Acts 8: 26 - As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, "Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza."
In the last 12 hours, I have come across this passage 3 times in 3 different messages. I figured God's trying to get my attention and tell me something. But what exactly?
Over the last few weeks, I've been tossing the idea around in my head (a dangerous place to be for sure) and praying about ending this blog. I have been writing it for almost 3 years, and it has been a lot of fun. What started out as a way for me to connect deeper with God during my quiet times, by blogging what I write in my journals, has wound up being something else entirely unexpected.
When I came across this passage again this morning, I started to think about how Philip may have felt about his instructions from the angel of the Lord here. While we aren't told that he complained about it, I'm sure there was a fair amount of confusion. He had just been in Samaria and led so many people to faith in Jesus by preaching the Good News and now he was being called to go on a long trip by himself down a desert road. It doesn't sound like his situation was improving much.
When he's down where he's supposed to be, he comes across this Ethiopian government official. One guy. After he had just led a ton of people to the Lord. I'm sure he was probably scratching his head pretty good, but he still didn't complain or question. He just obeyed.
I don't have any illusions about anything that I may have done during the last 3 years. I know there are some that have enjoyed reading my blog, and others that I am sure could care less. It's never been about how many I may have reached or what I had to say. It's been about reaching out, and these have always been His words, not mine.
From time to time I would get a message from someone that said they really enjoyed what I wrote that particular day, or they really connected with what I was sharing. You have no idea how much that means to me. Words could not express the joy I receive from hearing things like that. I always tell people that if ONE person gets something out of it, then it was worth every minute I spend every day on it.
Lately, I have felt God calling me to something else. I don't know yet what that is, but I trust that He will show me. When I was praying over what to write this morning, I felt God speaking to me and telling me that what I had been feeling about ending things here on this blog are indeed what He is asking me to do. I have no choice but to be obedient.
I'm sure that from time to time I will probably do some more writing here. I'll follow wherever God leads my heart.
Until that time comes, I want to thank each and every one of you who have read and encouraged me over the last 3 years. Your words of wisdom and encouragement have meant so much to me. While I have never sought the praise of man, as we all should avoid, it always feels good to receive support, love, and encouragement from those who care. Know that you will ALL remain in my heart and in my prayers forever.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for the opportunities You have provided me over the last few years to share Your Word and what You put on my heart. I don't know what You have in store for me next, but I'm sure it will be awesome, because I know that You will be in it. If the last 3 years are any indication, I'm sure it will be something I could never expect, and will be much more awesome than I could ever imagine. I lift up those who have come alongside me in this journey Father, and ask that You remain with them. I pray for Your loving comfort and protection today and every day, as they seek to draw closer to You. In the powerful name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, November 21, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
No "I" In Team
Nehemiah 2:17 - But now I said to them, "You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!"
I came across this passage in a devotional recently, and it pointed out how Nehemiah used the words "we" when he talked about the trouble, and "us" when he talked about the work that needed to be done. The problems that the people were facing were not his doing. He had been in exile. But he didn't go back to just supervise and bark orders at them. He went there to be a part of the solution.
It's easy to sit there and say, "Well it was his home, and it was God's holy city, so he should have gone there for exactly that," and I would be inclined to agree with you. But more importantly, Nehemiah knew how to lead. He understood that the people didn't need someone to come home and dress them down and give them grief over everything that had happened. They needed some direction and guidance, and someone to show that they actually cared about what was going on. And Nehemiah provided exactly that.
He also showed them that they weren't alone in their problems. That their problems had now also become his problem.
I don't know about you, but I never cared for the saying, "There's no "I" in team." Having played sports when I was younger, I never needed to be reminded that the team was all in it together, and that we all won or lost as a unit. There were some that needed that reminder, but those who were only in it for themselves eventually got noticed, and never lasted. I remember a funny commercial that was making fun of some sports cliche's and had someone interviewing an athlete. When the athlete was obviously only interested in highlighting his achievements on the field, the reporter said, "There's no "I" in team." To which the athlete replied, "Yeah, and there ain't no "we" either."
As a Christian, what does fellowship mean to you? Does it mean just hanging out with fellow believers, and talking about something you read in the Bible? Sure that's a part of it, but it is so much more.
In the book of Acts, we read about the beginning of the Church. It says, "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's supper), and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). It goes on to say in verses 45 and 46 how they sold their property and possessions and shared with those in need, and that they shared meals with great joy and generosity and praised God and enjoyed the goodwill of the people.
