discover my identity in Christ.
Sometimes digging up the past CAN be rewarding!
I am discovering there was still some meat on some of those bones. Not every experience needed to be thrown out.
I believe God is a God of redemption!
He can redeem the worst situation if we let Him!
As I write about past church experiences, both good and bad, I am finding that not all was as it seems.
Oh the bad experiences WERE bad. However, it is the end result that is different.
Looking back, I see how God was still there, calling, wooing, moving. It took some time (decades) before I saw it.
Isaiah 41:13 says, "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
Now I am seeing His guiding hand as I chart the course that led me to discover my identity in Christ.
Sometimes digging up the past CAN be rewarding!
2/1/11
Changing Trust
So the Mrs. pointed out something to me the other night as we were dealing with a 1 year old experiencing teething pain:
We don't trust God as much as we did on the mission field.
On the mission field, a decade and some change ago, when our daughter had discomfort, pain and ailments..we didn't pump her full of meds.
The same goes for my wife and I. We didn't have the ability to run to the doctor regularly and so when we encountered hardships, we prayed!
Now that we are back in N. America, when our son has an issue or any of us are felling under the weather, we run to the doctor or throw some medicine at it.
I am NOT criticizing doctors or medicine. I believe God gave us both for a reason. I fully believe He can use both for His glory. This goes to trust. When it was difficult to go to the doc or acquire meds we just went right to the Great Physician. Something popped up and we prayed.
With an abundance of resources at our fingertips we tend to rely more on meds/docs and less on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Not to say we don't pray and don't trust...sadly just not enough. We plan on changing that though.
"Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4)
We don't trust God as much as we did on the mission field.
On the mission field, a decade and some change ago, when our daughter had discomfort, pain and ailments..we didn't pump her full of meds.
The same goes for my wife and I. We didn't have the ability to run to the doctor regularly and so when we encountered hardships, we prayed!
Now that we are back in N. America, when our son has an issue or any of us are felling under the weather, we run to the doctor or throw some medicine at it.
I am NOT criticizing doctors or medicine. I believe God gave us both for a reason. I fully believe He can use both for His glory. This goes to trust. When it was difficult to go to the doc or acquire meds we just went right to the Great Physician. Something popped up and we prayed.
With an abundance of resources at our fingertips we tend to rely more on meds/docs and less on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Not to say we don't pray and don't trust...sadly just not enough. We plan on changing that though.
"Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4)
6/1/10
The God Who Jumps Through Hoops! - Just A Thought #42
The Bible records a vast number of names for God: Jehovah (Psalm 83:18), Foundation (Isaiah 28:16), Comforter (Jeremiah 8:18), Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) and Refiner (Malachi 3:2) are just a few.
One name I have never found is "The God Who Jumps Through Hoops." Yet it is this name that many seem to want to call Him by. You'll meet these people when they want a healing, a blessing, a relationship or something they feel they deserve or need. When God does not perform for them in their desired timing, they began to question God or become more demanding. It is not that God will not heal or bless. He does this. However, I have noticed a certain type of attitude when it comes to our wants.
I have heard people say, "If God does NOT heal me, He is a liar." Scriptures get cut down to their barest minimum and are twisted to support their version of what God should do. "Well, it says God healed their sickness but He is not healing mine!" People act as if God is a puppet on a string, here to do our bidding. However, when reading the Word, I can't find this version of God anywhere.
It boils down to a selfish attitude. We want what we want when we want it. In other words, we want to be God! He should do things our way! We want to be in charge and have God fulfill our version of life!
Yet, in the Scriptures, just as often as God healed or moved, He remained silent. He stayed His hand. He let events unfold according to His plan. I am encouraged by Hebrews faith chapter. I have heard many sermons on Hebrews Chapter 11, and they are used as proof of God's blessing and protection as we persevere and seek Him. Often overlooked are the final 5 verses of that chapter, which talk about saints being tortured, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, slain, destitute, afflicted and tormented! They are also praised for their faith.
