Family is Important to God; Climate...not so much

"As for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it." (Gen 9:7)

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease." (Gen 8:22)

Today as I was reading through the Genesis account of the early earth, I am reminded of what God considers important, and what is unimportant.

Looking at Gen 8:22 first, God made a promise that the earth will have a regular schedule under which we will harvest and live and till the soil. This is one of the reasons that I don't really worry about global warming, H1N1 or any other faddish media scare. God regulates our lives here on earth. Yes, it is true that we live on the point of a needle in terms of the delicate nature of our existence, where (relatively) slight changes in any number of environmental variables would make our lives unliveable. However, if we believe in the Lord for salvation, we must also believe in His promises to maintain liveable conditions here on earth. He is the Creator, and his creation has been far more durable than any foolishness we can reap upon it. We must remember this as the world goes around losing their heads over an imagined catastrophe that will never happen. After all, we've gone from the fear of the ice-age (70's) to the fear of the ozone layer (80's) to the fear of global warming (00's), now to the fear of global climate change (fear of any kind of change in the weather...???) God is calming us down and simply saying, "Chill out, because these things are not important - I am in control."

The verse that I find God's important commandment however is where God reiterates his "be fruitful and multiply" command originally given to Adam, and now given to Noah. What God is telling us is that our first duty as worshippers of Him, is to go out and have children.

In this day and age of carefully constructed family planning, it seems odd to hear the Lord calling us to multiply. I believe that as Christians, we have a specific calling to have children based on this Genesis verse. We are to reproduce and raise our children in a Godly manner, teaching them Godly principles first, above all things. In this way, we are to create a new generation of Christians, who will then beget more Christians. It will only take one generation to fail in their obligation in order to have the world forget Christ. Right now, we have witnessed our European Christians essentially lose their faith in the span of only two generations (or so), and we are in danger of seeing American and Canadian Christians meet the same fate. What will go a long way to fighting this trend will be for Christians to make a concerted effort to multiply Christians in the next generation through a deliberate and concerted effort.

Those who do not follow Christ are pulled by a different ideology - that of walking a path where only 2-3 children are acceptable by society because it will be easier to care for this number of kids. Mixed with the growing environmental sentiment that people destroy the environment, there is a lot of pressure for families today to minimize their number of children.

As Christians, we are faced with a pull in decidedly opposite directions. Which way to go? Do we follow the commandment of God, or do we instead follow the ways of the world?

Our answer and direction is found in the Bible:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17)

Essentially, God is saying this - where the world conflicts with His ways, if you are a Christian, you must choose His will. Essentially everything that we know as men is finite and temporary. We mostly live as if the world started the day we were born, and we flail about with our small slices of knowledge although we will never really see the big picture outside ourselves. However, the Lord knows all and He has detailed the way we should live in the Bible. So our choice ultimately as believers is to either decide to commit to following God with everything we have (believing that He knows all), or to live in accordance with the current fashion of the world (believing God doesn't know squat). And ultimately, if we choose the latter, we are really exhibiting that we believe that God knows nothing...and then, where is our faith?

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your word. That You have taken the time through the generations to give us Your wisdom and guidelines for living. The command to be fruitful is one that my family does embrace, but at the same time, we have struggled to live it out completely for fear of things like proper insurance coverage and the like. Please help me to work through these struggles of unbelief and to simply place the future of our family into Your hands knowing that each child is a gift from You. Although I hardly know what that future looks like, I know that I can trust in You because You have always kept Your promise to maintain the earth season after season. And if You can do something that large, I know that maintaining our lives is a simple task indeed.

May our family's worship of You grow deeper with each season. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, AMEN.

Flood Times Are Long

"Now the flood was on the earth forty days..." (Gen 7:17)

"And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days." (Gen 7:24)


I think about the times of flood in our lives and how they can seem to go on and on forever. When I thought about Noah's Ark, I knew that it rained for 40 days, but I didn't think about how long the waters stood covering the earth - 150 days. When taken all together, it becomes over 6 months time (Update - looking at the scriptures again, it is 40 days of rain, 150 days of waters, 40 days of decreased waters - the rains started on the 2nd month and they left the ark in the 10th month - ~8 months).

Can you imagine the feelings of Noah and his family? At first, they are partially relieved to see the rain as a fulfillment of God's direction in their lives. They know that God will keep them safe as the Ark begins to float along on the floodwaters. But during that time, it continues to rain and after 40 days, it stops. Flood over, right? Well, God still had more cleaning to accomplish and He continues to leave the waters on the land for another 150 days. Whoa, that's an eternity to spend on a gigantic floating zoo.

Although the Bible never really gets into it, the waiting must have been quite a grind for Noah's family. And it probably seemed to them at times as if God wouldn't ever restore land to the 'waterworld' that they found themselves in. But in everything God had a purpose and a plan.

Today, I am encouraged by this because I find myself in a type of personal flood situation. It isn't dire, and thankfully it is isolated to my family living through it, but it seems interminable sometimes - as if I'm staring daily on the railing of a ship in the middle of the ocean that isn't finding a port of call. Water everywhere, everyday.

But, God has been doing a cleaning out in my life, as well as in the life of my wife, and together we are regaining a spiritual strength that had been drained out of us. So, I can see that the Lord has His own plans in everything. They certainly are not like anything I would have imagined, but I know that they are accomplishing a good work of cleaning out the filth and grime that had been accumulating in our lives.

