4/20/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
My human nature keeps getting in the way of God's nature. I hate choices because they always reveal to me the sinful nature of my human nature. As my friend Pete McKenzie says, life comes down to fries or fruit. Man I know that fruit is what I need and what I should order, but there's something satisfying about ordering up those fries. It is like a treat to myself for having to be around myself. My walk as a Christian is designed to draw closer in relationship to Jesus Christ, to bear much fruit, and to be the embodiment of his love to a hurting world. But my human nature keeps telling me to try different things, to do it on my own,or worse the world's way. To go the way that I feel is best and that feels the best to my fleshly nature. There is never any fulfillment there, but I keep trying to do it my way. I can come up with all kinds of ways to be distracted, from senseless movies, to reading things that are inconsequential, to dallying in various activities. But there is no peace there. The only real peace comes from being in the word, walking with my Lord and Savior, and letting His wisdom indwell me. Fries or Fruit. Life always comes down to that. I know that the only lasting contentment and peace in this world comes out of my relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the Good Shepherd and wants truly what is best for me. He wants to protect me, to give me the desires of my heart and soul. My human nature is selfish though and diametrically opposed to relaxing and being still in the perfect love of Christ. I want action! I want to make things happen, to make a difference, to be the man. He is saying turn to me, for "blessed are those who hunger for righteousness, for they will be filled." I know He is right and yet I am saying to him, "I want that Lord, but can we do it on my term?" Of course, the answer is no. Not because He is some cosmic kill joy who wants to be a control freak in my life, but simply because my ways can never work as well as His ways. Even though I realize that, my human nature keeps getting in the way. His love should truly be all I need for contentment, and it is, if only I could find a way to just fully trust in it and be still in it. But my human nature keeps getting in the way. I have glimpses of perfect contentment in Him, when I am fully surrendered and His grace can envelope me. But these moments are fleeting , because at some level my human nature wants credit for my happiness. How stupid! What a fool I am. Why do I keep running back to the hazards of fries, when I know the benefits of fruit. I, like all of mankind, struggle with a rebellious spirit that says I am the master of my own domain. But why? I can see if someone hasn't had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, then they would have no benchmark with which to compare the futility of that mindset. But I have seen, felt and occasionally lived out the beauty and contentment that resides in that personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I have no excuse. Fries or Fruit? I hate those types of questions. My soul knows it needs the fruit, but my human nature yearns for the fries. Thank God as believers that yet "while we still sinners, Christ died for us," as Romans 5:8 assures us. Without that assurance, our human nature would lead us, like dumb sheep, right to our own destruction. But the Good Shepherd understands our lack, and meets us in our greatest places of need. He comes to restore us back to health and to set us down in green pastures. He waits until we are sick of fries, and crave the fruit of a relationship spent in and with Him alone. I know that the reason for my life is best entrusted into His hands, for His guidance and care. But the nature of my human nature keeps getting in the way. I pray that one day I will allow His good and perfect nature to overwhelm my human nature and I will finally succumb to allowing myself the rest that my soul so desperately needs on a sustained basis. I know where to find it. It is right in front of me. I just need to get my human nature out of the way. Then every day I can confidently say, yes Lord, give me your fruit, I want the fruit of life that comes only from resting and abiding in you. Amen!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The Pain of Separation
4/5/12
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Matthew 26:39 " My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
One extraordinary fact to me about the story of Jesus on His way to the cross is that He began to fully comprehend what He was being called to do by his Father in heaven. The painful knowledge that He would have to bear the terrible weight of the collective sin of mankind left him face down in the garden of Gethsemane. As Matthew 26: 38 says, " My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." He knew that this was going to be awful, and for a period of time He would be separated from the protection of His Father. The thought of that painful separation frightened him greatly, and the only way for Him to deal with it was intense prayer. But when He emerges from His time in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus has already won the battle. He has stared his greatest fear in the face, and fully surrendered to the will of his Father as Matthew 26:42 points out " My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." With that statement, he has claimed victory over the temptation of the devil, and to prepare for what He knows He has to do to fulfill the prophesies of scripture. The amazing preparation that reveals the character and commitment of Christ to please his Father has just taken place. History is about to be changed forever. God has offered us a plan for salvation and forgiveness of our sins in and through His Son, and His Son has committed to carrying out the excruciating steps that must take place in order to fulfill the plan. The biggest stumbling block that scared the wits out of Jesus was that He knew that it would require a period of separation from the Father, while the Father's will was indeed being done. If it scared Jesus that much to be separated for any amount of time from the will of His Father that He ended up fast down in the dirt, should it not also terrify us? Hasn't Jesus warned us here about how scary that can be when we are walking alone in this world without the protection of God in heaven? The decision to walk alone in our lives, will lead to enormously painful consequences. I spent the better part of the first 38 years of my life walking alone, separated from not only the will of God for my life, but even acknowledging His presence. The pain of that separation ultimately led me to being face down in the dirt also, unable to find any lasting peace or joy from my efforts. Worldly success, yes occasionally. But deep abiding peace? Never. I am still want to try to do things on my own, without first praying and seeking the guidance of the One who knows me best and always wants the best for me. But more and more I am learning to consider the pain that usually results from my willful decisions. So what can I do? Did Jesus not love me so much that He gave me a road map in the Garden of Gethsemane? I need to pray and pray and then pray some more. That way I will be walking in the protection and will of my Lord when I face this broken world on a daily basis. The battle will be won before it is even fought on a daily basis. Our ability to reject temptatation never comes from our strength, but always from His strength living in us. When we are separated from His strength, we have no shot. We are defenseless against the schemes of the adversary, who " prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" as 1st Peter 5:8 tells us. I mean, all we have to do is wake up and there is already someone who is trying to destroy us. That scares me to the core. But it also humbles me to realize that I must depend on the protection of God, or that separation will lead to my demise. If I willfully choose not to pray every day, or not to study His word each day, then I will leave myself open to attack. When the trials come, I need to prepared for victory as Jesus was being prepared at Gethsemane. As he was led to the fate that awaited Him, He had already claimed His victory. His character was not being built in the Garden, it was being revealed. How we deal with adversity in our lives doesn't build our character, it reveals it. Do we trust in God or not? Do we believe His word is true or not? Are we going to try our best to obey what He tells us to do or not? As I get older, I realize how little the knowledge I have or perceive to have is really worth. I also realize how great God's wisdom is and how valuable that it is for keeping me out of of ditches. I have come to realize that true wisdom is the ability to keep ourselves out of situations that require it. I have come to realize that the cost and the pain of being separated from the will of God is much higher than I want or need to pay. The eye of the Hurricane is in His word and in His love. All around me is chaos and fear, but in Him is peace and strength. Thank you Lord Jesus for given me a road map to deal with my brokenness and rebellious spirit. Thank you that you went first, and took the weight of my sin so that I wouldn't have to. I could have never stood up to it. For without you, I am nothing.
