Christ Redirects Us Through Life Changes

"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation." (Psalm 91:14-16)

Things in my life had been proceeding smoothly - busy and hectic, but smoothly nonetheless. It is usually during these times, that 1 Cor 10:12 typically comes into my mind - "Be careful if you think you stand, lest you fall."

Recently, my boss let me know of a situation with the Company which may or may not necessitate cuts, transfers or large wholesale changes during the next two years. Unlike most people who are suffering from "job insecurity" or unemployment, this situation is more of a slow moving event than and a quick cut. That is a blessing in itself because I have time to prepare.

However, I was running a bit on cruise control in my life and I was enjoying my job, the company culture and everything that went along with it. My wife is 6 months pregnant and we had recently purchased a home. A common scenario here in the USA. So, the first few days or so were filled with many moments of thought about the future.

The overriding theme of my thoughts was just a sense and a coming back to the fact that our lives are really set up by the Lord in ways that we do not and cannot imagine. It is our unfortunate tendency to think that we have a lot of control to plan our lives and we make those plans and expectations in our mind. We think, "First I'm going to do this, then this and then finally this will happen and I'll be happy."

This is not to say that goal setting is unworthy - it is obviously proven to be a key in progressing in any endeavor we do. However, my point is simply that we are not the ultimate arbiters of what will transpire in our lives.

Job loss, Sickness, Accidents, Theft - are just some of the things that can pop up in our lives which will send us spiraling away from the path that we have carefully chosen for ourselves.

The saving grace for those of us who call on Jesus is what He has promised to His followers and believers. We are not bereft of protection in the most dire of circumstances. If a large change in our life occurs, He can not only help us to overcome, but He will help us to use it to help others to move us to a more beneficial place.

We can call on Him in trouble and He will answer. He answers because we know each other and we have a deep abiding relationship that comes many conversations, trials and prayers. Too easily I forget all that He has already done for me in my life and I am glad that He still remembers all those moments and helps me to recall that He has never failed me, and that He never will.

Lord Jesus, you are the ultimate planner and user of my life. Please use me as You will and not as I will. You have never failed me before and never will fail me as You have promised this to those who love You. So, use this event to move my life in the direction that it needs to go. When we called You "Lord", we also gave over control of where and how we are serving. In Your blessed name we pray. AMEN.

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.

Sin = Enslavement; Jesus Breaks Sins and Gives Life

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. for the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts." (Romans 6:8-12)

In Christianity, we hear of the free gift of Christ very often. Here in Romans 6, Paul details to us what exactly Christ has done for us. Christ sacrificed Himself for the death that we should have died because of our sins, and being God His death has the power to cover all our sins. In addition, only the death of a perfect man under the law could serve as that sacrifice as a sinful man would already deserve death on his own faults. Christ's resurrection of Himself on the third day evidences that death's power has been overcome by Christ's sacrifice. If we believe in Him AND become His follower, then His death is extended to us because we die to our old selves, and are renewed in Christ. We are no longer slaves to sin - but are now slaves to righteousness.

This message isn't a simple one - and although I've been a Christian for a few years now, I also had to struggle with the above paragraph to try to break it down to something simple for me to write...and I only think that I half succeeded.

The part of Romans 6 that has really struck me though is the concept of Lordship. We are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness.

Sin attracts us because we want to be free to do whatever we want to do. Our society tends to live by the motto: "If it feels good, do it". Well, sin always feels good at first. There is a rush of doing something that even our souls know is illicit. We are going against God and rebelling feels good.

But as we do our sin more and more, something terrible happens. The enjoyment level falls but the craving to keep doing it increases. Soon we are slowly consumed by the need to sin more and more, while the only enjoyment comes from thinking and doing more perverse ways of sinning. We fall into a deeper and deeper cycle and addiction. Sin, which seemed so attractive and free, has ensnared us.

As we become enslaved to sin, the enjoyment of life decreases. It is difficult to live because we need to sin. We are not free any longer and we have given over our souls to sin.

But Christ is the light that saves us because He alone can break the power of sin. Yes, by accepting Him, we become His followers and His children. But, being our Creator, He knows the optimum ways in which we need to live. He has given us guidelines through His Word to direct us in the ways that will be beneficial to us - ways to maximize our enjoyment and our freedom. But one of the first things that He does for us when we become Christians is that He breaks the shackles of sin, and provides us with a way out of those sins. For some people it is a dramatic turnaround. For others like myself, it is a gradual working and changing of my life more and more towards His ways.