These people did life together. That's what fellowship is all about. It isn't just about sharing money or possessions with our brothers and sisters, or just about sharing Scripture we read, but about sharing life and sharing our burdens with each other. If we are spending time in fellowship with a fellow believer and they are sharing their heart with us about a particular tough situation they are dealing with our response shouldn't be, "Man, it sure sucks to be you."
It's not easy to develop compassion and empathy for others. It's something that I have definitely struggled with over the years. I have been guilty so many times of telling someone that I would pray for them, for whatever situation they had going on, and then forgot all about it. Compassion and empathy cannot be faked. People can always tell when you're full of beans.
There's a worship song that I particularly like that says, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours." One of the things that I believe breaks God's heart is apathy - a lack of interest or concern for things that others find moving. When we don't care what happens to our brothers and sisters, I believe that we are telling God that we are more concerned with ourselves. That's not what we have been called to be.
Jesus told us, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). Caring about someone else's well being, and putting them ahead of ourselves is humbling ourselves to serve our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Taking someone's burdens into our hearts and praying for them takes that mysterious "I" out of team, and puts the "We" in there. Like anything, compassion has to be developed. That's part of the beauty of God's work in us. He is happy to work in us when we let Him in and let Him change us to be the people we should be, united for one purpose - to glorify God.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for humbling me and teaching me about compassion. Thank You for continuing Your work in me, so that I can be a humble servant to You and Your children. I pray that I will remain committed to learning about You and Your ways, and putting what I learn into practice so that I can be a doer of Your word, and not just a hearer. I pray for those that have struggled with this as I have. My prayer is that they will be filled with Your love and that You will break their heart for what breaks Yours. I pray that we all share in each other's joys as well as each other's grief, and that we will carry each other's burdens in our hearts so that we can lift each other up and be a blessing to each other. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
I came across this passage in a devotional recently, and it pointed out how Nehemiah used the words "we" when he talked about the trouble, and "us" when he talked about the work that needed to be done. The problems that the people were facing were not his doing. He had been in exile. But he didn't go back to just supervise and bark orders at them. He went there to be a part of the solution.
It's easy to sit there and say, "Well it was his home, and it was God's holy city, so he should have gone there for exactly that," and I would be inclined to agree with you. But more importantly, Nehemiah knew how to lead. He understood that the people didn't need someone to come home and dress them down and give them grief over everything that had happened. They needed some direction and guidance, and someone to show that they actually cared about what was going on. And Nehemiah provided exactly that.
He also showed them that they weren't alone in their problems. That their problems had now also become his problem.
I don't know about you, but I never cared for the saying, "There's no "I" in team." Having played sports when I was younger, I never needed to be reminded that the team was all in it together, and that we all won or lost as a unit. There were some that needed that reminder, but those who were only in it for themselves eventually got noticed, and never lasted. I remember a funny commercial that was making fun of some sports cliche's and had someone interviewing an athlete. When the athlete was obviously only interested in highlighting his achievements on the field, the reporter said, "There's no "I" in team." To which the athlete replied, "Yeah, and there ain't no "we" either."
As a Christian, what does fellowship mean to you? Does it mean just hanging out with fellow believers, and talking about something you read in the Bible? Sure that's a part of it, but it is so much more.
In the book of Acts, we read about the beginning of the Church. It says, "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's supper), and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). It goes on to say in verses 45 and 46 how they sold their property and possessions and shared with those in need, and that they shared meals with great joy and generosity and praised God and enjoyed the goodwill of the people.
These people did life together. That's what fellowship is all about. It isn't just about sharing money or possessions with our brothers and sisters, or just about sharing Scripture we read, but about sharing life and sharing our burdens with each other. If we are spending time in fellowship with a fellow believer and they are sharing their heart with us about a particular tough situation they are dealing with our response shouldn't be, "Man, it sure sucks to be you."
It's not easy to develop compassion and empathy for others. It's something that I have definitely struggled with over the years. I have been guilty so many times of telling someone that I would pray for them, for whatever situation they had going on, and then forgot all about it. Compassion and empathy cannot be faked. People can always tell when you're full of beans.
There's a worship song that I particularly like that says, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours." One of the things that I believe breaks God's heart is apathy - a lack of interest or concern for things that others find moving. When we don't care what happens to our brothers and sisters, I believe that we are telling God that we are more concerned with ourselves. That's not what we have been called to be.
