AUGUST 31, 2016

“If we say, 'I believe in Jesus,' but it doesn't affect the way we live, the answer is not that now we need to add hard work to our faith so much as that we haven't truly understood or believed in Jesus at all.” 
― Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

PSALM 145-147

God's pleasure is not in our strength but in our devotion...

10His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

11the Lord delights in those who fear him,

who put their hope in his unfailing love. (Psalm 147:10-11)

1 CORINTHIANS 11:1-15

All authority rests in God...

11Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

JOURNAL 

Yesterday I had a definite aha moment. I was in a private plane flying back from a meeting and was discussing with the pilot the problems of flying at night. So apparently every human being has a tendency to feel that they are falling left of center. Supposedly anyone can stand in a dark room and close their eyes and invariably will begin to feel that they are leaning to the left. Because of this feeling, the response will be to overcorrect to the right.

This creates a big problem if flying at night with cloud cover over terrain with no visible lights. When this happens a pilot has to trust his instruments, however what gets them in trouble is when they choose their feelings over their instruments. If they refuse to trust their instruments then they will continue to try and correct by turning right and eventually they will turn right into a spin and then turn right into the earth.

Wow...is this not the dilemma I face every day of my life? When things get cloudy and dark I tend to trust my feelings more than God. When that happens I turn myself right into bigger problems.  God loves us and created us to rely on him...he is our instrument, he is our trusted source for direction, for safety in order to arrive at our ultimate destination. We were created with a tendency to feel as if we are left of center. We need God to keep us from panicking in order to stay the course. It makes so much sense that God created us to need him...it's not a shameful thing...it is a wonderful thing because it forces us to rely on him and when we rely on him we live as he intended.

4For the word of the Lord is right and true;

he is faithful in all he does.

5The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of his unfailing love.

PSALM 33:4-5

AUGUST 30, 2016

“You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping all the moral laws. If you do that, then you have “rights.” God owes you answered prayers, and a good life, and a ticket to heaven when you die. You don’t need a Savior who pardons you by free grace, for you are your own Savior.” 
― Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

PSALM 142-144

David declares that God knows him completely...

7Answer me quickly, Lord;

my spirit fails.

Do not hide your face from me

or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

8Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I entrust my life.

9Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,

for I hide myself in you.

10Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God;

may your good Spirit

lead me on level ground. (143:7-10)

1 CORINTHIANS 10:14-33

The believer is no longer concerned of himself but rather the good of others...

31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

JOURNAL 

Once we become believers our motivation is no longer ourselves, because we have been forgiven and redeemed. Our motivation becomes others. The objective becomes to share with others the same forgiveness and love that we have received. That is only true if we really have accepted and surrendered to God. If not then thinking and serving others makes absolutely no sense.

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.- 
1 JOHN 4:7-8

AUGUST 29, 2016

“Masculinity grows not out of conquering the woman, but only out of conquering the man—and not another man, as in war, but oneself.” 
― Gordon Dalbey, Healing the Masculine Soul: God's Restoration of Men to Real Manhood

PSALM 139-141

David declares that God knows him completely...

1You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

4Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

5You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain. (139:1-6)

1 CORINTHIANS 10:1-13

Paul is committed to God above all, God is his goal...

12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation^c has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^d beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^e he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

JOURNAL 

What is the temptation in my life? What is it that I must be careful of and that will serve to pull me away from trusting God. I don't know that it is one in particular but I do know that overall the temptation is to go my own way, seek immediate gratification and not be disciplined to God's wisdom and commands.

This rebellion is subtle and many times is not detected outwardly, because it is an inward struggle. It is my private war...

This weekend I saw the movie Greater. In this the brother of Brandon Burlsworth struggles with his faith and all the grappling questions that emerge in his mind after his brother dies.  Through it all he comes to find hope in "trust". The anchor of our relationship with God. For it is in the trusting that I am strengthened to face the tragedies and triumphs of life. It is in the trusting that I counter doubts. It is in the trusting that I find strength to continue on despite fear and anxiety.

The world guarantees me nothing, but God assures me that he will never leave me and will always give me the strength to conquer.

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- ROMANS 8:37-39

AUGUST 28, 2016

“When Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to the believers as “the Helper,” the text uses the Greek word paraclete, which, as John Sandford has explained, is an ancient warrior’s term. Greek soldiers went to battle in pairs, so when the enemy attacked they could draw together back to back, covering each other’s blind side. Your battle partner was called your paraclete.6” 
― Gordon Dalbey, Healing the Masculine Soul: God's Restoration of Men to Real Manhood

PSALM 136-138

His love endures forever...