It is such a paradox that although Christ gives us commandments which seem to be so constrictive, our true freedom, peace and happiness is derived from those boundaries. It is like a rule that we can't eat a poison berry. Yes, the berry may taste sweet and delicious, but the poison will ultimately kill us. While eating the berry may seem like freedom, the death that it leads to is the anti-thesis.

Lord Jesus, today You have allowed me to think once again about all that You've done for me in my life. I know that I need to renew my understanding from time to time in order to keep strong in my faith - especially because I have such a short term memory and we are bombarded with messages to sin and live with the world on a daily basis. But, when I recall Your power to break sins, I have to sit and marvel at all the changes You've made in my life. While I am not perfect, You have given me new life, and I am so grateful for it all. I am free in ways I have never known and I have peace and joy deeper than I ever could have imagined. Thank You Jesus. In Your name I pray, AMEN.

Resetting To God Regularly

It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! (Mt 10:25)

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Mt 10:28-31)

I've been remiss in my reading and studying of His word lately. I am His disciple, but I have let the obligations, cares and burdens of the world crowd out the priority of Him. And it isn't as if the world doesn't stop hammering away at you when you take a break from God. It just does it more subtly in ways that you don't realize are weakening your defenses.

I needed to hear this chapter and set of verses today. It is a reaffirmation of everything that is a Christian life. Courage in the midst of fearful circumstances. Jesus was sending his disciples out into different towns and cities where they would be welcomed in different ways. Sometimes it would be pleasant experience, and other times they would be hated and reviled.

That's so similar to life. We represent Christ Himself wherever we are, and we are being called to live by the standards that Christ has set. Honor, Integrity, and Honesty. The sad fact is that that is hardly the standard of the world. And of course it is understandable that people are more driven by their sins and fears than they are by the Lord. But, the Lord clearly warns us about Hell -- it is our awaited punishment unless we follow Christ.

We all have an appointed time to die. Nothing will happen to us, especially those who stand with Christ, unless the Lord allows it. That is the truth - and it is also the truth that bad things and tragedies also happen to Christians as well. However, our responsibility is ultimately in our response to these trials.

Will we continue to stay strong and obedient to the Lord's calling, no matter what the world and Satan tries to throw against us? Or will we be battered down and give up?

It all depends on whose strength we are leaning on in times of difficulty and trouble. If we are not trained up to know God's word intimately and thoroughly, we will falter because our foundation is weak. That is the risk that I face today. Can I not even read one chapter daily to meditate and pray upon?

The Lord has reminded me of how weak I am without Him, but also how strong I can be in the midst of trial when I am near to Him.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (1 Cor 10:12)

As Christians we have given our lives over to Christ. We do not stand without Him, and if we ever find ourselves drifting to a place where we don't think we need to read the word or seek to do His will, then there is a big issue.

I don't think I quite got to that type of place, but surely this has been the reminder of who I am, and how I need to react in the face of trials and situations that call me to compromise.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me that I have been absent from my reading and studies. I know that this is a recurring theme in my life -- will I not learn?! Am I instead to wander in the desert in circles just outside the promised land? I know that there is so much ahead, but I need to submit to Your will, Your ways, and seek You out daily. Please help me to grow my inner strength and to have Your strength as I face the trials ahead. In Your overcoming name I pray, AMEN.

Letting God Overcome

"And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." (Ex. 14: 13-14)

Israel was scared. They had just come out of a life of subjugation in Egypt and they appeared to be trapped before a sea. Egypt was angry that they had lost their source of slave labor and sought to destroy the nation of Israel with a magnificent army bearing down on a poor and hapless people.

God however, was on the side of Israel. They were His people whom He had promised to shepherd to their new lives in their own nation. In the face of panic, Moses reminded Israel who their true keeper really was.

It is the same for us as Christians when we encounter trials. I walk through life trying to remember the Lord, but most of the time I'm only doing my own thing - working my own agenda. "What do I need to do today?" "I need to do this immediately." "What do I do to fulfill me?" Everything revolves around me.

However, the Lord did not require his children to do anything when they were facing the deadly armies of Egypt. They were simply to obey. Trust and obey.

