December 31, 2011

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore since we are surrounded  by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

I promise I am not hand selecting these Blackaby readings to complement the big days on the calendar.

December 25-- I had not planned on a Christmas-oriented post.  God said otherwise.

December 31--I was going to resist the natural old year/new year December 31 communique.  Why do I even bother to predetermine what I will write about?  The Holy Spirit  keeps meddling.

I cannot think of a more appropriate December 31 verse that Hebrews 12:1.  As Christians this is the perfect opportunity to examine those things in our lives that are displeasing to God, disobedient to His Word and disappointing to His heart.

So many resolutions made.  So many resolutions failed.

I wonder if we were more honest in naming our faults, we might take them more seriously.

Smoking- habit or sin?  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Overeating- lack of self-discipline or sin?  1 Corinthians 10:13

Questionable internet sites- harmless diversion or sin?  Matthew 5:28

Underreporting income- working the system or sin?  Mark 12:17

I believe we would increase our level of conviction and therefore confession/repentance if we labeled our "bad habits", "mistakes" and "weaknesses" as God labels them- SIN.

As we move into a new year, let's get gut-level honest with ourselves and invite the Holy Spirit to kick our britches with conviction and "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles."  We cannot do this alone, but through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit "everything is possible for one who believes." Mark 9:23

No temptation has overtaken you but 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.  Hebrews 10:13

2011- Done      2012- Beginning  

What changes in my life will I allow the Holy Spirit to make this year?

December 30, 2011

Mark 1:36 Simon and his companions went to look for him (Jesus). . .
Matthew 26:58 But Peter followed him (Jesus) at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. . .
Luke 24:12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.
John 21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"  As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
Matthew 14:29 . . .Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on water and came toward the Lord.

It seems all to often the foibles and warts of Peter are highlighted.  His impetuousness.  His ill-timed comments.  His betrayal.  And yes, we can learn a lot from these stories, but I think a greater lesson is in store when Peter's constant desire to be with Christ is examined.

Blackaby uses the verses listed above to illustrate Peter's near obsession to be with Jesus.

In the verse from Mark, Jesus' morning quiet time is interrupted because Peter leads a group of disciples to search Jesus out.

In Matthew 26, Peter follows Jesus right up to the mouth of the lion in order to be near his Lord.

Luke recounts the story where the others disbelieved those who had returned from the Christ's empty tomb.  But ever-seeking Peter "RUNS" to the tomb.

In John, Peter jumps out of a boat to swim to Christ.  In Matthew, we find Peter literally walking on water in the middle of a storm to be with Jesus.

How strong is my desire to be with Christ?  How does my morning time of 15-30 minutes stack up against Peter's Christ-obsession?

I know that the Christian life is one of growth.  Satan loves to discourage believers by encouraging us to compare ourselves to others.  But I also believe that Satan loves complacency just as much.

Yes, Peter has set the bar very high in his desire to be with Jesus.  Yes, I realize I may never attain that level of zeal to be with God.  But why set my sights on a lesser example?  God inspired these examples of Peter's Christ-obsession to be recorded for a reason.

"All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be equipped for every good work."  2 Timothy 3:16-17

I cannot think of a better New Year's resolution than to allow the Holy Spirit to magnify by many times my desire to spend time with God.

December 26, 2011

Luke 24:32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scripture to us?"

Blackaby uses this verse to point out that although the living, breathing Jesus does not walk among us today, spending time in the Word can give us that same connection to the Heavenly Father.  However, it must be more than a mechanical, gotta' get this read exercise.  Time in the Word must be earnest, purposeful, distraction-free and consistent.

What I gleaned from the the 24th chapter of Luke was "two of them (followers of Christ) were talking about everything that had happened.  As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them."

I did not do an exhaustive search, but if memory serves me correctly, none of Jesus' post-crucifixion appearances happened to an individual who was alone.  Jesus appeared to groups of believers who were gathered together.  They were together praying, discussing, fellowshipping.