So, the next time you think about demanding God move, remember that if He does, it may not be in the way you expect. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9). Can you still maintain your faith if your prayers do not get answered in the way you wanted?
One name I have never found is "The God Who Jumps Through Hoops." Yet it is this name that many seem to want to call Him by. You'll meet these people when they want a healing, a blessing, a relationship or something they feel they deserve or need. When God does not perform for them in their desired timing, they began to question God or become more demanding. It is not that God will not heal or bless. He does this. However, I have noticed a certain type of attitude when it comes to our wants.
I have heard people say, "If God does NOT heal me, He is a liar." Scriptures get cut down to their barest minimum and are twisted to support their version of what God should do. "Well, it says God healed their sickness but He is not healing mine!" People act as if God is a puppet on a string, here to do our bidding. However, when reading the Word, I can't find this version of God anywhere.
It boils down to a selfish attitude. We want what we want when we want it. In other words, we want to be God! He should do things our way! We want to be in charge and have God fulfill our version of life!
Yet, in the Scriptures, just as often as God healed or moved, He remained silent. He stayed His hand. He let events unfold according to His plan. I am encouraged by Hebrews faith chapter. I have heard many sermons on Hebrews Chapter 11, and they are used as proof of God's blessing and protection as we persevere and seek Him. Often overlooked are the final 5 verses of that chapter, which talk about saints being tortured, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, slain, destitute, afflicted and tormented! They are also praised for their faith.
So, the next time you think about demanding God move, remember that if He does, it may not be in the way you expect. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9). Can you still maintain your faith if your prayers do not get answered in the way you wanted?
2/26/10
On Tour With The HOLY SPIRIT
First let me say that I believe God still moves today. I KNOW for a fact Jesus still heals the sick! I believe the Holy Spirit comforts, counsels and convicts. (John 14:16; 16:7-11; 13)
What saddens me is when religion sucks the life out of something and the Holy Spirit is put into a box.
I first noticed this when I was living in TN. A friend invited me to his churches annual revival. Now I have no problem with an evangelistic event but lets just call it that. What I started noticing was that the revivals were all billed the same way.
Our (insert number here) annual Holy Spirit revival. It was something you could mark on the calender. I was once told I needed to come before the Revival ended. I also noticed no church held their revival at the same time. Each one was for a week and it then seemed to move to the next church.
I started feeling like the Holy Spirit was being put on tour and was curious how one goes about booking the Holy Spirit for an annual revival.
Now God's Word never returns void. (Isaiah 55:11) He uses these times and many have come to Christ. I praise Him for that. What makes me sad though is how many times it just felt like a, get your repenting done for the year, crusade. "Did you mess up brother, hang on revival is coming....in 2 months, don't miss it!"
Maybe it's just me but I think a real revival starts in our heart and it can't be booked in advance. It is something that breaks forth. It's not planned but comes after a season of repentance and prayer. It lasts as long as God wants it to.
So what's the point? The point is that God still moves. We should dig into the Word and seek Him with our whole hearts...and then revival will come.
What saddens me is when religion sucks the life out of something and the Holy Spirit is put into a box.
I first noticed this when I was living in TN. A friend invited me to his churches annual revival. Now I have no problem with an evangelistic event but lets just call it that. What I started noticing was that the revivals were all billed the same way.
Our (insert number here) annual Holy Spirit revival. It was something you could mark on the calender. I was once told I needed to come before the Revival ended. I also noticed no church held their revival at the same time. Each one was for a week and it then seemed to move to the next church.
I started feeling like the Holy Spirit was being put on tour and was curious how one goes about booking the Holy Spirit for an annual revival.
Now God's Word never returns void. (Isaiah 55:11) He uses these times and many have come to Christ. I praise Him for that. What makes me sad though is how many times it just felt like a, get your repenting done for the year, crusade. "Did you mess up brother, hang on revival is coming....in 2 months, don't miss it!"