The doing is in the obedience, not in trying to gain any kind of control over a situation. The Lord has everything absolutely under control. Every day, every moment, is already planned out by Him into its proper place.

Lord Jesus, I am tempted to be my own God most of the time. Consequently, when trials come, I worry about what I need to do to rectify a situation. However, I simply need to ask You for wisdom and it will come. I simply need to trust that You will set every little thing into its proper place and in its proper time. My responsibility is not complicated when I do that. Let me rest in Your peace Father, and know that it has been arranged for the good. Stepping out of Your order will only strain what You have planned. Help me to rest in You today. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Being Built By Tough Times

"Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart." Prov 20:30

"A man's steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?" Prov 20:24

I found Prov 20:30 to be interesting during my reading today. It reminded me of the discipline that we need in life. As a parent to a young child, I see that she has a natural curiosity to touch everything and to explore. However, exploration is not always healthy. In order to keep her away from the things that I know could hurt her, I discipline her from time to time with a light spanking. As a parent, I am wiser and until she develops wisdom of her own, I must give her discipline.

Although we as adults won't get spanked physically, it is very true that most of us will all undergo difficulties. The realities of life, the slogging through difficult circumstances, shape us the most, do they not? Are we not steeped in character because we have experienced trouble with people or events? When we are young, we have courage, the ability to learn, and intellect, but we lack experience. Consequently, we come into situations as fresh-faced and minor things create stress. However, when we have years of experience under our belt, we weather storms with a calm that is developed from having undergone trials in the past. With this, we have a deeper realization of how big God is, and how small we are - we are less prone to evil. There is a toughness about us that comes through the journey and process. In short, we become wiser.

There are times when certain reality shows can be a blessing. Why? Because we get to see a bit into how the other half lives. How do people live when they have lots of money and very little cares in the world? They have problems, but they are of such a juvenile nature that it becomes comedic for us everyday people. Ultimately, what we are able to see is that people who do not undergo stresses, trials and hurts become weenies. Narcisstic, self important jerks that go through a fog of life in a fantasy land where they have little personal responsibility and do little good in life (other than giving us a public example of what we don't want to become).

There is a quality of character that the Lord seeks to develop in us. We don't know what the finished product will look like (though His word gives us a good description) and the journey is a mystery. Does any of us really understand or have control over the path that we will take?

I know many driven people, and they have carefully crafted their careers in such a way that they have attained very good positions in society. That is to their credit. However, can they really say that they know what the next twist and turn will bring? Yesterday, our family was almost hit by a car who got into an accident at night, and started driving away from the scene on the wrong side of a divided road. His car was smashed in the front and he had no lights. At the last minute I had to swerve to miss him because I couldn't see him. It all happened with my wife and child in the backseat. What if I had not missed him? - Even if I arrange my life perfectly, do I really know what the future brings?

But the Lord does know. When we accept His Lordship over our lives, we come under His umbrella. Life as it occurs around us is ultimately in His hands. Those that rebel, those that have denied Him live unprotected - on the precipice of Hell at all times. One slip and they go over the cliff for all eternity. Christians die, get sick, suffer, but ultimately we are promised Heaven. But even as Christians suffer, the dates and times of their deaths are in the hands of God. We will not go a moment before it is our time. In the meantime, our lives on Earth are being used to both develop ourselves and bless others.

Lord Jesus, thank You for invading the darkness of my life and walking alongside me. Thank You for being patient and pushing me to tough places and tough situations. I know they are all designed for a reason, and ultimately You are creating the man I was made to be. Please forgive me for the times that I have reacted poorly and have not shown good character. Please forgive me for the times when I have lashed out in stress rather than simply giving it to You in prayer - knowing that You know best and everything will be fine. I am glad to be humbled by my trials because I know they will never humiliate me - because I live for Your purpose now and not my own. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

God has a way of teaching us what we need...

"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. but when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." (Genesis 37:3-4)

The story of Joseph is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. Out of jealousy, his brothers kidnap and sell him as a slave to a band of traders headed to Egypt. He is put into the service of an Egyptian prison warden, accused of coming on to the warden's wife, sent into prison, released because of his gift to interpret dreams, used to save Egypt, given a leadership position in Egypt, and then used ultimately to save his family from famine.

It is surely a story of great triumph, but it all starts with the spoiling of a young child by his father, and the jealousy that it incites in his brothers. The scripture paints a picture of a bratty child, one who was accustomed to getting his way, but the Lord knows that character is developed through trials, and not through a life of ease.

