4-15-16
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed, or indeed only one thing. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
The story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42 is a fascinating illustration of how easily we get things out of order in our relationship with Jesus. Jesus was coming to visit Martha's home, quite an honor. Martha was probably stressed beyond belief trying to get everything prepared. What would she make for dinner for the King of Kings? She had to get her house in order, clean up and get herself dressed for the occasion. She was probably frantic with excitement and stressed to her max. Her sister Mary on the other hand was focused on simply being in the presence of the Lord as he entered the house. She had no agenda but to sit by the Lord's side and listen and learn from him. She was not distracted by anything or anyone, but she cast all her cares aside to simply be in his glorious presence. Martha was mad and said to Jesus Why don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me! (Luke10:40) Jesus's reply in Luke 10:41-42 must have stung. Martha, you are missing the whole point. While what you are doing is good, what Mary is doing is even better and will not be taken from her.
Martha was most likely distraught and thought to herself what are you talking about Jesus? I am over hearing preparing everything and my sister is not helping at all. She was missing the whole point. Spending time with Jesus was the most important thing Martha could have done, and Jesus pointed this out to her that Mary had chosen what was best. So this begs the question, am I more likely to be Martha or Mary in this story? If I am being honest, I am often distracted by doing things that I feel are good and necessary, but sometimes at the expense of doing what is truly needed, which is just spending time alone in the presence of my Lord and Savior and letting him speak to me and teach me.
Jesus is teaching all of us not to prioritize anything over spending time with him. It should be our first priority every day when we wake up and when we go to bed. But we get distracted so easily in this age of instantaneous dissemination of information. We are more apt to turn to our mobile device for an answer we seek than to spend time in the Lord's presence. In the Lord's presence we find things that no electronic device can give us. That is where we find grace, healing, strength, forgiveness, wisdom, patience, suffering, redemption and deep peace and contentment. So why don't we turn to Him more often? The virtuous circle that ensues when we seek and discipline ourselves to spend time in His presence should be the carrot that leads us to choosing Him over any other activity, as Mary did to the consternation of Martha.
What distractions do we allow to hinder our alone time with Jesus? Well for me, the list includes things such as sports, news, popularity, other's opinions, worries, money, distracted thoughts and feelings, impatience and lack of discipline. I am sure there are others, but that is a pretty good start right there. If you could sum these up in one word it would be distractions. But also in the culture we live in today, the word is busyness. The enemy uses busyness, in conjunction with our pride, to keep us from spending alone time with our Savior. The enemy fears the transformation that occurs in this intimate relationship where the power of the Holy Spirit can be unleashed to speak clearly into the minds and hearts of believers more than anything. Intimate prayer is something he has no answer for, so his goal is to deceive, distract and destroy us.Through our pride that what we, like Martha, are doing what is good. Through our busyness that we are distracted. Finally, through our lack of time spent learning wisdom from Jesus we are vulnerable enough to be destroyed. This is the subtle plan of a cunning and viscous enemy who whether we acknowledge it or not, seeks to destroy us.
So the anecdote for the enemy's plan is simply to have the discipline and courage to spend time in prayer and intimacy in Jesus's presence. That is where we are safest and where we feel the power of His Holy Spirit in our lives. Much like Mary, we must de-clutter and rid our mind of distractions. We must decompress, find space, create time and prioritize Him as our top priority. Temptation, greed, pride, self-importance, power, supremacy, covetousness will be used by the enemy to distract us. Our free time should he filled with him, not useless garbage on the internet, our trying to feel good about ourselves by having lots of likes on Facebook.
It takes discipline and time spent to get the huge benefits that come when we, like Mary, prioritize just spending alone time in His presence. He restores our souls, helps us see areas in our lives in need of repentance, which leads to greater freedom, let's his light and love shine through us, and gives us new perspective and strength to continue our journey's. So while what Martha was doing was good, what Mary was doing, was far better. The choice is ours to be more like Mary than Martha with every decision we make on how to spend out time. We can spend our time on tasks, like Martha, that seem important to us, or we can invest our time like Mary, at the Lord's feet, learning all wisdom that will guide our paths into eternity.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
The Dangers of Covetousness
4-4-16
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: Deuteronomy 5:21 " You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land. his male or female servant, his Ox or Donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor
According to Webster's Dictionary, Covetous means greedy, acquisitive, grasping, avaricious, mean, having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions. Covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions.
I have found covetousness to be a very subtle and deceptive form of sin that the Devil uses to keep us in bondage. If not identified and repented of, it can lead to many problems. In my experiences, the real problem of covetousness is it is rooted in your heart as a means of expressing displeasure with your current situation or circumstances. It takes your focus off of being grateful for what you have and instead makes you anxious and tense worrying about what you don't have, or what you think you deserve. It is that subtle shift in mindset that can really leave you bitter or unappreciative. That in turn can make you very difficult to be around. I have been that person before and I know for a fact I wasn't any fun to be around when I was in that state of mind. It robs you of trusting in God and thanking him for what you do have and instead you put tension on yourself in focusing on what you lack or what other's have. It can take many forms: unhappiness with your appearance, the neighbor's house or car, the job you are in, the state of our political situation, our teacher or boss, your relationships etc.
Covetousness can lead to many problems if not dealt with swiftly through identification and repentance. If you really think you deserve something you don't have, you are prone to shortcuts, ill gotten gains, laziness, entitlement attitude and greed by focusing on what is lacking rather than praising God for what He has already provided you. It is the old saying of I was complaining about not having a new pair of shoes until I looked over and saw a person without any legs. When we compare our situation to someone else's using material possessions as a "scorecard" we are setting ourselves up for emotional disaster. We will never feel happy or content as there will always be someone else that has more "stuff."