Maybe He isn't done yet, and that is certainly His prerogative (as is everything in my life). My hope though is that my flood won't last longer than Noah's. =p

Lord Jesus, thank you for today's encouragement out of the story of Noah. It is so easy for me to get so fixated on my own situation and how I want to change it, without really submitting myself to whatever work you're already doing in our lives. May I never negate Your work in whatever fashion it comes. Thank You for everything You have done for us, and for all that You are refining and cleaning in our family. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

The Folly of Trusting Our Hearts

"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool" (Prov 28:26)

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jer 17:9)

We live in a world that commonly says, "Follow your heart", and the message is constantly pounded into our brains. Consequently, we have a tendency to make snap decisions based on the whims of our emotions rather than on Biblical wisdom or consultation with the Holy Spirit. The result over time becomes a lifetime of destructive choices and haphazard living resulting in the culmination of nothing.

Ultimately, our lives will be judged on one simple question, "Did you believe in Jesus Christ, and accept His gift of salvation by making Him Lord of your life?" There will be many who will say, "Lord, I believed in you...but I was too busy following the whims of my heart to truly make you Lord of my life. I believed, but never altered my lifestyle to conform to your Word." And there is no salvation for such as those because even demons believe in Christ Jesus, but they are damned because they refuse to worship and follow Him.

Why do we live? Is it merely to follow our own lusts and fulfill our wants? Or are we preparing ourselves for an eternal kingdom under the throne of God? What good is all that we gather or even create during our lifetimes, if we end up living the type of life that destroys ourselves for eternity and destroys others in the process?

By the above statements, you might think that I think so highly of myself and believe that my life is righteous, but it is actually the complete opposite. Every day of every moment, I am reminded of how vile and wicked my heart is. No man is above the temptations of this world, and they are a continual pull - of which my heart is easily a willing partner. Many times I fail to check my temptations, but I pray that for life's major decisions and choices, that I do have the wisdom to stop and be measured in my decision making (not that I have never failed in this regard either).

Despite myself, I do know that my heart is for the Lord. The Christian life is not devoid of failures, but rather it is one that strives to be bettered by them while conforming ourselves to be more like Christ. Because we love Him, we want to be like Him. Not that our actions have any saving power, but rather the willingness to change and submit is just an indicator of the fact that our hearts are given to the Lord. He ultimately has done the salvation work on the cross, and His resurrection reflects His power over death.

So what I'm reminded today is that I need to fill myself with God's word and meditate on the scriptures constantly in order to make God's ways the default system within me. Otherwise, I would always be pulled this way or that way by my wicked heart. Every commercial or advertisement would be an easy sell for such a state of mind, and I would ultimately be sold off piece by piece to all the shiny baubles of this world.

Lord Jesus, I know that my heart has been in desperate need of reformation as I have been stagnant and in a state of atrophy in regards to my faith and in the knowledge of Your wisdom. Whatever happens in my life is secondary to living out a life in submission to Your Lordship. Please help me to do that daily, to live in conformity to your wisdom and not by the flighty whims of my heart. By the unchanging power of Your name, AMEN.

The Mysterious Mind of God

¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:16 NKJV)

There are times in my Christian walk, that I am tempted to believe that I know the Lord well enough to discern His will. And I sincerely believe that because we have the Holy Spirit as our counselor within us, that indeed, we are privy to His counsel in both general long term goals, and short term specific actions. But do we know His will? No, I do not believe that any of us have sufficient discernment to really know all that God has planned and the ways in which He executes that plan for our lives.

And that's a frustrating thing. We can do the exact things that are good and right in accordance with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and receive absolutely no worldly gain at all. No favor, no new open doors, and can in fact suffer persecution, humiliation, and mocking.

All that is possible, but we never know what the Lord may have saved us from and what favor He has done for our souls in leading us into new directions. We will never know until we face judgment and review our lives before the throne.

What remains for us who have faith in the Lord, is to continue to worship, praise and be conformed to His word on a daily basis. Our circumstances should never determine where we stand in our walk with the Lord, but instead our faith should remain calm and steady through the valley of humiliation and the valley of the shadow of death. For to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Lord Jesus, there is much in our lives as Christians that requires a deep trust in You, and Your path is never the seemingly easy path of the world, but instead, it is a unique journey designed for each and every one of us. Sometimes we will experience great ease, and at other times, we will face events that are on the brink of what we can bear. But through it all, Your Spirit steadies us from within and gives us strength to do all things through Christ. Help me to have the mind of Christ and discernment to simply do what You lead me to, knowing that Your plan is always the best. Thank You for Your friendship and affection to us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Cheerful Patience

And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. ²⁴ But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself,^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:22-24 NKJV)

Pastor Mike Reed of Oceanside Calvary gave a great sermon this weekend that really spoke to my wife and I. I can't say that I noticed Acts 20:24 before, but it succinctly highlights the spirit and heart of Paul in following God.

Paul was getting ready for his final recorded journey to Jerusalem and everyone was prophesying that he would suffer imprisonment and persecution (which later happened). Yet, Paul received the news with no qualms, but instead he was willing and available to the Lord to do whatever he was called to do. For Paul, loss of freedom and persecution wasn't anything to be afraid of -- something that seems counter-intuitive to me. If the Lord were to ask me to let myself be captured and imprisoned, my first instinct would be run quickly the opposite way. In what way would my imprisonment serve the Lord?

But isn't it like the Lord to shock us in ways that we would never expect? We have all these grand plans and notions about how the world works, and the Lord shakes it all up with something different and brand new. Like Jesus - the Jews expected a political, military Messiah, but instead they got the son of a carpenter. A man who did not bear a weapon and had no military might.

