Archive for the ‘Trust’ Category

Day 209: Job 4:1-4 — Sometimes we need to quit asking and trust!

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Job is a book filled with misunderstanding and bad theology. Yet in the middle of all that these men do not understand are bits of wisdom that if separated out ring true for today’s Christians. Job chapter four is the first of the speeches Job’s friends will make. I call them friends because they have made a long journey to be with him and they have sat with him for the proper period of mourning.

From this point their assessment of Job’s situation is skewed. But today we want to focus on just the first five verses of Job 4. Eliphaz just touches on something that happens with all too much frequency today. That is — how do we react when trouble visits us?

We are able to speak words of courage to others when it affects their lives but how do we react when it visits us personally? I had to struggle with these thoughts yesterday. Over the last eighteen months my wife and I have both lost our mothers. Then yesterday a single phone call shook my world again. My sister called to tell me my younger brother was in the hospital on a ventilator and the doctor said it could go either way.

My brother is still with us this morning, and he is still on the edge. But my problem yesterday was in asking God how much was enough. As I sat thinking about all my family has endured over the last few months, I suddenly realized it was time for me to let it go and trust in God. Stop worrying about the impact this would have on me and focus on how to use it to reach those who have little hope of eternity.

Will I trust in God only when it is good news or will I cling to Him in all things, trusting that He is bringing me to a better place? He is in control; not me. I’m praying for my brother and his family but I’m confident that whatever the outcome, God knows exactly what He is doing.

Tags: ,
Posted in Job, Trust | 1 Comment »

Day 188: 2 Chronicles 20:24-23:15 — The Battle That Wasn’t

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Start reading in 2 Chronicles 20:24 and you will find the results of a battle the Nation won without fighting. They won by trusting. Led by their King, Jehoshaphat, the nation went to the battle as instructed by God. But there was no fight, at least for them. All they had to do was pick up the spoils of war.

God had promised that He would fight this battle and He did. The enemy was totally defeated, at least the earthly, physical enemy. Jehoshaphat is highly praised for his response and leadership of the people following this victory of God. Yet, the record indicates there was something lacking on the part of the people and their king.

The high places were not removed. This good king did not make the people remove them. This people who were protected and blessed by God did not respond to his goodness. The king would make a grave error by making an alliance with the king of Israel (the northern kingdom). The scriptures call it a “wicked” act.

Why can man not see the blessings of God and follow Him for a lifetime? God will fight the battles if we will let Him and He will bless us. He will not force us to be faithful but does provide the strength if we will just reach out and grab hold of it. Read and take to heart Revelation 2:10

Tags:
Posted in 2 Chronicles, Trust | 1 Comment »

Day 138: Luke 23:26-32 — Suffering on the Cross

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Jesus on the crossI grew up for a few years in East Austin. All my friends in the neighborhood were either African American or Hispanic. It was a tough neighborhood and we were all poor and struggling. The only way for me to survive was to act tough and crazy, so I was called the “crazy white boy.” One of my best friends was African American and we were at a park playing one day. A group of boys decided that this “crazy white boy” needed to be beat up. I stood with my friend ready to fight until I saw that he turned on me and sided with the group. I was disappointed and hurt. It seemed that at every corner of my young life was meant to be alone.

I have experienced more profound tragedies in my life with the loss of family and friends. No doubt so have you. There was a time in my Christian life that I wondered why God had allowed my sufferings. I have seen others suffer and was lost for words. Yet, as I continue to grow in Christ I have found that part of our Christian message is that God has not turned away from our plight nor does He miraculously deliver us from all of our sufferings. In Luke 23:26-32, Jesus is led away to the cross, Simon of Cyrene is made to carry the cross, women mourned, Jesus laments for the Daughters of Jerusalem and their children. God did not prevent Jesus from suffering, nor did He deliver Him from it. Jesus not only suffers on the cross, but here in our text He knows He could not stop the judgment that Israel and humanity had caused. The suffering of the innocent—the death of Jesus and the suffering of the women and the children—is an indictment of the institutions and means of human cruelty and a call to turn from our sinful inclinations and accept the cross and God’s mercy as the answer. Otherwise, “if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:31).

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Cross, Grace, Luke, Repentance, Trust | No Comments »

Day 131: Luke 21:5-19 — Don’t be Fooled!

