We all know that in this sin-fallen world trouble is bound to find us. Yet, when it does, knowing that does not make us feel any better does it?
You watch as the floor of our financial market appears to fall out and you here your future retirement funds saying, "bye, bye." You watch everybody else get their power back on while yours stays off. Somebody rams you in the rear end and puts your car in the shop. A loved dies unexpectedly. A friendship is on the rocks. Do I need to go on? Of course not, we are all familiar with trouble.
So, what words do I have that will change your life in the face of trouble? I have none to offer of my own. But what I do have to offer is better. This week I read a promise from God's word that I have been holding onto. It is real to life and yet it presents great hope. Psalm 137:8 says, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life."
Is trouble real? yes. Will you and I walk through our share of trouble in this life? Yes. Does trouble have to destroy me? No. Does trouble have to have the final say in my life? No.
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you, O, Lord, preserve my life." Are you in the midst of trouble? Why not take a moment right now to meditate on that sentence? Repeat it over and over in your head. Say it out loud. Then ask Jesus to show up and reveal anything he especially wants you to hear from him about your trouble and his power.
I am praying for you. Any trouble I can pray specifically about with you?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
"And the Wind Blew"
So, how are you doing during "Storm aftermath day 3"? I hope you are well. You have been prayed for and the offer for help from your church family still stands.
The force of the winds on Sunday were pretty incredible. Not realizing how bad it would get, around 2 PM, Kimberly said, "Let's go get ice cream." It seemed that every mile we drove the worst the winds became. We finally made it to the ice cream shop and while we were paying for our order, the wind blew the front door off the store and shattered it on the concrete. At that point I looked at Kimberly and said, "What are we doing out here?" (Of course, we finished our ice cream. I figured if we were going to die, I could think of no better way than spending my final moments with the ones I love eating black raspberry chip ice cream with whip cream on top :-) Of course, that was just the beginning of the winds and the damage it left in its aftermath is still being dealt with by many and probably many of you...debris to be cleaned up, damage to property to be repaired, power to be restored. I just heard that one area may not have power for 5-6 weeks. The wind has come and gone, but its effect will not be forgotten for some time.
As I think about our wind I am reminded that the Bible looks to the wind as an illustration for spiritual truths, such as the following:
Jesus says in Matthew 3:5-8,"I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit to spirit. You should not be surprised by this saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." The wind may be invisible, but its effect is powerful. The same is true with the Spirit of God. You may not be able to see it, but what he can do in a person's life is nothing less than powerfully miraculous. Have you been born of the Spirit? Have you received Jesus as the Forgiver of your Sins and Leader of your life? If so, then you will see his work blowing through you.
Ephesians 4:14, "Then we will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." On Sunday some trees swayed with the wind and other trees broke under it. What kind of follower of Christ are you? Spiritual infants are easily blown by every wind that comes along. This section of Scripture goes on to urge us to grow up in our faith so that even if we are shaken we will not be broken.
Ecclesiastes 2:11, "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." These words are written by a man who had it all according to human standards, but reviewed his life and found that all that he had was worth little more than wind in his hands. Am I chasing after anything more?
I do not know what the wind has done to you, but my prayer is that even today, in this moment, you and I would make room in our day for God to blow his Spirit afresh in and through us.
The force of the winds on Sunday were pretty incredible. Not realizing how bad it would get, around 2 PM, Kimberly said, "Let's go get ice cream." It seemed that every mile we drove the worst the winds became. We finally made it to the ice cream shop and while we were paying for our order, the wind blew the front door off the store and shattered it on the concrete. At that point I looked at Kimberly and said, "What are we doing out here?" (Of course, we finished our ice cream. I figured if we were going to die, I could think of no better way than spending my final moments with the ones I love eating black raspberry chip ice cream with whip cream on top :-) Of course, that was just the beginning of the winds and the damage it left in its aftermath is still being dealt with by many and probably many of you...debris to be cleaned up, damage to property to be repaired, power to be restored. I just heard that one area may not have power for 5-6 weeks. The wind has come and gone, but its effect will not be forgotten for some time.
As I think about our wind I am reminded that the Bible looks to the wind as an illustration for spiritual truths, such as the following:
Jesus says in Matthew 3:5-8,"I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit to spirit. You should not be surprised by this saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." The wind may be invisible, but its effect is powerful. The same is true with the Spirit of God. You may not be able to see it, but what he can do in a person's life is nothing less than powerfully miraculous. Have you been born of the Spirit? Have you received Jesus as the Forgiver of your Sins and Leader of your life? If so, then you will see his work blowing through you.
