Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Psalm 23:6 NKJV).
It is more difficult to have a familiar passage of scripture speak to you because we so often come with preconceived ideas of what we think it says and a familiarity that we all know can breed contempt. “Oh yeah, I know that verse,” we immediately think when we hear Psalm 23. And then we read it with the filter of past understanding.
Perhaps that’s why I was pleasantly surprised to immediately be struck by two nuisances I had never noticed before. The use of the word surely stuck out this time. It is a very strong word, which means assuredly, confidently, without fail, and without doubt. David’s confidence in God’s ability is unwavering. But it was the second part of that sentence that really caused me to ponder the passage with a new interest.
Not really sure why, but I had always read “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” as an indication that because of the close relationship we enjoy with the Lord, His mercy and goodness would always be part of our lives. And while that may well be true, that’s not exactly what this verse says. It does not say, “goodness and mercy will lead me or be with me all the days of my life;” it says, they will “follow” me. There is an implication in the differentiation that seems to stress the fact that, as believers who have unwavering confidence in God, our lives will be dispensing goodness and mercy in the wake of where we go, just like a car that springs an oil leak. And if we should tarry for a while in one spot, we will end up leaving a puddle of goodness and mercy.
The key is in the parallel to the car. If your car is leaking oil, you better keep putting the oil in, or the engine will seize. As we continue to fill our hearts with the oil of the Holy Spirit, we will enjoy the overflowing cup David spoke about in verse 5 of this familiar Psalm. And for all you mechanics, yes, we would be better off to get the car fixed, but in our parallel illustration, we cannot fix the leak until we take that final trip to the Divine Mechanic, so we have to just keep putting oil in the vehicle.
This truth, like all of God’s Word, is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it is exciting to think of my life in this way. On the other, it is convicting to look behind me and not see enough of the evidence of this truth. Today, I will ask God with unwavering confidence to pierce my heart with this area of Scripture so that it will begin to leak for Him, leaving that trail of goodness and mercy.
Friday, September 30, 2011
To Whom Much Is Given ...
Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6 NKJV).
The implications of this verse are very disturbing. There will come a time when God cannot be found and when He will not be near. But why should this be disturbing when He has been saying this for countless ages. There is not a single person who has read the Bible who can claim ignorance of the fact that we live in a special dispensation of grace in which we are able to find the Lord when we seek and draw near to Him by an earnest desire to do so. Yet that is the problem – not everyone has read the Bible. And as one of the privileged few who have, there is a great responsibility that comes with that honor. Luke 12:48 says:
… For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; … (Luke 12:48 NKJV)
We know from the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God and from Scripture that everything from the color of our eyes to the place of our birth was chosen by God for a purpose. He knit us in our mothers’ wombs and He even decided who would be our mother, who would be our father, and where our mother would live when it came time for our birth. We see these dynamics in the lives of Joseph, Moses, Ester, and most poignantly, Jesus.
So, the very fact that we were born in a country where the Bible is readily available, that is at least in theory 85% Christian, where we have the freedom to believe as we please, and where the knowledge of God is as common as cell phones, means that we are the ones to whom God will look as those who are predominantly responsible to get this information to the world.
The Great Commission is not for a select few. And I have heard it said that we are either “goers” or “senders,” but everyone has a part. This verse in Isaiah puts urgency to whichever part we are going to play. We have a specified amount of time – the length of which no one knows – in which to accomplish the task given to us in Matthew 28:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV).
It is that “end of the age” part that should haunt us because we don’t know when the end of this period of grace will occur in which God can be found by seeking and He will draw near when we call. And we also know that because of our position of privilege, we shoulder the lion’s share of the burden to get this done.
As I consider the principles God has given me today, I realize that I am part of the sending team as I use my life to ready those who will go. Yet, I am also struck by the reality that there are many still in Whitefish, MT who have never read the Bible and who do not know about the closing window of grace. I must guard against slipping into the mindset that I’ve done enough by sending. I must always be ready to be the one sent when God opens the door for me to share the reason for the hope that I have of Heaven. Because, like Noah, I do not know the day or hour in which there will be no further opportunity to save souls from damnation. And on the day that window closes, I will have to watch in horror as they are condemned for all eternity and I don’t want to know that I could have done more. That would be very disturbing.