As we know now, Paul is the most influential writer in the New Testament, but would all his hard work, the race he ran, be respected if he did not choose the hard path? He path that took him through unbelievable hardship?

Trials and tribulations are not separate from the Christian life, but instead, they should be expected. I often get into a mode of self-pity because I wonder why the Lord isn't answering my prayers immediately and in the way that I've asked for. But, the Lord's plans are not like our own and they will all be answered in His own time. We don't know why things are they way that they are, but He has the vision of the Alpha and the Omega. We can trust Him to arrange everything in their proper place and time. We can trust that He will bless us most appropriately.

Lord Jesus, help me to have what Pastor Mike described as "cheerful patience". Let me know in the depths of my soul your goodness and your good plan. Help my soul to rest in that, knowing that things will come in their due time. Thank you for all that you've done in us and all that you are seeking to develop in the character of our family. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Necessity of Gratefulness

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they [nonbelievers] are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Rom 1:21-22 NKJV)

Giving thanks. We are about to celebrate this very worthy act through a national holiday tomorrow, and it is very fitting that I ran across this passage today.

Although it describes the nature of why people do not believe in God, it interestingly highlights a nonbeliever's lack of gratefulness as a root of their unbelief in God. When I look at myself, I realize that when I am focused on everything that I lack, and my desire runs hot for more of this or that, I naturally fall out of a fellowship with God.

God counsels us not to worry about our material needs:

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." (Mt. 6:31-32 NKJV)

Instead of worry, we are to appreciate everything that we have been granted by the Lord, and recognize that the sheer goodness of God is in front of our faces. Have we ever gone hungry? Have we gone naked or without proper housing and facilities? Do I lack in any great miracle when I am able to play with my wife and child daily and see them in good health? Is not my daughter the greatest miracle that I could ever ask for?

In all of these tremendous blessings, I must give thanks. If I ever lose this kind of proper perspective, I will undoubtedly spiral into bitterness over what I don't have. And the selfish wants of the world know no bounds. There will always be more money or possessions to desire. When those are not good enough, there are people to control and destroy or individuals of the opposite gender to exploit. This is a futile line of thinking that ultimately darkens the heart from seeing and knowing the goodness and peace of God.

Sometimes gratefulness does not come easily when the pressures of the world push in against me, but a thankful spirit is a choice. "Lord, I will not focus on what I lack or the problems I possess, but instead, I will entrust myself to You, knowing that You will straighten everything out while providing for my every need."

Lord Jesus, may I maintain that very same spirit of thankfulness today and everyday. May I turn away from dwelling on worry over the things that I really have little control over, and instead make a choice for you everyday. Thank You for all the love, provision and wonder that I have the honor of experiencing daily. In Your name of great faithfulness, Amen.

Who Is God?

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea" (Ps 46:1-2)

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Ps 46:10)


We live in troubled times. That is something that my generation has not known a whole lot of. Yes, we faced recessions, but they reversed course fairly soon only to push our prosperity to higher heights. Now, we may be faced with a time of declining fortunes and prospects, and the resultant shifts that are part of these upheavals create unsettling fears.

In Psalm 46, God is described first as a "very present" help in times of trouble. He is not an absentee God who only looks upon us with disengaged interest, but instead He is near to us in the times of our struggle and trial. Even if the world were to fall apart around us (and sometimes it can feel that way), He is near to us.

Because we face desperate moments, our temptation is to run around doing this or doing that. We want to remedy our situations as quickly as possible, and if we aren't in control of the solution to our problems, we'll busy ourselves with deep states of worry. Paralyzed, we sit contemplating all the terrible possibilities, our brains running 100 mph, while our bodies are unable to move.

It is at those times that God most wants us to remember who He is. Instead of worrying about the things we cannot control, He would like us to recall what we know of Him. He is God of the universe, who spoke every quark and atom into existence. He spoke and out of nothing came everything we know. He knit us lovingly together in our mother's womb, and declared that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. He thinks constantly about us, with thoughts for us that outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore. He knows the plans He has for us, plans for welfare and not calamity to give us a future and a hope. He orders the steps of a righteous man. He works all things for the good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purposes. He makes all things new and His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. He will never leave us nor forsake us. The Earth is the Lord's and all it contains.

The God who is all these things can do anything and has a good plan for our lives. If we are His, then these promises are not exempt from us, but rather they were spoken specifically for us! If He is for us, who can be against us? Nothing in all creation can separate us from His love. If we are going through struggles, He will make our paths straight.


Lord Jesus, forgive me when I grow discouraged and when I forget who You are and what You've promised to us. I know You are faithful even when I feel like I'm in the bottom of a pit of miry clay. I do not need to worry because Your plans are good for my life, even if my life never comes out the way that I've imagined it would be. Regardless of how it all flows, me and my house will serve You, Lord God.

In Whose Name Do I Ask?

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14)

This is a mighty promise from the Lord to be sure. Can you imagine all the things we could be asking Him for? My flesh responds, "Fame, Riches, Popularity. Lord give me those things in your name!!" Is that what the Lord means?

When we ask for something in the name of Jesus it should be coming from the Holy Spirit that resides within us rather than from our self-aggrandizing desires. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" God describes our hearts (our fleshly desires) as deceitful above all things. Is it any wonder that we gravitate so constantly to sins like gossip, haughtiness, greed, lying, lust, promiscuity, and stealing to name a few?