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Matthew 26:39 " My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
One extraordinary fact to me about the story of Jesus on His way to the cross is that He began to fully comprehend what He was being called to do by his Father in heaven. The painful knowledge that He would have to bear the terrible weight of the collective sin of mankind left him face down in the garden of Gethsemane. As Matthew 26: 38 says, " My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." He knew that this was going to be awful, and for a period of time He would be separated from the protection of His Father. The thought of that painful separation frightened him greatly, and the only way for Him to deal with it was intense prayer. But when He emerges from His time in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus has already won the battle. He has stared his greatest fear in the face, and fully surrendered to the will of his Father as Matthew 26:42 points out " My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." With that statement, he has claimed victory over the temptation of the devil, and to prepare for what He knows He has to do to fulfill the prophesies of scripture. The amazing preparation that reveals the character and commitment of Christ to please his Father has just taken place. History is about to be changed forever. God has offered us a plan for salvation and forgiveness of our sins in and through His Son, and His Son has committed to carrying out the excruciating steps that must take place in order to fulfill the plan. The biggest stumbling block that scared the wits out of Jesus was that He knew that it would require a period of separation from the Father, while the Father's will was indeed being done. If it scared Jesus that much to be separated for any amount of time from the will of His Father that He ended up fast down in the dirt, should it not also terrify us? Hasn't Jesus warned us here about how scary that can be when we are walking alone in this world without the protection of God in heaven? The decision to walk alone in our lives, will lead to enormously painful consequences. I spent the better part of the first 38 years of my life walking alone, separated from not only the will of God for my life, but even acknowledging His presence. The pain of that separation ultimately led me to being face down in the dirt also, unable to find any lasting peace or joy from my efforts. Worldly success, yes occasionally. But deep abiding peace? Never. I am still want to try to do things on my own, without first praying and seeking the guidance of the One who knows me best and always wants the best for me. But more and more I am learning to consider the pain that usually results from my willful decisions. So what can I do? Did Jesus not love me so much that He gave me a road map in the Garden of Gethsemane? I need to pray and pray and then pray some more. That way I will be walking in the protection and will of my Lord when I face this broken world on a daily basis. The battle will be won before it is even fought on a daily basis. Our ability to reject temptatation never comes from our strength, but always from His strength living in us. When we are separated from His strength, we have no shot. We are defenseless against the schemes of the adversary, who " prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" as 1st Peter 5:8 tells us. I mean, all we have to do is wake up and there is already someone who is trying to destroy us. That scares me to the core. But it also humbles me to realize that I must depend on the protection of God, or that separation will lead to my demise. If I willfully choose not to pray every day, or not to study His word each day, then I will leave myself open to attack. When the trials come, I need to prepared for victory as Jesus was being prepared at Gethsemane. As he was led to the fate that awaited Him, He had already claimed His victory. His character was not being built in the Garden, it was being revealed. How we deal with adversity in our lives doesn't build our character, it reveals it. Do we trust in God or not? Do we believe His word is true or not? Are we going to try our best to obey what He tells us to do or not? As I get older, I realize how little the knowledge I have or perceive to have is really worth. I also realize how great God's wisdom is and how valuable that it is for keeping me out of of ditches. I have come to realize that true wisdom is the ability to keep ourselves out of situations that require it. I have come to realize that the cost and the pain of being separated from the will of God is much higher than I want or need to pay. The eye of the Hurricane is in His word and in His love. All around me is chaos and fear, but in Him is peace and strength. Thank you Lord Jesus for given me a road map to deal with my brokenness and rebellious spirit. Thank you that you went first, and took the weight of my sin so that I wouldn't have to. I could have never stood up to it. For without you, I am nothing.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Gardner
3/21/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Jeremiah 1:10 " See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
Sometimes in order to get a new beginning God must remove what is standing in the way. Like a Gardner, He must uproot and destroy things in our life that our keeping us from glorifying Him in the way he most desires. In the Bible verse above, God is telling Jeremiah that Judah will be punished for her rebellious ways, that He will allow her to be destroyed and over run by the Babylonians and that she will have to spend a period of time in captivity. That must have been a fearful message for Jeremiah, as a Jewish man, to hear from the Lord, knowing that Judah was going into captivity as a result of her rebellion. But that is not then end of the story. The rest of the verse goes on to promise that ultimately, this is for the benefit of Judah, as God will eventually restore the land and provide it with a new beginning, a fresh start if you will. He must 1st remove and then restore. He needs to purge her before He can replant and bless the her again. These old testament scriptures I find fascinating in that they usually mirror a story of what is happening at one time or another in my own life. Like the people of Judah, I for many years and in many ways was rebellious towards the Lord. In fact, I never even was wanting to follow him until I was 38 years old. And like a skillful Gardner, when He finally got my attention, He needed to weed out many things from my life, namely a hardened heart, a prideful mind and a distrusting soul. The process was extremely painful at times, and can still be as I grow in my walk. But the Lord has continually shown me that His gardening skills are never wasted and they are always meant to clear room for the replanting that needs to take place in me. He needed to clear out all the weeds, so their would be room for the roses that He wanted to grow in the garden of my heart. He needed to clean out the thistles in my mind, to make room for the Olive Tree he was planting that would learn over time to depend on Him for everything it needed. He needed to painfully pull out the thorn bushes in my soul to make room for the soft, peaceful waterfall that would help to water the garden He was rebuilding in my life, so that He alone could become the stream of living water that I needed to survive. The process is ongoing and will be until the day I go to rejoin Him in my eternal resting place. The rooting out and pulling down can be quite painful, mostly because I can be quite stubborn. Nobody likes to go through the painful tear down projects that must take place occasionally in our lives. But if we can learn to see them through the eyes of our Eternal Gardner and realize that He is always trying to clear out space for a better future outcome, filled with more beauty and growth in Him and for Him, then we can learn from each situation as He draws us closer to Him. Sometimes, during our most challenging periods, it is quite normal to ask, why God? Why are you allowing this to happen in our lives? Like David often asked, where are you Lord in the midst of my suffering? What is the point of all this suffering? But Romans 8:38 says " And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God." We don't always no why bad things are allowed to happen or when relief will come, but we always know who will eventually deliver us, restore us and make us more beautiful than we were before. The Eternal Gardner, who first must demolish before he can refurbish. I have come to realize the mess that existed in the garden of my life only in hindsight. When I was wallowing in it, and He began to change me from the inside out, yet I only felt a pull to try to hang on to what I had known and what I become. But as He has worked in my life and begun to teach me how to let go, He has allowed me to see the beginning of new fruit from the seeds He has planted. As I repented, He replanted. He is the Gardner of repair and restoration. He removes the weeds of our lives, and replaces them with blossoming Tulips. It is up to me to allow Him to do His work in my garden. Please come in, Gardner of life!