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

the end is nearThe other day, I was teaching a class with some teens. They had a fascination about the end of times. It seems they have experienced the teachings of the pseudo-religious prophets that manifest themselves in contemporary entertainment genres. The force of Jesus’ warning in Luke 21:7-11 is that disciples of Christ should not be misled by the false prophets who will come claiming authority and saying that the time is near. Such claims are the words of charlatans who prey upon the innocent. Nevertheless, the dangers and hardships that we experience are real. Truth is tested and faith is confirmed not in idle speculation but in the crucible of hard times. In Luke 21:5-19 Jesus foretells the coming destruction of the temple with a warning of the wars, earthquakes, famines, and plagues that will come and a warning to the disciples of the persecutions they must endure. We need to distinguish biblical teachings and sound biblical interpretation from the sensational claims carried by the media and popular religious best-sellers. We are not waiting for a call to ministry, we already have a call to disregard the false prophets; do not be led astray, and do not go after them (Luke 21:8). Those who wish to find a more energetic religious experience, therefore, should look not for signs of the future but for signals that it is time to live by Jesus’ call for obedience and faithfulness here and now.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Discipleship, God's Word, Judgment Day, Luke, Trust, faith | 4 Comments »

Day 109: Judges 6:36-8:35; Luke 10:17-37 — The battle belongs to the Lord

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Monday, ugh. Hard day, long day. Hard problems to work out. Unhappy people to “face” with bad news. Perhaps a little good news to pass on. So here I stand/sit/walk/run/ride/drive to the place/office/field/”cloud”–if you work in the internet.  Shaking my head I pick up my mouse/pen/hammer/keyboard/rake/implement of daily battle against the chaos before me.  Who will help me, of the thousands that stand ready to work out the difficulties of the day? Anyone want to go home, take the day off?  22,000 go home.    What do I do now?  and the Lord says He wants only 300 to work with me against thousands upon thousands? And we will use rams’ horns, not as weapons but as trumpets? and lamps, not to set fire to the enemy camp but to light up the rim of the hills?

A mixture of myself and Gideon, some days. Show me the fleece, again, please? Let me hear the dream told once more about how I win, please?  Then the impossible.  “We” win.   The battle belongs to the Lord.

Meanwhile, some some 1200 years in the future, a Galilean carpenter takes a force of 70 simple folk and goes about to defeat the evil, ignorance, hurts, and chaos of man. They come away from the battle, “Even the demons are subject to us!”  I know some demons I would like to get rid of.  Then Jesus blesses them. They the few, the simple, the dedicated, have done wonders unimaginable to themselves.  The battle belongs to the Lord.

Ah, then turning again to another battle. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  What great unimaginable task must I do to walk in the blissful heavenlies with the great, faithful, immortals of all time and eternity? Defeat the Midianites with a lamp and trumpet? Take the power of heaven to cast out demons?

“What is written in the law? How does it read to you?”   Doctrine doctrine doctrine . . .  read read read. So droll, so dry, so not glorious!  “Do this and you shall live.” Luke 10:25-28. Who is my neighbor? this person to love and help and treat with respect and dignity?  “Whomever you meet that needs what you can supply.”  What an oddity, in helping others I help myself? Jesus asks such strange things of me, at times.

Raging, inglorious battle all around, weapons drawn, hearts pounding, rending, people saved or destroyed.  Where?  In my life. In my day. In the paths I take today.  How do I win? Who is the enemy?  Sometimes the enemy is I, or more colloquially, it is me.  How do I fight me?  How do I win the day? Often I know the answer, more often than I like to admit.  Jesus says, “Do this and you shall live.”   The battle belongs to the Lord.

Question: Who will win today?

Tags: , ,
Posted in Jesus, Luke, Trust, faith | 1 Comment »

Day 67: Numbers 14:13-15:31; Mark 8:27-9:13 — Be careful what you wish for.

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Israel decided to listen to the naysayers, not to the Yahweh. “Who says we should be able to win? We cannot take this by ourselves.” How true. So God fulfilled their worst nightmare, fulfilled their own, self imposed, self condemning limitations. “You will wander forty years. Those who had no confidence in me shall not reach the blessing at all.”

Yet two men saw the reality, that this land was a gift, go out and receive the blessing. And so God fulfilled their confident vision and loyalty to Yahweh. Joshua led them, took the land. Caleb, because he had a different spirit and followed fully was promised, and received the blessing.

Purposefully the Creator told Israel His name was Yahweh, for some Hebrew speakers a verb that essentially means, “He will cause it to come about.” Now they learn, some painfully, some blessed, in experiencing the power of their faith on the one hand and others their distrust on the other: God made their dreams, and nightmares, come true.

Jesus turns the tables. “Who do you think that I am.” Peter says much more than he can fathom, but he will learn later. “You are the Christ.” On the heels of his great answer and statement of confidence, Peter hears, perhaps, some deflating news: It’s gonna cost you, everything. But then, as if to bolster their confidence to empower them for the next step, they witness that wonderful transfiguring, that divine meeting of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. They hear that tremendous voice of the Father, “This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him.” The Creator begins to fulfill their clearing view and confident expectations. This would not play out the way they thought it would in the beginning, but later it would be better than they could have imagined.

When you encounter God each day, what do you expect? Our confidence in Him and the resurrected Lord Jesus will bring blessing and power for living, and promise of life to come. To expect anything else, as a result of lack of faith, well, that may be fulfilled,too. Be careful of what you ask for.

Tags: , ,
Posted in God, Mark, Obedience, Trust, faith | No Comments »

Day 66: Mark 8:10-26

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

“How many times do I have to tell you before it sinks in?!” For a guy that was subject to be very hard-headed, I’ve heard that phrase many times in my life. Now that I have kids of my own, I understand exactly why people say this phrase. My own dear, sweet children sometimes favor their Daddy and it is exasperating to tell someone, show someone, plead with someone over and over to get your point across.