The impatience we exhibit in wanting something for ourselves that we think we deserve now has many consequences associated with it. Getting out in front of God's timing or purpose can lead to many other unforeseen events which can create even bigger challenges for us. In our mind we create a scenario that I call the "if only" syndrome. "If I only had this or had that, then I would be happy, or content, or at peace or whatever." So we become ungrateful and anxious. In contrast, when we are grateful for what we do have, that leads to contentment which leads to peace. The former creates a negative feedback loop that usually leads to us being miserable, doubting God's goodness or ability to help us through a situation. The latter leads to a life of peace and contentment as we focus our attention on the gratitude for what we do have through God's great provision. When we are grateful and content, we are more likely to take bold action in relying not on our own abilities, but in recognizing the abilities we have been given by God in order to glorify Him. It is purely a matter of perspective.
So we can choose which path to follow. An ungrateful and anxious heart focused on all of our lacking's or a grateful heart full of contentment and joy that springs up out of an intimate relationship with the Lord. The time is now. The Kingdom of God is not off in the distant future, or buried in the past, but is right now! He has already given us all we need to be effective in whatever area of life He has called us to; namely, our strength which is found in Him! Satan will use covetousness to destroy our testimony and our lives. Our job is to use the strength found in Christ to keep that from happening.
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: Deuteronomy 5:21 " You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land. his male or female servant, his Ox or Donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor
According to Webster's Dictionary, Covetous means greedy, acquisitive, grasping, avaricious, mean, having or showing a strong desire for especially material possessions. Covetous implies inordinate desire often for another's possessions.
I have found covetousness to be a very subtle and deceptive form of sin that the Devil uses to keep us in bondage. If not identified and repented of, it can lead to many problems. In my experiences, the real problem of covetousness is it is rooted in your heart as a means of expressing displeasure with your current situation or circumstances. It takes your focus off of being grateful for what you have and instead makes you anxious and tense worrying about what you don't have, or what you think you deserve. It is that subtle shift in mindset that can really leave you bitter or unappreciative. That in turn can make you very difficult to be around. I have been that person before and I know for a fact I wasn't any fun to be around when I was in that state of mind. It robs you of trusting in God and thanking him for what you do have and instead you put tension on yourself in focusing on what you lack or what other's have. It can take many forms: unhappiness with your appearance, the neighbor's house or car, the job you are in, the state of our political situation, our teacher or boss, your relationships etc.
Covetousness can lead to many problems if not dealt with swiftly through identification and repentance. If you really think you deserve something you don't have, you are prone to shortcuts, ill gotten gains, laziness, entitlement attitude and greed by focusing on what is lacking rather than praising God for what He has already provided you. It is the old saying of I was complaining about not having a new pair of shoes until I looked over and saw a person without any legs. When we compare our situation to someone else's using material possessions as a "scorecard" we are setting ourselves up for emotional disaster. We will never feel happy or content as there will always be someone else that has more "stuff."
The impatience we exhibit in wanting something for ourselves that we think we deserve now has many consequences associated with it. Getting out in front of God's timing or purpose can lead to many other unforeseen events which can create even bigger challenges for us. In our mind we create a scenario that I call the "if only" syndrome. "If I only had this or had that, then I would be happy, or content, or at peace or whatever." So we become ungrateful and anxious. In contrast, when we are grateful for what we do have, that leads to contentment which leads to peace. The former creates a negative feedback loop that usually leads to us being miserable, doubting God's goodness or ability to help us through a situation. The latter leads to a life of peace and contentment as we focus our attention on the gratitude for what we do have through God's great provision. When we are grateful and content, we are more likely to take bold action in relying not on our own abilities, but in recognizing the abilities we have been given by God in order to glorify Him. It is purely a matter of perspective.
So we can choose which path to follow. An ungrateful and anxious heart focused on all of our lacking's or a grateful heart full of contentment and joy that springs up out of an intimate relationship with the Lord. The time is now. The Kingdom of God is not off in the distant future, or buried in the past, but is right now! He has already given us all we need to be effective in whatever area of life He has called us to; namely, our strength which is found in Him! Satan will use covetousness to destroy our testimony and our lives. Our job is to use the strength found in Christ to keep that from happening.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Live Victoriously
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the Day: Romans 8:37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We are truly blessed to live in a time where so much information is available so quickly and where communication is possible from even the farthest remote parts of the earth to anywhere else we need to. But there is also great danger in that we can also become easily distracted by having such vast sums of information available. If we don't know how to decipher truth and where to look for it, we can become disoriented and unable to live truly effective lives.
As I travel around the world on business, I find that many people are being seriously distracted, deceived and ultimately destroyed from becoming who they were created to be in God by the lies that they are listening to on the internet, television or radio. The world is saying to be happy you need to be wealthy, you need to do whatever you want that makes you feel good, consequences be damned, that you deserve a life of material possessions and that you shouldn't have to work hard for it, it should be given to you because it is your right as a human being to be happy. All a series of lies that somehow has crept into a global mindset of what people are entitled to in 2016. In case you haven't noticed, there are many, many wealthy people who are completely miserable because they have bought into the lie that wealth equals happiness. No matter how many bedrooms your house has, you can only put your head down on one pillow at night and you can't trick your soul. Money will never allow you to forget about the things that are troubling you deep down in your soul. There is no such thing as getting something for free and feeling good about yourself in the long term. Like Luke 9:25 says, "what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world yet loose their own soul." Yet everyday, we live in a society that glorifies wealth regardless of the means in which it was obtained. Cheating, stealing and lying are a part of acceptable behavior if they lead to you getting what you feel you are owed. When the only thing that matters in this world is yourself and your pleasure, then the ends will always justify the means. Galatians 5:16-17 warns us of the battle that rages in everyone of us between feeding our Spirit or feeding our fleshly nature, which is designed to look and feel pleasurable but which ultimately leads to disaster. 16 "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want."