Maybe it's just me but I think a real revival starts in our heart and it can't be booked in advance. It is something that breaks forth. It's not planned but comes after a season of repentance and prayer. It lasts as long as God wants it to.
So what's the point? The point is that God still moves. We should dig into the Word and seek Him with our whole hearts...and then revival will come.
1/26/10
Battleship
My daughter and I love battleship. It's a fun game where you seek and destroy your opponents ships which are hidden at sea. The fun is in the searching. As you seek to find your opponents ships you have to dig in and strategize, think, analyze, plan and implement ideas.
I find more excitement when I seek the Lord and search Him out, endeavoring to know Him more. When I think on Him, dig into His Word, etc.
A casual search of the Scriptures shows me numerous references to seeking the Lord.
Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
1 Chronicles 16:10
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:8
My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Psalm 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psalm 53:2
God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Psalm 119:2
Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
Psalm 119:10
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
I get excited when I read these. God is awesome. I find that I desire Him more and more. Catch the excitement! If reading these Scriptures don't get your hunger for God stirring than I must ask...are you seeking Him?
I find more excitement when I seek the Lord and search Him out, endeavoring to know Him more. When I think on Him, dig into His Word, etc.
A casual search of the Scriptures shows me numerous references to seeking the Lord.
Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
1 Chronicles 16:10
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:8
My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Psalm 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psalm 53:2
God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Psalm 119:2
Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
Psalm 119:10
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
I get excited when I read these. God is awesome. I find that I desire Him more and more. Catch the excitement! If reading these Scriptures don't get your hunger for God stirring than I must ask...are you seeking Him?
8/16/09
Blame God - It's Apparently All His Fault
While reading about the recent bus accident involving MercyMe I came across one article that postulated: Why did God allow this to happen?
I have heard that question, and variations thereof, a lot over the last few weeks.
"If God is real, why doesn't He heal me?"
"Why does God allow suffering?"
"Why would a compassionate God destroy the whole earth in a flood?"
"Why didn't He stop it?"
"Doesn't He care?"
People are quick to blame and fault God. A tornado, a hurricane, a flood are all called "Acts of God" even by people who don't believe in God! Apparently the Creator of the universe is at fault for all the ill in the world.
I guess people missed that part of Genesis where sin came into the world because of Adam and Eve.
Of course Job and his friends seemed to say and ask some of the same things. David asks those tough questions as well. David talks quite a bit about how the wicked prosper, the good suffer, etc.
We tend to judge God by our human standards of right, wrong and morality. We blame God when others are at fault. We get angry when God doesn't perform for us like a genie in a bottle. We want God to act like we would act in a situation.
NEWS FLASH: WE ARE NOT GOD!
When Job stood before God he became speechless. He humbled himself before the God of the universe. When Moses met God he was physically and visibly changed. His face shone to the point where he had to cover his face. Peter suffered foot and mouth disease when he offered to build shelters when Jesus was transfigured!
God does not have to answer to us. His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
It's ok to ask questions. It's ok to wonder. God knows our pain. He hurts with us. However, if God doesn't move when and how we want, we need to remember He is still God! He has a plan we cannot see.
I want to encourage you, if you have doubts express them to God and then leave them at His feet. Worship Him. Love Him. Trust Him!
I have heard that question, and variations thereof, a lot over the last few weeks.
"If God is real, why doesn't He heal me?"
"Why does God allow suffering?"
"Why would a compassionate God destroy the whole earth in a flood?"
"Why didn't He stop it?"
"Doesn't He care?"
People are quick to blame and fault God. A tornado, a hurricane, a flood are all called "Acts of God" even by people who don't believe in God! Apparently the Creator of the universe is at fault for all the ill in the world.
I guess people missed that part of Genesis where sin came into the world because of Adam and Eve.
