JUNE 10, 2023

   "Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four Cs. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.” 

― Walt Disney Company

2 CHRONICLES 32-33

6He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: 7“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. (32:6-8)

JOHN 18:24-40

33Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

JOURNAL 

The blindness and hatred of the Pharisees seem so twisted and extreme. I think it is because I don't want to believe that I could do the same thing. Yet my DNA will confirm otherwise...for every saint that is in my ancestry so exists an evil murderer. None of us can ever escape that reality. It is precisely why Jesus commands us to take the plank out of our own eye before we remove the speck from another's. 

Reading through the old testament it is almost comical the flip-flop of devotion from one king to the next. Great Father's end up sometimes producing terrible sons and likewise terrible father's end up sometimes producing great sons. The only consistent pattern is that those that were obedient to God, were blessed by God, not always in wealth or position or even in long life, but I assume in the peace that they have in serving God. With this also comes the peace of conviction and knowing that they have worked their heart out in obedience and service to the creator.

I think that on this earth that and that alone is my only safe hope. Be content in God's love for me, be passionate in my obedience and seek to find joy and goodness in whatever circumstances I find myself.  It's not the circumstances or the rewards but the peace of mind and heart. That specifically comes when I only really concern myself with today. Live and work and live today and if God gives me another day tomorrow then do the same then. Work my heart out in whatever capacity God allows me to work. Find joy in the small blessings and love fully without reservation, this is the prescription for a great life...no matter whether rich or poor, in sickness or health, in good times and bad. 

22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 

COLOSSIANS 3:22-23

JUNE 9, 2023

 “Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

2 CHRONICLES 29-31

20This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. (31:20-21)

JOHN 18:1-23

15Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

18It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

JOURNAL 

Hezekiah goes above and beyond and restores all traditions of sacrifice and worship. He doesn't do it halfway, he does it completely, just as it was done in David and Solomon's time. As a result the whole kingdom repents and begins to diligently follow God. He takes action and he leads the action. 

Jesus is arrested and tried before Pilate. Peter follows and then denies his association with Jesus. Again here is an example of actions not following intentions. There is no doubt that Peter loves Jesus and believes in him, yet when Peter is alone and everything he believes is questioned, he folds like a paper doll. 

To follow Jesus involves actual physical life change and life change must include persistent diligent action. It's not something that exists just in the mind, it must play out physically in our lives. It's hard and many times is not something we "want" to do. Often I find that the circumstances in which I find myself tempt me to alter my course and betray my deepest convictions. It is a constant moment by moment battle. Which is why it is vital to daily get up and surrender my life to God. Even though doing so is often against the grain of the world and therefore against the grain of my emotions, my desires, my thoughts...yet when I do it and do it consistently, I receive a peace that truly is "beyond understanding". A peace which doesn't make sense, but gives me the fortitude to move forward...

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you^a free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^b God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.^c And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

ROMANS 8:1-4

JUNE 8, 2023

  "I don't know when we all bought into the idea that in order to change you must "feel" eager or "feel" motivated to act. It's complete garbage. The moment it's time to assert yourself, you will not feel motivated. In fact, you won't feel like doing anything at all."

-Mel Robbins 

2 CHRONICLES 26-28

3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear^b of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success. (26:3-5)....16But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.(26:16)

6Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.(27:6)

22In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. 23He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. (28:22-23)

JOHN 17

20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you^e 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.”

JOURNAL 

In these few verses...it is clear...seek God, follow and obey him and God will bless you with a purposeful, meaningful life and will use you to accomplish his purposes. This is the source of true confidence and true courage. However, disobey, ignore, become conceited and go your own way and a downfall will be certain.

I also see this in Jesus' last prayer before he is arrested. Power comes through God...from following and God's spirit residing within. It has nothing to do with inspiration. Jesus felt anguish and despair and yet he persisted.  Far too often I rely on emotion and feelings and try to find feelings of contentment, peace and joy. However the reality is that these only truly come when I am residing in a place of peace with God and walking in step with him. Circumstances or things can never give me that peace. It only comes from being one in heart with God. That comes through action...not through thought. Feelings betray and often will lead me to delay, procrastinate and ignore God's direction. Action rooted in God's direction through prayer and study of God's word is the only true place of peace. 

What is confusing is that some actions lead to circumstances that fill me with moments of peace and contentment...but the reality is that peace and contentment is still entirely from God...not from the situation or circumstance. 

23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. 24As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.

James 2:23-24

JUNE 7, 2023

 “You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.” 

― Thomas Merton

2 CHRONICLES 23-25

17After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. 18They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. 19Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.

20Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ ”

21But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”(24:17-22)

JOHN 16:16-33

25“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

29Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

31“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32“A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

JOURNAL 

You see it time and time again in the Bible. A king will serve God and seek to obey him and then he will have success and abandon his pursuit of God. It happens over and over and over and I see it in this world and I also see it in myself. 

Why stop? Why not seek God in obedience every moment of my life? I believe it goes back to a deep core issue of trust. I doubt God, I doubt myself, I doubt my own place in this world. This was the core issue of trust in the garden...the serpent presented the idea that Adam and Eve were not all that they should be...that somehow they were lacking. That sense of doubt, shame, distrust is what we embrace when we believe that God somehow made a mistake when he made us. We listen to the world instead of God. We seek affirmation from things and others and everything but God. In seeking that affirmation we seek things that we are not...therefore we affirm our doubts and surrender to the world rather than God. 

Life is lived in the here and now, it is meant to be lived within the confines of God's love and direction. Doing so affirms the person that God created me to be, it affirms the here and now and that is where my focus is to reside. 

5Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.^a

PROVERBS 3:5-6

JUNE 6, 2023

“Ninety percent of success in life is just showing up." 

- Woody Allen

2 CHRONICLES 20-22

15He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ”(20:15-17)

JOHN 16:1-15

 7But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

JOURNAL 

So the deliverance of Judah and Jerusalem was a matter of simple faith. They still had to go out and take up their positions. Obviously they were terrified and obviously they had doubts, so all God asked of them was to show up. How often it is in life that God simply wants us to show up even when we are terrified or doubtful. In fact showing up is often one of the most difficult things because a part of our brain compels us to run and hide when things get scary. Yet when we show up in obedience it's often never as difficult as we imagine. 

I often get tripped up when I project and predict. That's when things get scary, that's when doubt and worry creep in and tempt me to catastrophize tomorrow. I believe this sin goes all the way back to the garden. When we project...we doubt and when we doubt we stop trusting God. Today and only today is what matters. Live it in obedience, show up even if scared and trust that God will handle tomorrow. 

God's word over and over speaks to the imperative that we are to surrender our lives in obedience to God and in obedience to the spirit he sends us. To not...is to follow our own way which can and ultimately will result in actions that do not honor God and as a result destroy us. For ultimately the battle is his...not my own. I just get to be a small part of it.

 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8