"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.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, October 12, 2009
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.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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.
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.
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