Of course Job and his friends seemed to say and ask some of the same things. David asks those tough questions as well. David talks quite a bit about how the wicked prosper, the good suffer, etc.
We tend to judge God by our human standards of right, wrong and morality. We blame God when others are at fault. We get angry when God doesn't perform for us like a genie in a bottle. We want God to act like we would act in a situation.
NEWS FLASH: WE ARE NOT GOD!
When Job stood before God he became speechless. He humbled himself before the God of the universe. When Moses met God he was physically and visibly changed. His face shone to the point where he had to cover his face. Peter suffered foot and mouth disease when he offered to build shelters when Jesus was transfigured!
God does not have to answer to us. His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
It's ok to ask questions. It's ok to wonder. God knows our pain. He hurts with us. However, if God doesn't move when and how we want, we need to remember He is still God! He has a plan we cannot see.
I want to encourage you, if you have doubts express them to God and then leave them at His feet. Worship Him. Love Him. Trust Him!
4/1/09
Why? Why Not? - Asking the Big Qustions - Just A Thought #32
Recently I posted a comment on my twitter stream that said: Questioning the Why? Why do the innocent suffer? Why are the sick not healed? Why does life hurt so bad? Yet even in this God is good!
I love asking "why?". It really seems to unnerve people though when you ask the question. Why? It means you are questioning things. It means you want more than a surface response and are digging for more info. It alludes to the fact that you are not satisfied with the answer given.
It scares Christians to death.
I have noticed over the years that it is ok in Christian circles to ask certain questions though:
What denomination are you? When is the Rapture going to take place? How long did Creation take?
These are all acceptable questions. Yet, ask things like:
Why does God allow suffering? Why did my "insert person" have to die such a horrible death? Why do the wicked prosper and God's children seem to go without?
Ask these questions and the wheels come off the bus. People panic. I find when I ask these questions many want to shut the door on the topic. "Have Faith! Don't Doubt! You shouldn't ask those questions." I have heard these responses from other believers. It is as if God is shocked or horrified that I have questions. Why?
Every time I read the Psalms of David I see these same questions. 'Why do the wicked prosper?' 'Why am I suffering?' Did David lack faith? These Psalms of Lament were included for a reason. David almost always ended these Psalms declaring God's goodness and His knowledge that God will make things right in His time.
Asking why does not have to be frightful. I am not saying I doubt God but that I struggle with real problems. I have real concerns and I know that God has real answers!
God knows my thoughts. I should share them with Him. When I ask why it always, ALWAYS drives me deeper into the Word and closer to the Father!
I think the important thing to remember, is that though God will not be offended with our asking, still He is God, holy and just in all His ways, and sometimes He wants us to wait--maybe until Heaven--for His answers. Can we allow Him to shape our understanding and trust even if our questions go unanswered for a time? Sometimes He will even ask us to let go of a question completely and entrust that area of our life to Him.
Don't be afraid to ask the question. Let the word roll off your tongue. Wrestle with your faith. Work out your salvation daily with fear and trembling. Asking 'Why' can firm up your faith and solidify your beliefs. Remember that ultimately God is good! His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Step out of your comfort zone and dive into a deeper relationship with God today!
I love asking "why?". It really seems to unnerve people though when you ask the question. Why? It means you are questioning things. It means you want more than a surface response and are digging for more info. It alludes to the fact that you are not satisfied with the answer given.
It scares Christians to death.
I have noticed over the years that it is ok in Christian circles to ask certain questions though:
What denomination are you? When is the Rapture going to take place? How long did Creation take?
These are all acceptable questions. Yet, ask things like:
Why does God allow suffering? Why did my "insert person" have to die such a horrible death? Why do the wicked prosper and God's children seem to go without?
Ask these questions and the wheels come off the bus. People panic. I find when I ask these questions many want to shut the door on the topic. "Have Faith! Don't Doubt! You shouldn't ask those questions." I have heard these responses from other believers. It is as if God is shocked or horrified that I have questions. Why?