Working for something that is a goal of yours feels tremendous when it is accomplished through hard work and diligence. But really what people are searching for is peace deep down in their soul. Peace that is real and not circumstantial. Peace that they have a hope and a future. Peace that is found in relationship to knowing that "nothing can separate from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord," as Romans 8:39 tells us. This peace is life altering as it allows us to shift our focus from one of fear to one of faith, freedom and fearlessness. We shift our focus from the worries of the here and now, to the promises of the there and then that will be ours for all of eternity, no matter the short term hurdles we may face on this earth. When this shift occurs, we can begin to live victorious lives where we become " more than just conquerors through Him who loved us," as Romans 8:37 promises. So what does a victorious life look like? I think that will depend on each of us individually and on the struggles and opportunities that we have been presented with. The only thing I can see for sure is that each of us will have unique challenges that will stretch our faith on earth, and each of us will have unique opportunities to step out in faith and to glorify Christ with our actions. We will need to take a first step of faith. I am convinced that life truly begins at the edge of our comfort zones. But when we do stretch ourselves for God, we can be sure that the God of all Creation will meet us there to help us accomplish what we intended to glorify Him. Ephesians 3:20 says we may not even believe what He can and will accomplish through those who are willing to step out in faith" now He who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."
Below is what living victoriously may look like in my life. It is based on my own fears, experiences and dreams. What will it look like if your life? May God help you to find that contentment that no one can steal.
Bible verse of the Day: Romans 8:37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We are truly blessed to live in a time where so much information is available so quickly and where communication is possible from even the farthest remote parts of the earth to anywhere else we need to. But there is also great danger in that we can also become easily distracted by having such vast sums of information available. If we don't know how to decipher truth and where to look for it, we can become disoriented and unable to live truly effective lives.
As I travel around the world on business, I find that many people are being seriously distracted, deceived and ultimately destroyed from becoming who they were created to be in God by the lies that they are listening to on the internet, television or radio. The world is saying to be happy you need to be wealthy, you need to do whatever you want that makes you feel good, consequences be damned, that you deserve a life of material possessions and that you shouldn't have to work hard for it, it should be given to you because it is your right as a human being to be happy. All a series of lies that somehow has crept into a global mindset of what people are entitled to in 2016. In case you haven't noticed, there are many, many wealthy people who are completely miserable because they have bought into the lie that wealth equals happiness. No matter how many bedrooms your house has, you can only put your head down on one pillow at night and you can't trick your soul. Money will never allow you to forget about the things that are troubling you deep down in your soul. There is no such thing as getting something for free and feeling good about yourself in the long term. Like Luke 9:25 says, "what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world yet loose their own soul." Yet everyday, we live in a society that glorifies wealth regardless of the means in which it was obtained. Cheating, stealing and lying are a part of acceptable behavior if they lead to you getting what you feel you are owed. When the only thing that matters in this world is yourself and your pleasure, then the ends will always justify the means. Galatians 5:16-17 warns us of the battle that rages in everyone of us between feeding our Spirit or feeding our fleshly nature, which is designed to look and feel pleasurable but which ultimately leads to disaster. 16 "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want."
Working for something that is a goal of yours feels tremendous when it is accomplished through hard work and diligence. But really what people are searching for is peace deep down in their soul. Peace that is real and not circumstantial. Peace that they have a hope and a future. Peace that is found in relationship to knowing that "nothing can separate from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord," as Romans 8:39 tells us. This peace is life altering as it allows us to shift our focus from one of fear to one of faith, freedom and fearlessness. We shift our focus from the worries of the here and now, to the promises of the there and then that will be ours for all of eternity, no matter the short term hurdles we may face on this earth. When this shift occurs, we can begin to live victorious lives where we become " more than just conquerors through Him who loved us," as Romans 8:37 promises. So what does a victorious life look like? I think that will depend on each of us individually and on the struggles and opportunities that we have been presented with. The only thing I can see for sure is that each of us will have unique challenges that will stretch our faith on earth, and each of us will have unique opportunities to step out in faith and to glorify Christ with our actions. We will need to take a first step of faith. I am convinced that life truly begins at the edge of our comfort zones. But when we do stretch ourselves for God, we can be sure that the God of all Creation will meet us there to help us accomplish what we intended to glorify Him. Ephesians 3:20 says we may not even believe what He can and will accomplish through those who are willing to step out in faith" now He who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."
Below is what living victoriously may look like in my life. It is based on my own fears, experiences and dreams. What will it look like if your life? May God help you to find that contentment that no one can steal.
Live Victoriously
Remove all fears by focusing on the promises of Christ.
Because the Tomb was empty, His promises were not!
Take massive action.
Be involved in greater purposes that create value, rather
than extract value.
Faith, family, and then everything else.
Live above the fray ( above the noise ) and do be easily distracted.
Be selfless even when it is hard ( what you get makes a
living, what you give makes a life )
Shine your light into an ever increasing darkened world.
People need to know the truth and where to go to find hope.
Give it to them.
Start each day grateful and energized.
Walk on the beach and keep things in perspective. The
Universe is a grand creation.
Be forgiving, not judgmental.
Enjoy the beauty all around me; don’t pay attention to the
noise.
Be more patient, we have all of eternity.
See the miracles around you every day. When you change the
way you look at things, then the things you look at begin to change.
Change your focus from what you can get, to what you can
give.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
What about today?
March 24, 2016
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Hebrews 13:5 " Never will I leave you; never will I for forsake you."
We wake up everyday and we get to decide what we focus on and let into our realm of influence. If we look at Social Media to find out how people are feeling about us or to gain some sort of self esteem we re incredibly vulnerable to the fluctuations of human emotions and feelings, which are unstable and ever changing. If we turn on the television or click on news stories, we are likely to be bombarded with sensationalism and political viewpoints designed to influence us in one way or another. There are plenty of things that will distract us or create fearful responses. But if we open the Bible or sit idly in prayer with the God of all Creation, we are able to feel unconditional love, grace and peace which can get us through any trial. Psalm 46:10 instructs us " Be still and know that I am God. " In other words stop striving and start ceasing. Find true peace in the only place it exists, in God.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that " all Scripture is God-breathed ", which means it is not just ink on a page, it is breath on a page, and it is the truth of all generations, the history of the entire world, that will never change, be subject to emotional mood swings or political correctness, or the whims of today. It is very comforting to know that there is still one place that we get to choses to spend our time with that can offer us the hope that we all so desperately need in this broken and troubled world. The world is constantly in flux and changing, but God's word never does and never will.
