Getting It Right...

Recently, I’ve taken interest in the severity of different types of sin. I know many would say that some sins are worse than others, while more would say, “sin is sin.” Leaving that topic for another day, one sin often displayed throughout the Bible that I find most interesting is that of Pride. Easily recognizable then, it is still very prevalent in today’s world as well.

Proverbs 6:16-19 states, "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren."

This passage caught me a bit off-guard. Considering every offense that God detests and endures from His creation, the first on the list is pride.

As I’ve continued my daily Bible reading, the Old Testament refers to numerous kings who suffered from their inability to be humble. King Hezekiah (2 Kings), who I read about today, even after faithfully serving the Lord throughout his life fell prey to the consequences of pride. After showing the Babylonian visitors his abundance in wealth, his kingdom was eventually “ran-sacked” by the Babylonian Empire.

In the New Testament, pride is the sin that caused the Pharisees to reject Jesus, choosing rather to follow personal interests instead of Old Testament prophesies.

Think about this. How often does pride rear its ugly face during the course of our day? More often than not, I would bet we put ourselves in situations where pride controls what could be a promising situation.

Take some time to examine yourself, especially your heart. Take some notice as to how you react when criticized. Is your initial reaction anger and/or resentment or a willingness of acceptance and a desire to improve?

Truth is, we have influence over our reactions. Perhaps more so than we’d like to believe. With God’s help, our ability to control prideful behavior and actions becomes more promising. As God humbled himself for us, perhaps we should humble ourselves to His word(s).

* Some thoughts found within this post were shared by Sovereign Grace Bible Church.

Purpose In Prayer

I’ve once heard it said, “In the midst of uncertainty, God always remains certain.”

The Bible is full of situations and circumstances where individuals encounter varying levels of uncertainty. Some endured ridicule, others starvation, and many more the threat of injury or loss of life. What I find most interesting, is that when levels of uncertainty intrude upon our daily activities, we miss the opportunity to learn from biblical examples.

What’s the point? A frustrating truth that has taken hold within many Christian circles is the notion that God equals immediate prosperity. But biblically, that’s not always the case.

Moses and his time spent communicating with God, never physically entered the Promised Land. Job in all his faith was agonizingly tortured, Jeremiah beaten, Zechariah stoned, and even the disciples were ridiculed. Why? I believe to prove that prayer reveals God's plan for you...not necessarily your plan for you.

One important point I would like to make clear is that the action of prayer, though always offering an immediate response, does not always offer one that is agreeable to you. The purpose of living by faith is to improve our trust, most noticeably towards God’s opinion or plan. Through the act of prayer, God reveals himself more intimately, and his plan for our lives.

By living God’s will, many who faced difficulty have been blessed for their faith. No, not immediately but eternally and that’s the point. By living simply and following God, each was exalted. I believe the author of the book of Hebrews said it best when he remarked, “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking.” This is a pivotal statement when examining the value of prayer. Perhaps we should listen to what is being said, even if it’s not what we want to hear. Even better, perhaps we should follow.

Slapped In the Face...

It's not often that a person blatantly ignores God. Or is it?

This morning I read of a dream Solomon had while King of Israel. Having been made both wealthy and wise, he had flourished under the guidance of the Lord, yet still found a way to fail.

In the dream God praised Solomon for his service, but warned him of the harsh consequences should he choose to follow other gods. Simply put: follow the God, live well-worship other gods, lose lots.

A command told via dream that couldn't be questioned. An edict so simple, it couldn't be misunderstood. Yet, in the end it was ignored and the nation of Israel was punished through a series of unfortunate events.

Think about this: How often do you ignore a simple command that leads to a harsh consequence?

God Did What?

For the past week I've committed myself to reading the Bible daily. Though done numerous times, I have found this particular endeavor quite enjoyable. Reading familiar stories of Saul, David, and Solomon (you guessed it...I'm reading 2 Samuel) it's amazing how (though familiar) each story offers new insight.