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Jeremiah 1:10 " See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
Sometimes in order to get a new beginning God must remove what is standing in the way. Like a Gardner, He must uproot and destroy things in our life that our keeping us from glorifying Him in the way he most desires. In the Bible verse above, God is telling Jeremiah that Judah will be punished for her rebellious ways, that He will allow her to be destroyed and over run by the Babylonians and that she will have to spend a period of time in captivity. That must have been a fearful message for Jeremiah, as a Jewish man, to hear from the Lord, knowing that Judah was going into captivity as a result of her rebellion. But that is not then end of the story. The rest of the verse goes on to promise that ultimately, this is for the benefit of Judah, as God will eventually restore the land and provide it with a new beginning, a fresh start if you will. He must 1st remove and then restore. He needs to purge her before He can replant and bless the her again. These old testament scriptures I find fascinating in that they usually mirror a story of what is happening at one time or another in my own life. Like the people of Judah, I for many years and in many ways was rebellious towards the Lord. In fact, I never even was wanting to follow him until I was 38 years old. And like a skillful Gardner, when He finally got my attention, He needed to weed out many things from my life, namely a hardened heart, a prideful mind and a distrusting soul. The process was extremely painful at times, and can still be as I grow in my walk. But the Lord has continually shown me that His gardening skills are never wasted and they are always meant to clear room for the replanting that needs to take place in me. He needed to clear out all the weeds, so their would be room for the roses that He wanted to grow in the garden of my heart. He needed to clean out the thistles in my mind, to make room for the Olive Tree he was planting that would learn over time to depend on Him for everything it needed. He needed to painfully pull out the thorn bushes in my soul to make room for the soft, peaceful waterfall that would help to water the garden He was rebuilding in my life, so that He alone could become the stream of living water that I needed to survive. The process is ongoing and will be until the day I go to rejoin Him in my eternal resting place. The rooting out and pulling down can be quite painful, mostly because I can be quite stubborn. Nobody likes to go through the painful tear down projects that must take place occasionally in our lives. But if we can learn to see them through the eyes of our Eternal Gardner and realize that He is always trying to clear out space for a better future outcome, filled with more beauty and growth in Him and for Him, then we can learn from each situation as He draws us closer to Him. Sometimes, during our most challenging periods, it is quite normal to ask, why God? Why are you allowing this to happen in our lives? Like David often asked, where are you Lord in the midst of my suffering? What is the point of all this suffering? But Romans 8:38 says " And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God." We don't always no why bad things are allowed to happen or when relief will come, but we always know who will eventually deliver us, restore us and make us more beautiful than we were before. The Eternal Gardner, who first must demolish before he can refurbish. I have come to realize the mess that existed in the garden of my life only in hindsight. When I was wallowing in it, and He began to change me from the inside out, yet I only felt a pull to try to hang on to what I had known and what I become. But as He has worked in my life and begun to teach me how to let go, He has allowed me to see the beginning of new fruit from the seeds He has planted. As I repented, He replanted. He is the Gardner of repair and restoration. He removes the weeds of our lives, and replaces them with blossoming Tulips. It is up to me to allow Him to do His work in my garden. Please come in, Gardner of life!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The Great Exchange
03/18/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Romans 5:8 " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
I love this notion of exchanging something to get something else. It rules almost all aspects of a capitalistic society. We provide a good or service and we get something in return for our efforts. I wash your car, you pay me $20. I make a sale of a certain item, I get paid a commission. But what about all of the other, non-monetary, exchanges that take place in our lives on an almost daily basis that help shape who we are. Sometimes, hopefully, we do something extraordinary for someone without expecting anything of value in return, except for feeling good about the decision we made. Maybe that is the greatest gift of all. We get to build our self worth and self esteem when we help a cause or a person or the earth, without expecting anything back. When we show love towards someone, knowing they can never love us back, that is an act of selflessness that makes our character develop. We exchange a piece of ourselves for the benefit of an other. Well, imagine going to the place that Jesus went to show His love for us, knowing that not only could he get nothing back in this lifetime for his sacrifice, in fact He would have to endure unspeakable agony in order to accomplish His purpose. He would be mocked, derided, spit upon and mercilessly punished in order to fulfill His Father's will, the redemption of mankind. He would make the ultimate sacrifice and within that act, would provide me and anyone else who is willing to accept it, the greatest exchange that could ever take place in our lifetime: His righteousness for our sin. That He would be willing to suffer and die for us while we were yet sinners is what really sets us apart from any other religious doctrine. The implications are enormous. He didn't die for those who had their act together, who were working their way into the Kingdom, who were following all of the laws, who had turned over new leaves, who were going the second mile. No, instead He met us right where we were and still are, in our sinful nature. He said come and join me at the banquet table, for I have taken your sin upon me and given you my righteousness while you were still sinners. That way no one could ever boast about how much they deserved this Great Exchange. Ephesians 2:8-9 pretty much puts the nail in anyone's coffin who thinks their great works are the reason for their salvation " We are saved by grace, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast." This is remarkable in its simplicity, and in its complexity. It is simple to understand that God, being the loving Creator that He is, had to create a plan to salvage His creation from the sinful nature that had befallen them in the Garden. But it is incredibly complex to think that the Son of Man was willing to die a gruesome death, that my sinful nature deserved, in order that I would be set free from the consequences of that sin, so that I could be an eternal part of His Kingdom. And there is nothing that I had to do to earn it? We men like to earn our rewards. We like to feel that we deserve the spoils of our labor. But here Christ Jesus gave us the Greatest Exchange that could ever take place in history and didn't even require us to lift a finger? No work, all grace? Man, does this through many people for a loop. What do you mean I can't earn it? What do you mean