We may pray for fame, riches and popularity and attach the name of Jesus to these desires, but they aren't emanating from Him. They're coming from our own desperately wicked hearts. The fact that we ask for them and say the actual name of Jesus doesn't mean that they are coming from His Spirit. Consequently, He will not answer them because they do not truly have the seal of God on them. Rather those prayers have the stench of fleshly wickedness (this is not to say that we do not have legitimate needs - food, clothing, shelter, and protection should be asked for in the name of Jesus - I'm talking about the truly selfish desires which go above and beyond need).

Am I saying that God doesn't want us to be famous, rich, or popular? No, not at all. That may be a natural by-product of any faithful Christian's life. Rather, I am simply saying that God doesn't value that because once those things become our goals, we will encounter strong temptations to compromise on sin to achieve or maintain them. Is it curious that God will expose the sins of Christians who have strayed into secret sin? These divine exposes utterly destroy all the false walls of fame, riches or popularity that these individuals had hid behind. Their reputations and that of Christians in general are often left in shambles. Why would God allow that?

It is because He doesn't care a whit for those worldly measures of success. Success in the Lord is being obedient to Him, and following His ways. He would rather save the wayward soul and incur a public scandal that seems to smear the name of His church (think Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker), than to leave that soul living a lie and risking the eternal fires of hell. If people mock the church because of these public scandals, so be it. God does not care about reputations or man's mockery. He wants to reclaim these wayward saints and build them up once again into strong Christians. God is that good - that selfless and loving.

Getting back to the original topic, I know that I ask many selfish prayers, but my desire is to conform my heart to His - that I may begin to pray prayers that truly bear the heart and name of Jesus. That I will pray prayers that are mighty in the Lord and those that He will bless and answer. Lord Jesus, may I be your tool and vessel through my prayers. You know our hearts well - may You find mine pleasing to Your sight and conformed to Your ways. Do whatever You need to do to change me into Your spitting image. Thank You for Your daily love and provision. I know You will always be faithful to me and my house as we worship You and You alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Trusting God Through Tribulation

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NKJV)

It is a very common trap for Christians to believe that when you accept Christ that things should become easy and smooth. After all, God promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us, right? And to be honest, when I first accepted Christ, things were pretty smooth in many ways because God would show His presence very quickly to help reinforce my fledgling faith. But that only lasted for a season, and once I grew into maturity in faith, there were many moments of tribulation, where great patience would be required of me.

As I'm going through another period of trial, I thought it was so enlightening that Jesus Himself stated that tribulation is something that we will all go through as Christians. There is no opting out of it; we simply will not have a completely easy life. In fact, I suspect that God desires to develop our character by putting us through the fire in order to allow ourselves to see what we're made of when put to the test. And the truth is usually pretty embarrassing when we see our reactions of anger, frustration, and self-centeredness.

Most of the time I walk along through life believing that I'm doing all right - I'm good - My faith is strong. But, then when God allows tribulation in my life, I become angry at Him and disillusioned from my erroneous belief that somehow my life should be easier than a non-believer's. "If I am a child of God and an heir to Your kingdom, why don't you make my path easy!!," I whine.

When the fear passes and I come to my senses, I realize that I am fine in the midst of the storm. Nothing has really harmed me and my family and I are well. God is still taking care of us even though my life isn't moving in the direction that I had planned and expected.

It is at that moment that the Lord is finally able to really speak into my life because I no longer am focused on my own goals and objectives. Like the two pilots who were recently suspended, I had been flying on autopilot and ignoring the calls to land at a scheduled destination. In fact, I was too busy arguing with God to pay attention to my bearings.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being patient and gentle with Your servant. I know that I often get so caught up with the cares and concerns over our daily life and my expectations, that You have no way to communicate with me. I'm simply not taking the time to pause and hear You. Please open my heart to You today, and speak whatever You desire. May I have the courage and patience to walk in Your way every single day of my life. In Your saving name, Amen.

Look Up Upon Jesus

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Cor. 4:18 NIV)

"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7 KJV)

"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Tim 1:7 NKJV)


What is my focus on? Not the focus of my human eyes, but of my mind. On what have I focused my thoughts on? Lately, I have been lamenting the lack of a job during this recession and I have been curled up in fear at times, moaning in prayer to the Lord. Surely, it has not been a pretty sight.

But what I realized is that we could get to that panicked state of mind about anything. In fact, there are numerous mental disorders that may seem strange to the average person, but are really a reflection of paranoia gone wild. (Max Lucado has a terrific chapter on this in his latest book, "Fearless". Thanks Max!)

As Christians, what we focus our thoughts upon is the key to keeping our spirits encouraged and close to God. If we focus on our fears and on the circumstances that we can't control, we lose sight of God and believe that He is distant. We then become paralyzed and overwhelmed, losing our ability to have hope and perspective. As my wife has been finding out lately, we also get testy and hard to be around.

After living in this sandpapery life, my faith has been slowly chipped away and dulled. My focus centered upon my bank account, and not on the Lord. Is it any wonder that I have little vision and sense of where I'm headed?

Focusing on the Lord is like the Three Wise Men being guided by a star in the East to the baby Jesus. He is our GPS, our guidance and we need only to center ourselves on Him at all times. It seems counter-intuitive because if we continually look upwards to God, we might trip. However, that is incorrect - vision, direction and peace will come from God when we seek Him continually. Bad circumstances will happen around us still, but we will recognize them for what they really are - temporary obstacles at best because God will make a way around whatever we face.


