God Proves Himself Through Trials

"we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)

It has been a pretty tough week. Not that there was any one thing or one event that has been an issue, but just a cumulative series of small things that have drained me bit by bit. I am reminded of this verse - to glory in tribulations.

Tribulations will definitely span a great range - for most people, such as myself at this time, it will be fairly mundane things that will be a trial, and for others there will be a difficult event that will take a good amount of time to overcome.

But, I really do believe in the cycle that Paul describes in Romans. We are shaped through our trials far more than through our blessings. I know that I spent a good deal of time praying and asking God for strength this week than I have for a while. It is the new things, the new trials that cause us to go to our knees.

What we find however, is that God can successfully bring us through the trials. He really is faithful. Faithful, not in the sense that we won't have difficulties or tragedies happen to us, but faithful to give us the strength to overcome them. And the result of that is we see more and more that God is good to us, and the truth that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

It is through this body of work, that is our personal journey of life through which God proves His faithfulness and His reality. And when each trial has been overcome, we have a track record on which to place our hopes for eternal life. God really is, and He is with us.

Perhaps there is something behind the curse of Adam given to us men during the Fall:

"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:17-19)

Adam and Eve had just disobeyed God in the midst of a life of ease in the Garden of Eden. If a life of ease did not produce obedience, loyalty and character in them, perhaps God wanted to develop that character through trials instead.

As I think about those who will share the Kingdom with the Lord in the end, they will all have been tested through a life of trial and tragedy. Each will know what evil is, and in contrast, the goodness of God.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being strong in my life. That there are times when I need to lean upon You for strength and simply dwell in Your presence. Thank You for being faithful in my times of need and that You are always true and good. As a family, help us to navigate these waters that will be a challenge. Help us to stay near to You and always have Your character on us even through the darkest days. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Be Content In Marriage And Money

⁴Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. ⁵Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," ⁶so that we confidently say,
"THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"

(Hebrews 13:4-6)

As I read this passage, I noticed that the Lord is asking us to live with a sense of gratefulness and appreciation for what we have. Along with that spirit of thankfulness, we need to also practice delayed gratification as well.

We live in a fast food, instant gratification world. It is such a luxury that we can jump into our cars and purchase anything under the sun whenever we like with only a piece of plastic instead of carrying around cash. If we want to be entertained, our movies are fed straight to our big screen TVs over high definition (or our everywhere internet connected smartphones). It's an awesome thing - luxuries no one could have even imagined just 20-30 years ago.

As great as these things are, that attitude of instant gratification cannot carry into our married life or our finances. Perhaps more than anywhere else in our lives, God needs to reign in us when it comes to those two things.

I am so glad for my wife. We are such different people and that can lead to great complementary aids, or great disagreements. But through everything, she is a loving support for me through tough times. Marriage has also been the toughest test for me in my entire life. The concept of "two becoming one" seems romantic when you're single, but when actually doing the process in real life, it can also be like surgery. For others, there might also be times when it can seem mundane because you see a person everyday. Either way, staying the course in marriage isn't necessarily easy.

It can seem attractive to bail out and to find someone new in order to rekindle excitement or somehow feel validated or "manly". But, we are called to be pure and loyal in our marriages. It is a sanctioned contract under and before God, where we swear to live our whole lives serving our spouses.

The reward for us is the supernatural miracle of two persons truly functioning as one unit. Each supporting the other in different ways and creating a solid foundation and shelter from which to raise the next generation for Christ. There is deep joy in being able to share one's life with another and to lean on them in times of need. We were made to live in marriage (other than those who are called to be single to serve God fully), and when we are able to live out the journey of life through the journey of marriage, we are fulfilled to the depths of our souls.

Money on the other hand is a trap for us. Money's threat is to replace our sense of security in the Lord with the security of a full bank account. In addition, it feeds our greed to obtain and collect things - focusing on material acquisition rather than the fruits of the Spirit.