I can't work for it? How am I supposed to feel good about myself? All we have to do is truly believe in our hearts and souls that He is and was who He said He was? I find that hard to beleive and this is a lament that keeps so many out of the Kingdom. But it truly is His Amazing Grace indeed, and something that when comprehended to the extent that we as humans can actually comprehend what took place on the Cross at Calvary can be transformational in our lives. If we are willing to see life not as an exchange of what we can get for something we give, but rather as a way to to give thanks for something we have already been given that can never be taken away and that we can never earn, then we can become more Christ like! When we truly look at all of life's situations as a way to bless someone without expecting anything in return, that is where real freedom exists. And where life's true blessings exist. We as Christians have already been given the greatest gift of all! Our job is to give it away in a way that glorifies and exemplifies that love that has already been shown to us. So why is it so tough to truly live this out? Why do I so often fail in my heart and in my soul to take time and to see all situations through this lens of His grace? I guess I can take solace in that He didn't wait for me, or expect me, to be any where near perfect before He was willing to die for me and to remove my sin from my eternal record. Isaiah 1:18 says " Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." My only response is, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Romans 5:8 " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
I love this notion of exchanging something to get something else. It rules almost all aspects of a capitalistic society. We provide a good or service and we get something in return for our efforts. I wash your car, you pay me $20. I make a sale of a certain item, I get paid a commission. But what about all of the other, non-monetary, exchanges that take place in our lives on an almost daily basis that help shape who we are. Sometimes, hopefully, we do something extraordinary for someone without expecting anything of value in return, except for feeling good about the decision we made. Maybe that is the greatest gift of all. We get to build our self worth and self esteem when we help a cause or a person or the earth, without expecting anything back. When we show love towards someone, knowing they can never love us back, that is an act of selflessness that makes our character develop. We exchange a piece of ourselves for the benefit of an other. Well, imagine going to the place that Jesus went to show His love for us, knowing that not only could he get nothing back in this lifetime for his sacrifice, in fact He would have to endure unspeakable agony in order to accomplish His purpose. He would be mocked, derided, spit upon and mercilessly punished in order to fulfill His Father's will, the redemption of mankind. He would make the ultimate sacrifice and within that act, would provide me and anyone else who is willing to accept it, the greatest exchange that could ever take place in our lifetime: His righteousness for our sin. That He would be willing to suffer and die for us while we were yet sinners is what really sets us apart from any other religious doctrine. The implications are enormous. He didn't die for those who had their act together, who were working their way into the Kingdom, who were following all of the laws, who had turned over new leaves, who were going the second mile. No, instead He met us right where we were and still are, in our sinful nature. He said come and join me at the banquet table, for I have taken your sin upon me and given you my righteousness while you were still sinners. That way no one could ever boast about how much they deserved this Great Exchange. Ephesians 2:8-9 pretty much puts the nail in anyone's coffin who thinks their great works are the reason for their salvation " We are saved by grace, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast." This is remarkable in its simplicity, and in its complexity. It is simple to understand that God, being the loving Creator that He is, had to create a plan to salvage His creation from the sinful nature that had befallen them in the Garden. But it is incredibly complex to think that the Son of Man was willing to die a gruesome death, that my sinful nature deserved, in order that I would be set free from the consequences of that sin, so that I could be an eternal part of His Kingdom. And there is nothing that I had to do to earn it? We men like to earn our rewards. We like to feel that we deserve the spoils of our labor. But here Christ Jesus gave us the Greatest Exchange that could ever take place in history and didn't even require us to lift a finger? No work, all grace? Man, does this through many people for a loop. What do you mean I can't earn it? What do you mean I can't work for it? How am I supposed to feel good about myself? All we have to do is truly believe in our hearts and souls that He is and was who He said He was? I find that hard to beleive and this is a lament that keeps so many out of the Kingdom. But it truly is His Amazing Grace indeed, and something that when comprehended to the extent that we as humans can actually comprehend what took place on the Cross at Calvary can be transformational in our lives. If we are willing to see life not as an exchange of what we can get for something we give, but rather as a way to to give thanks for something we have already been given that can never be taken away and that we can never earn, then we can become more Christ like! When we truly look at all of life's situations as a way to bless someone without expecting anything in return, that is where real freedom exists. And where life's true blessings exist. We as Christians have already been given the greatest gift of all! Our job is to give it away in a way that glorifies and exemplifies that love that has already been shown to us. So why is it so tough to truly live this out? Why do I so often fail in my heart and in my soul to take time and to see all situations through this lens of His grace? I guess I can take solace in that He didn't wait for me, or expect me, to be any where near perfect before He was willing to die for me and to remove my sin from my eternal record. Isaiah 1:18 says " Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." My only response is, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Look Foolish
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day" 1st Corinthians 1:27 " But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