Lord Jesus, I am so sorry that my focus has shifted so often to the little fire drills that happen around me. I get so wrapped up in them, that I really fail to keep my eyes on you - and when I do that, fear overwhelms me. Let me behold You instead, and be patient for Your work in Your ultimate timing. Thank You that You are always there with Your unchanging love - yesterday, today, and forever. In the unchanging name of Jesus, Amen.

Finding The Real "Us"

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matt 6:33 NKJV)

I believe this verse may be one of the most memorized in the US because of the great Karen Lafferty chorus, "Seek Ye First". I remember that I disliked singing this song in school chapel, but I never knew that it was an actual scripture. At that time, to my great shame, I used to mock Christians and Christianity, but the song had done its work - I memorized that verse!

The truth here is simple, but I really miss the mark in my daily life. The Lord is asking us to put Him first in everything. Seek out His kingdom, His presence, His friendship, and His righteousness. Then, He will order our lives and give us the life that we ultimately desire in the bottom of our hearts.

This life won't be the ones that society tells us represents success. It may not involve riches, a big house, a fancy car, or expensive vacations. Those are the kinds of things that society uses to establish social status and bragging rights. God doesn't care about our pride - in fact, if we seek Him out, He'll break down our layers of pride by shaking up our lives in order to reveal our genuine personality.

Who are we really? We spend so much money as a country in therapy trying to find that out. But, the Lord grants us a deep peace in our hearts because He reveals our true personalities to us. When we stop seeking our own personal gratification and give the Lordship of our lives to Jesus, our focus is taken off ourselves and put onto Him. Then He'll show us the things that we need to change and gives us the ability to change them. And the person that emerges is whole - no longer trying to impress the people around them, but instead living in friendship with God, the way we were created to live.

Lord Jesus, Help me to seek You and Your righteousness first - before striving to seek out accomplishments and things that I believe will make me happy. I want You to arrange and order my life. You've already begun a good work in my soul, and I have been so blessed by it. Please keep eliminating those prideful layers that I know prevent me from living a real life of freedom in You. And thank You for being my Lord, God and friend. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Real Fight Is Spiritual

¹²For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. ¹³Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

(Ephesians 6:12-13 Amplified Bible)

We live in a world that we can see and touch, but our faith in a God that we can't directly see or touch is based on what we can see with our spirit. It is our spirit which is eternal, and our spirit which forms the core of life (the difference between animate flesh and inanimate). When our spirit leaves our bodies, we die.

And so, while we live in a world that is full of material goods, interactions, chores and circumstances, our actual battle is not with those things. Our focus should rather be on the spiritual forces that are behind the circumstances we encounter.

For example, while we might endure tough situations with people we meet in the real, we can't focus on the person we had a hard time with. Instead, we need to look with our spiritual eyes and see that Satan is real and he is truly working against us. The more visible we are in God's service, the more energies Satan will direct against us (after all, if we're inactive as Christians, why would he task any forces against us?).

Interestingly, when looking at verse 13, we aren't called to recklessly charge against Satan, but rather, we are instead called to gird ourselves in God's armor, resist, and stand firm. The vision that I see is one of a Roman phalanx - a group moving forward together and defending one another. Clearly, this is in line with the continual calls for Christians to meet and pray together as a Church rather than to serve as lone soldiers.

Taking all this into consideration, I find that I get too wrapped up in stuff that happens to me. I blame this person or that circumstance because I feel wronged in some way, shape or form. But the Lord is teaching me here that the people (flesh and blood) involved aren't the driver of what happens. The real enemy is in the spiritual realm and must be approached from a spiritual angle. As I disconnect my emotions from individual people, I realize that I can forgive and love even my enemies (although it's hardly an easy process).

Lord Jesus, I know that I get so worked up and caught up in individual events. However, I realize through Your word that I need to release my emotional connection to these things and instead fall on my knees in prayer to seek your help with these spiritual attacks. Our family is making changes to pray together and seek You as a team to be united and strong against Satan. Please help us to continue to do this and see clearly with our spiritual eyes the forces that are arrayed against us. Grant us wisdom to know how to pray, and when we don't know what to say, pray for us through our groans. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Nothing of This World is Eternal

11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. (Esther 5:11 NIV)

5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. (Esther 9:5-10 NIV)


As I was reading the book of Esther today, I noticed that passage 9:7-9 listed a bunch of men by name that were killed by the Jews during their defense of themselves against the attack of Haman. Haman was once a trusted advisor to King Xerxes, but plotted to destroy the entire Jewish nation. He was also very rich and bragged about his worldly riches.

When I think about his 10 sons, I also see them as the typical spoiled rich kids who are very confident in themselves because they have material superiority over others. I imagine that they walked around town and knew that they were well known and famous. Girls sought them out and people wanted to be their friends because they have tremendous influence. After all, they were noteworthy enough to have been written down by name in the Scriptures.

However, regardless of whether they lived to an old age, or died, they aren't remembered for anything today. They are less than ignored because they actually died in shame and dishonor.

What a contrast to the believer who will always sit before the throne of God in eternity. They will never be forgotten because they will never cease existing!

We are truly blessed to have the gift of salvation bestowed to us via the death of Christ on the cross. We did not deserve it or earn it, but now we know that whatever our station in life, we are all equal in the sight of God. Wealth is meaningless to Him -- it is only the quality of our hearts that He measures. And all that He asks is that we believe, and because of that belief, follow Him through the rest of our lives with our whole hearts.


Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me that we are all equal before the cross. There is no rich or poor or no social class. Instead, we are simply ourselves before You -- and You love and accept us just as we are. No pretensions, no fronting is necessary. We just need to humble ourselve before You, and allow You to change our lives accordingly.