Every time I read the Psalms of David I see these same questions. 'Why do the wicked prosper?' 'Why am I suffering?' Did David lack faith? These Psalms of Lament were included for a reason. David almost always ended these Psalms declaring God's goodness and His knowledge that God will make things right in His time.
Asking why does not have to be frightful. I am not saying I doubt God but that I struggle with real problems. I have real concerns and I know that God has real answers!
God knows my thoughts. I should share them with Him. When I ask why it always, ALWAYS drives me deeper into the Word and closer to the Father!
I think the important thing to remember, is that though God will not be offended with our asking, still He is God, holy and just in all His ways, and sometimes He wants us to wait--maybe until Heaven--for His answers. Can we allow Him to shape our understanding and trust even if our questions go unanswered for a time? Sometimes He will even ask us to let go of a question completely and entrust that area of our life to Him.
Don't be afraid to ask the question. Let the word roll off your tongue. Wrestle with your faith. Work out your salvation daily with fear and trembling. Asking 'Why' can firm up your faith and solidify your beliefs. Remember that ultimately God is good! His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Step out of your comfort zone and dive into a deeper relationship with God today!
9/4/08
Arms of Love
Rejection. The word drips with misery. It is painful. When we are rejected we tend to reject others.
I was not the most popular child during my growing up years. Skinny, sickly and uncoordinated, I never seemed to fit in. I had friends, but they seemed to come and go. We moved a lot and by the 3rd grade I had lived in Maryland twice and was back in Pennsylvania for the second time.
I hated recess and gym class because I was the kid who always seemed to be picked last. Occasionally a friend would pick me next to last to save me the "embarrassment" of being picked last. Throughout my elementary and junior high years I was beat up, pushed around, chased, and so harassed that I began to fear the very thought of walking the halls. I remember once sitting on a ramp talking to a friend and waking up on the ground. A kid, one I had never met, took a pair of cleats and repeatedly beat me over the back and neck until I passed out.
The there was the other forms of rejection I experienced. Girls. I always had an interest in girls from the time I was very young but never found the interest reciprocated. My brother, who was a year younger than I, always seemed to like the same girls and they tended to gravitate to him. I was once told he was the better looking one, and many just saw me as a "friend", if at all. They would laugh at me if I expressed interest in them. One girlfriend I did have, broke up with me and wanted me to arrange a date with my brother!
These and other areas of rejection were piling up to the point that, by my late teens, I no longer cared. I had developed a wall around my heart that was very thick. I was going to make sure no one hurt me again. I had excepted Christ into my life at the age of 14 but I was not yet ready to let Him reign in my life! I became very thick-skinned in many areas. I still felt the pain of past and ongoing rejections but as time went by the pain impacted me less and less. I remained this way until I was 24. That summer I fell hard for a woman at my work. We hit it off fast and I was determined to keep her in my life. There was a problem though...I wanted to be a missionary and she did not. I ignored her subtle and not so subtle hints in this regard and went on enjoying my summer romance. Then she threw me a curve by breaking off our relationship and saying she felt God had wanted her to do so. I was angry and hurt not only at her but this time at God as well. Again I had been rejected.
Shortly afterward I went to Texas for a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Discipleship Training School (DTS). While at the school, I met my future wife. However my walls were still in place, firmer than ever. Then one day, a speaker shared about the Father Heart of God. I had a very hard week dealing with the concept of God's love. I had been rejected so many times, I blamed God for that rejection. Finally, int he midst of the class, I felt like I could take no more of this lesson and I bolted from the classroom. I headed for the restroom where I sank to the floor and began sobbing uncontrollably.
I later found out that during this time my future wife, who had noticed my sudden departure, began praying that God would wrap His arms of love around me.
