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.