Help me to drop every false front, and clean it all out - every last bit. Help me to simply be Your servant in whatever way You ask. In Your eternal name, Amen.

Submitting to His Lordship

³⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. (Mark 8:35 NKJV)

Within Christendom, there are two types of people who take on the name of Christian. Those who believe in God, and those who have made Jesus Lord of their life. The former tends to exhibit little fruit in their life and often are difficult to distinguish from non-believers. The latter are radically changed in their behavior, attitude, and life path. They are sometimes mocked and ridiculed for their radical faith because it seems unstable, but no one would ever doubt that they are Christians who love Jesus.

In this famous passage above, Jesus clearly commands that we must give up our lives for the sake of the gospel (good news of Christ), or else we will not gain salvation. There is no halfway faith for believers in Christ. If Jesus is Lord, our old lives are dead and lost and we must conform ourselves to His ways with everything that we have.

This is not to say that we don't have jobs, personal lives or possessions. We aren't automatons, but we will be asked to change our lives in ways that we aren't familiar or comfortable with in order to align with Him. Our souls, being "born again", will gladly embrace these changes because they are pushing us toward being authentic with who we are in Christ. There won't be a sense of being forced to conform to God's new shape.

On a personal level, this involves asking myself, "in what ways have I held back on Jesus? Is there anything that He cannot take from me, should He choose?"

I think there is little wonder that Christians who have made Jesus Lord will have phases in their lives where they are stripped bare of the reputation and identity they have with the world. It can come via layoffs, or through big relationship challenges, but in some way our previous reputations in the world that we've held so dear, will be blown up to the point where we are just left as ourselves... naked and bare before the Lord. It is then we will cling to Him and Him alone -- and finally at that point, He can build us up in His image of who we were meant to be. It is then that we will let go of our preconceived notions of who we are, and what we should be, and simply follow Him where He bid us go.

Lord Jesus, I'm not quite sure where You will have me, but I am so glad to have been stripped bare of my previous identity in the world. Frankly, it was wearing me down because it wasn't authentic. I know that You have a greater plan and a greater future than I could create on my own, and I welcome that. Praise Your name in every way. Amen.

Getting Over Myself

"He must increase, but I must decrease."
(John 3:30 NASB)

These last four years have been pretty rough for me. Tremendously busy with marriage, having a child, and seeing my career excel to new heights. What that busyness did however, is slowly decline my relationship with the Lord to the point where I was doing a lot, but not really abiding in Him. My attitudes became more arrogant because I had money coming in and we could afford what we wanted within reason and prudence. I didn't have to rely on God all that much.

As a married couple, my wife and I became more cynical and judgmental of the people around us. Never to the point of being jerks in public, but in private we would make lots of comments and jokes. We were clearly arrogant and full of ourselves, but never really realized that it was a symptom that we were no longer fully following the Lord with all our hearts.

We moved to a new city because our prayers led us here and we fully knew that God wanted to change our lives - to draw us near to Him and help us to get back to knowing Him again.

Even in coming here however, I was still full of personal arrogance and I believed that I would get a decent job. Not a prime job by any stretch, but something good. Fortunately for me, it hasn't been that easy. It has been a ride full of disappointments left and right.

I say "fortunately" because my wife and I have realized that there is a sense that God is withholding from us. He has effectively pressed "pause" in our lives, and showed us our deficiencies. The first red flag came with the frustrations and tensions of moving here and having disappointments in the job search. We both were tense and full of resentment toward each other. We maintained good parenting, but inside we were short and would make constant sarcastic comments back and forth.

But, a light has come on in both of us. We've fallen to our knees and acknowledged the hidden sins of arrogance that had grown in us. We were putting ourselves in front of God and worrying about our reputations, materialistic desires and pride.

God gave me a newsflash and said, "I don't care about your reputation with the world. Strip yourself bare of needing the approval of people you know, and simply be my servant in whatever I tell you to do." Because I was holding onto my plans, my pride, my reputation, he couldn't grow me at all. I was a plant that was bearing little to no fruit. Certainly, nothing great for His kingdom was being done by me.

But, my desires have all changed. I need to clean my arrogance out, and focus on that. My past, my dreams are nothing. What I have must be appreciated in full, and there is much to praise Him for (especially the joy of being a parent to my daughter, and a husband to my wife). All the junk that I once valued myself for is out the window because it isn't real or eternal. In fact, I have absolutely nothing to feel superior about (Praise God!). When I finally let go, He can use to me to do His work - He must increase, but I must decrease.

Children Are A Gift From God

³ Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

⁵ Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

(Psalm 127:3-5)

Before I had my daughter, my life centered around me and my wants. Even though I had a lot of angst about this or that small issue, in retrospect, I had it easy. Yes, there was much of my personal time that I've had to sacrifice, but God really did give us a gift in our daughter. She is a precious life that was entrusted to my wife and I to steward into adulthood.

Even more than that, she adds color and wonder to our lives everyday, and through her exploration, we see the world anew. The love we are able to impart to her, and receive back has really created a family for us that is complete with her -- and we could never imagine going back to our lives as only a couple.

I had no idea what being a parent was like, and it was often hard to sympathize with a fussy baby when I had no clue what parents were going through. There is a softness and patience for all types of situations that develops through parenthood that creates a better person, that I never realized that I needed that kind of improvement.

Children are an integral part of our lives, and the act of procreation is part of the fulfillment of our purposes. There is a completion with children, that cannot be experienced for those who opt not to pursue parenthood.