Jesus told us, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). Caring about someone else's well being, and putting them ahead of ourselves is humbling ourselves to serve our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Taking someone's burdens into our hearts and praying for them takes that mysterious "I" out of team, and puts the "We" in there. Like anything, compassion has to be developed. That's part of the beauty of God's work in us. He is happy to work in us when we let Him in and let Him change us to be the people we should be, united for one purpose - to glorify God.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for humbling me and teaching me about compassion. Thank You for continuing Your work in me, so that I can be a humble servant to You and Your children. I pray that I will remain committed to learning about You and Your ways, and putting what I learn into practice so that I can be a doer of Your word, and not just a hearer. I pray for those that have struggled with this as I have. My prayer is that they will be filled with Your love and that You will break their heart for what breaks Yours. I pray that we all share in each other's joys as well as each other's grief, and that we will carry each other's burdens in our hearts so that we can lift each other up and be a blessing to each other. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Trying To Fit In
Numbers 14:24 - But my servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.
How much of our lives do we spend trying to fit in? Just going along to get along, right? A majority of our teenage years (if not all of them) are dedicated to this purpose. Come to think of it, so are many of our adult years as well. But what's the purpose? To make ourselves pleasing to the people of the world?
The Bible is full of stories of those who were filled with a different purpose. A different sort of spirit. Caleb and Joshua were two special spirits. Because of their faith in God, He allowed them to enter into the Promised Land when all the others of their generation fell short.
Paul reminded Timothy of the sort of spirit we were called to have as followers of Jesus Christ. He said, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7). It's the same Spirit that leads us, and allows us to be called children of God (Romans 8:14). God never called us to try to blend into the scenery. We have always been called to be bold in our faith, and in our obedience to Him.
That Spirit of power that we have been given, is the same Spirit that Peter used to heal the crippled beggar in front of the Temple (Acts 3:1-6).
The Spirit of love that we have been given is the same one that Jesus spoke of in the Gospel of John when He said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).
The Spirit of self-discipline that we have been given, is the same one that Paul talked about in his first letter to Timothy. He said, "But have nothing to do with worldly fables fir only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7).
Because of God's power, love, and discipline, we are all children of the Most High. We all have an eternal calling for God's Kingdom. Trying to fit in this world can sometimes feel like putting a round peg in a square hole. It just doesn't quite fit. But that's okay. God didn't call us to fit in with this world. He told us to be salt and light to it. As Paul said so well, "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant" (Galatians 1:10).
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the power of Your Spirit that You have given us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that we all realize and recommit our lives to being Christ's servant. I pray we all will accept His free gift of salvation and redemption, and strive for the Heavenly prize that we are all being called for by You through Christ Jesus. I pray that we won't keep trying to fit in and win the approval of men, but of You. I pray that we will all be salt and light to a fallen world until we are home with You in Your eternal Kingdom. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
How much of our lives do we spend trying to fit in? Just going along to get along, right? A majority of our teenage years (if not all of them) are dedicated to this purpose. Come to think of it, so are many of our adult years as well. But what's the purpose? To make ourselves pleasing to the people of the world?
The Bible is full of stories of those who were filled with a different purpose. A different sort of spirit. Caleb and Joshua were two special spirits. Because of their faith in God, He allowed them to enter into the Promised Land when all the others of their generation fell short.
Paul reminded Timothy of the sort of spirit we were called to have as followers of Jesus Christ. He said, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7). It's the same Spirit that leads us, and allows us to be called children of God (Romans 8:14). God never called us to try to blend into the scenery. We have always been called to be bold in our faith, and in our obedience to Him.
That Spirit of power that we have been given, is the same Spirit that Peter used to heal the crippled beggar in front of the Temple (Acts 3:1-6).
The Spirit of love that we have been given is the same one that Jesus spoke of in the Gospel of John when He said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).
The Spirit of self-discipline that we have been given, is the same one that Paul talked about in his first letter to Timothy. He said, "But have nothing to do with worldly fables fir only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7).
Because of God's power, love, and discipline, we are all children of the Most High. We all have an eternal calling for God's Kingdom. Trying to fit in this world can sometimes feel like putting a round peg in a square hole. It just doesn't quite fit. But that's okay. God didn't call us to fit in with this world. He told us to be salt and light to it. As Paul said so well, "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant" (Galatians 1:10).