Ephesians 4:14, "Then we will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." On Sunday some trees swayed with the wind and other trees broke under it. What kind of follower of Christ are you? Spiritual infants are easily blown by every wind that comes along. This section of Scripture goes on to urge us to grow up in our faith so that even if we are shaken we will not be broken.
Ecclesiastes 2:11, "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." These words are written by a man who had it all according to human standards, but reviewed his life and found that all that he had was worth little more than wind in his hands. Am I chasing after anything more?
I do not know what the wind has done to you, but my prayer is that even today, in this moment, you and I would make room in our day for God to blow his Spirit afresh in and through us.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
As Is
If you have ever shopped for a car on a used car lot, you have probably seen a sign in the window that says, "As Is". It is the dealers way of reminding us that the car we are looking at is used not new. Used means the warranty has most likely expired and that wear and tear has occurred. It does not mean that it is not still a good car, but it does mean it is not a new car and therefore we should not expect it to be new. If we are going to buy it, then we must accept it, "As Is"...if it has a scratch on the hood, then we must accept it as is...if it has a stain on the floor and we buy it will still have the stain on the floor when we drive it out of the lot. If we drive it for two weeks and the check engine light comes on, then remember you bought it "as is."
I was talking with someone this week who was sharing that recently they have been dealing with some inner issues from their past that have been stirred up in their present. While the person is letting God work in this area of their life, they said they also are trying to let God love them even before he "fixes" them. The person said letting God do that is just as hard as letting God bring about transformation.
I can relate to that. It is easy for me to understand how God can love me after he has fixed some broken part of my life, but it is hard for me to accept that God can love me before I am fixed. However, that is exactly what God does. Whether you and I accept it or not, he loves us "AS IS"...scratches, dents and all. Who you are right now, is who God loves. Romans 5: 8 says, "God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." What's that say? It says, God looked at you and me and saw the "AS IS" sign on us and all that it means and in response he said, "I'll take him...I'll take her...As Is." And with the blood of his only Son he purchased us abundant life through Christ now and Forever. The only question left is, will we let Christ love us "as is." Will we fall into his arms and say, "Here I am...this is me...the good, the bad and the ugly," and let him loves us just as we are right now; trusting fully in his love and not in what we could ever do to try to earn it? To all who will receive this love, he freely gives it. It is a love that is like no other...Pure, free, amazing, unconditional love.
And once we let him love us "as is" and we think it can't get any better...it gets even better. God loves "as is", but loves us too much to leave us that way...day by day, year by year until we die he heals, frees, cleanses, transforms us from the inside out shaping us into the beautiful image of Christ. Get to know Jesus and you find there is no limit to his love...it just keeps getting better and better!
O, one more thing...since God loves you "as is" who has he put in your life that he is asking you to love "as is" for him?
I was talking with someone this week who was sharing that recently they have been dealing with some inner issues from their past that have been stirred up in their present. While the person is letting God work in this area of their life, they said they also are trying to let God love them even before he "fixes" them. The person said letting God do that is just as hard as letting God bring about transformation.
I can relate to that. It is easy for me to understand how God can love me after he has fixed some broken part of my life, but it is hard for me to accept that God can love me before I am fixed. However, that is exactly what God does. Whether you and I accept it or not, he loves us "AS IS"...scratches, dents and all. Who you are right now, is who God loves. Romans 5: 8 says, "God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." What's that say? It says, God looked at you and me and saw the "AS IS" sign on us and all that it means and in response he said, "I'll take him...I'll take her...As Is." And with the blood of his only Son he purchased us abundant life through Christ now and Forever. The only question left is, will we let Christ love us "as is." Will we fall into his arms and say, "Here I am...this is me...the good, the bad and the ugly," and let him loves us just as we are right now; trusting fully in his love and not in what we could ever do to try to earn it? To all who will receive this love, he freely gives it. It is a love that is like no other...Pure, free, amazing, unconditional love.
And once we let him love us "as is" and we think it can't get any better...it gets even better. God loves "as is", but loves us too much to leave us that way...day by day, year by year until we die he heals, frees, cleanses, transforms us from the inside out shaping us into the beautiful image of Christ. Get to know Jesus and you find there is no limit to his love...it just keeps getting better and better!
O, one more thing...since God loves you "as is" who has he put in your life that he is asking you to love "as is" for him?
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