Today, as I usually do, I rocked my daughter to nap (I generally pace rhythmically to music - recently we've been using Hillsongs "Hope" album), I realized that I have not been fully appreciating my time as an unemployed person. Yes, my family is draining a nice chunk of our bank accounts in order to survive until I can find a job, but I have had all these wonderful days hanging out with my daughter and being her buddy. Together we rise early and watch "The Wiggles" on DVD and share a bowl of cereal together. Then she plays with her toys and we have alphabet time together going through her Winnie the Pooh ABC book that she loves so much.

These are invaluable moments that we won't get a chance to share when I go back to work and the busy life that it inevitably entails. Today as I rocked her to sleep, I danced her a bit as I often do, and she giggled softly as we spun around to the 6/8 timed music. Then she snuggled into my shoulder and promptly fell contentedly asleep. Tears welled up within me as I realized that I have been given such a gift from the Lord.

You see, I have been so concerned about my job search and the frustration of not finding a job, that I didn't realize that perhaps the Lord was withholding employment from me to give me a bigger gift. He gave me this exclusive time to spend 24/7 with my daughter that I'll never have again in such plentiful amounts. In His wisdom, He knew that money will be had over time and through hard work, but these special moments with my daughter -- they are numbered and only last for a season. In a blink, she will be old, wiser than me and ready to conquer the world on her own. With another blink, I'll be walking her down the aisle where she will take on another man's name, and I will cease being the most important man in her life.

But my heart will always remember this day when I danced my daughter to sleep, hearing her giggle as she drifted off to rest. Thank You Lord, that Your wisdom is so much higher than mine. Thank You for this special time with my daughter - what great love You have for our little family! In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Bible Is Our Standard

¹² The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.

¹³ Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

(Psalm 85: 12-13 NIV)

Sowing and Reaping. This is a law (Gal 6:7-9) that I have not heard much about in preaching, but it is one to keep in mind throughout our lifetimes. God promises us that we will reap the type of life that we sow.

As I ponder the law of sowing and reaping, this psalm gave me a hint as to the type of fertile ground that we must sow as Christians - righteous soil. We must become righteous soil in order to be properly used by the Lord to produce His fruit. Righteousness is a pretty confusing topic however, because there are so many conflicting viewpoints of what is right or wrong.

My wife loves tv court shows, and when I do watch them with her, I notice that the people there have a genuine confusion on what right and wrong really are. Many blatant acts of lying, stealing, cheating, and fornication are committed by unrepentant people who have a ready excuse as to why they are not liable for their obligations and responsibilities.

And that is the reason why we all need a standard. Without a specific standard to determine right and wrong, there is no real reference point to determine right living or righteousness. Fortunately for us, God has given us the definition of right and wrong in the Bible. He has provided us with a guideline for a happy life through the following of His ways.

When we apply this righteousness to our lives - not to condemn others, but simply to cleanse and improve ourselves - we become tools that He can use to bless others around us and fertile soil that will produce good fruit.

Lord Jesus, help me to become a man who is righteous soil for You to produce good fruit and blessings to others. Please correct me where I need improvement and help me to reap of lifetime of goodness and not wickedness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Devil's Gift

5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

8Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
(Luke 4:5-8 NIV)

Probably like most people, I often have these momentary fantasies of being rich and being able to do whatever I wished. These times have typically come when I was heavy with work and overwhelmed by my load. "To have it easy," I would think, "that would be the life."

However, I've already seen what the love of money and the desire to gain more has done to people. I have seen men (including myself) make irrational decisions in order to get rich quick. I have seen smart men justify immoral decisions in order enrich themselves -- and then commit more immorality in order to cover up their poor decision making. I have heard stories of families torn apart by the desire to gain money - or even worse, an inheritance.

This passage reminds me of who actually owns the riches and kingdoms of the world...Satan. God has given over the authority over the world to Satan, and Satan then uses the worldly lure of money and power to draw God's people away from worshipping and serving the Lord God wholeheartedly. Satan will pour out a windfall over the heads of people in order to keep them focused on the money and keep them from knowing God. Beware of the windfall.

Which is not to say that money cannot be used responsibly for the Lord's work. Certainly that is possible, but it is matter of guarding our hearts to make sure that we are not focused on anything other than serving and worshipping the Lord.

Lord Jesus, Satan would have me trade my faith for riches and fame. May that never be. Please guard my heart as I go through this life so that I may use whatever I receive to serve Your kingdom purposes. I know there is a lot of material things that we are asking for, but let us not focus on that. We are content here where we are, and we are blessed immensely simply by our relationship with You. We know that You will provide what is appropriate at the appropriate time. Thank You for all that You've done as our Lord. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

In a Funk

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."
(Ps 42:11 NIV)

Today I feel very lethargic and a bit downcast. I can't really pinpoint a particular reason or thought as to why that might be, but the words of this Psalm immediately came to mind. And as I sit here mulling over the Psalm which expresses so clearly my state of mind, I can't even seem to pray words to ask God to help me because of the sheer weight of indifference upon me. And so I speak in tongues hoping that the Holy Spirit can express what I cannot at this moment.

Us modern day Christians have such powerful tools in our possession as well, and I turn on praise music to remind me of the goodness of the Lord.