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the power of Your Spirit that You have given us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that we all realize and recommit our lives to being Christ's servant. I pray we all will accept His free gift of salvation and redemption, and strive for the Heavenly prize that we are all being called for by You through Christ Jesus. I pray that we won't keep trying to fit in and win the approval of men, but of You. I pray that we will all be salt and light to a fallen world until we are home with You in Your eternal Kingdom. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Finding Our Worth
2 Corinthians 11:20 - You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of you, and slaps you in the face.
How often do we allow people to tear us down? How many times do we justify their actions (as if it's our responsibility to do so) by making excuses for them? We see it a lot in domestic violence cases, but it happens in everyday life to everyone.
I had a friend that had certain interests that we didn't share. In his mind, it made me less of a man if I wasn't into these "manly" things like hunting and fishing and going out every Friday and Saturday night to drink. He believed that being different meant being less. And he let me know it too. For a long time I put up with it, but as I drew closer to Christ during that time, I came to understand my real worth a little bit better.
My worth wasn't founded in what the world deemed appropriate. I've never been fishing or hunting in my life, and have no interest to do so. But how does that make me less of a person? The truth is, it doesn't.
I was deemed important and worthy by my Lord and Savior. He determined that long before I was even born. Before I was formed in my mother's womb, He knew me and set me apart (Jeremiah 1:5). And as though it wasn't enough for Him to tell me how much He loved me, He took it upon Himself to show me when He went to the cross to die for me. Wow...
Whenever I have struggled to find and know my worth, all I have to do is to remember that He died for me, so that He could show me just how much I meant to Him. That's what I call finding your worth. It is impossible for me to deny how much He loves me. I could never justify telling myself that God must not love me.
Jud Wilhite, in his fantastic book Pursued said, "Basically what you are saying when you say God cant forgive you is, 'God, you are going to have to pay a higher price for me'" (Pg. 102). There is no higher price that could have been paid for God to demonstrate how much He loves us, and how valuable we are to Him.
I remember during a study once, we were in the book of Genesis and discussing Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22). One of the questions asked by our group leader, was whether we thought we would be willing to sacrifice one of our kids if God commanded it. I don't have kids, but I still thought about it, and said I don't think I could. I believe that would have been too high a price to pay.
Let's be honest, here. It is asking an awful lot isn't it? To require a sacrifice of that magnitude in order to save and redeem a very large group of people that may or may not love you back. God didn't hesitate to show us how much we are worth to Him. We just have to believe it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sacrifice You gave to redeem and save me from a life and eternity apart from You. I could never repay what You have done for me; none of us could. I am grateful that You don't want repayment - just love. Thank You for showing me that my value and worth are found in the blood of Jesus Christ. I pray for those that don't know their worth. Those that are allowing others to tear them down regularly because they don't understand that they do indeed have value that is infinitely greater than anything this world can put a price on. My prayer is that they will take just a minute to look inside their heart and feel You speaking to them in Your still soft voice. I pray they will respond to the prompting of Your Holy Spirit and accept Your free gift that You have offered to all of us, and live the life of high value that You have always had planned for them. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
How often do we allow people to tear us down? How many times do we justify their actions (as if it's our responsibility to do so) by making excuses for them? We see it a lot in domestic violence cases, but it happens in everyday life to everyone.
I had a friend that had certain interests that we didn't share. In his mind, it made me less of a man if I wasn't into these "manly" things like hunting and fishing and going out every Friday and Saturday night to drink. He believed that being different meant being less. And he let me know it too. For a long time I put up with it, but as I drew closer to Christ during that time, I came to understand my real worth a little bit better.
My worth wasn't founded in what the world deemed appropriate. I've never been fishing or hunting in my life, and have no interest to do so. But how does that make me less of a person? The truth is, it doesn't.
I was deemed important and worthy by my Lord and Savior. He determined that long before I was even born. Before I was formed in my mother's womb, He knew me and set me apart (Jeremiah 1:5). And as though it wasn't enough for Him to tell me how much He loved me, He took it upon Himself to show me when He went to the cross to die for me. Wow...
Whenever I have struggled to find and know my worth, all I have to do is to remember that He died for me, so that He could show me just how much I meant to Him. That's what I call finding your worth. It is impossible for me to deny how much He loves me. I could never justify telling myself that God must not love me.
Jud Wilhite, in his fantastic book Pursued said, "Basically what you are saying when you say God cant forgive you is, 'God, you are going to have to pay a higher price for me'" (Pg. 102). There is no higher price that could have been paid for God to demonstrate how much He loves us, and how valuable we are to Him.
I remember during a study once, we were in the book of Genesis and discussing Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22). One of the questions asked by our group leader, was whether we thought we would be willing to sacrifice one of our kids if God commanded it. I don't have kids, but I still thought about it, and said I don't think I could. I believe that would have been too high a price to pay.