God has always used seemingly foolish things to shock the world. Better yet, he asks for our deep faith and belief and then uses our own foolishness to glorify Himself. The Bible is full of stories and events that the world looked at as utterly ridiculous. The circumstances were so unreal that they seemed ludicrous. Sarah buying maternity clothes at age 90? Noah building an Arc and preparing for a flood in the middle of a Desert? David running to the battlefield to fight a giant with a slingshot? The Israelites marching around Jericho blaring trumpets? Peter stepping out of the boat in the middle of a lake? The response to all of these situations by bystanders at the time must have been are you kidding me? You are totally insane. I could see Sarah standing in line at the Old Testament version of Mommies R Us and the looks she must have gotten. Tell me the Lord doesn't have a wicked sense of humor. Well, here we are some 2,000 years later from the time of Christ's last breath on this earth, and not much has changed. People who are striving to follow Christ still seem foolish in the world's eyes. Maybe more so than ever. I often feel like I look foolish telling friends I used to get drunk or high with that I no longer wish to go there. That I have found a new life and a better way in Jesus Christ and that the pain I used to feel that led me to try and drown or smoke away is no longer there, thanks to His love and grace. I have replaced the world's medicine cabinet for God's. I look foolish in the world's eyes when I pray for people I don't even know or forgive those who have truly tried to harm me. I look foolish when I admit that I don't have a clue about what my purpose is in this life, but that I do know I can trust in God to lead me to where He wants me to go. For I have come to realize that He wants me to get where He wants me to go, even more than I do. Just trying to be a God fearing man is a huge challenge and leads to many situations on a daily basis where the world considers my attempts to honor God as shear foolishness. Let alone how many times I profess my love for Christ and than fall flat on my sinful face in words, deeds and actions. Trying to live a life that doesn't evolve around kingdom of self is quite foolish in today's world of instant gratification and self promotion. The battle of flesh vs. spirit is clearing being waged at a feverish pitch in this world, and I think it is safe to say that flesh has an insurmountable lead at the moment. I can hardly go a day when I don't feel the overwhelming temptation to give in to my fleshly desires. But when I try and espouse my feelings on why I believe it is better for me to at least attempt to stand strong in the spirit, I look foolish in this world's eyes. I guess I have come to realize that I would rather be disliked for who I am in Christ, than liked for who I am not. That doesn't make it any easier. It still hurts. At our core, humans have a need for acceptance and approval. The question I need to continually ask myself is who am I looking to for validation? If I look to this world, I always end up getting used, abused or burnt out as I try to do well in whatever endeavor I am chasing to make others like me, and to earn their approval, and maybe a pat on the head like a little puppy dog. Christ loves me not because of anything I am or could ever be, but because of who He is and all that He has done for me. Even though I am a lost sheep at times, He never stops being my good shepherd. I feel his love so much not because nothing is too big for Him, but because nothing is too small for Him. He gets into the granular ares of my life and sets up shop in the areas of my life that the world looks at as mundane. The granular places is where He breaks in and changes me, from the inside out. When I am in tune with this truth and strong in the word, I am willing to be boldly foolish for the Lord. I am willing to take risks and try things that the world would see as foolish. But in my quest for joy in this world, looking foolish for the Lord is as close as I can come to feeling true meaning and purpose. May I be increasingly eager to take risks for the Lord, and to look foolish in the world's eyes, for that is where I am most connected to my living God!
Bible Verse of the Day" 1st Corinthians 1:27 " But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
God has always used seemingly foolish things to shock the world. Better yet, he asks for our deep faith and belief and then uses our own foolishness to glorify Himself. The Bible is full of stories and events that the world looked at as utterly ridiculous. The circumstances were so unreal that they seemed ludicrous. Sarah buying maternity clothes at age 90? Noah building an Arc and preparing for a flood in the middle of a Desert? David running to the battlefield to fight a giant with a slingshot? The Israelites marching around Jericho blaring trumpets? Peter stepping out of the boat in the middle of a lake? The response to all of these situations by bystanders at the time must have been are you kidding me? You are totally insane. I could see Sarah standing in line at the Old Testament version of Mommies R Us and the looks she must have gotten. Tell me the Lord doesn't have a wicked sense of humor. Well, here we are some 2,000 years later from the time of Christ's last breath on this earth, and not much has changed. People who are striving to follow Christ still seem foolish in the world's eyes. Maybe more so than ever. I often feel like I look foolish telling friends I used to get drunk or high with that I no longer wish to go there. That I have found a new life and a better way in Jesus Christ and that the pain I used to feel that led me to try and drown or smoke away is no longer there, thanks to His love and grace. I have replaced the world's medicine cabinet for God's. I look foolish in the world's eyes when I pray for people I don't even know or forgive those who have truly tried to harm me. I look foolish when I admit that I don't have a clue about what my purpose is in this life, but that I do know I can trust in God to lead me to where He wants me to go. For I have come to realize that He wants me to get where He wants me to go, even more than I do. Just trying to be a God fearing man is a huge challenge and leads to many situations on a daily basis where the world considers my attempts to honor God as shear foolishness. Let alone how many times I profess my love for Christ and than fall flat on my sinful face in words, deeds and actions. Trying to live a life that doesn't evolve around kingdom of self is quite foolish in today's world of instant gratification and self promotion. The battle of flesh vs. spirit is clearing being waged at a feverish pitch in this world, and I think it is safe to say that flesh has an insurmountable lead at the moment. I can hardly go a day when I don't feel the overwhelming temptation to give in to my fleshly desires. But when I try and espouse my feelings on why I believe it is better for me to at least attempt to stand strong in the spirit, I look foolish in this world's eyes. I guess I have come to realize that I would rather be disliked for who I am in Christ, than liked for who I am not. That doesn't make it any easier. It still hurts. At our core, humans have a need for acceptance and approval. The question I need to continually ask myself is who am I looking to for validation? If I look to this world, I always end up getting used, abused or burnt out as I try to do well in whatever endeavor I am chasing to make others like me, and to earn their approval, and maybe a pat on the head like a little puppy dog. Christ loves me not because of anything I am or could ever be, but because of who He is and all that He has done for me. Even though I am a lost sheep at times, He never stops being my good shepherd. I feel his love so much not because nothing is too big for Him, but because nothing is too small for Him. He gets into the granular ares of my life and sets up shop in the areas of my life that the world looks at as mundane. The granular places is where He breaks in and changes me, from the inside out. When I am in tune with this truth and strong in the word, I am willing to be boldly foolish for the Lord. I am willing to take risks and try things that the world would see as foolish. But in my quest for joy in this world, looking foolish for the Lord is as close as I can come to feeling true meaning and purpose. May I be increasingly eager to take risks for the Lord, and to look foolish in the world's eyes, for that is where I am most connected to my living God!