One takeaway from the story is in the area of parenting - where it is clearly disruptive for parents to play favorites. I only have one child now, but my sincere hope is to love and handle each child equally - reflecting the equal love that our own God has for all of his children.

The second takeaway for me revolves around the way that the Lord builds our characters. Joseph in his bratty state and favored existence as Jacob's son was clearly ill prepared to take on a position of leadership in saving the family of Israel in the future. As such, there was a hard road ahead for him.

God surely knew the potential that existed in Joseph to become a leader in a powerful country like Egypt, but it needed to be molded and formed. I can only imagine the kinds of hardships and difficulties that Joseph faced, but they were key to the development of a deep seated maturity that was needed for the future.

This is a real encouragement for me because I lived a sheltered and pampered existence growing up and I think it ultimately served to my detriment rather than to help me through life. As an adult, I have been blessed by the Lord in many ways, but things have not come easily or smoothly. There have been many periods of trial each step of the way, but they have also served to deepen my maturity and character. I would not change a thing that I have gone through.

And so it is with the current trials that we are in. They are shaping my wife and myself in such a way that we can become wiser and more mature to do the work that the Lord has arranged for us in the future. Romans 8:28 confirms this: "For we know that in all things God works for the good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose."

This message also matches the sensing that I've been receiving from the Lord. That this is simply the beginning and that there are bigger things awaiting in the future. What I've realized however, is that God's concept of "big" and man's concept are two different things. As Jesus said:

"The Kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors'. But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves." (Luke 22:25-26)

Yes, I do aspire to better days financially and to have a means to provide for my family to live comfortably, but I want to be a man of deep character and integrity to use whatever I am given wisely. And in doing so, I hope to raise a Godly generation who can do even more for the kingdom of God.

Lord Jesus, thank you for this word today and for the greater assurance of Your sovereignty amidst trials and strife. Everything has its place and purpose - and I do not know mine yet in full, but I know that I simply need to follow and everything will be unveiled in time. Just as Joseph was taken from a brat to a savior for his family, so too I know that I am on a journey of growth and maturity towards an ultimate goal. Help me to walk with You every step of the way humbling myself before Your throne. 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.

Forgetting What Was Behind

"Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain." (Gen 19:17)

In Genesis, God saw the sinfulness of Sodom and Gomorrah and planned their destruction. The only thing that He desired to do is to get the righteous Lot and his family out of the path of destruction. In this famous story, we know that Lot's wife looked back as they were fleeing and was turned into a pillar of salt.

I really don't judge Lot's wife harshly because she was leaving all that she had and knew. Lot was a rich and prosperous man and they must have lived a charmed life. However, all of that was nothing compared to the urging of the Lord to go.

We rarely know why God will call us to move from this place or that, and it can all seem very confusing and deflating emotionally. However, based on this example, we need to simply trust God and move according to His direction. And as we move, keep focused ahead on the path in front of us instead of dwelling on everything that is in the past.

It is easy to reminisce and glorify the things that have come in the past. Sometimes it can seem so very charming and easy, especially during times of intense trial and stress in our walk with God. However, the path that we are on is chosen by the Lord for our good, and we must not give Satan a foothold upon which to prey upon us and lead us astray. Once we open the door to discontent, Satan will twist that into a desire to seek after an easy way, a way that ultimately leads to eternal hell.

As I am still in the midst of struggle and trial, this is a key verse for me. Obedience to the Lord hasn't been easy and I know that my career has suffered mightily because of it. But, the words of Paul ring true to me when I am tempted to look back and wish that things had been different: "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ...but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3)

The moment I made a decision for Christ, I laid down my previous life, the world and its aspirations. It is no wonder that as a consequence, I am asked to do something different which would forego worldly gain, status and comfort. But in return, I will move ever closer in my goal to fulfilling the call of Christ on my life - a life that He will ultimately not waste, but will use to further His kingdom.

That is all that I dream. That when I stand before His throne at the end of my days here on earth, I will know that my calling was fulfilled and my duty as a soldier for the Lord was completed in full. All else will simply fade away into obscurity.

Lord Jesus, help me to keep my eyes and thoughts focused ahead on what You have called me to do. Thank You for saving me and my family that we may worship and walk with You always. In Jesus' name, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.