God in Hebrews 13:8 " is the same yesterday, today and forever " and we need that assurance in our lives. It is the only eternal truth that is designed for eternity and everything else is a rudderless ship..We can be up today and down tomorrow, winning today and losing tomorrow. Our relationships can go from hot to cold with a single word or thought. Our portfolio's of investment can vanish in an instant, everywhere you turn there is corruption and greed at the highest levels. People are desperate for truth and steadiness in their life. A place where they won't be let down or taken for a wild ride. We need a firm foundation on which to build our lives. Luckily, Jesus is our answer. Matthew 7:24 encourages us " Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. "
We can have hope for today because Jesus is our rock. He can carry us through any trial and give us strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Luckily, we get to decide still what we focus on each day. The ever changing, unsettled, messiness of the world or the constant rock, consistent love, grace and forgiveness of Christ. Because He will never leave us or forsake us, we have strength to live victoriously for today, and solid hope for tomorrow. Lift your eyes off yourself and place them on the eternal promises of Jesus and you will find strength and joy for today. We spend so much time reliving the pains of the past or worrying about the troubles of the future, that many times we are without strength for today. That is because we allow ourselves to be distracted. The enemy tries to distract us to lose our witness and power of the difference God is making in our lives. We need to remain focused and disciplined on the promises found in the never changing word of God. Everything else is shifting sand. God's word is eternal and His love for us never wanes. Use the promises of tomorrow found in scripture, the hope of the resurrection and eternal life promised to all who are in Christ Jesus, to live victoriously for today. BECAUSE THE TOMB WAS EMPTY, HIS PROMISES ARE NOT. Let that give you strength to fight today.
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Hebrews 13:5 " Never will I leave you; never will I for forsake you."
We wake up everyday and we get to decide what we focus on and let into our realm of influence. If we look at Social Media to find out how people are feeling about us or to gain some sort of self esteem we re incredibly vulnerable to the fluctuations of human emotions and feelings, which are unstable and ever changing. If we turn on the television or click on news stories, we are likely to be bombarded with sensationalism and political viewpoints designed to influence us in one way or another. There are plenty of things that will distract us or create fearful responses. But if we open the Bible or sit idly in prayer with the God of all Creation, we are able to feel unconditional love, grace and peace which can get us through any trial. Psalm 46:10 instructs us " Be still and know that I am God. " In other words stop striving and start ceasing. Find true peace in the only place it exists, in God.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that " all Scripture is God-breathed ", which means it is not just ink on a page, it is breath on a page, and it is the truth of all generations, the history of the entire world, that will never change, be subject to emotional mood swings or political correctness, or the whims of today. It is very comforting to know that there is still one place that we get to choses to spend our time with that can offer us the hope that we all so desperately need in this broken and troubled world. The world is constantly in flux and changing, but God's word never does and never will.
God in Hebrews 13:8 " is the same yesterday, today and forever " and we need that assurance in our lives. It is the only eternal truth that is designed for eternity and everything else is a rudderless ship..We can be up today and down tomorrow, winning today and losing tomorrow. Our relationships can go from hot to cold with a single word or thought. Our portfolio's of investment can vanish in an instant, everywhere you turn there is corruption and greed at the highest levels. People are desperate for truth and steadiness in their life. A place where they won't be let down or taken for a wild ride. We need a firm foundation on which to build our lives. Luckily, Jesus is our answer. Matthew 7:24 encourages us " Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. "
We can have hope for today because Jesus is our rock. He can carry us through any trial and give us strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Luckily, we get to decide still what we focus on each day. The ever changing, unsettled, messiness of the world or the constant rock, consistent love, grace and forgiveness of Christ. Because He will never leave us or forsake us, we have strength to live victoriously for today, and solid hope for tomorrow. Lift your eyes off yourself and place them on the eternal promises of Jesus and you will find strength and joy for today. We spend so much time reliving the pains of the past or worrying about the troubles of the future, that many times we are without strength for today. That is because we allow ourselves to be distracted. The enemy tries to distract us to lose our witness and power of the difference God is making in our lives. We need to remain focused and disciplined on the promises found in the never changing word of God. Everything else is shifting sand. God's word is eternal and His love for us never wanes. Use the promises of tomorrow found in scripture, the hope of the resurrection and eternal life promised to all who are in Christ Jesus, to live victoriously for today. BECAUSE THE TOMB WAS EMPTY, HIS PROMISES ARE NOT. Let that give you strength to fight today.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Nothing Lasts
1-9-15
Weather report from Heaven: Sunny and bright with lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verses of the day: Genesis 1:31 "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day."
Genesis 3:23-24 "So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life."
Nothing lasts! I mean nothing at all lasts. Look at how fast the whole story of God's prize creation changes from one of God being content with the human race He had created to one of such disgust with their disobedience in the Garden that He banishes them from ever entering it again. Two chapters later, the whole picture has changed and with it the fate of all of mankind. God's plan wasn't meant to include rebellion. He though given free choice, man would choose the contentment of knowing that they could have perfect peace and enjoy everything in creation except for one little tree. Imagine His surprise and disgust when Adam and Eve were more interested in the one thing they couldn't have, then all they did have. No wonder we all still struggle so much with greed and focusing on what we don't have instead of being content with what we do have. It is inherent in our human nature traced all the way back to the first human beings.