You see, despair used to be a constant companion for me, and loneliness was a way of life. It was a deep pit of loneliness and despair that I felt constantly, especially during the times when I was alone. My relationship with God changed that. On a fateful day when I finally assessed that my methods and efforts were not achieving the fulfillment I was longing for, I simply said, "God, I tried my ways and they aren't working -- I'm willing to give Your ways a shot." With that I went to church with a friend, and I discovered Him there. Not a judgmental, condemning God that I knew in my youth, but instead a loving and caring Father God who wanted to embrace and heal me.

There are still days like today where I feel downcast and want to chill out from the world and from the realm of parenting and being a husband. I simply want to be alone -- but I do not feel lonely. I am not in a desperate pit, but in a funk. I know God is with me right now. Not judging or condemning, but simply abiding with me.

Again, I put my hope and future into His hands. As I remember Him, I am pulled out of the depths once more and the doldrums have faded away.

Chasing Superstitions

"He explained, "This is where the priests will cook the meat from the guilt offerings and sin offerings and bake the flour from the grain offerings into bread. They will do it here to avoid carrying the sacrifices through the outer courtyard and harming the people by transmitting holiness to them." (Ez. 46:20 NLT)

I thought the underlined passage was an interesting choice of words that I didn't quite understand. Peeking into Matthew Henry's Commentary regarding the passage, the guideline to not bring the cooked offering into the people exists in order to prevent the people from developing a superstition of ascribing holiness to the sacrificial animal rather than to God Himself.

What that reminded me of are the little superstitions that we adopt so easily. It doesn't matter if you are religious or secular, we easily ascribe luck to this object or that circumstance in hopes that we might find a key to favor or avoid curses.

I remember a couple years back when my favorite football team was having a particularly hot season and need to keep winning games, they fell behind 21 points in the first quarter. Looking around, I realized that my wife never watched the games with me all season, so I promptly banished her out of the room. What kind of crazy thinking was this (let's forget that my team later rallied and won the game in the 4th quarter)? What kind of difference could my wife's eyes on the television have on the outcome of a football game thousands of miles away? I was attributing power to a crazy personal superstition.

In this passage, God reveals Himself to desire our whole hearts to Him alone. We will all die and undergo judgment. What superstition will be rely upon then? What would we charm and persuade God with? -- Our hearts. That is what God desires. Our whole hearts committed unto Him in worship every second of our lives. No, not just God be my Savior, but it also means, I call you Lord of my life and humble myself to worship only you - not man, not myself, not money, not superstition. I will only chase You, my Lord and Savior.

Lord Jesus, in all the ways that I've been applying superstition, in all the ways that I've been worshipping the blessing rather than the Blessor, please expose and help me to delete these things from my life. Thank You for this word today, and for Your continued patience and grace to Your servant. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

The Simple Overriding Command - "Worship God"

"But again he said, "No don't worship me (an angel). I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this scroll. Worship God!" (Rev. 22:9 NLT)

I often forget that Christianity is supposed to be simple. As a Christian, I have chosen to surrender my life to God to do with as He wishes. In this politically charged and turmoil filled atmosphere, it is hard for me to stop from complicating my identity in Christ, and having it stray away from a simple love of God and obedience to Him. It's probably due to the fact that I often don't exactly know what He wishes of me and I spin around trying to figure it all out.

Right now is a case in point as I'm waiting on Him to determine my future employment. Yes, I realize that I will be job searching, but I want to be in the workplace He desires of me. I want to be faithful to Him. That has some consternation for me as I'm striving to please God. But, in the end, I have to trust our relationship. He won't be angry with me because I'll know in my heart what to do when I simplify my life and have a sincere and genuine worship of Him. In worship, the proper doors and opportunities will open up and even if it doesn't, the patience to wait will be given to me.

Lord Jesus, it is true that I'm waiting on You in faith. From time to time, I have felt guilty because I have thought that somehow I've done something wrong to have caused You to withhold a job from me at this time. But, I need to realize that You have Your own plans and timing, and I don't always know what's best for me. You do. Please help me to instead re-focus myself away from what I lack and instead rejoice in the fact that You are my Lord and Savior. My life is yours to do with as You will. Let Thy will be done. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Thank You For The Cross

"...but the angel said, "Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead!" (Mk 16:6 NLT)

The cross - it all comes down to the cross of Christ and what He did for us. Man's religion is about striving to earn bragging rights with God from which we hope to barter a better afterlife. However, Christ made all those man-made shenanigans moot. He took on our punishment for our sins voluntarily upon Himself in order to save us. He bore the ultimate punishment, and defeated sin & death through the cross.

Everything changed on that resurrection day. Doom and gloom became joy because Christ's resurrection proved that death was defeated. And because of His sacrifice, we no longer have to exhaust our human energies to be good in order to "win" God's grace - the work has been completed.

But as Christians, we still strive to do good, but the motivations are different. When Christ saved us, we were changed, our relationship as sons and daughters to Father God was cemented. And knowing Father God, we now desire to imitate Him as best as possible. We will never attain perfection, but we take uncomfortable steps to cleanse ourselves of sins that grip us with the deep seated knowledge that His strength is readily available to support us. We may stumble, but never fall.

Lord Jesus, there have been many recent moments when I have felt inadequate and discouraged. But since I have met You over 10 years ago, I have never felt alone. Never. Thank You for walking with me and gifting me with a beautiful wife and daughter. Please help me to keep pushing forward in faith, knowing that I don't have to be perfect because you've already paid the price for my sins in full. Instead, I just need a sincere heart to get better and surrender my life over to You to do with as You please. That is my heart's desire. You are Lord of my life and I know that although the future is unclear and with so many unknowns, You know best and have every moment of my life under control. In Jesus' name, Amen.