The notion of God's forgiveness comes to mind. How often do we actually think about the fact that God forgives ALL sins? What's more, how often do we really appreciate God for his ACT of forgiveness?

Even well before the crucifixion, we see God's grace and mercy for his people. David alone could attest to this. Chosen to succeed Saul, David was blessed beyond imagination, but through one deceitful action (with Bathsheba) he suffered multiple consequences. Yet, God still continued to bless him post affair. Even more astounding was David's ability to recognize God's favor throughout (the good and bad.)

How often do we stop to see God working in our lives (even through the bad times)? Do we ever really think that God can take something bad and use it for good? Based on previous events I believe He can, after all He did with Solomon (David and Bathsheba's son).

Holding Your Breath...

It's truly amazing to witness growth (especially when it involves you.)

Recently I have been waiting for "something" to happen. Without any description, let's just say it is something I have prayed for awhile. In past years, I would have worried myself sick, wondering, waiting, trying to control (what is) an uncontrollable situation.

Besides biblical support, including wisdom gained from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and such, I attribute many of my lessons learned regarding patience and happiness to my lovely wife. Her ability to not only understand my feelings, but serve as a human voice for the Holy Spirit has been remarkable.

It's amazing that after six years of marriage, I can now say, "whatever happens-happens for a reason." Trust me, we all want things to go a certain way, but God has a better plan. Yes I will continue my wishful thinking, but I will also enjoy every step of my walk with the Lord too.

Question: Who has proven to be a "rock of stability" or a "calming voice" for you?

Special Day...

I'm going to jump off the (biblical) topics that have filled previous posts and reflect on what a wonderful day I had spent with my lovely wife.

As a teacher when faced with a long period of time off, its easy to get excited about the prospects with regards to things possible. However, with financial struggles facing so many, it's been easy for Lindsey and I to relate. With that in mind, our two loves unexpectedly collided, producing a wonderful day.

Lindsey's love of art and mine of driving, allowed us to experience a day of fun in the sun, resting and sitting at the beach. More wonderful, was that my wife got to paint the action at the beach.

It's a tremendous joy to see a loved one experience pure happiness. For my wife, fulfilling that is easy. Show her love through words and action. Today, I got to tell her I love her and show her the same. A day well spent and a true blessing for sure!

The Other Side of Damascus...

Today at church I had the privilege of listening to one of the best speakers I've heard with reference to ministry. Francis Chan, who my ears first encountered way back during my years at Biola, spoke via video message this morning from his home church of Cornerstone Community (Simi Valley).

The topic was simple, "God is strong." His purpose, to speak with reference to our perspective of God when dealing with "life". After listening to a multitude of people speak on similar topics in past, Chan's vivid description of this topic can be summarized in three valued points.

- Where is our focus? Too often we limit God's strength by our own definition of power. (Example: If we can't control it, God surely can't either.)
- Where is our faith? Similarly, we try to remove God's sovereignty from our daily lives, replacing it with the idea that WE are in control.
- Where is our confidence? Finally, we disable our ability to confront life's daily problems due to the fact that WE lack confidence in God's authority.

It's funny to sit and re-read these notes. As Christians, often times we feel like God's in control. Yet, when things get hard or distractions brew, the hypocrite in us says one of two things: "I got it God," or "How could you have let this happen God?"

One of the best quotes I've heard lately is Chan's reference to J. Vernon McGee (the well known Presbyterian minister) who once said, "This is God's universe, He does things His way. You may have a better way, but you don't have a universe."

Who are we to say, "I've got it God," or worse, "How could you have let this happen?" It's by His reason alone that we exist and it's by His will that we function. Where our foresight is limited, His remains limitless. Even when the immediate looks bleak, the possibilities for improvement always remain.

With that in mind, how can we be anything but STRONG IN OUR FAITH? Like Paul who embraced a life-altering event on the road to Damascus, I hope this message does the same.