Making purchases feels empowering. We are drawn to possession and it makes us feel validated. We judge a person's social status and rank by the type of things they have, where they live, the car they drive, and the clothes they wear. God doesn't judge on any of those things. Not a single one.

It is not wrong to be rich. God desires for us to be successful. But, we cannot worship things and compromise ourselves in order to obtain things. We cannot compromise our faith, or our relationship and assignment from the Lord in order to drive a nice car or live in a nice house. Instead, we know that it is God that is our ultimate provider - not our bank accounts. We need to worship the giver and not the gifts.

Be content with what you have, says the Lord. God knows our characters and when we give our lives over to Him, we are submitting to His provision and His timing. He knows us better than ourselves and knows whether we have the characters to live with more or less. Since money is not a factor in God's success, the level of money in our lives has nothing to do with whether or not God believes in us or loves us. He simply has called us to live with a certain amount of funds.

The world is littered with lives that have been destroyed by the love of money. Relationships, one of the greatest treasures that we can have, are severed by jealousy, envy or greed all rooted in the love of money. While it is necessary to live and function, it is meaningless to God's Kingdom.

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me about the power and gift of a pure marriage, and warning me about the dangers of the love of money. One is possibly the greatest treasure during our lives here on Earth, and the other is completely worthless in the whole scheme of things. Thank You for being the provider for our family, helping and encouraging us to grow little by little. At the same time, please protect our marriage and help us to grow more and more into the one unit that lives for You alone. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Tithing - An Act of Faith

"He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21)

Why do we waver in faith? Why do we fail to uphold all of our beliefs at all times no matter the circumstance?

As I was reading this passage today, I tried to measure myself up against Abraham - who wasn't necessarily without his faults. However, Abraham's faith to leave his home in pursuit of God serves as the ultimate testament of faith.

I believe the perceived security of the place that we are at this moment is a big reason why we don't follow God fully or completely. When we are told to do a certain action or to leave our current comfortable situation and go elsewhere, it is a difficult thing for us to do. Currently, I'm in arrears on my tithes and I can certainly think of so many ways I can apply the funds to projects or charges that are coming up for our family.

But is that really trust? Is it really trust to not do the things that God has given us to do in faith? Malachi 3:10 is a promise from God that we will be rewarded when we bring our tithes to the storehouse. It is a promise that if we trust Him, He will bring even more into our lives.

What can God do with a person that doesn't trust Him? If God were to ask us to do this or that thing, and we never do it because we don't want to leave our comfort zones...what would we accomplish for God? Nothing really.

It isn't about works, but it really is about faith. I'm not trying to justify myself through the tithe - but I'm evidencing the level of my faith.

Matthew 6:21 says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

If I can't give from my bank account in faith, then my heart is only for myself and not for God. I know it and feel the truth of that. And I don't want to be a man who is no longer able to follow God because I'm worried in the flesh about my security. Then I will not only be of no use to God, I would never be able to evidence my faith to my wife and children. And that would be the greatest tragedy of all. I would be failing in my primary dream to pass along my relationship with the Lord to my family.

The unique thing about my feeling today - and something that surprises me even at this moment - is that I don't feel any sense of guilt...and I think that is a very good thing. God doesn't lay guilt trips because He knows that following His ways is for my best interest...He doesn't need me to do anything, but He gives us the opportunity to partner with Him for the good of our souls. I know that in today's reading and meditation, I am really hearing from Him and it isn't from some misguided desire to prove something, or justify myself by works.

Lord Jesus, I'm really blessed by our time today. I needed a reminder about the meaning of the tithe and meaning of faith. I know that to trust in my bank account or my paycheck is a giant folly, but when we live in the flesh everyday, we can fear the future and not entrust ourselves fully to You. The tithe is really the ultimate symbol of our faith in You. You don't need our funds, but You want our hearts to be free from the slavery to money and things. In return, we can be responsible with any further blessings we may be given. I want to be more and more like You, not more and more like the world. Thank You for spending time with me today to remind me of that. In Your loving and holy name, AMEN.