An hour of small group on Sunday mornings with time constraints and prescribed lesson plans do not allow for that type of spirit-led, seeker types of conversations.  I wonder how many Jesus visits are lost each week because of our current church design.

Where did we lose that type of church structure?  Has it ever existed outside of the 1st century church?  Could something like this be a grassroots movement within a megachurch?

Were it not for my breakfast conversations with my father, I would have few or no "road to Emmaus conversations."

Interesting how time with God will often lead to more questions than answers.

December 25, 2011

When I sit down this morning to make this blog entry, I said to myself, "Self, resist the urge to write something Christmassy."  Sermons, blogs, emails, etc. have saturated the season with retellings, summarizations, wonderings and postulations concerning the birth of Jesus.  My thoughts were:  1.  There is nothing I can write that has not already been put out there many times over.  2.  Go against the flow.  Be that salmon and swim against the Yuletide.

But the Holy Spirit had other plans for me.

Today's verses from Blackaby's book come from John.

John 21:20-21  Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. . . When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

Chapter 21 takes place after Jesus' resurrection.  He is bringing Peter back into the fold after Peter's trifecta denial of Jesus during the trial and crucifixion.  Jesus is presenting Peter with the awesome privilege and responsibility of taking care of the fledgling Christian church.  Jesus is even giving Peter a veiled prediction of Peter's death.  One would think that a person would be completely engrossed in such a conversation, especially with a person who had just risen from the dead and was the Son of God.

Oh, Peter, my boy.  How human you were.  Rather falling at Jesus' feet in praise, thanksgiving and adoration or at the very least asking some probing questions, Peter starts to worry about another disciple.  Peter's concern and attention were so easily drawn away from the Lord.

Have I allowed my eyes to be drawn away from the Christ child during this holiday season?  Has Madison Avenue replaced the manger?  Has wrapping paper replaced swaddling clothes?  Have gift cards replaced gold, frankincense and myrrh?  I would like to be able to answer those questions with a resounding, "No!" But like Peter, my attention is so easily drawn away from the Christ child.  The good news is, that also like Peter, God continues to forgive and receive me back.

May this Christmas day be about Christ and His love for each of us.

December 23, 2011

Acts 26:19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven."  In this scene, Paul is defending himself before the Romans.  (Interesting note:  King Agrippa was the last of the Herrodian kings whose lineage could be traced back to King Herod.  We know that it was King Herod that tired to kill baby Jesus by ordering the death of many babies.  Matthew 2:16   Now Paul, who is spreading the faith, is testifying before a relative of Herod.  Herod- dead.  Agrippa- dead.  Christ- still living!)

Paul is being accused of many serious things by the Jews.  He knows his life is at stake.  (Acts 25:10-11)  


Paul addresses the charges against him brought by the Jews in Acts 26.  He takes the Festus and Agrippa on a journey through his life as persecuter turned preacher, but the foundation of his defense is "I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven."

Oh that we all could say that with such confidence.  "I was not disobedient."

It's time for the "but monkeys". . .  

"But I did not have a vision."  Bull pucky!  The Bible illustrates and the Holy Spirit convicts.  We know when we are disobedient.

"But in today's society it is much harder to live an obedient life."  REALLY!  Paul turned his back on his entire lifestyle in just three days and became obedient to the point of persecution and death.  (Acts 9)

"But you don't know how hateful and unfriendly the people at work are toward me."  Boo-hoo.  Any of them turned you over to the authorities in hopes you would be killed?  (Acts 22)

If we (and I most certainly include "me" in that "we") are gut-level honest, our disobedience is a result of our laziness, pride, arrogance and selfishness.  No reasons for disobedience.  Excuses, yes.  Reasons, no.

However, there is hope.  Bible study, meditation and unceasing prayer will greatly decrease those instances of disobedience in our lives.

Please pray that my disobedience will decrease as my obedience increases.

December 14, 2011

Ezekiel 22:30  "I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one."