Monday, February 6, 2012
The Greatest Love
2/6/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: 1John 4:8 " Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
We live in a performance based culture where our acceptance and appreciation is often times directly tied to our performance. This is especially true in the marketplace, or the sports world, where today's hero can be quickly become tomorrow's goat based on our latest performance. If we win, whether in business, sports or even love for that matter, we find ourselves receiving accolades and our feeling of self worth can temporarily be lifted. On the other hand, when we make a mistake or lose a deal, we are under considerable pressure, both internally and externally, not to let it happen again. We are living in a time when people love to tear others down. It is almost like some people feel better about themselves when they are critical of others shortcomings or failures. We all seek love in our lives and want to be accepted and appreciated. We are all striving for validation in some form or another. I spent many years of my life waiting for my earthly father to validate me as a man and tell me that he loves me and is proud of me. That day has never yet come. But thankfully, God's love for us is not like that. God's love is in no way tied to, or dependent on, our performance. Likewise, it is not dependent on our character or our behavior. There is nothing we can ever do that is good enough to have God love us anymore and likewise there is nothing so bad that would cause Him to love us any less. Because God is Love, we don't have to live our lives on a spiritual roller coaster that resembles the rest of our life. Because as the verse above tells us God is Love, He is the very essence of what that means. It is essential to His being. In other words, the Lord does not ever cease to love us because in order to do so He would have to cease being Himself. The guilt that we put on ourselves over our sins and bad deeds which paralyze us and can cause us to miss out on the great things He has planned for us, never translate into the God of the universe loving us any less. Because no one can ever live up to the perfect standards of love and grace that come from the Lord, if God's love were dependent on on our performance or character, a sense of of uncertainty and unworthiness would also be prevalent deep in our souls. That's the game that the devil likes to play with us, to try and get us to feel unworthy or unlovable based on our performance. he tries to make us have a worldly perspective on love rather than a Godly perspective. When we try to live up to the world's ever changing performance standards, there is no grace in living that way. We are quickly overcome by legalism and bondage as we strive to live up to all of the false expectations. But God's love is perfect and has no attachment to worldly expectations. His affections are not based at all on our worthiness, but rather on His unchanging character. Because He never changes, we never have to worry about His love being conditional. The Bible tells us so. It shows us the characteristics of God's love throughout the stories and the way Christ interacted with various people while He lived on earth. A few of those characteristics of His perfect love would include: It is perfect. It is eternal. It is immeasurable. It is sacrificial. It is incomprehensible. It is unique. It is unconditional. It is unending. It is constant. It never changes. And most importantly, it is practical. He gave us a road map for applying His love in practical terms in our own lives with how he dealt with people like Peter and Zaccheus and the Adulteress in John 8. These are just a few of the examples found in the Bible that show how He is always willing to forgive, to teach, to inspire, to rebuke, to encourage, to humble and to melt our fears away in His love. His love is the tool Jesus used to change people's lives. He loved them when the world said they were unlovable like Bartimaeus. He loved them when the world wanted to stone them to death for their sins like the adulterous woman in John 8. He loved them when they had forsaken Him, like Peter to the little servant girl. He loved them all the way to the cross. God's perfect love lived out in the flesh through Jesus Christ should help us to deal more practically with our sins and flaws. If He forgives us, why can't we forgive ourselves. More importantly, why can't we forgive others more easily when they sin against us? When I learned to let go of the hurt and pain caused by the lack of validation from my earthly father, and learned to try and forgive him in a way that Jesus forgives me, from the deepest part of my soul, there was such freedom that overcame me. Freedom like I had never experienced before. True freedom lies in forgiveness. True freedom lies in the comprehension of how perfect God's love is towards us. I have found the greatest love of all in my life in God through Jesus Christ. I pray that I will continue to learn how to share that love with others. It is an ever changing process with me, dealing with all of my human, imperfect emotions. My love and ability to love is imperfect in every way. Thank God that His love is not like mine. Amen!