Why We Forgive

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

(Matt 18:22-35)

Forgiveness is a really tough issue and one that we have to wrestle with every day. The truth is that we don't live in a world where everything is perfect, and we also live in a world where we each have free will to do good and evil. So there are real times when we are hurt by the events in our lives.

What I've noticed here in this passage are some of the following:

Forgiveness is personal: The reason that we feel so free as Christians is that we have been forgiven our transgressions by God. Yes, we have done many terrible things and each sin is in the end a denial of God's ways, but when we come to Christ, our sins are washed away by his shed blood. We no longer face death in eternity, but life. In the same way however, as we begged our King, Jesus Christ for forgiveness, which he then provided - we must also show that same compassion when we are faced with the chance to forgive.

Forgiveness is a personal choice. No one can make that decision for us, but instead we must exercise it by our own volition. Unlike other faiths, Christians believe that forgiveness should be extended regardless of whether or not someone comes to us and asks to be forgiven.

The main motivation for me is that Jesus Christ has absorbed my sins, and I have given my allegiance and Lordship to Christ. My life is not my own any longer, and it is not myself that I represent, but Christ. In the same vein, I do not take offense and judge on my behalf, but instead I defer all judgments to Christ who will judge us during the end-times. In that sense, there is no longer anything for me to take offense over. Everything I am is given to Christ.

Another more personal reason for this is that keeping the offense within ourselves is toxic. If we remain in a state of offense, we will rehearse and re-live our hurts over and over again. Each time we do that, we are stabbing ourselves with the past and killing our joy. The Lord saved us to be free from sin - those that we have committed and those that have been committed against us. We are new creations, and we should not carry around our offenses because they will act as an anchor - keeping us from becoming the person that God is molding us to be.

We are expected to act according to the way God has treated us: Above all else, God is desiring for us to be cleansed of our sins and of the sins of the world. He desires that we should have eternal life with Him. In the same way, we should not be focused on the faults of the people around us, but we should be focused on seeing their souls saved, that they might have eternal life instead of eternal hell.

When we take offense and keep it with us, it prevents us from seeing the deeper roots - that we are here on earth to spread the good news of the gospel above all else. And in doing so, it is natural and logical that we'll be in the world with non-believers - like missionaries.

In those situations, we must seek to be like the Lord and suspend judgment because they are non-believers. We must be lights in the darkness.

In the case of believers, we must confront sins in a specific way as described in Mt 18:15-17.

Forgiveness is not forgetting: While forgiveness entails a measure of letting go of judgement and not holding it against a person, it doesn't mean that we forget what happened. In this example, the King clearly remembered what the hypocritical servant did, and then paid him back according to his actions when the servant did not extend the same type of forgiveness to others.

Unlike Christ, we don't have the power to grant eternal life via forgiveness of sins. However, we do have the power to let go of our judging of a situation and giving it over to Christ. We will not forget someone's actions against us, but we will not let it simmer within us at the same time. That is ultimately what forgiveness is - suspending and giving the ultimate judgment to Christ - and He is a just and perfect judge.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your gift of life. Thank You for loving us so deeply that You came to die on the cross. We not only have eternal life, but we have freedom and forgiveness from our sins. Likewise, we have given our lives over to You, and as such, we have passed judgment to You as well. Nothing in all creation is hidden from Your sight, and because of that, You can and will judge everyone fairly according to their deeds. We can rest in that and trust in that. Let us then be focused to the people around us. Let us then be ready to pray for our enemies and seek them to know You more and more. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Letting Nothing Become A Stumbling Block

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸ Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
¹⁹ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’"
²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
²² So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
²³ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

With God All Things Are Possible

²⁴ And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
²⁶ And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”
²⁷ But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
²⁸ Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
²⁹ So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

I've been thinking about this passage lately, and what it means to my life. On the surface, I think it has been misinterpreted sometimes to mean that riches are not acceptable. That we need to be poor and penniless to go to Heaven.

