Critical Spirit vs. Truth in Love

Prevailing Life and Actively Dying

No elaboration today.  Just a couple of questions out of last week’s Romans 8 message.

Is the sin in my life actively dying?

Is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) daily prevailing?

The LORD will provide

Do you trust God?  I mean, do you really trust God?

Do you still trust Him when the “what” you wanted is not what happens.  Do you still trust Him when the “how” you wanted it is not how it happens.

The book of Genesis tells us about a man named Abram.  His name means “father” yet we first encounter him as a childless old man.   However, he’s an old man with a promise.  A promise to have a multitude, a nation, an outpouring of descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.    His name is even changed to reflect that promise.   Yet, his new name must have felt like salt on a wound as Abraham, the father of many, continued to be the father of none.  He tried to help the promise along by bringing someone else into the tent.  She has a child, but NOT the child of the promise.  Finally, his wife Sarah becomes pregnant and their son Isaac proves that God does provide and fulfill his promises.

Imagine then, years later, what was going through Abraham’s head when God chose to test his loyalty.  Abraham must have been a shaking man as he lead the only son of the promise up a mountain knowing that the command from God was to end Isaac’s life as a sacrifice.  What happens next is astounding.  Abraham trusted God completely and so up he went.  When asked by Isaac what was to be sacrificed, Abraham simply said, “The Lord will provide.”

And provide He did.  Abraham stood over a restrained Isaac and raised the knife to do something that would break any man… and God stops him.  The angel of the Lord speaks to him and tells Abraham that another sacrifice has been provided.  And there before him, a ram caught in the thicket.  God did provide.  God did test, but yet, He did provide.  The mountain was renamed as the place where God provides.

So, I’ll ask again… Do you trust God?

Jobs will be lost.  Suffering will happen.  There will be great days and there will be dark days.  Do you know, believe, and trust that God will provide?

It won’t come the way you think.  It won’t be in the manner you may even want, but without a doubt, if you put your trust in Him, He will not leave you wanting.

It’s amazing how often what we “want” and what we “need” are two different things.

So hear this and know, “The Lord will provide.”

I’ll close with these words from Jeremiah.

This is what the Lord says: Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.  They will live in the barren wilderness, in an unbelievable salty land.

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.

Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.    Jeremiah 17:5-8

Future you needs a break…

It’s amazing how much pressure I put on future me.  Future me must be very capable because I leave a lot to his hands.  Refinish the deck, pay the bills, take out the trash, feed the kids … whether the big projects or the little ones I’m convinced that future me will surely get it done at some random future and undetermined time.

Unfortunately we also tend to put a lot of Spiritual pressure on our future selves.  They’ll get into the Word. They’ll serve, give, read the Bible with their families and do everything else that present us is just too busy to get done.

Let’s give future us a break.  Let’s make a plan today to walk with God daily.  Let’s pick up the phone and make a commitment to meet with someone else and get into that beautiful Word.

I guarantee future you will thank you for the effort that the present you has made.

And on behalf of future me, you may now take the rest of the week off from blog posting!  Ah, that feels good!

Spiritual Disciplines (5 of 7) :: Sabbath

Funny how people often pick and choose what parts of the Bible they “like” and “don’t”.  For instance, we all know that the 10 commandments teach us not to murder, steal, lie and/or covet.  But are you also aware that one of the big 10 tells us to “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”

God, quite literally, commands that we take a day off.  And can you think of a commandment that we more actively ignore than this one?

I know, I know, you are important and have important things to do.  I don’t understand you kids’ sports’ schedules, your work demands, your commitments.

Remember, this command is coming from God.  The very God of the universe who created the universe in 6 days.  And on the 7th day… he rested, sabbathed.

Now, before I simply convince you to take a day off.  Let me remind you what the heart of the Sabbath is about.  It is a time for renewal of your heart, mind, body and spirit by stopping to spend time in connection with your maker.

Some of us get the stopping part.  But, Sabbath is meant to be a reconnection with our maker, our King, our God.

This is a crucial part of practicing the other Spiritual Disciplines.  How can you repent if you’re not stopping and seeking God?  Your routine should include a true Sabbath.

As I write this, my wife and I are getting ready for a week long trip in a tropical place.  We will definitely stop, soak in the sun, enjoy a slower pace.  However, we are very excited about a time of Sabbath.  A time to seek our creator.  To pray to Him, listen to Him and read His word without distraction or noise from the rest of the world.

This is crucial to understanding that life is bigger than this world. That we are heavenly citizens and serve an eternal God.

May God bless you as you Sabbath in Him.

Here’s a quick link to the other Spiritual Disciplines.

Spiritual Disciplines (1 of 7) :: Spiritual Influence

Spiritual Disciplines (2 of 7) :: Routine

Spiritual Disciplines (3 of 7) :: Repentance

Spiritual Disciplines (4 of 7) :: Meditation