When I read this verse I sense that God was hoping for a bold prayer warrior.  Someone who would hold God to his promises.  A confident Israelite with just a touch of reverent confrontation.  At the very least a very insistent intercessor. There are fine lines between arrogant demanding from God, milk toast weak puny prayers and confident assertiveness.  I think I too often fall on the milk toast end of the spectrum.  I ask, but don't expect.  I pray, but don't look with anticipation for the answer to prayer.

I wonder if most 4 year-olds have more confidence in Santa bringing a Lego set than Christians have in God's answering prayers.

Why don't we pray with more confidence?  Blackaby offers these possible answers:
1.  We don't really believe God will answer our prayers.
2.  We believe our human efforts will garner more results that prayer.
3.  We don't see quick answers so we get discouraged and give up.

BUT each of these excuses is refuted in Scripture.
1.  John 14:13   "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."
2.  John 15:5   "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
3.  1 Corinthians 3:6  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

As Christians we can go confidently (yet reverently and humbly) before the throne with our requests and fully expect our Loving Father to listen to and answer our prayers.

December 12, 2011

Gonna' try something different on the blog.  I had a minor epiphany at Sunday School yesterday.

One of the verses from yesterday's lesson was James 5:17-18   17 Elijah was a human being even as we are.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

I began to imagine what Elijah's prayer life must have looked like.  The intensity was awesome.  The time incalculable.  The passion unimaginable.  Countless hours on his knees.  Rivers of tears shed.

If I get in two 7-minute snooze button prayer times each morning, I consider myself prayed up for the day. How laughable.  How ineffective.

Kristi and I talked about this some on the ride home Sunday morning.  She mentioned that two 7-snooze button prayer times were better than nothing at all.  I agree to a point.  The danger is with that type of praying is I can start to feel complacent.  Holy.  Righteous.  (Make that self-righteous.)

Rain-stopping prayer comes from hours in the prayer closet.  Knees raw from kneeling.  Drops of sweat staining the pages of the Holy Bible.

With that in mind, my morning times will be spent in prayer, meditation and Bible reading.  My father has cautioned me about blogging during my quiet times.  He is right.  An insight becomes a link, a blog entry, a downloaded You Tube.  Soon I am out of time and heading out the door to work.  The still, small voice quickly forgotten in my rush to post.

Evening will be for posting.  Mornings for prayer and just basking in the presence of my Heavenly Father's love.

I humbly ask for prayer from everyone who ventures onto this blog that I will strive to become an Elijah.  I may never be a rain-stopper, but what a goal to work toward.

December 9, 2011

Hebrews 5:7-8  During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Son, though he was, he learned obedience through what he suffered. . .

Hearing and saying, "yes" are two different things.

In a recent Sunday School lesson several verses from the fifth chapter of James that seemed to suggest pray with enough faith and it will be yours were discussed.  Today's verses from Hebrews are the "yeah-that-ain't-gonna'-happen" response to such theology.  If God's son, Jesus, had even one of his requests denied, what right to we have to expect that everyone of our prayer requests will be answered?

Regardless of our level of faith, there will be times when God, in order to accomplish a far greater good, will refuse to grant my requests.

This is one of those "head" knowledge items of Christian theology, but when faced with a child's death, the loss of a job or other catastrophic life event, it is really put to the test in a believer's life.  Recognition does not equal belief.

Hebrews 5:10 states that (Jesus) was "designated to be a high priest in the order of Melchizedec".  Huh?

Have a glorious Friday and even better weekend!

December 8, 2011

John 6:65  He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them."

Blackaby writes about this verse, "You do not seek quiet times with God in order to experience Him.  The fact that He has brought you to a place of fellowship with Him is evidence that you are already sensing His activity."

My mind is having a hard time focusing on anything this morning.  I believe I will sign off and just sit alone with God for a while.

December 7, 2011

John 1:38b-39 They said "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), where are you staying?"
                      "Come," he replied, "and you will see."

Scripture goes on to tell us that Andrew and Simon went on to spend the day with Jesus.  What rush that must have been!  A private audience with the Creator of the Universe.  Q & A with the Lamb of God.  Jesus' undivided attention for a whole day.  How lucky were Andrew and Simon Peter.