The implications of this verse are very disturbing. There will come a time when God cannot be found and when He will not be near. But why should this be disturbing when He has been saying this for countless ages. There is not a single person who has read the Bible who can claim ignorance of the fact that we live in a special dispensation of grace in which we are able to find the Lord when we seek and draw near to Him by an earnest desire to do so. Yet that is the problem – not everyone has read the Bible. And as one of the privileged few who have, there is a great responsibility that comes with that honor. Luke 12:48 says:
… For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; … (Luke 12:48 NKJV)
We know from the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God and from Scripture that everything from the color of our eyes to the place of our birth was chosen by God for a purpose. He knit us in our mothers’ wombs and He even decided who would be our mother, who would be our father, and where our mother would live when it came time for our birth. We see these dynamics in the lives of Joseph, Moses, Ester, and most poignantly, Jesus.
So, the very fact that we were born in a country where the Bible is readily available, that is at least in theory 85% Christian, where we have the freedom to believe as we please, and where the knowledge of God is as common as cell phones, means that we are the ones to whom God will look as those who are predominantly responsible to get this information to the world.
The Great Commission is not for a select few. And I have heard it said that we are either “goers” or “senders,” but everyone has a part. This verse in Isaiah puts urgency to whichever part we are going to play. We have a specified amount of time – the length of which no one knows – in which to accomplish the task given to us in Matthew 28:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV).
It is that “end of the age” part that should haunt us because we don’t know when the end of this period of grace will occur in which God can be found by seeking and He will draw near when we call. And we also know that because of our position of privilege, we shoulder the lion’s share of the burden to get this done.
As I consider the principles God has given me today, I realize that I am part of the sending team as I use my life to ready those who will go. Yet, I am also struck by the reality that there are many still in Whitefish, MT who have never read the Bible and who do not know about the closing window of grace. I must guard against slipping into the mindset that I’ve done enough by sending. I must always be ready to be the one sent when God opens the door for me to share the reason for the hope that I have of Heaven. Because, like Noah, I do not know the day or hour in which there will be no further opportunity to save souls from damnation. And on the day that window closes, I will have to watch in horror as they are condemned for all eternity and I don’t want to know that I could have done more. That would be very disturbing.
Sitting in the Safety of His Watch
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over (Psalm 23:5 NKJV).
King David describes the relationship he enjoyed with God through this Psalm, which is probably one of the most well known Psalms in the Bible. Even those who do not know Scripture can quote parts, if not all, of these verses. And who better to describe the kind of personal relationship God has with His people than someone described as a man after God’s own heart. And what better metaphor could David have used than a shepherd with sheep, since this was the background of his formative years. David would have known what it meant to be a shepherd and the kind of care that it took to watch over a flock of sheep. He even credits his ability to take on Goliath to the fact that his years of tending sheep had put him in situations that required enough courage to kill a lion and a bear to protect the helpless animals under his care.
And now, years later, he pens this prominent part of God’s Word, knowing that he, himself, had many times prepared food for the sheep in the midst of wild predators who were waiting for them to be “off guard” enough to attack. What better time to take advantage of someone when his or her focus is on food. Yet, under the watchful eye of their good shepherd, they would never have to worry about the attacks of their enemies because David stood guard, willing to risk his very own life to preserve theirs.
This verse is exactly what we need to remember when we feel overwhelmed and challenged by the enemy. While we cannot see Him with our natural eye, we are assured by this Psalm that God is setting up a table of sustenance for us at which to safely eat, even when there are predators all around. By faith we can rest assured that if God is for us, who can be against us.
The next time I feel the enemy is looking to devour me, I will picture in my mind, the Lord setting a table for me so that I can walk peacefully in the anointing He has given me and experience the abundance of overflowing blessing that comes from knowing Him.
King David describes the relationship he enjoyed with God through this Psalm, which is probably one of the most well known Psalms in the Bible. Even those who do not know Scripture can quote parts, if not all, of these verses. And who better to describe the kind of personal relationship God has with His people than someone described as a man after God’s own heart. And what better metaphor could David have used than a shepherd with sheep, since this was the background of his formative years. David would have known what it meant to be a shepherd and the kind of care that it took to watch over a flock of sheep. He even credits his ability to take on Goliath to the fact that his years of tending sheep had put him in situations that required enough courage to kill a lion and a bear to protect the helpless animals under his care.