Let's be honest, here. It is asking an awful lot isn't it? To require a sacrifice of that magnitude in order to save and redeem a very large group of people that may or may not love you back. God didn't hesitate to show us how much we are worth to Him. We just have to believe it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sacrifice You gave to redeem and save me from a life and eternity apart from You. I could never repay what You have done for me; none of us could. I am grateful that You don't want repayment - just love. Thank You for showing me that my value and worth are found in the blood of Jesus Christ. I pray for those that don't know their worth. Those that are allowing others to tear them down regularly because they don't understand that they do indeed have value that is infinitely greater than anything this world can put a price on. My prayer is that they will take just a minute to look inside their heart and feel You speaking to them in Your still soft voice. I pray they will respond to the prompting of Your Holy Spirit and accept Your free gift that You have offered to all of us, and live the life of high value that You have always had planned for them. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Even Better
2 Corinthians 3:9 - If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!
For many years, before I actually had a relationship with Christ, I had a good life. At least that's what I believed. I had been saved, but I never took the time to draw closer to God in an intimate way. But life was good! I mean, isn't that what mattered after all? Isn't that what Jesus wanted for me, to have a good life? I figured since I believed and had accepted Christ, and I was a relatively good person, there was no need to do anything different. Fortunately, I came to find out just how wrong I was.
I have encountered many people over the last few years that had the same mode of thinking that I did for so long. It's hard to see it sometimes, because it reminds me of how misguided (by my own thinking) that I was. The enemy is always happy with this train of thought, because it keeps us away from having that intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, and has the potential to lead us down the dark paths of destruction instead of through the narrow gate into Heaven.
Coming across this passage the other day reminded me of how much better everything really is with Jesus in my life. Some would say, "Well Wayne, you've been divorced twice and you're unemployed right now, how is that better?" Yes I have been, and yes I am. It's better, because I know God is working in me so that He can work through me. He is refining me like gold in the fire, and I am content to let the Potter mold the clay.
Paul's words in his letter to the Philippians have taken on special meaning to me over the last 2 1/2 years of being single again, and the last 4 months of unemployment. I have learned how to be content with whatever I have (Philippians 4:11), because what I have is from God. He has provided me with whatever I have needed. I may not have realized it at the time over the years, but that's one great thing about hindsight - it's 20/20.
This whole section of 2 Corinthians 3, from verse 7 through 18, is just awesome. I love how Paul is constantly reminding them how much better things are under the new covenant between God and the rest of the world. The beauty of it will be fully realized when we reach Heaven, but until then, all we need to do is trust in God. Sometimes it sounds a lot easier said than done, but it's more than worth it.
When things are going good, is when we really need to be mindful of our relationship with our Messiah. I was watching a movie recently (I know, surprise right...), and in it a woman said that sometimes the devil won't attack us and will allow us to live free of problems so that we won't see the need for God in our lives. That just makes sense to me. I spent all those years living a lie perpetrated by the enemy that I didn't need God because life was going so smoothly. Fortunately, God orchestrated events to expose that lie to me, so I would draw closer to Him.
I have been blessed more than words could ever say. Instead of punishing me like I deserved because I chose to believe a lie instead of His truth, all He did was point me in the right direction. A direction that led me closer to Him that made it easier for Him to protect me. A direction that led me to seek refuge in the shelter of the Most High, and find rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). As good as I thought everything was without the intrusion of Jesus Christ, life really is even better with His direction and guidance in every aspect of my life. That's what I call a blessing.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for blessing me in ways that words could not even do justice to describe. I have never deserved Your mercy and grace and love, but You have given them to me freely, and in abundance. I am eternally grateful for all that You are, and all that You do. I pray for those that are not in a relationship with You. My prayer is that You will expose the lies they have been following, and they will come to have an intimate and loving relationship with You. I pray that we all will lean on each other, as we seek to be closer to You. In the precious and Holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
For many years, before I actually had a relationship with Christ, I had a good life. At least that's what I believed. I had been saved, but I never took the time to draw closer to God in an intimate way. But life was good! I mean, isn't that what mattered after all? Isn't that what Jesus wanted for me, to have a good life? I figured since I believed and had accepted Christ, and I was a relatively good person, there was no need to do anything different. Fortunately, I came to find out just how wrong I was.
I have encountered many people over the last few years that had the same mode of thinking that I did for so long. It's hard to see it sometimes, because it reminds me of how misguided (by my own thinking) that I was. The enemy is always happy with this train of thought, because it keeps us away from having that intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, and has the potential to lead us down the dark paths of destruction instead of through the narrow gate into Heaven.