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

2Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

4to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.

5who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.

6who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.

7who made the great lights— His love endures forever.

8the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.

9the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever. (136:1-9)

1 CORINTHIANS 9

Paul is committed to God above all, God is his goal...

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

JOURNAL 

A thought came over me yesterday and then this morning. The gift of life is such a trivial thing to me and it is such a shame that I don't live in absolute wonder at my life. I don't mean from the worldly perspective...I mean simply from the reality that I have life, that I have a functioning body and a mind and an ability to think, contemplate and create. That is an amazing gift. That in and of itself is a miracle. Yet more often than not I dismiss this, more often than not I take all that for granted.

In taking it for granted, my mind wanders and drifts to things I don't have, ways I don't measure up, comparing and contrasting my life to others. While this ability is one of the gifts of being human, it actually can become a curse. Instead of using this ability to serve God and in obedience to him...it becomes a means by which I degrade myself and my life. It becomes a measuring stick that serves to shame me instead of encouraging me.

Here though is where God saves me. His word and scripture assure me that he loves me, will never leave me, forgives me and has gone to death to save me from myself. What a miracle, what comfort and joy.

I can rest in this because you have given me a spirit that calms my mind, that assures my worries and my anxiety. Thank you Father for life, for your word, for your spirit and for stripping away all the doubts, and pulling me close to your heart.

23Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25“All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - JOHN 14:23-27

AUGUST 27, 2016

“If we are deeply moved by the sight of his love for us, it detaches our hearts from other would-be saviors.” 
― Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters

PSALM 132-135

God desires brotherhood...

1How good and pleasant it is

when God’s people live together in unity!

2It is like precious oil poured on the head,

running down on the beard,

running down on Aaron’s beard,

down on the collar of his robe.

3It is as if the dew of Hermon

were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing,

even life forevermore.( 133 )

1 CORINTHIANS 8

Love is superior to knowledge...

We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3But whoever loves God is known by God.^a

JOURNAL 

In all things love is the answer of God. Love is God's calling card, it is his chief defining characteristic. In all things throughout the Bible it is God's love that comes through in the end. Not his anger or his wrath...but his love.

When I think about this in my own life, I can see God moving and working but I can also see other things...fear, jealousy, anger, greed, sloth. It is in these things that brotherhood is sacrificed. It is here that I must repent. It is here that I surrender my pride and renew my hope in God and his love.

I am realizing more and more that love is given through intentional actions. Many times it is in the little things...not the big public ones. Putting my phone down to really listen to my boys. Turning the TV off and reaching out to someone. Getting off the couch and exercising and experiencing God's creation. Resisting the urge to wallow in self-pity and instead giving in sacrificial ways. This is when I feel God the closest...this is when his presence overwhelms me.

Father forgive me for my arrogance and selfishness and laziness. Forgive all the ways that I have run from you and then tried to justify myself and my actions. I realize that I have sought refuge in other people and things rather than in you. You are the one true God and obeying you is the only thing that will soothe my anxious soul.

9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10

AUGUST 26, 2016

“It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?” 
― Henry David Thoreau, Letters to Various Persons

PSALM 128-131

David tempers his ambition...

1My heart is not proud, Lord,

my eyes are not haughty;

I do not concern myself with great matters

or things too wonderful for me.

2But I have calmed and quieted myself,

I am like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child I am content. (131:1-2)

1 CORINTHIANS 7:25-40

Paul gives an opinion and clarifies that this is not a command from God...

 I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

JOURNAL 

Paul is writing from a place of being completely sold out to his mission. In this his only concern is to complete his mission in total devotion. This is why he makes it clear that these commands are suggestions from his own perspective.

Soldiers in the midst of battle have completely sold out to their mission. They have to be or else they will cower, run, freeze or act irrationally. This does not happen overnight...it is months of training and breaking and wearing down their dependence on modern life. They also have to let go of any delusions of grandeur and be committed to following orders and completing the mission.

Here is the amazing thing about God and how each of us are weaved into the story. We each play a part, we each have a role...a role we were designed for and one that once embraced gives us a passion and purpose. This passion and purpose is what ultimately gives us joy, hope, endurance, courage and the perseverance to walk through the fires of life in a way that honors God. But in order to get this, understand it and fully embrace it...we have to be sold out to God and his story.