Well luckily God had a backup plan or else we would all be destined for eternal separation from Him. Through Christ and His eminent return, one day all believers will get to experienced the original plan that God had for us here on earth. Namely, to live without sin and evil and darkness in a world of blissful contentment surrounded by His unencumbered glory. When you look at that way, is it any wonder that nothing lasts if even the most idealistic living conditions ever know to man couldn't last but for a brief moment? It makes you appreciate even more God's unfathomable love for us in that He was still willing to pay the ultimate, unimaginable cost of having His son come to earth, suffer through the worst of all human suffering, ending in an excruciating crucifixion, just in order to give us a life line back to His Holy presence. In His righteousness He could not receive us in our sinful state, but loved us too much to leave us out of His "family." Christ;s death and resurrection that paid the penalty due us for our sinful rebellion, at its core restored our ability to be called Heirs of His Kingdom. Now that is true love, More than anything we can ever fully comprehend or imagine.
But given our current fragile situation on earth until the return of the Eternal King, is it really any wonder that nothing lasts? Relationships are falling apart left and right. It seems like marriage is a convenience rather than a commitment, where it is as easy as writing check to get out of something that is not working, rather than investing time to fix it. Friendships last as long as both parties are getting what they need from the other, but as soon as the equation tilts just a bit from equilibrium, then it is on to the next 'friend." Jobs come and go, companies get bought and sold, and employees get tossed around like dishrags trying to put their hope in what they do, only to find out what they have been doing doesn't exist anymore. Putting your "security" in a job, or a company, is not what it once was a generation ago. Then there was a two sided commitment on behalf of both the employer and employee. But those days are as a dead the Dinosaurs. Our health is good today and bad tomorrow. unexpected news can pop up at anytime and that can rock us to our core. People we love get sick. People we love die. It shakes us and causes us grief. It rattles our sense of stability, which is an illusion in itself.
Sports team win championships one year and are celebrated as heroes. The next year they fail to repeat and are vilified as goats. The media is so sensationalized, that it is constantly looking to tear down those who a short while earlier it was lifting up. Politicians rise to power on the hopes of being able to "fix" things, only to fall in a heap of corruption and abuse of power. Love affairs that start out steamy sometimes end in deceit or even murder. Mortal man is no match for the lust of the flesh. See David and Bathsheba. See anyone you know who has had an affair that has caused great heartache. We are all vulnerable. The evil one is crafty.1st Peter 5:8 points that out. Nothing has really changed there since Christ was on the earth, and it never will.
Nothing lasts. Period. Except for the promises of God that are fulfilled in His son Jesus Christ. "He is the same yesterday today and forever", as promised in Hebrews 13:8. His return is inevitable, as promised in Revelations 22:12-13 "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. He alone will restore us and make things the way they were meant to be in the beginning. He promises in Revelation 21:4 that "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Until then, nothing will last. Anxiousness will be our constant companion as we desperately try to cling to things which themselves are slipping away. No wonder why we feel anxious. Everything is in motion and everyone is looking out for themselves. But the best news of all is even that won't last. Soon, Christ will return and make everything new. Everything newly created will be the way it should have been all along and that will last forever. Amen!
Weather report from Heaven: Sunny and bright with lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verses of the day: Genesis 1:31 "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day."
Genesis 3:23-24 "So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life."
Nothing lasts! I mean nothing at all lasts. Look at how fast the whole story of God's prize creation changes from one of God being content with the human race He had created to one of such disgust with their disobedience in the Garden that He banishes them from ever entering it again. Two chapters later, the whole picture has changed and with it the fate of all of mankind. God's plan wasn't meant to include rebellion. He though given free choice, man would choose the contentment of knowing that they could have perfect peace and enjoy everything in creation except for one little tree. Imagine His surprise and disgust when Adam and Eve were more interested in the one thing they couldn't have, then all they did have. No wonder we all still struggle so much with greed and focusing on what we don't have instead of being content with what we do have. It is inherent in our human nature traced all the way back to the first human beings.
Well luckily God had a backup plan or else we would all be destined for eternal separation from Him. Through Christ and His eminent return, one day all believers will get to experienced the original plan that God had for us here on earth. Namely, to live without sin and evil and darkness in a world of blissful contentment surrounded by His unencumbered glory. When you look at that way, is it any wonder that nothing lasts if even the most idealistic living conditions ever know to man couldn't last but for a brief moment? It makes you appreciate even more God's unfathomable love for us in that He was still willing to pay the ultimate, unimaginable cost of having His son come to earth, suffer through the worst of all human suffering, ending in an excruciating crucifixion, just in order to give us a life line back to His Holy presence. In His righteousness He could not receive us in our sinful state, but loved us too much to leave us out of His "family." Christ;s death and resurrection that paid the penalty due us for our sinful rebellion, at its core restored our ability to be called Heirs of His Kingdom. Now that is true love, More than anything we can ever fully comprehend or imagine.
But given our current fragile situation on earth until the return of the Eternal King, is it really any wonder that nothing lasts? Relationships are falling apart left and right. It seems like marriage is a convenience rather than a commitment, where it is as easy as writing check to get out of something that is not working, rather than investing time to fix it. Friendships last as long as both parties are getting what they need from the other, but as soon as the equation tilts just a bit from equilibrium, then it is on to the next 'friend." Jobs come and go, companies get bought and sold, and employees get tossed around like dishrags trying to put their hope in what they do, only to find out what they have been doing doesn't exist anymore. Putting your "security" in a job, or a company, is not what it once was a generation ago. Then there was a two sided commitment on behalf of both the employer and employee. But those days are as a dead the Dinosaurs. Our health is good today and bad tomorrow. unexpected news can pop up at anytime and that can rock us to our core. People we love get sick. People we love die. It shakes us and causes us grief. It rattles our sense of stability, which is an illusion in itself.