And now, years later, he pens this prominent part of God’s Word, knowing that he, himself, had many times prepared food for the sheep in the midst of wild predators who were waiting for them to be “off guard” enough to attack. What better time to take advantage of someone when his or her focus is on food. Yet, under the watchful eye of their good shepherd, they would never have to worry about the attacks of their enemies because David stood guard, willing to risk his very own life to preserve theirs.
This verse is exactly what we need to remember when we feel overwhelmed and challenged by the enemy. While we cannot see Him with our natural eye, we are assured by this Psalm that God is setting up a table of sustenance for us at which to safely eat, even when there are predators all around. By faith we can rest assured that if God is for us, who can be against us.
The next time I feel the enemy is looking to devour me, I will picture in my mind, the Lord setting a table for me so that I can walk peacefully in the anointing He has given me and experience the abundance of overflowing blessing that comes from knowing Him.
Monday, September 12, 2011
A Mustard Seed of Faith is Enough
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you (Luke 17:6).
The Bible describes faith as: … the realization of what is hoped for, the proof of things not seen (LEB).
Yet our minds are trained to believe only what they can discern with the senses, i.e., what they can see, hear, smell, touch or taste. So, to fathom that what we hope for can exist apart from what we see, makes people shut down. Yet, everyday we live by faith, whether we consider ourselves a religious person or the most rational being on earth.
When we flip a light switch, we are expecting the lights to go on, but we cannot see that in action. When we enter a room in which we’ve never been, we have no problem sitting on a chair in that room and believing that the chair will hold up our weight. Yet we have never sat in the chair before in our lives, so how do we know it will? When we make an appointment for next week to get our hair cut, we are believing that there will be a next week, yet we can’t see it. We don’t even have the assurance that the sun will actually come up tomorrow if we are basing it solely on what we can see. And when we step up to an altar and pledge our lives to a spouse, we are making the guarantee that in spite of not knowing the future – for better or worse – we are going to remain faithful. How presumptuous of us is that?
For something as radical as faith – believing without seeing – it is as common as two plus two is four. So, why does it become such an obstacle to the human heart to believe in a God we cannot see? Why do we have such pause as a race of created beings to accept the outlandish love of our Creator?
I don’t think the problem lies in faith. I think it lies in hope. Most people are not willing to hope for a God that loves them so deeply that He would give His only Son to die for us so that we could have a hope of life beyond this world. They have been worn down by a life of disappointment and are unwilling to risk putting their faith in the hope of Heaven. This problem has been around for a very long time. Even in Isaiah’s day, people had to be encouraged to hope in God:
… Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23b).
When we are able to adjust our hearts to hope in God, it takes next to no faith at all to believe Him. With as little thought as flipping a light switch, we can light up an entire stadium. And with the equivalent faith of a mustard seed, we can ignite our hearts to believe God – if our hope has been firmly anchored in Him.
When we encounter people who do not believe in God, we need to remember that faith is not the problem. They are able to believe in things they cannot see and do so every day. We must address the real issue – they have been so disappointed by life that they are unable to see a God who does not disappoint.
This is a sobering reality for my own life because I realize that there are many times I find myself doubting God. As I examine my heart through the filter of this truth, I now realize that when I find myself doubting God, it is not because I lack faith, but because I have transferred my hope from God to something or someone else. For instance, when I have a concern over money – is my hope in the financial system of this world or God? A concern over my future – is my hope in circumstances or a Sovereign God; a concern over my relationship with my husband, is my hope in my own inadequate ability to do relationship or in a God who knows our every thought?
I am going to exercise faith in one way or another today. I must make sure that my faith is connected to a hope that is anchored in God and nothing else or I may find myself extremely disappointed.
The Bible describes faith as: … the realization of what is hoped for, the proof of things not seen (LEB).
Yet our minds are trained to believe only what they can discern with the senses, i.e., what they can see, hear, smell, touch or taste. So, to fathom that what we hope for can exist apart from what we see, makes people shut down. Yet, everyday we live by faith, whether we consider ourselves a religious person or the most rational being on earth.