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whoⁱ have been called according to his purpose. - ROMANS 8:28

AUGUST 25, 2016

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” 
― Shannon L. Alder

PSALM 124-127

God secures us...

1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,

which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the Lord surrounds his people

both now and forevermore. (125:1-2)

1 CORINTHIANS 7:1-24

Paul commands the Corinthians to not look to anything outside of faith for joy...

21Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

JOURNAL 

This morning listening to soundtracks and it just reminds me how much I love movies. The reality is that I just love stories and the journey of he human heart. The drama that fills movie screens is the same that plays out in the hearts and minds of every human who has ever lived.  It is what connects us all. It is what brings about strong emotions and millions and people flocking to theaters to watch it play out.

All movies fall more or less into the same theme...Things were good, then they turned bad, an unlikely hero was called and through his sacrifice the day was saved. That is the story and that is the story of our faith and the human condition.

It is what God uses to bring us together. It is what he uses to draw us to each other in love and sacrifice. Story brings understanding and connection. Jesus used it to help us understand God, his mission and our place in the bigger story.

I wish I could have a soundtrack playing in my head all the time. When I am connected to a story and understand my place, I tend to have much more courage. I am more focused and am able to make better decisions. I wonder in some way if this is why God continues to call us into story and his story that he is telling. The question is how do we find our place? How do I know and embrace my place in the story God is telling? I think it comes in the following ways...

1. Realize and embrace that I am part of God's story
2. Believe that the story is good
3. Accept that God loves me and that I am a valuable part of the story
4. Embrace the gifts and talents that I possess 
5. Receive the call to go on mission
6. Surrender to the call
7. Live the rest of my life devoted to the story and my place in it. 

6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” - DEUTERONOMY 31:6

AUGUST 24, 2016

Started out this morning

In the usual way

Chasing thoughts inside my head

Of all I had to do today

Another time around the circle

Try to make it better than the last

I opened up the Bible

And I read about me

Said, I'd been a prisoner

And God's grace had set me free

And somewhere between the pages

It hit me like a lightning bolt

I saw a big frontier in front of me

And I heard somebody say, "Let's go"

Saddle up your horses

We've got a trail to blaze

Through the wild blue yonder

Of God's amazing grace

Let's follow our Leader

Into the glorious unknown

This is a life like no other

This is the great adventure

- Steven Curtis Chapman

PSALM 120-123

God is our everything...

1I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

2My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth. (121:1-2)

1 CORINTHIANS 6

Paul makes the point that we cannot be partly surrendered to God...

 19Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

JOURNAL 

"Night and the spirit of life calling...

And the voice with the fear of a child answers...

Wait, there's no mountain too great

Hear these words and have faith

Have faith

He lives in you, he lives in me

He watches over everything we see

Into the waters, into the truth
In your reflection, he lives in you"

I absolutely love "The Lion King". The movie, the play, the soundtrack. It is one of my secret obsessions. I connect with the story on so many levels and as a result the soundtrack has a way of undoing me emotionally...especially the tract from the play "He lives in you".  I think it's because there are many times when I have experienced and felt the safety and warmth of God's spirit in the midst of circumstances that threatened to undo me.  To feel and know that "he lives in me" has calmed some of the stormiest seas in my mind and heart.

This morning was one of those...I don't have an explanation for why but I woke up this morning with a strong feeling of discontent. Something felt off...I have these moments every so often. It is like everything seems trivial and disconnected and purposeless. It feels as if I am adrift in an ocean of confusion. It feels lost.

It is in these moments that I question my faith the most. It is in these moments when my very existence seems to not matter. It is as if I am just a meaningless grain of sand, that really doesn't matter and that is not needed.  It is easy to get lost in this space...especially when it's dark outside, everyone is still asleep, and I am all alone in my thoughts.

Here though is the miracle of God. Again as always, in these moments and these feelings of meaninglessness he shows up.  I remembered the verses and the songs and the moments of connection and I was brought back into his love. The spirit of God truly defies explanation, it is mysterious in it's movements and it's arrival always surprises me and leaves me unable to explain it's existence. The calm that comes over me when I dwell on his acceptance, love and power is priceless. It is greater than anything of this world.

6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” - DEUTERONOMY 31:6