Coming across this passage the other day reminded me of how much better everything really is with Jesus in my life. Some would say, "Well Wayne, you've been divorced twice and you're unemployed right now, how is that better?" Yes I have been, and yes I am. It's better, because I know God is working in me so that He can work through me. He is refining me like gold in the fire, and I am content to let the Potter mold the clay.
Paul's words in his letter to the Philippians have taken on special meaning to me over the last 2 1/2 years of being single again, and the last 4 months of unemployment. I have learned how to be content with whatever I have (Philippians 4:11), because what I have is from God. He has provided me with whatever I have needed. I may not have realized it at the time over the years, but that's one great thing about hindsight - it's 20/20.
This whole section of 2 Corinthians 3, from verse 7 through 18, is just awesome. I love how Paul is constantly reminding them how much better things are under the new covenant between God and the rest of the world. The beauty of it will be fully realized when we reach Heaven, but until then, all we need to do is trust in God. Sometimes it sounds a lot easier said than done, but it's more than worth it.
When things are going good, is when we really need to be mindful of our relationship with our Messiah. I was watching a movie recently (I know, surprise right...), and in it a woman said that sometimes the devil won't attack us and will allow us to live free of problems so that we won't see the need for God in our lives. That just makes sense to me. I spent all those years living a lie perpetrated by the enemy that I didn't need God because life was going so smoothly. Fortunately, God orchestrated events to expose that lie to me, so I would draw closer to Him.
I have been blessed more than words could ever say. Instead of punishing me like I deserved because I chose to believe a lie instead of His truth, all He did was point me in the right direction. A direction that led me closer to Him that made it easier for Him to protect me. A direction that led me to seek refuge in the shelter of the Most High, and find rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). As good as I thought everything was without the intrusion of Jesus Christ, life really is even better with His direction and guidance in every aspect of my life. That's what I call a blessing.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for blessing me in ways that words could not even do justice to describe. I have never deserved Your mercy and grace and love, but You have given them to me freely, and in abundance. I am eternally grateful for all that You are, and all that You do. I pray for those that are not in a relationship with You. My prayer is that You will expose the lies they have been following, and they will come to have an intimate and loving relationship with You. I pray that we all will lean on each other, as we seek to be closer to You. In the precious and Holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, November 14, 2014
Just In Time
1 Corinthians 15:8 - Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw Him.
Ever take one of those quizzes on social media where you have to answer some questions and then it tells you what decade or time period you were supposed to be born in? How about if you ever just feel like you were born at the wrong time? Like maybe life would have been easier if you were raised in a different decade, perhaps 20 or 30 years earlier? I used to think about that a lot when I was younger. Probably because I always got along better with those who were older than me.
I can imagine Paul's thoughts here. Someone who believed that he was unworthy to be redeemed and saved by Christ because of his previous actions towards the other Christians, felt like he was born at the wrong time. I can't imagine someone else writing those great letters he wrote that make up most of the New Testament in the Bible. Of course, God could have used anyone, but He wanted Paul. And for that I am grateful. Over the last few years, Paul has quickly become my favorite writer of all time.
Reading this passage today reminded me of Queen Esther. After living her early life being raised by her cousin following the death of her parents, she suddenly found herself on the short list of those being considered to be the next Queen. Not too bad for a former orphan, not to mention a Jew in a country where they were not liked none too much. After she became Queen, the plot against the Jews is discovered and her cousin who had raised her as his own daughter asked for her help. She hemmed and hawed a bit before he put it to her rather succinctly. I loved Mordecai's words when he said, "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this" (Esther 4:13-14).
Reading that reminds me that I am exactly where I am in the span of human existence for a purpose. We all are. God has us exactly where He wants us for a reason. And it's not just limited to our being alive. It's our jobs, our families, our churches. We are exactly where we are, because that is exactly where God wanted us to be.
If He had wanted any one of us to be born at a different time, including Saul of Tarsus, isn't He beyond capable of that? He is the Creator of everything, I think He could easily manage having us born at a different time.
When I think of it in that perspective, I am grateful that I have been born when I was. I may not be crazy about the prospect of turning 40 in a few months, but I am grateful for what I have been blessed to experience in my time in this world. While it would have been cool to experience some different time periods throughout history, I am grateful for the things we have that make life a little easier than they had it 'back in the day'.