Reading the passage however, especially in v 29-30, Jesus explains that we must be willing to leaving everything behind for the sake of the kingdom. We have a life that we used to live without Christ, but when we became Christians, we have given over our lives to God in everything. Our orders do not come from our own will and desires, but instead have been put under the Lordship of Christ.

Our salvation doesn't come from works - it doesn't matter what they are, so simply giving away money isn't the "trick" to get to heaven. Man cannot do it on his own (v27). But each of us have a propensity to build up our own kingdoms here on Earth and develop affinities to things that we cannot live without. For the rich young ruler, it was his money. He could not let it go because he ultimately identified himself with his riches. For others they could be ultimately influenced by their parents or their peers. If they are unable to let them go when the Lord calls, they are not really following Him.

Now that I'm working again, I'm enjoying it and the pressure of finding a job in this uncertain market has eased (but it hardly fades way with the threat of job loss at any time). Budget-wise as a family we have been thinking about some of the expenses that we've held off on. A minivan - maybe a house. Each of those things are not necessities, but preparing for a larger family and establishing a home would be nice.

However, having those things doesn't preclude the chance that the Lord may call us to do something radically different and follow His call to a new place where we might have to start all over again. My employment is NOT my identity. The place I live or the car I drive is NOT my identity. Those things are ultimately rubbish when placed against the upward call of Christ Jesus (Phil 3:7-8,14).

The danger for us Christians is not obtaining possessions, but is in our ability to let go of them when we encounter Christ walking in a different direction. It can be anything (even the smallest possession that we are asked to leave behind), but if it serves to impede us, it is a stumbling block and we are no longer following Him. And as the call of Christ gets farther and farther away, where is our faith? It atrophies until we get back on the path that Christ calls us to.

For my family, moving to Southern California was the fulfillment for a calling from God. Initially, we really didn't know anything except that we needed to leave Seattle and come here. We had no promises of success or employment. We only had a reliance on God and even for the first 5 months, we were simply spending our savings - it wasn't an easy thing - yet we had peace that we were walking with the Lord.

Our faith and family bonds grew stronger as we focused in on developing our family bonds together (the first few weeks of my wife and I being together 24/7 were tough!) - and I can honestly say that I hardly recognize the people that we were in Seattle. We were settled and contented in our small kingdom with the materialistic dreams we were aiming for.

But the threat to return to that is always there. It must be guarded against through faithful living and a desire to follow Him daily. That is still a challenge today as things have been busy at work. How little time I have spent in prayer and abiding with Him lately!

Lord Jesus, this passage today was a warning for my family and I. You led us here to develop and recharge our faith, and there is always the chance that we will atrophy back to where we came. Let us not do that in Jesus name. Let us never be shy to fall on our knees and simply submit to Your will - whatever that is and whatever it may entail. We know that we may never have a house, but it doesn't matter. As long as we are near to You and doing what we have been called to do, we are home. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Is Our Ultimate Daily Provider

"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not." (Ex 16:4)

"Let every man gather it according to each one's need" (Ex 16:16)

There is mindset of trust that the Lord wanted to develop in the Israelites. One of the primary ways in which we trust, in which all beings on the earth trust in God is in daily provision. The people had slavemasters in Egypt and they had gotten used to relying upon their slavemasters for their provision and they complained to Moses that they should have just been left in Egypt where they had tons of food to eat (they had quickly idealized their past enslavers).

The Lord did provide for the people supernaturally, but He also wanted to develop a new paradigm. Not to rely upon a hand-out from other people, but to instead trust solely on the Lord to survive. Part of this commandment was to take what was needed instead of trying to hoard everything that was out there -- knowing that God will provide.