Sports team win championships one year and are celebrated as heroes. The next year they fail to repeat and are vilified as goats. The media is so sensationalized, that it is constantly looking to tear down those who a short while earlier it was lifting up. Politicians rise to power on the hopes of being able to "fix" things, only to fall in a heap of corruption and abuse of power. Love affairs that start out steamy sometimes end in deceit or even murder. Mortal man is no match for the lust of the flesh. See David and Bathsheba. See anyone you know who has had an affair that has caused great heartache. We are all vulnerable. The evil one is crafty.1st Peter 5:8 points that out. Nothing has really changed there since Christ was on the earth, and it never will.
Nothing lasts. Period. Except for the promises of God that are fulfilled in His son Jesus Christ. "He is the same yesterday today and forever", as promised in Hebrews 13:8. His return is inevitable, as promised in Revelations 22:12-13 "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. He alone will restore us and make things the way they were meant to be in the beginning. He promises in Revelation 21:4 that "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Until then, nothing will last. Anxiousness will be our constant companion as we desperately try to cling to things which themselves are slipping away. No wonder why we feel anxious. Everything is in motion and everyone is looking out for themselves. But the best news of all is even that won't last. Soon, Christ will return and make everything new. Everything newly created will be the way it should have been all along and that will last forever. Amen!
Monday, January 5, 2015
2015. Hooray or same old stuff, different year?
1-5-15
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
It is funny how we approach the New Year. Some people are so excited, they get themselves all in a tizzy about all the changes they are going to make in their life and the new commitments that they plan to keep in order to make themselves look better, feel better or act better. Others look at it and begin to dread almost immediately that the short pause they just experienced during the Holidays, which allowed them a brief respite to catch their breath and take a moment to look around them and get a glimpse of the big picture, is already in the rear view mirror and the rat race has begun all over again.
In the past, I have been on both sides of this coin. Now, I try to look at the New Year from a perspective of just trying to keep things in perspective. In other words, not to get too high or too low, but to use this period to draw closer to God, to restore my joy in all that He is and has done in my life, and to be open to His leading by spending more time in His word, and then praying and listening for His guidance. It did strike me today, that on January 5th as I drove my kids to school, and watched all of the rude and impatient drivers already in a foul mood, that our peace in this world can be very fleeting. In the U.S., if we are lucky, we may take one or two weeks off over the Holidays to be with family and generally relax and enjoy ourselves. In other parts of the world, it is more like a 3-4 week vacation period to cleanse the old and prepare for the new. Why are we so bad in this country at taken time off? Oh well, that is a what happens when we live in a society that has bought into the lie that we never have enough, or are only as good as our last triumph. The wheel has to keep spinning and we have to keep moving. The mask of busyness is full of deceit, but we don't want to pause long enough to ask ourselves the really tough questions, the ones that cause us introspection, so we just keep on running, like Hamsters on a wheel, until we can't run anymore.
As I opened up some of my emails from the last week and began to delve into my work, there was a point in my mind where I already felt "burned out" and it is only January 5th! The constant pace and activity and the need to type thousands of words a day to just keep up seems so silly. What happened to a simple phone call, wasn't that a lot easier in hindsight? Why is everyone too busy to talk, but not to type, which take much longer and causes more stress? Not to mention Carpal Tunnel and various other disorders such as a tight back and aching shoulders. It got me thinking, is the Internet really a tool that has made our lives easier and more productive, as promised, or just faster and ultimately more stressful. We seem like we have no time, even when we have been off for a few weeks and should be rested and raring to go. We were not meant to live life at a pace that leaves too little time for the things that really matter, at the expense of just keeping up with the Jones's.
So from a Biblical context, I was wondering if the Internet is being used by the evil one to destroy people or by God to draw people closer to Him. I think I found the answer in the scripture above. Not a full proof, 100% correct type of answer, but more of a theory. If people are tired or stressed, they are less likely to spend time in God's word or feel "good" enough to pray or be keen to listen. Score one for the enemy. However, at a certain point, if people feel like there is no peace in their life and they reach a point of great despair, that seems like a place where they might finally give God a shot, and thus may say from a vulnerable and weak position, " Lord help me! I can't take this anymore. I have seen and heard people's stories when God broke into their darkest moments, be it addictions or depression or what have you, and in an instant realized that the peace that God offers is the only true and lasting peace. Philippians 4:7 " The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. John 14:27 " My peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Matthew 11:28 " Come to me, all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest."
It sure seems that Jesus realized that in this world we were going to be tired and need some help and He made it perfectly clear throughout the New Testament that He was that place of refuge. The harbor in the tempest that we all would long for at some point in our life. And that was well before the internet! I guess people were tired from running messages or work all over the place. So as we start 2015, my resolution is only to do my best to stay close to the only real and lasting source of peace in this crazy and fast paced world in which we live. I can guarantee this in 2015: Everyone will need something from you immediately. Everyone will demand things that are unrealistic. Everyone will put their needs before yours at some point this year. Our only hope is to find that perfect rest in the arms of our Savior, who will use us as examples of what true peace and contentment really looks like to a world in desperate need of rest, if we will only let Him. If I was already feeling stressed today on January 5th, what other choice do I have? Come Lord Jesus, Come! May we all find what Paul found in Philippians 4:11, in the midst of all the chaos that was swirling all around Him and is swirling all around us today, " I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Thursday, September 25, 2014
I want it now!
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: Matthew 7:13-14 " Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
To simply say we live in a culture that lives for instant gratification would be a huge understatement. You deserve it and if it makes you feel good , then go for it is the mantra of the day. Of course, there is never any mention of the consequences or of the destruction that can follow when we make short sighted decisions to gratify our sinful desires without considering the long term implications.