It could be that I'm part of a spoiled generation that doesn't know what it's like to wash their clothes by hand, or has always had television as part of every day life. Perhaps that's true. We've been spoiled by a loving Father that wanted us right where we are, exactly now, for a time such as this.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for spoiling me. Thank You for putting me exactly where You want me, and exactly when You wanted me. I pray that I am obedient to Your call to go wherever I am needed to serve Your Kingdom while I am here. We have all been blessed to be where we are by Your gracious hand, and I pray that I will not complain about things being the way they are, because I know that any and all pain and suffering now is nothing compared to the glory You have in store for us. Thank You for thinking about me long before the world began, and having a great and perfect plan for me back then. In the name of Jesus Christ I thank You and praise You. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Ever take one of those quizzes on social media where you have to answer some questions and then it tells you what decade or time period you were supposed to be born in? How about if you ever just feel like you were born at the wrong time? Like maybe life would have been easier if you were raised in a different decade, perhaps 20 or 30 years earlier? I used to think about that a lot when I was younger. Probably because I always got along better with those who were older than me.
I can imagine Paul's thoughts here. Someone who believed that he was unworthy to be redeemed and saved by Christ because of his previous actions towards the other Christians, felt like he was born at the wrong time. I can't imagine someone else writing those great letters he wrote that make up most of the New Testament in the Bible. Of course, God could have used anyone, but He wanted Paul. And for that I am grateful. Over the last few years, Paul has quickly become my favorite writer of all time.
Reading this passage today reminded me of Queen Esther. After living her early life being raised by her cousin following the death of her parents, she suddenly found herself on the short list of those being considered to be the next Queen. Not too bad for a former orphan, not to mention a Jew in a country where they were not liked none too much. After she became Queen, the plot against the Jews is discovered and her cousin who had raised her as his own daughter asked for her help. She hemmed and hawed a bit before he put it to her rather succinctly. I loved Mordecai's words when he said, "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this" (Esther 4:13-14).
Reading that reminds me that I am exactly where I am in the span of human existence for a purpose. We all are. God has us exactly where He wants us for a reason. And it's not just limited to our being alive. It's our jobs, our families, our churches. We are exactly where we are, because that is exactly where God wanted us to be.
If He had wanted any one of us to be born at a different time, including Saul of Tarsus, isn't He beyond capable of that? He is the Creator of everything, I think He could easily manage having us born at a different time.
When I think of it in that perspective, I am grateful that I have been born when I was. I may not be crazy about the prospect of turning 40 in a few months, but I am grateful for what I have been blessed to experience in my time in this world. While it would have been cool to experience some different time periods throughout history, I am grateful for the things we have that make life a little easier than they had it 'back in the day'.
It could be that I'm part of a spoiled generation that doesn't know what it's like to wash their clothes by hand, or has always had television as part of every day life. Perhaps that's true. We've been spoiled by a loving Father that wanted us right where we are, exactly now, for a time such as this.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for spoiling me. Thank You for putting me exactly where You want me, and exactly when You wanted me. I pray that I am obedient to Your call to go wherever I am needed to serve Your Kingdom while I am here. We have all been blessed to be where we are by Your gracious hand, and I pray that I will not complain about things being the way they are, because I know that any and all pain and suffering now is nothing compared to the glory You have in store for us. Thank You for thinking about me long before the world began, and having a great and perfect plan for me back then. In the name of Jesus Christ I thank You and praise You. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
The Blame Game
James 1:13 - And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never temps anyone else.
Last night at church, I heard an amazing (and convicting) message about temptation, and how quick we all are to blame others for our mistakes and shortcomings. The Pastor pointed out that often one of the biggest recipients of our blame, is God.
He also talked about the difference between a trial and a temptation. God does allow trials, and He does so to strengthen and refine us. But the temptations come from within. They are our response to the trial. The temptation is to let our sin nature control our response.
It is often said, and I truly believe this, that we cannot control our circumstances (trials), but we can control our responses to them (temptations). The response we often choose comes from our sin nature that we as humans have inherited. When we go through a tough season, things can seem to snowball. The snowball effect happens when things get worse because we are responding incorrectly.
I could choose to be mad at God for any number of things that have happened to me in my life. But they aren't His fault. They are a product of poor choices I have made. The Pastor told a story of a woman that had gotten a couple of DUI's, and blamed God for them. He asked her if she loaned her kid her car, and he got in an accident because he had been drinking, would it be her fault. She said of course it wouldn't. He said, then why is it God's fault that you made the wrong choices to get behind the wheel after you had been drinking? Like I said...convicting.