When the people defied the commandment of God, the extra food they gathered did not last the next day.

Two things strike me in these verses:

1) Obedience is key. There is a specific way that God wants us to do things. It can vary from task to task, but only where it doesn't conflict with His overall commandments to do good and not evil (as defined in the Bible). He will sometimes give us a task that should be completed in a certain way.

During the time of Joseph in Egypt, food was gathered and stored during a time of plenty in order to survive an impending drought. However, for the Israelites in the desert, they were to only gather on a daily basis as God would bring more manna the next day.

2) Excessive riches aren't to be a primary goal for us. God is our security, not money or possessions. We wonder why God doesn't pour riches upon his people - it's because it is a false security that will not bring discipline or a closer relationship with the Lord. In fact, in most cases during times of plenty, we will choose to rely upon the money more than we rely on the Lord, which effectively negates the ways that He can use us. We will be more afraid of losing our incomes and posssessions than following the Lord.

Taking it a step further looking at our attitudes in society - we need to be gathers and workers. Everyday we should be doing the work that God has placed before us to provide for our families. However, there is a moral component to not hoarding and not being greedy. Those who are ultra talented can find ways to take more goods or funds from society in legal, but not necessarily ethical ways. Such activities can cause an imbalance in the system which can ultimately destroy the smooth operation of the whole (see tech bubble, real estate bubble, bank crisis). Being ethical on a moral level is imperative in a free society because it ensures that there is both liberty for individual pursuit as well as room for everyone to gather what they need (but they should not be given hand-outs). The penalty for unethical greed will be, ultimately, eternity in hell.

On a personal level, God has seen fit to gift my family with provision. We are not rich by any US standards, but we have enough to live comfortably while watching our budget. We have dreams of having more children and buying a house with a yard. Modest dreams, but expensive and costly just the same.

The Lord has given us a peace in our hearts that we will indeed realize these dreams one day, but we cannot rush the Lord's timing or the way in which He would like to develop us before granting that vision. The realization of the vision is hardly the end all and be all of our lives. There is no point at which we have "made it". The finish line is not what we have, but rather it is the journey - can we live each moment, each day in submission, service and worship of who He is and what He has called us to be? That is the real quest, the real question.

Getting the things like a house and home are only steps in the path the Lord has laid before us. My real yearning, the real thing I want to accomplish to be like Paul when he was faced with his impending execution for being a Christian and preaching the gospel:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." (2 Tim 4:7-8)

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me today that You are my ultimate provider. Not employment or a company -- those are simply vehicles. Each day, let us praise You for Your provision and rest when we are struggling to pay the bills. When times are tough, we are given the chance to build our character and our faith. Thank You Lord for all that You are doing in our lives everyday. We don't deserve the blessings, consideration and love You have showered on us. Truly it is blessing. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Trusting God With The Outcome

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

Today I’m going to be interviewing for a position that seems like a decent opportunity. I have been prepping and I am feeling discomforted by the whole process. I want to do well for sure, but I don’t know if I am really ready. There isn’t more that I can study or prepare, probably just to do some light review, but what is done is done at this point.

What I started to forget is simple Biblical truth in my nervousness and desire to control the outcome. All this stuff – interviewing, trying to present myself well is all good. People should interview, people should try their best to put their best foot forward. However, God is the ultimate employer. He gives to each exactly what should be given at the proper time.

Whom shall I fear? Do I fear the whims and opinion of man? Do I dwell on what they can do to me? It is to my shame that I realize that I am so often concerned about other men’s opinions that I forget that the Lord is my God. The Lord placed me in certain key positions to have a career in accounting. I cannot say how and why it all happened, but it is the truth. I am what I am today because He saw fit to get me into a Big 4 accounting firm. I know for sure that I didn’t do it all on my own (because I didn’t really deserve it), but He did it. He planned it and opened the door accordingly. Whom shall I fear?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Prov 9:10-11)

Rest in God’s wisdom and His leading. That is the message for today. I may or may not get this position. That is ok. God is in control and He will bring the right thing at the right time. That much is a certainty. I may have career goals and aspirations, but it is God who has veto power and the plan for my life. If I am to be an accounting manager, He will open that door. If I am to be even a police officer, which would be an odd thing since I have no aspirations to do that, He will open that door. It is God that makes men who they are and what they do.