Hold the phone!  I have the same opportunity as Andrew and Peter.  God is just as accessible to me as he was to the disciples of yesteryear.  I too can have a private audience with the Creator of the Universe.  Q & A with the Lamb of God?  A daily privilege for all believers.  It is not luck.  It is not mere happenstance.  Our access to God was a carefully orchestrated plan implemented by God through his Son devised just for me.  It is only my lack of accessibility and self-discipline that keeps me from having the same closeness and time with God that the 12 had for three years.

Blackaby points out that Andrew and Peter's time with God started out in a room, but soon moved to the streets and hillsides of Israel.  They put shoe leather to their faith.  The effective Christian life (I believe the pleasing-to-God Christian life) is one of action, not just study.  Hands of service have to accompany hearts of love and heads of knowledge.

How would you use my hands to day, Lord Jesus?

December 6, 2011

John 8:32  "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

How oft quoted is today's verse.  From Hollywood preachers shouting it from a sound stage pulpit to the punchline of a joke told by a workroom comedian, this verse is used and misused so often is has become easy to disregard it as a foundational truth of Christianity.

Many people, both Christians and nonChristians, alike view Christianity as a list of "do's" and "don't's".  Time requirements.  Morality clauses.  Tithing percentages.  Activity determiners.  I confess to living much of my Christian life under these self-imposed requirements.  Those were joyless, unproductive, empty years of Christian service.

In reality God's word is a freedom giver.  It is only through claiming Philippians 4:6-7 have I been able to stop losing sleep from worry.  Ephesians 5:25-27 has shown me how to love Kristi in a way never humanly possible.  James 4:7-8 has taught me that I do have the power, through God, to live a life free from constant sin.  The ultimate freedom is freedom from an eternity separated from God; and the Truth is the ONLY provider of this freedom.

It is only through recognizing and claiming God's truths for my own have I been truly set free.

December 2, 2011

John 17: 25-26   "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.  I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Not once in his book so far has Blackaby written about anything a Christian needs "to do".  No suggested minutes of quiet time each day.  No read-the-Bible-through-in-a-year plan.  Not even a "sacrificial giving" entry.  Even today's verses which talk about love, does not turn into a reading about how we are to love others.

Before we teach Sunday School.  Before we write the monthly tithe check.  Even before we can love others, a person must know, really know the depth and passion of God's love for him.  Until we acknowledge, accept and rejoice in the how much God loves each of one of us individually, Blackaby contends we cannot minister to, forgive or love others in a manner pleasing to God.

Fascinating that my relationship with God hinges not on my loving him, but on recognizing how much he loves me.  Then will I be motivated to spend time with him.  Then will I want to gather together with other believers.  Then will I want to serve him with all my heart, soul and mind.

Father, during the quiet times in the mornings and hectic times throughout the day, please sharpen my awareness of how great your love is for me.

December 1, 2011

John 17:17-18   17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you have sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

God prepares before he sends.  That is the lesson Blackaby teaches from today's verse.  He references several verses where the disciples were challenged, chastised or rebuked by Jesus as part of the sanctification process.

Blackaby also reminds readers that these disciples were just men like us with an array of human foibles.  Peter- temper.  James and John- pride.  Matthew- lack of business integrity.  Yet, Jesus loved, corrected, encouraged and eventually used these and others like them to change the world.

I have a past that would rival the shortcomings of the worst of the 12.  (Yes, even Judas, for my thoughts and actions have betrayed Christ to the world on countless occasions for much less than 30 pieces of silver.)  It is easy for me to allow Satan to use those lost years to create doubt in my mind as to my present usefulness in Kingdom work.  "Yet, there is no freedom that compares to a soul set free by God's grace." p. 21 Blackaby  What a powerful statement!  When those doubts start to creep in, claiming my God-given freedom from and forgiveness from sin can and will drive away those feelings of worthlessness and remind me I am sanctified, justified and will, one day, be glorified all because of the redemptive power of Christ's blood that was shed for me at Calvary.  Praise God!