When we flip a light switch, we are expecting the lights to go on, but we cannot see that in action. When we enter a room in which we’ve never been, we have no problem sitting on a chair in that room and believing that the chair will hold up our weight. Yet we have never sat in the chair before in our lives, so how do we know it will? When we make an appointment for next week to get our hair cut, we are believing that there will be a next week, yet we can’t see it. We don’t even have the assurance that the sun will actually come up tomorrow if we are basing it solely on what we can see. And when we step up to an altar and pledge our lives to a spouse, we are making the guarantee that in spite of not knowing the future – for better or worse – we are going to remain faithful. How presumptuous of us is that?
For something as radical as faith – believing without seeing – it is as common as two plus two is four. So, why does it become such an obstacle to the human heart to believe in a God we cannot see? Why do we have such pause as a race of created beings to accept the outlandish love of our Creator?
I don’t think the problem lies in faith. I think it lies in hope. Most people are not willing to hope for a God that loves them so deeply that He would give His only Son to die for us so that we could have a hope of life beyond this world. They have been worn down by a life of disappointment and are unwilling to risk putting their faith in the hope of Heaven. This problem has been around for a very long time. Even in Isaiah’s day, people had to be encouraged to hope in God:
… Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23b).
When we are able to adjust our hearts to hope in God, it takes next to no faith at all to believe Him. With as little thought as flipping a light switch, we can light up an entire stadium. And with the equivalent faith of a mustard seed, we can ignite our hearts to believe God – if our hope has been firmly anchored in Him.
When we encounter people who do not believe in God, we need to remember that faith is not the problem. They are able to believe in things they cannot see and do so every day. We must address the real issue – they have been so disappointed by life that they are unable to see a God who does not disappoint.
This is a sobering reality for my own life because I realize that there are many times I find myself doubting God. As I examine my heart through the filter of this truth, I now realize that when I find myself doubting God, it is not because I lack faith, but because I have transferred my hope from God to something or someone else. For instance, when I have a concern over money – is my hope in the financial system of this world or God? A concern over my future – is my hope in circumstances or a Sovereign God; a concern over my relationship with my husband, is my hope in my own inadequate ability to do relationship or in a God who knows our every thought?
I am going to exercise faith in one way or another today. I must make sure that my faith is connected to a hope that is anchored in God and nothing else or I may find myself extremely disappointed.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Footholds of Hell
and do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27 NKJV).
The dictionary describes a foothold as a firm base for progress. The Apostle Paul is saying that we should not allow the devil to have a platform upon which he can begin to build and make progress in our lives. And we know from other areas of Scripture that the direction he will head when given the opportunity is to steal, rob, and destroy.
As we ponder the possible chaos that would occur from the enemy having such a stage in our lives, it becomes very important to connect the dots back to what actually gives the devil his foothold – and that would be unresolved anger. The beginning of this thought is established in verse 26 and says that we ought not to let the sun go down before we have taken care of any situation that has caused us to be angry. And the reason for dealing swiftly with our issue of anger is because when we don’t, the devil gets his foot in the door to do his dirty work.
It is interesting to note that the Bible assumes that anger is going to happen, but warns us that it is something that we should not entertain for any length of time because it creates a playground for the devil. Knowing this, it is unfathomable how many people, including those who actually know this information, hang on to their anger and are unwilling to take steps to resolve it. One of the reasons for our lack of motivation is because anger usually occurs when an offense has happened. And in order to address the offense in a way that eliminates anger, we must go to the offending party and confront the issue head on. That can be extremely frightening to most people because we all operate from a base of wanting to be accepted and confrontation places our holy grail of acceptance on the altar of possible rejection. We would rather suffer in silent anger than to risk relationship. We hope by holding it in, we can avoid the unpleasant possibility of upsetting the offending party and we can keep the status quo so that our wounded heart doesn’t become a problem and the anger just goes away.