I had tried to make myself “want” this position and to be motivated by the “want”. I realize that isn’t entirely right. To be driven by want and desire is of Satan. Satan wants us to covet and to seek out our own glories. We will then get wrapped up in the seeking, some made bitter by failure and others made haughty by success. Either way, God is pushed out of the picture.
The Lord instead asks us to simply be, to wait, and to trust. He has a plan and we will strive to do our best where we are at, doing the things we can, but ultimately waiting for HIM to clear our paths.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Prov 3:5-6)

God is the director. God is the leader. God has our lives completely mapped out in a good way. God works for the good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28). As a Christian, I have been called. God plucked me out of the depths and darkness of my sins where I was stumbling around in hopelessness, and He gave me life and life more abundantly.

There is very little I can do to “screw up”. God will still be at my side and God will accomplish what His plan is in my life. As long as I remain open to His leading wherever He prompts, I know that to be true. That is the ultimate definition of fear of God over man.

My path is set before me and it is fine. I no longer have the “want” for this interview to be successful – I simply will be and trust in whatever result occurs knowing that God is ultimately in control. If this position is where I should be, the proper door will open. If not, it will close. Neither result is good or bad.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your message through Your word today. I really didn’t expect to hear from You when I started journaling out of my nervousness, but You are always faithful and eager to grant wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5). For whatever reason, You have chosen to bless me and I am in a good place. Perhaps this interview is the next step, and perhaps it is not. What I desire is Your ultimate result. I can’t screw up because it will go as You planned. So my prayer today is to simply ask to help me do my best as well as I am able. Help me to be energetic, lucid, concise and even interesting. However, the ultimate result is in Your hands as it should be. May Your will always be done in my life and may I always rest in You. Thank You Lord. In the name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Fighting Against the World's Desire to Compromise Our Faith

(After the plague of locusts)
"So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?" And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord." Then he said to them, ..."Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence."
(Exodus 10:8-10)


Pharaoh was a prideful and powerful man. As a leader of his people, he was also a politician -- he did not want to lose total face with his people if all of Israel were to leave and never come back. He knew that if Israel were to go with their possessions, they would not serve him again. So he wanted to compromise with Moses and negotiate the terms of Israel's departure.

God often gives us a clear command and in our hearts we know what He says. Sometimes we don't understand the reasons behind the prompts we are given, and oftentimes it runs against our personal comfort zones. Moses never compromised God's command. He was to bring every Israelite with their possessions out of Egypt. Pharaoh counter-offered that the men could leave, but without their households as collateral to force them to come back.

Satan wants to waterdown our beliefs, convictions and purpose. He negotiates with us while beating us down with trials in order to make us abandon our core purpose. Sometimes I am weak enough to take the lesser offer just to avoid the difficulty of maintaining my ground. At the center is my belief system and my faith. Satan wants to attack the edges of our faith and drag us closer and closer to the brink of denying God altogether. Yes, we may still believe in God and even profess faith in God, but if Jesus is no longer Lord over our lives, we are lost -- and Satan has stolen our souls.

"He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws himinto his net. So he crouches, he lies low, that the helpless may fall by his strength." (Psalm 10:9-10 - Description of a wicked robber, the greatest thief is Satan himself)

Negotiation and compromise. We must be careful to never abuse the scriptures by taking it out of context to twist it to our needs. If we are in doubt, we must take a step back to look at the scriptures, Old Testament to New Testament, as a whole in order to discern meaning. The Holy Spirit will also be our guide in this.