Lust, anger and greed are the primary drivers of our sinful impulses that need to be satiated and they are very strong influencers indeed. We see a beautiful woman walking down the street and we want to have her for our own. The great King David can certainly relate to that as he fell hook, line and sinker for his friend Uriah's wife Bathsheba while seeing her bath on the roof one day. Even though God had blessed David mightily, he still felt lacking on the inside, to the point where his lustful temptations prompted him to indulge his sexual desires without even stopping to consider the consequences, which as it turns out were quite severe. His impetuous decision would lead to a deeper trail of sins, including lying, deception and even murder of his friend Uriah in order to have the desires of his flesh fulfilled. One of the greatest consequences was the devastation he caused to his own family through his sinful behavior, which led to the death of the child he had conceived with Bathsheba. God cannot sit idly by while we bath in our sin and iniquity. He cannot be mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. David was deeply repentant when the prophet Nathan revealed the depths of his sins against God to him and it caused him great physical, spiritual and emotional trauma. David had realized a great truth: that for every action there is a reaction and his sin had led directly to his suffering and angst which plagued him for quite a long time.
David fell into the same lustful trap that plagues us all still today, a short term gratification that leads to long term consequences and great suffering. We are all vulnerable to the same fleshly forces that swept David away and caused him to lose sight of the "narrow" road in favor of the easy or pleasurable road. The evil one knows the strength of our fleshly desires as described in Galatians 5 as a battle that is always raging against our spiritual being to do the right thing and to follow God's directions. Sometimes we give into our fleshly temptations and we lose the battle, and the consequences leave us dazed. Unless we have repentant heart's like David, and turn to God alone for our forgiveness, we will continue to bring about great suffering into our lives as a result of our need to have it now.
Our society has bought into the temptation to take the easy road, rather than to persevere down the narrow road that is referred to in todays bible verse. It is the fear based tenant that advertisers use to pray on consumers, that the media uses to destroy lives with the message of do whatever you feel like, when you feel like it and to hell with the consequences. Lust is one strong example. Have sex with whomever you want, whenever you want, and don't worry about the risk of STD's or a baby conceived out of wedlock. But what about greed? We hear the messages about what money can buy you and say yes, we want it and we want it now! A $100,000 car or a $5,000,000 house we can't nearly afford, oh well, we deserve it and besides we will look really great in it and it will attract beautiful ladies to us. No mention or thought of the financial consequences that will lead us into bankruptcy. Live for the now and consequences be damned. Of course, you can but a house but not a home. Or you can buy sex, but not love. Or you can buy a title but not respect. Yet we never stop to ponder these truisms because we want to look good in the world's eyes and don't care as much of how we look in God's eyes. John 12;43 warns us of the faultiness in thinking this way. God should come first, always!
What about anger in our lives that things aren't going the way we thought they would or the way we think we deserve? We hear the messages that someone else is to blame and someone is going to have to pay for my unhappiness. Then we think, I will use deceit or distortion to get things back in order the way they should be, and if that doesn't work I will take it out on those around me with a bitter attitude and a hateful heart. No mention or thought of some internal soul searching or prayer time alone with the Creator of the Universe to ask for His direction, guidance and wisdom.
In a me first world, there is no time for introspection, only for consumption of pleasurable experiences. Instant Gratification rules. However, is it really any different today than it has always been? Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup in one of the most egregious acts of the bible in pointing out our weakness to fulfill short term desires at the expense of priceless, long term inheritances. Esau placed a higher value on a physical, short term satisfaction of having a bowl of soup to quench his appetite than on a life of peace and relationship with God as head of household that could have led to his eternal greatness.
This story of Esau and Jacob is just one of many in the bible that illustrates that throughout human history, we are all prone to give up greater future rewards for immediate gratifications. The adversary is well aware of this and is always tempting us to succumb to our desires of immediate gratification so he can deny us the better plan that God has in store for us. This is why it is so important to constantly be in prayer, as 1st Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing, to help us understand our weaknesses and to be prepared to ask Jesus to help us in our daily battles against our flesh. God reminds of us of this struggle and of our need for dependence upon him in order to have a chance in his fight in 1st Corinthians 10: 13 " No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." But here is the rub: We don't want to listen to God! We don't want to pray and ask for His strength and protection. We want to do what makes us feel good now! When the consequences come, we want to try and fix it on our own, which only leads to more sin and helplessness, but we don't want to feel like we need Him to fix our mess. Oh the futility of our thinking!
In many ways, when we do finally repent and come around to prayer and to seeking God's forgiveness, , discernment and wisdom for the messes we have created in our lives, like King David finally did, we then begin a new struggle of what and how to pray. We treat God like He is some kind of cosmic vending machine where we submit our requests into the machine and wait for his solutions to instantly pop back out. Even here, our impatience and desire for instant gratification can be astounding. CS Lewis says that someday we'll be far more grateful for our prayers that didn't get answered then for the ones that did. This is because our prayers are often misguided and lack alignment with God's eternal plan for our lives. We pray for comfort in the midst of our trials instead of character to be built up in us during them. We pray for an easy way out instead of the strength to make it through. We ask for God to quickly extricate us out of difficult circumstances instead of asking God what he wants to get out of those difficult circumstances. Sometimes though God not giving us what we think we need or want is actually Him protecting us from unintended consequences.
As Psalm 46:10 says, sometimes He just wants us to be still and acknowledge that He is God and He will be exulted on earth as He is in heaven. In this place, our best efforts are meaningless and our best recourse is total surrender. For His thoughts are so much greater than our thoughts and His ways are so much higher than our ways, Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, that we should rather just seek him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. It is in this posture alone that real healing and learning can take place. It takes a lot of wreckage to sometimes bring us staggering to our knees. But once there, the healing salve of God's love and forgiveness can begin to change us from the inside out, and help us to make better decisions in the future. We can begin to see the error of our ways and the righteousness of His.
Bible Verse of the Day: Matthew 7:13-14 " Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
To simply say we live in a culture that lives for instant gratification would be a huge understatement. You deserve it and if it makes you feel good , then go for it is the mantra of the day. Of course, there is never any mention of the consequences or of the destruction that can follow when we make short sighted decisions to gratify our sinful desires without considering the long term implications.