The problem is, it doesn’t. It can be shoved under the rug, but it always comes back and when it does, it comes with a vengeance that is surer to destroy the relationship than the initial confrontation because it is now inspired by the foothold of hell. The devil has had time to work his deceitful plan. He has given us justification for our anger that blocks our ability to assess our own contribution to the offense, which is what God tells us to do in the first place. Because when we take that inventory before the sun settles on the misunderstanding, we are able to find our own part in the miscommunication that leads to a humility in which confrontation always bears the fruit of righteousness. Yet, in the fuel of unresolved anger, we are ready to explode into the fire of wrath when the second offense comes – as it surely will in an imperfect world of imperfect people.
If we are to avoid the pitfalls of our humanity, we must cling desperately to the guidelines given in Scripture to avoid the snares of our own flesh and that of the enemy’s schemes. Conflict is a given. Resolution of that conflict is a choice. And if we do not choose life via the precepts of God’s Word, we will surely find death in our relationships.
When I encounter offenses that are sure to come, I will choose to follow God’s remedy for reconciliation and deal with the situation, according to Scripture, before the sun goes down so that I am not allowing any room for the devil to get a chance to blow the matter out of proportion. I will also, according to Scripture, assess my own contribution to the circumstances that gave rise to the offense, and then I will, according to Scripture, go to my brother or sister and set the stage for restoration of the relationship. And I will do this – in spite of how uncomfortable it might make me – because the last thing I need is for the devil to have a base of operation in my life.
The dictionary describes a foothold as a firm base for progress. The Apostle Paul is saying that we should not allow the devil to have a platform upon which he can begin to build and make progress in our lives. And we know from other areas of Scripture that the direction he will head when given the opportunity is to steal, rob, and destroy.
As we ponder the possible chaos that would occur from the enemy having such a stage in our lives, it becomes very important to connect the dots back to what actually gives the devil his foothold – and that would be unresolved anger. The beginning of this thought is established in verse 26 and says that we ought not to let the sun go down before we have taken care of any situation that has caused us to be angry. And the reason for dealing swiftly with our issue of anger is because when we don’t, the devil gets his foot in the door to do his dirty work.
It is interesting to note that the Bible assumes that anger is going to happen, but warns us that it is something that we should not entertain for any length of time because it creates a playground for the devil. Knowing this, it is unfathomable how many people, including those who actually know this information, hang on to their anger and are unwilling to take steps to resolve it. One of the reasons for our lack of motivation is because anger usually occurs when an offense has happened. And in order to address the offense in a way that eliminates anger, we must go to the offending party and confront the issue head on. That can be extremely frightening to most people because we all operate from a base of wanting to be accepted and confrontation places our holy grail of acceptance on the altar of possible rejection. We would rather suffer in silent anger than to risk relationship. We hope by holding it in, we can avoid the unpleasant possibility of upsetting the offending party and we can keep the status quo so that our wounded heart doesn’t become a problem and the anger just goes away.
The problem is, it doesn’t. It can be shoved under the rug, but it always comes back and when it does, it comes with a vengeance that is surer to destroy the relationship than the initial confrontation because it is now inspired by the foothold of hell. The devil has had time to work his deceitful plan. He has given us justification for our anger that blocks our ability to assess our own contribution to the offense, which is what God tells us to do in the first place. Because when we take that inventory before the sun settles on the misunderstanding, we are able to find our own part in the miscommunication that leads to a humility in which confrontation always bears the fruit of righteousness. Yet, in the fuel of unresolved anger, we are ready to explode into the fire of wrath when the second offense comes – as it surely will in an imperfect world of imperfect people.
If we are to avoid the pitfalls of our humanity, we must cling desperately to the guidelines given in Scripture to avoid the snares of our own flesh and that of the enemy’s schemes. Conflict is a given. Resolution of that conflict is a choice. And if we do not choose life via the precepts of God’s Word, we will surely find death in our relationships.
When I encounter offenses that are sure to come, I will choose to follow God’s remedy for reconciliation and deal with the situation, according to Scripture, before the sun goes down so that I am not allowing any room for the devil to get a chance to blow the matter out of proportion. I will also, according to Scripture, assess my own contribution to the circumstances that gave rise to the offense, and then I will, according to Scripture, go to my brother or sister and set the stage for restoration of the relationship. And I will do this – in spite of how uncomfortable it might make me – because the last thing I need is for the devil to have a base of operation in my life.
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