Compromise - Putting it into the context of today, we know of a key congressman professing to be a staunch pro-life advocate who recently voted for a big healthcare legislation that opens the door to new funding for abortions. This, even after giving speech after speech against that same legislation? Why? Because he was pressured by his political party into accepting a compromise. One that has a general promise to not use the provisions in the bill, but doesn't actually take the abortion language out of the bill. It is a political promise with no guarantee. Time will tell of the outcome, but in a year or two when the current political cycle has past, isn't it likely that the promise to not fund abortions will fade? What then? This congressman will have to live with his failure to be resolute in the face of overwhelming pressure - such is the pain of compromise. Despite the fact that his inner core told him to vote "No", he was overwhelmed by the world.

Where is there compromise in my life? Am I doing anything that is not of the Lord? Am I really seeking Him first, and His righteousness? Those are pretty tough questions to answer because there are moments when I fool myself (which I think common). Compromise can come so quietly that we hardly notice. I'll have to spend time in prayer today on this topic - to take stock and an inventory of where I'm at. I know that when I was unemployed there were good times with the Lord and I got back to a strong relationship and friendship with Him. Now that I'm working and busy, I need to find out if I am slipping in any aspects of faith.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)

Lord Jesus, please help me to take an inventory of where I am with You. I know that it is easy to see compromise in a public figure like a politican in a large public political fight, but it isn't always easy to see the same spirit in myself. My prayer however, is that I can stand strong in my faith in You... even in the face of losing everything that this world has to offer. May my soul never be for sale. Somethings in life, like our core beliefs, are never up to the highest bidder. Strengthen your servant to have a calm and sturdy hand even in the midst of storms - that I will always represent You in everything I do. In the name of the Jesus, the Lord of my life, AMEN.

Making Godly Personal Choices Against Worldly Pressure

"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives..."When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women,...if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live." But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. (Exodus 1:15-18)

The midwives in this story are true heroes. Here is a situation which is unfortunately too familiar to the Jewish people, where there is a desire of a national leader to exterminate them. In this case, Pharaoh did not want to get rid of the forced labor that he was using (the Hebrew population), but he wanted to minimize their numbers so they would not be a threat.

The midwives needed to make a choice, do they follow the earthly king who had to power to kill them, or do they fear God even more and disobey the direct orders they have been given? While the decision can seem cut and dry, in the moment with such an intimidating presence as the leader of one of the most powerful nations on Earth ordering you to do evil, it is tough to side with the Lord.

To their eternal credit, the two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah defied the Pharaoh and let the males live. They were called to Pharaoh to explain themselves, but instead deceived him by saying that Hebrew women typically give birth even before the midwives get there. Was that a lie? Yes. But a lie to fool a person who is doing evil is not a lie. Other prominent examples of this type of lie would be Germans who helped hide the Jews during the Nazi Holocaust or Underground Railroad participants who aided and hid slaves going North toward freedom.

This kind of usage of deception needs to be used very carefully however, and the usage of "evil" must be that as defined by God and not by man. For example, the deception and fudging of figures of the scientists recently exposed in the "Climategate" scandal could be construed as deception done for the greater good of the Earth (although it was probably done for the greater good of the scientists' funding). Many environmentalists might believe that true evil is our production of carbon dioxide, the gas we emit when we breathe. Irrespective of the argument over whether global warming is true, this instance is not a definition of evil in the eyes of God. In fact, He says, "subdue the Earth" (Gen 1:28), not "save the Earth". So the lies and deception of the scientists in this case are sins.

Ultimately, this passage is really about personal choices that we make. In this situation, the Hebrews were subjugated by Pharaoh and made to do rigorous labor. It seems like they had little personal choices and were trapped in their situations. Scribbles scrawled into rock walls of the time period had desperate pleas written in Hebrew like "Save us El (God)!" carved into them.