Lust, anger and greed are the primary drivers of our sinful impulses that need to be satiated and they are very strong influencers indeed. We see a beautiful woman walking down the street and we want to have her for our own. The great King David can certainly relate to that as he fell hook, line and sinker for his friend Uriah's wife Bathsheba while seeing her bath on the roof one day. Even though God had blessed David mightily, he still felt lacking on the inside, to the point where his lustful temptations prompted him to indulge his sexual desires without even stopping to consider the consequences, which as it turns out were quite severe. His impetuous decision would lead to a deeper trail of sins, including lying, deception and even murder of his friend Uriah in order to have the desires of his flesh fulfilled. One of the greatest consequences was the devastation he caused to his own family through his sinful behavior, which led to the death of the child he had conceived with Bathsheba. God cannot sit idly by while we bath in our sin and iniquity. He cannot be mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. David was deeply repentant when the prophet Nathan revealed the depths of his sins against God to him and it caused him great physical, spiritual and emotional trauma. David had realized a great truth: that for every action there is a reaction and his sin had led directly to his suffering and angst which plagued him for quite a long time.
David fell into the same lustful trap that plagues us all still today, a short term gratification that leads to long term consequences and great suffering. We are all vulnerable to the same fleshly forces that swept David away and caused him to lose sight of the "narrow" road in favor of the easy or pleasurable road. The evil one knows the strength of our fleshly desires as described in Galatians 5 as a battle that is always raging against our spiritual being to do the right thing and to follow God's directions. Sometimes we give into our fleshly temptations and we lose the battle, and the consequences leave us dazed. Unless we have repentant heart's like David, and turn to God alone for our forgiveness, we will continue to bring about great suffering into our lives as a result of our need to have it now.
Our society has bought into the temptation to take the easy road, rather than to persevere down the narrow road that is referred to in todays bible verse. It is the fear based tenant that advertisers use to pray on consumers, that the media uses to destroy lives with the message of do whatever you feel like, when you feel like it and to hell with the consequences. Lust is one strong example. Have sex with whomever you want, whenever you want, and don't worry about the risk of STD's or a baby conceived out of wedlock. But what about greed? We hear the messages about what money can buy you and say yes, we want it and we want it now! A $100,000 car or a $5,000,000 house we can't nearly afford, oh well, we deserve it and besides we will look really great in it and it will attract beautiful ladies to us. No mention or thought of the financial consequences that will lead us into bankruptcy. Live for the now and consequences be damned. Of course, you can but a house but not a home. Or you can buy sex, but not love. Or you can buy a title but not respect. Yet we never stop to ponder these truisms because we want to look good in the world's eyes and don't care as much of how we look in God's eyes. John 12;43 warns us of the faultiness in thinking this way. God should come first, always!
What about anger in our lives that things aren't going the way we thought they would or the way we think we deserve? We hear the messages that someone else is to blame and someone is going to have to pay for my unhappiness. Then we think, I will use deceit or distortion to get things back in order the way they should be, and if that doesn't work I will take it out on those around me with a bitter attitude and a hateful heart. No mention or thought of some internal soul searching or prayer time alone with the Creator of the Universe to ask for His direction, guidance and wisdom.
In a me first world, there is no time for introspection, only for consumption of pleasurable experiences. Instant Gratification rules. However, is it really any different today than it has always been? Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup in one of the most egregious acts of the bible in pointing out our weakness to fulfill short term desires at the expense of priceless, long term inheritances. Esau placed a higher value on a physical, short term satisfaction of having a bowl of soup to quench his appetite than on a life of peace and relationship with God as head of household that could have led to his eternal greatness.
This story of Esau and Jacob is just one of many in the bible that illustrates that throughout human history, we are all prone to give up greater future rewards for immediate gratifications. The adversary is well aware of this and is always tempting us to succumb to our desires of immediate gratification so he can deny us the better plan that God has in store for us. This is why it is so important to constantly be in prayer, as 1st Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing, to help us understand our weaknesses and to be prepared to ask Jesus to help us in our daily battles against our flesh. God reminds of us of this struggle and of our need for dependence upon him in order to have a chance in his fight in 1st Corinthians 10: 13 " No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." But here is the rub: We don't want to listen to God! We don't want to pray and ask for His strength and protection. We want to do what makes us feel good now! When the consequences come, we want to try and fix it on our own, which only leads to more sin and helplessness, but we don't want to feel like we need Him to fix our mess. Oh the futility of our thinking!
In many ways, when we do finally repent and come around to prayer and to seeking God's forgiveness, , discernment and wisdom for the messes we have created in our lives, like King David finally did, we then begin a new struggle of what and how to pray. We treat God like He is some kind of cosmic vending machine where we submit our requests into the machine and wait for his solutions to instantly pop back out. Even here, our impatience and desire for instant gratification can be astounding. CS Lewis says that someday we'll be far more grateful for our prayers that didn't get answered then for the ones that did. This is because our prayers are often misguided and lack alignment with God's eternal plan for our lives. We pray for comfort in the midst of our trials instead of character to be built up in us during them. We pray for an easy way out instead of the strength to make it through. We ask for God to quickly extricate us out of difficult circumstances instead of asking God what he wants to get out of those difficult circumstances. Sometimes though God not giving us what we think we need or want is actually Him protecting us from unintended consequences.
As Psalm 46:10 says, sometimes He just wants us to be still and acknowledge that He is God and He will be exulted on earth as He is in heaven. In this place, our best efforts are meaningless and our best recourse is total surrender. For His thoughts are so much greater than our thoughts and His ways are so much higher than our ways, Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, that we should rather just seek him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. It is in this posture alone that real healing and learning can take place. It takes a lot of wreckage to sometimes bring us staggering to our knees. But once there, the healing salve of God's love and forgiveness can begin to change us from the inside out, and help us to make better decisions in the future. We can begin to see the error of our ways and the righteousness of His.
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