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: 1John 4:8 " Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
We live in a performance based culture where our acceptance and appreciation is often times directly tied to our performance. This is especially true in the marketplace, or the sports world, where today's hero can be quickly become tomorrow's goat based on our latest performance. If we win, whether in business, sports or even love for that matter, we find ourselves receiving accolades and our feeling of self worth can temporarily be lifted. On the other hand, when we make a mistake or lose a deal, we are under considerable pressure, both internally and externally, not to let it happen again. We are living in a time when people love to tear others down. It is almost like some people feel better about themselves when they are critical of others shortcomings or failures. We all seek love in our lives and want to be accepted and appreciated. We are all striving for validation in some form or another. I spent many years of my life waiting for my earthly father to validate me as a man and tell me that he loves me and is proud of me. That day has never yet come. But thankfully, God's love for us is not like that. God's love is in no way tied to, or dependent on, our performance. Likewise, it is not dependent on our character or our behavior. There is nothing we can ever do that is good enough to have God love us anymore and likewise there is nothing so bad that would cause Him to love us any less. Because God is Love, we don't have to live our lives on a spiritual roller coaster that resembles the rest of our life. Because as the verse above tells us God is Love, He is the very essence of what that means. It is essential to His being. In other words, the Lord does not ever cease to love us because in order to do so He would have to cease being Himself. The guilt that we put on ourselves over our sins and bad deeds which paralyze us and can cause us to miss out on the great things He has planned for us, never translate into the God of the universe loving us any less. Because no one can ever live up to the perfect standards of love and grace that come from the Lord, if God's love were dependent on on our performance or character, a sense of of uncertainty and unworthiness would also be prevalent deep in our souls. That's the game that the devil likes to play with us, to try and get us to feel unworthy or unlovable based on our performance. he tries to make us have a worldly perspective on love rather than a Godly perspective. When we try to live up to the world's ever changing performance standards, there is no grace in living that way. We are quickly overcome by legalism and bondage as we strive to live up to all of the false expectations. But God's love is perfect and has no attachment to worldly expectations. His affections are not based at all on our worthiness, but rather on His unchanging character. Because He never changes, we never have to worry about His love being conditional. The Bible tells us so. It shows us the characteristics of God's love throughout the stories and the way Christ interacted with various people while He lived on earth. A few of those characteristics of His perfect love would include: It is perfect. It is eternal. It is immeasurable. It is sacrificial. It is incomprehensible. It is unique. It is unconditional. It is unending. It is constant. It never changes. And most importantly, it is practical. He gave us a road map for applying His love in practical terms in our own lives with how he dealt with people like Peter and Zaccheus and the Adulteress in John 8. These are just a few of the examples found in the Bible that show how He is always willing to forgive, to teach, to inspire, to rebuke, to encourage, to humble and to melt our fears away in His love. His love is the tool Jesus used to change people's lives. He loved them when the world said they were unlovable like Bartimaeus. He loved them when the world wanted to stone them to death for their sins like the adulterous woman in John 8. He loved them when they had forsaken Him, like Peter to the little servant girl. He loved them all the way to the cross. God's perfect love lived out in the flesh through Jesus Christ should help us to deal more practically with our sins and flaws. If He forgives us, why can't we forgive ourselves. More importantly, why can't we forgive others more easily when they sin against us? When I learned to let go of the hurt and pain caused by the lack of validation from my earthly father, and learned to try and forgive him in a way that Jesus forgives me, from the deepest part of my soul, there was such freedom that overcame me. Freedom like I had never experienced before. True freedom lies in forgiveness. True freedom lies in the comprehension of how perfect God's love is towards us. I have found the greatest love of all in my life in God through Jesus Christ. I pray that I will continue to learn how to share that love with others. It is an ever changing process with me, dealing with all of my human, imperfect emotions. My love and ability to love is imperfect in every way. Thank God that His love is not like mine. Amen!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Never Enough
2/1/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: Genesis 1:28-29 " God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it;Rule over the fish and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
The book of Genesis is both a book of great joy and hope and also one of great sadness and brokenness. We see both the miraculous powers of the Creator of the universe at work in His splendor and the sinful nature of man to let his prideful condition lead to his own demise. The fall of mankind that took place in the Garden of Eden plays out in the lives of us as individuals on almost a daily basis. Our human nature is such that we are never really satisfied with what we have and always leads us to want more. God had given Adam and Eve everything they could hope for. There was beauty, security, freedom and abundance all around them in the Garden at all times and at first they were content. Genesis 2:25 illustrates this for us " the man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame." But it takes only a brief time until the free will that God gives to each of us humans leads them to disobey the one command that God had given to them. Their pride was the tool that the devil used to weaken them to the point of disobeying their God who had provided everything they needed for comfort and fellowship with Him. After they sinned and ate of the forbidden fruit, they were instantly overwhelmed with guilt. Where just a few passages ago they were fine with their nakedness because they were walking with the Lord, now in Genesis 3:7 their sinful action has left them feeling vulnerable " Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." The sinful episode of disobedience in the Garden has been a thorn in the side of man ever since and it clearly exposed our human nature to seek our own path, desiring more in our pleasures than in the comfort and security of God's promises. I have a very hard time realizing that true happiness only comes when I align myself with the will of God. I want to live as a person who pursues pleasure and puts no limits on my passions. That is the sinful nature of my flesh that is always in conflict with the Holy Spirit that lives within me and constantly reminds me that the path of fleshly pleasure will only lead to a road of destruction. Paul describes this on-going fierce battle that rages in all of mankind between our desire to gratify the flesh or live by the Spirit in Galatians 5:16-17," So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." I believe this is the epicenter of our struggle as humans. We do what we do not want to do because although our minds are willing, our bodies are weak when it comes to gratifying our flesh. I have failed at this in many different ways throughout my life, but I have finally learned the most valuable lesson; I am too weak on my own to avoid temptation. As a matter of fact, as a mentor of mine likes to say, I can avoid anything other than temptation. It is only through the Power of Christ living in me that I have any chance to defeat my fleshly desires. I simply can't do it on my own. The most distressing part of this is that this holds true even when things are great in my life and I seem to have everything I need for happiness. It helps me to find comfort that the Bible is full of stories like the fall in the Garden that illustrates I am not alone in my weakness. Moses and David were both murderer's and David was also an adulterer. These great men of God had impactful lives serving the Lord, yet even they were vulnerable to the powerful nature of sin. Why can't we ever just be content where we are? Why are we always striving for more? Like more stuff, more sex. more power or more money is ever going to make us happy. When will we ever realize that our lives are just a vapor. I am still weak and vulnerable anytime I am away from the word of God or like a lost sheep, I stray from the Good Shepherd. But I have come to realize that true happiness can only be found in obeying God's word to the best of my abilities, flawed as they are. Even King Solomon, " The wisest man that ever lived," according to 1 Kings 3:12, came to the same conclusion. He was blessed with wealth beyond imagination and was given the privilege of building God's temple, yet he could find no lasting contentment apart from obeying God. He devoted himself to studying and exploring all kinds of things. He sought worldly pleasures and satisfaction in his fleshly pursuits, but he quickly realized they were folly and without value as the contentment he was seeking evaded him through these pursuits. He tried to find contentment through personal achievement. He undertook many great projects, including the building of an extensive irrigation system to bring water to his groves of flourishing trees. In the end, he decided according to Ecclesiastes 2:11 " that yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." So if the richest man in the world, and the wisest man who ever lived found no real value in chasing after greater wealth, fleshly pleasure or personal achievement, why do we think it will ultimately be any different for us. All of these things can bring temporary satisfaction or prideful expression, be they don't lead to lasting contentment or eternal value. Jesus himself came to point this out for us, in that He came, not to be served, but rather as a servant of all. He could have amassed all power and wealth for His earthly consumption. But, He chose instead to focus on His eternal glory, the most humble man who ever lived. So what is the point of this life then? Where should we search for the place of contentment and of eternal value? What is our wisdom gained throughout our lifetime good for? The answer lies in the scriptures for as Paul says in Galatians 5:1 " It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Freedom from ourselves and our sinful nature. Freedom from our desires for always wanting more and thinking that will leads us to contentment. Freedom from the longings of our flesh. And so, as Romans 5:2 states, " we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." For He alone can fill our hearts with lasting joy and lead our souls to a place of everlasting contentment. He alone is worthy of all our praise. Amen!