I cannot fully explain what happened during this time. As I sat on the floor of the restroom weeping, I suddenly felt a warmth wrap around my shoulders. It felt as if I was being given a huge bear hug. Almost like a blanket had been thrown over my shoulders. I began to feel the love of God penetrate the deepest areas of my life. My walls began to crumble. My tears switched from tears of pain to those of immense joy and relief. I began to get a true inkling of the Father's love for me.
It took time for me to let God tear down all of the walls I had built up. However, He began a work that day which changed my life forever. It was a process. It took some time but I felt the arms of the Father that day. I felt His arms of love.
"He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carried them close to His heart..." Isaiah 40:11
No matter what pain you have experienced in life...God can tear down those walls. Will you let Him reach out to you with His love?
I was not the most popular child during my growing up years. Skinny, sickly and uncoordinated, I never seemed to fit in. I had friends, but they seemed to come and go. We moved a lot and by the 3rd grade I had lived in Maryland twice and was back in Pennsylvania for the second time.
I hated recess and gym class because I was the kid who always seemed to be picked last. Occasionally a friend would pick me next to last to save me the "embarrassment" of being picked last. Throughout my elementary and junior high years I was beat up, pushed around, chased, and so harassed that I began to fear the very thought of walking the halls. I remember once sitting on a ramp talking to a friend and waking up on the ground. A kid, one I had never met, took a pair of cleats and repeatedly beat me over the back and neck until I passed out.
The there was the other forms of rejection I experienced. Girls. I always had an interest in girls from the time I was very young but never found the interest reciprocated. My brother, who was a year younger than I, always seemed to like the same girls and they tended to gravitate to him. I was once told he was the better looking one, and many just saw me as a "friend", if at all. They would laugh at me if I expressed interest in them. One girlfriend I did have, broke up with me and wanted me to arrange a date with my brother!
These and other areas of rejection were piling up to the point that, by my late teens, I no longer cared. I had developed a wall around my heart that was very thick. I was going to make sure no one hurt me again. I had excepted Christ into my life at the age of 14 but I was not yet ready to let Him reign in my life! I became very thick-skinned in many areas. I still felt the pain of past and ongoing rejections but as time went by the pain impacted me less and less. I remained this way until I was 24. That summer I fell hard for a woman at my work. We hit it off fast and I was determined to keep her in my life. There was a problem though...I wanted to be a missionary and she did not. I ignored her subtle and not so subtle hints in this regard and went on enjoying my summer romance. Then she threw me a curve by breaking off our relationship and saying she felt God had wanted her to do so. I was angry and hurt not only at her but this time at God as well. Again I had been rejected.
Shortly afterward I went to Texas for a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Discipleship Training School (DTS). While at the school, I met my future wife. However my walls were still in place, firmer than ever. Then one day, a speaker shared about the Father Heart of God. I had a very hard week dealing with the concept of God's love. I had been rejected so many times, I blamed God for that rejection. Finally, int he midst of the class, I felt like I could take no more of this lesson and I bolted from the classroom. I headed for the restroom where I sank to the floor and began sobbing uncontrollably.
I later found out that during this time my future wife, who had noticed my sudden departure, began praying that God would wrap His arms of love around me.
I cannot fully explain what happened during this time. As I sat on the floor of the restroom weeping, I suddenly felt a warmth wrap around my shoulders. It felt as if I was being given a huge bear hug. Almost like a blanket had been thrown over my shoulders. I began to feel the love of God penetrate the deepest areas of my life. My walls began to crumble. My tears switched from tears of pain to those of immense joy and relief. I began to get a true inkling of the Father's love for me.
It took time for me to let God tear down all of the walls I had built up. However, He began a work that day which changed my life forever. It was a process. It took some time but I felt the arms of the Father that day. I felt His arms of love.
"He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carried them close to His heart..." Isaiah 40:11
No matter what pain you have experienced in life...God can tear down those walls. Will you let Him reach out to you with His love?
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