But, even though orders were given by Earthly authorities, there is still a personal choice on whether they will be followed. As Christians, we ultimately fear God over anything else. When we refer to Him as "Lord", it is a calculated word which means "My life is God's, for His service alone. Even my own desires and wants must be checked to His authority." There are no half-measures here. We cannot be saved by Christ, and call Him Lord without truly handing over all of ourselves to Him. The standard - the only standard for the Christian is as Paul describes, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."(Gal 2:20)

In that light, there are many agendas in this world, and powerful people who will seek to persuade, influence and even cajole others to do things ranging from unlawful acts to acts lacking in integrity that aren't criminal. They will ask you to mislead others and make it sound harmless by calling it "mere spin". I write these things because it is very real to me and to my profession. I write these things because I know that my heart and my flesh are weak. I know that I am not strong enough to live a life of integrity without the Lord.

Although we may feel trapped and afraid in certain situations, we must remember these two brave midwives. They defied a king who asked them to do evil, and are forever remembered for their faith in the Lord and their allegience to Him alone.

Lord Jesus, You ask us to set ourselves aside and to worship only You. What that means is that You are our Lord in everything and we live our lives for You, knowing that ultimately You are responsible for guiding our lives like a loving Father. We will be all right, things will work out. There are those in the world who are striving to manipulate us for their own gains, and unfortunately they can put very real pressure upon us to forget our core beliefs and values. Lord Jesus, give me the strength to walk in integrity. Let me never choose to do an act that would violate my beliefs, but instead, help me to walk a path of true faith. I know that might mean killing my career, losing friendships, and struggling at times, but I know You will honor my choices accordingly. If the only reward we see is eternal salvation and being with You in Heaven, that is enough. Thank You Lord that You have taught me how to know right from wrong, please empower me with the strength to live it out. I know I am imperfect in that light, but my desire is to get better and better everyday. Please help me in that, In Jesus' name, Amen.

In Times of Trouble, Where is My Hope Placed?

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." (Jer 17:7-8)

Where is my hope and where is my trust? Those are very pertinent questions for me today as I begin to assess where I am at the moment. My family is facing some potentially large financial commitments, and I don't have a steady job at the moment. I am working as a temp right now, and I am very grateful for the work - truly, it has been provision from the Lord.

However, I don't have the solid financial footing to undertake our potential purchases, and that is a little unsettling. "How in the world are we going to do all this?" is the question that comes to mind very quickly.

I sift through all the calculations that I can come up with, and it doesn't add up. But then, I am reminded when I read this verse - "Bryan, who and what are you placing your trust in?" Am I trusting in my own abilities, the number in my bank account, or on random fortune?

All that ignores the Lord entirely. I am not saying that the Lord is my genie to grant me any wish that I want, but what I am saying is that the Lord provides appropriately and at the right time.

The trial is not the important battle to win, but rather it is my response to the trial that is the true test. When push comes to shove, will I stand on my worldly possessions and skills, or will I instead dive into the arms of the Lord? Is my belief deep enough to keep my leaves green during the time of drought, not sucking life from the world, but subsisting on the word of God alone?

I must remember the Lord and simply pray to Him. Yes, I will do whatever I can with my own two hands, but I will leave the ultimate provision to Him. He will provide for us one way or another - I don't need to wonder or worry. Once it goes to Him, it will get taken cared of in the proper way at the proper time.

Lord Jesus, I know that the decisions that have started to weigh on me are not really mine to make. You know what is best for me and my family, and You have never led us astray. No, You have always been faithful, and even now You provide for us in the midst of a tough job market. I have always had favor from You and I know that this time will not be any different. You have a plan and You have a future laid out for us. Forgive me for my moments of unbelief where I have not put my life squarely into Your hands, but instead have tried to wield it all on my own. In the process, I almost lost all the lessons that You've been teaching me over the past 6 months. Thank You for drawing near to me again and holding us steady although the world howls around us. In Your glorious 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.

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.