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day: Genesis 1:28-29 " God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it;Rule over the fish and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
The book of Genesis is both a book of great joy and hope and also one of great sadness and brokenness. We see both the miraculous powers of the Creator of the universe at work in His splendor and the sinful nature of man to let his prideful condition lead to his own demise. The fall of mankind that took place in the Garden of Eden plays out in the lives of us as individuals on almost a daily basis. Our human nature is such that we are never really satisfied with what we have and always leads us to want more. God had given Adam and Eve everything they could hope for. There was beauty, security, freedom and abundance all around them in the Garden at all times and at first they were content. Genesis 2:25 illustrates this for us " the man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame." But it takes only a brief time until the free will that God gives to each of us humans leads them to disobey the one command that God had given to them. Their pride was the tool that the devil used to weaken them to the point of disobeying their God who had provided everything they needed for comfort and fellowship with Him. After they sinned and ate of the forbidden fruit, they were instantly overwhelmed with guilt. Where just a few passages ago they were fine with their nakedness because they were walking with the Lord, now in Genesis 3:7 their sinful action has left them feeling vulnerable " Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." The sinful episode of disobedience in the Garden has been a thorn in the side of man ever since and it clearly exposed our human nature to seek our own path, desiring more in our pleasures than in the comfort and security of God's promises. I have a very hard time realizing that true happiness only comes when I align myself with the will of God. I want to live as a person who pursues pleasure and puts no limits on my passions. That is the sinful nature of my flesh that is always in conflict with the Holy Spirit that lives within me and constantly reminds me that the path of fleshly pleasure will only lead to a road of destruction. Paul describes this on-going fierce battle that rages in all of mankind between our desire to gratify the flesh or live by the Spirit in Galatians 5:16-17," So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." I believe this is the epicenter of our struggle as humans. We do what we do not want to do because although our minds are willing, our bodies are weak when it comes to gratifying our flesh. I have failed at this in many different ways throughout my life, but I have finally learned the most valuable lesson; I am too weak on my own to avoid temptation. As a matter of fact, as a mentor of mine likes to say, I can avoid anything other than temptation. It is only through the Power of Christ living in me that I have any chance to defeat my fleshly desires. I simply can't do it on my own. The most distressing part of this is that this holds true even when things are great in my life and I seem to have everything I need for happiness. It helps me to find comfort that the Bible is full of stories like the fall in the Garden that illustrates I am not alone in my weakness. Moses and David were both murderer's and David was also an adulterer. These great men of God had impactful lives serving the Lord, yet even they were vulnerable to the powerful nature of sin. Why can't we ever just be content where we are? Why are we always striving for more? Like more stuff, more sex. more power or more money is ever going to make us happy. When will we ever realize that our lives are just a vapor. I am still weak and vulnerable anytime I am away from the word of God or like a lost sheep, I stray from the Good Shepherd. But I have come to realize that true happiness can only be found in obeying God's word to the best of my abilities, flawed as they are. Even King Solomon, " The wisest man that ever lived," according to 1 Kings 3:12, came to the same conclusion. He was blessed with wealth beyond imagination and was given the privilege of building God's temple, yet he could find no lasting contentment apart from obeying God. He devoted himself to studying and exploring all kinds of things. He sought worldly pleasures and satisfaction in his fleshly pursuits, but he quickly realized they were folly and without value as the contentment he was seeking evaded him through these pursuits. He tried to find contentment through personal achievement. He undertook many great projects, including the building of an extensive irrigation system to bring water to his groves of flourishing trees. In the end, he decided according to Ecclesiastes 2:11 " that yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." So if the richest man in the world, and the wisest man who ever lived found no real value in chasing after greater wealth, fleshly pleasure or personal achievement, why do we think it will ultimately be any different for us. All of these things can bring temporary satisfaction or prideful expression, be they don't lead to lasting contentment or eternal value. Jesus himself came to point this out for us, in that He came, not to be served, but rather as a servant of all. He could have amassed all power and wealth for His earthly consumption. But, He chose instead to focus on His eternal glory, the most humble man who ever lived. So what is the point of this life then? Where should we search for the place of contentment and of eternal value? What is our wisdom gained throughout our lifetime good for? The answer lies in the scriptures for as Paul says in Galatians 5:1 " It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Freedom from ourselves and our sinful nature. Freedom from our desires for always wanting more and thinking that will leads us to contentment. Freedom from the longings of our flesh. And so, as Romans 5:2 states, " we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." For He alone can fill our hearts with lasting joy and lead our souls to a place of everlasting contentment. He alone is worthy of all our praise. Amen!
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