Mark 8:14-21 is an example of this frustration. Jesus is trying to teach and his followers are still concerned with trivial, physical things. The group is concerned because they forgot to bring along enough bread. Jesus hears their conversation and becomes frustrated with them. Why?  Because they aren’t listening. They don’t see. More importantly, they don’t trust. A very short time ago, Jesus had fed thousands with just a few loaves of bread and they have already forgotten. It’s so easy for me to say, “They just saw this!  How can they forget so quickly?  Jesus is trying to get them to focus on the spiritual and they can’t get past the physical!”

And yet, I doubt him. I worry. I concern myself with trivial matters around me. I’ve see God’s power in everything around me. I’ve seen his work in others around me. May God forgive me for my lack of understanding and strength.

Tags: ,
Posted in Jesus, Mark, Trust | 1 Comment »

Day 65: Mark 8:1-8 — “How many loaves do you have?”

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

loaf of breadToday’s miracle is similar in many ways to the miracle of feeding the 5,000 that Jesus had performed not many days earlier in Bethsaida (Mark 6:30-44). Once again there’s a crowd nearby, hanging on every word. Having been with him for 3 days, they have nothing to eat (Mark 8:2).

Wait a minute Master — we’ve been without food for 3 days too! I nearly forgot! We’re out in the middle of nowhere; where can we get enough food to feed this stadium-sized crowd?

I can nearly see the look on Jesus’ face. When are you guys ever going to get it? No, I doubt He was really thinking that, but that’s what I’m inclined to think. We knew Jesus instead had compassion — on the crowd too, but He no doubt had great compassion for His closest 12 as well. He knew they didn’t understand yet. He was, after all, on a mission to seek & save the lost (Luke 19:10), but if they were to carry on His mission after the resurrection, this was of necessity a 3-year teaching mission too. Yes, Jesus had compassion on the crowd, but He also had great compassion — and patience — with the 12.

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. (Mark 8:5)

Oh yeah, we do have bread; we can e…

Uh. Psst. Thaddaeus? I forgot totally about when Master fed the 5,000. You think He knows we forgot?

Such a subtle hint. He could have come up with a line that was at once hilarious and at the same time put the apostles in their place for having such short memories. That’s what I would have done, but that’s not Jesus, and that’s clearly not the appropriate response here. He had both compassion and patience. He showed His great love for the crowd by tending to their immediate physical need, but He showed even deeper love for His apostles by tending to their physical need while nurturing their even deeper spiritual need to see the true Jesus and to understand Him who feeds the sparrows.

So, how many loaves do you have? Have you seen the true Jesus, or are you blinded by things that get in the way?

Tags: ,
Posted in Mark, Miracle, Trust, faith | No Comments »

Day 11: Genesis 24:1-67; Matthew 8:14-34 — Whom do you follow: Jesus or pigs?

Monday, January 11th, 2010

“Make sure to get a wife for him from back home, those girls are the best; and not one like my brother had. He worried dad and mom nearly to death with her!”

Jesus, my wife is sick, can you help her?

Jesus, the seas are rough, can you save us?

Jesus, I have demons in my life too big for anyone to cast out.

Jesus, you bring too many changes to my life–look at all the pigs! You took them all! Would you please leave?

Tasks and obstacles appear to stop us on the way to a full life, or even in the seemingly mundane task of “getting through the day.” And then there are the big ones: I want my children to marry the spouse that will help them be faithful to God. I want my wife to be well. I want the seas of life to be calm today. I want my demons of fear and self doubt to leave and go out of my life.

1. Eliezar made a promise, strange to us, but solemn to him and to Abraham, and then he prayed, prayed, prayed, and watched for the blessings in the goals he had to meet.

2. Jesus came into Peter’s home and healed his wife. Jesus was in the boat when the storm arose. Legion, Mark 5:9 , met Jesus and found the peace he needed.

3. Pigs, for others, were more important. Jesus appeared to change their lives to the point of taking away what they valued most.

Those crazy young people, yes, that was me one time, will meet someone and get married! And those worried parents, that’s me now, will pray that those kids find godly spouses. And our loved ones get sick; and we are beaten and bounced around by demons, mercilessly at times it would seem.

Jesus says: Follow me, look for me, even if you have no home to invite me into, no boat or car to take you to work, no strength to force life to be what you want it to be, no hope, no way to see the future. I will always be looking for you.

Do you say: Jesus, I will follow you, no matter what. I want you in my home, in my family, in my life. Or do you say: I don’t like all that change you bring, you ask too much from me. I will take the pigs.

Question:

How do I walk with Jesus in each day? What do I do when the issues, the needs, those storms and demons of life leave me hopeless and helpless? How do I make it through? What can I do to position myself in midst of the will of God?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Genesis, Matthew, Trust, faith | 4 Comments »