Our tendency to play the blame game isn't something new that has come about because of the advances of technology either. It comes from our sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve. Remember when God asked Adam if he had done what he was told not to do, he immediately blamed Eve, and blamed God for giving him the woman. When God confronted Eve, she immediately blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:11-13). There sure was a lot of finger pointing going on. They chose to play the blame game instead of accepting responsibility for their actions.
The good news is that the solution is found in the problem. Instead of blaming everyone and everything that comes to mind, we must accept responsibility for our actions. While we don't control our circumstances, neither does anyone else. God is the One who has absolute control, so instead of blaming our neighbors, coworkers, or complete strangers for things we've done, we have an obligation to accept responsibility for the choices we make that guided our actions in response to the trials we have been faced with.
I am so glad that I heard that message last night, because I know that I have been known to play the blame game from time to time. While I'm not as bad as I used to be about it, I could still definitely improve on it. If I want to be the person that God wants me to be, I have to remember that I have the choice to be that person or not. I have proven to myself that choosing to be outside the will of God has led me down some dark paths in my past. God has proven to me that when I have chosen to operate within His will, He has, and will continue to, rain down amazing blessings. I like that choice better.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me where I am coming up short. I am so grateful for the amazing teaching You have given me through Your Word and through those You have appointed to teach it. The blessings You have bestowed, far outweigh all of the dark paths I have ventured down because of my poor choices. I pray for anyone that is making the wrong choices, and blaming You or anyone else for the consequences. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will convict them to see that they have no one to blame for their poor choices but themselves. I pray they will stop choosing to be apart from You, and will accept Your forgiveness and redemption. I pray that we all choose wisely when the trials come, so that we will not give into the temptation to sin. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Last night at church, I heard an amazing (and convicting) message about temptation, and how quick we all are to blame others for our mistakes and shortcomings. The Pastor pointed out that often one of the biggest recipients of our blame, is God.
He also talked about the difference between a trial and a temptation. God does allow trials, and He does so to strengthen and refine us. But the temptations come from within. They are our response to the trial. The temptation is to let our sin nature control our response.
It is often said, and I truly believe this, that we cannot control our circumstances (trials), but we can control our responses to them (temptations). The response we often choose comes from our sin nature that we as humans have inherited. When we go through a tough season, things can seem to snowball. The snowball effect happens when things get worse because we are responding incorrectly.
I could choose to be mad at God for any number of things that have happened to me in my life. But they aren't His fault. They are a product of poor choices I have made. The Pastor told a story of a woman that had gotten a couple of DUI's, and blamed God for them. He asked her if she loaned her kid her car, and he got in an accident because he had been drinking, would it be her fault. She said of course it wouldn't. He said, then why is it God's fault that you made the wrong choices to get behind the wheel after you had been drinking? Like I said...convicting.
Our tendency to play the blame game isn't something new that has come about because of the advances of technology either. It comes from our sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve. Remember when God asked Adam if he had done what he was told not to do, he immediately blamed Eve, and blamed God for giving him the woman. When God confronted Eve, she immediately blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:11-13). There sure was a lot of finger pointing going on. They chose to play the blame game instead of accepting responsibility for their actions.
The good news is that the solution is found in the problem. Instead of blaming everyone and everything that comes to mind, we must accept responsibility for our actions. While we don't control our circumstances, neither does anyone else. God is the One who has absolute control, so instead of blaming our neighbors, coworkers, or complete strangers for things we've done, we have an obligation to accept responsibility for the choices we make that guided our actions in response to the trials we have been faced with.
I am so glad that I heard that message last night, because I know that I have been known to play the blame game from time to time. While I'm not as bad as I used to be about it, I could still definitely improve on it. If I want to be the person that God wants me to be, I have to remember that I have the choice to be that person or not. I have proven to myself that choosing to be outside the will of God has led me down some dark paths in my past. God has proven to me that when I have chosen to operate within His will, He has, and will continue to, rain down amazing blessings. I like that choice better.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me where I am coming up short. I am so grateful for the amazing teaching You have given me through Your Word and through those You have appointed to teach it. The blessings You have bestowed, far outweigh all of the dark paths I have ventured down because of my poor choices. I pray for anyone that is making the wrong choices, and blaming You or anyone else for the consequences. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will convict them to see that they have no one to blame for their poor choices but themselves. I pray they will stop choosing to be apart from You, and will accept Your forgiveness and redemption. I pray that we all choose wisely when the trials come, so that we will not give into the temptation to sin. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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