Abandoning the Paddles?

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12)

A little earlier in this chapter, we are told that 'if we don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father' and perhaps this is the best advice we could have when it relates to facing 'testing challenges' in life. There are far more times we face those challenges without a clear plan on how to 'handle' the challenge. We want to make it through unscathed, but we know that a whole bunch of stuff is about to be unleashed, and we are in for a whopper of a 'beat down' if we don't get some clarity quickly. At that moment, we can meet it head-on, but to do so without God's perspective on the matter would be sheer foolishness.

The testing challenge may be what reveals to us just how deep our loyalty is to God. It is where the rubber meets the road in our faith walk, isn't it? We don't really want to admit that we aren't fully devoted, but our attentions are divided. We don't realize how little we are truly trusting God with the everyday experiences of life we face, saying we 'trust him deeply', but living as though we trust him very little. How? By attempting to concoct our own plan, follow our own path, or just plain turn tail and run at the slightest difficulty. Faith doesn't just magically appear one day and all is well. There are far more times faith develops in the midst of the most 'testing challenges' of life!

Loyalty means unwavering dedication. Do we do more than recite the principles by which we say we live, or do we actually live by them when the tough times come along? We say we seek God's wisdom, but do we only do that when the times are harder than we'd like? What do we do in the 'not to tough' times? Could it be that we just sail along, feeling pretty doggone sure of ourselves? It doesn't matter if we are in the midst of trials galore or the best of times, loyal followers of Jesus do what they always do - they press into his Word, gleaning what they can for the moment, holding fast to his promises. They don't look for their deliverance anywhere else than at the feet of Jesus. Just because the boat is rocking doesn't mean we abandon the GPS, rudder, or paddles! We hold fast! Just sayin!

Is it really a bad hand?

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. (Psalm 63:3-6)

When you aren't 'dealt' the hand you expected, how do you respond? To be honest with you, I don't always immediately praise God for the 'lousy hand'. Sometimes I gripe about it, chafe against it, and get a little too 'me' focused right there in the midst of the 'hardship' I am enduring. "Me" comes first and "me" is not feeling like it is getting the 'best shake' in the moment, so "me" begins to resist and complain. Been there? Got the shirt and wore it out? Good! Sometimes our life is even turned upside down by the 'hand' we receive - what was up is now down, and the ground underneath us is quite shaky. When we 'receive' that 'hand', we might just forget who walks with us in the midst of the upheaval that seems to be closing in on us. God may have allowed the 'hand' to show us just how much he loves us - that he isn't about to abandon us to our own devices in the midst of uncertainty that surrounds us. That 'infertile' ground we stand upon is just about to become some of the most 'fertile' ground we experience, but first, there must be some work!

David experienced more than one 'lousy hand' in life, but he walked gracefully through them. Did he ever complain or gripe about the things he faced? Yes, he did! Although that gives us a little encouragement that we are not much different, there is one thing we see about David's life that shows us how he made it through when the 'cards' just didn't seem to be 'good'. Study his life long enough and you will realize he had a deep and lasting relationship with his Lord. He didn't just go to church on Sunday and live like he wanted the rest of the week. He didn't just turn to God when the times got tough - he lived with God in the leanest of times as much as he did in the times of great plenty. He did press in during the lean times, so maybe that is a good lesson for us to see. Lean times are inevitable - hardship cannot be avoided forever. Being a Christian might mean we have 'hardship insurance' - we have a place to turn when the 'hand' we are dealt doesn't provide the most 'optimum' of circumstances. We don't have this 'insurance' just because we say "yes" to Jesus - we have it because we allow him to cultivate his presence and peace within.

Where does this cultivation occur? Usually in the driest and most barren of places. It is in those places that we learn to value our relationship with Jesus - we find out how much his love and grace mean to us. How? The things we counted on in this world seem to bring little satisfaction or peace into our lives - but we find his presence restores our soul, invigorates our spirit, and soothes our confused mind. We want all the good stuff that comes from serving Jesus, like the best 'hand' in cards. When we get the 'lousy hand' in life, do we complain or embrace it, give it into his hands, and let him show us how to 'play it'? That is what David did when he lifted his voice time after time again in praise and worship. In the midst of the 'band hands' of life, he lifted his spirit and voice in praise. Why? It showed how much he valued God taking the 'hand' and 'playing it' as only he could! Praise and worship may not come naturally when we 'get the band hand', but if we have cultivated that love relationship with Jesus in the 'good hand' times, we are likely to carry that into the 'bad hand' times, as well. Just sayin!

Positive Change

May God who gives patience, steadiness, and encouragement help you to live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ toward the other. And then all of us can praise the Lord together with one voice, giving glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)

Harmony is not achieved by our own merits, for no set of humans actually 'live in harmony' with another set of humans without some form of conflict from time to time. As long as atoms keep crashing together, there will be some form of conflict, BUT...God can bring patience where conflict seems to abound, steadiness where the foundation has begun to crumble, and tremendous encouragement to keep moving toward agreement and peace. 

How is complete harmony ever going to happen? Those who have embraced Christ as their Lord and Savior will be at the forefront of peaceful actions. They will bring a steadfastness into the most difficult of circumstances - a peace and assurance that stands when all else is crumbling in around them. What will this peace and assurance serve to do when chaos abounds? It brings encouragement that there is a way out of the hardness of the moment.

Where does harmony begin? It begins within our own heart first, then it begins to affect those around us. Are you are harmony with God? What does a heart in harmony with God look like? If you are making choices that are in accord with the truths he lays out in scripture, you are on the right path. If you have a desire to see his will done more than your own, you are on the right course. In other words, our actions begin to reflect less of a 'me, me, me' attitude and more of a 'whatever your will is, Lord' purpose.

Some would believe harmony is the absence of chaos entirely, but we grow best within a certain amount of chaos. Harmony is merely a 'congruence' of the parts - not that all parts are the same, but that they 'fit' and 'work' together. Harmony is going to be the place where we see 'conflict' and 'chaos' leading us onward to what is true and lasting positive change. The challenge is there, but we must not bow to the desire to let it defeat God's desire to see patience, steadiness, and encouragement developed within our hearts. Just sayin!

Life Hack #25: Turn Here

Life Hack #25:

According to Webster, a crisis is a "turning point" in a set of circumstances where the future outcome is determined. The point of crisis in any issue we face is pivotal to where we will end up - it is not 'pre-determined' for it to end one way. Understanding how to hold up in the midst of the "point of turning" can be the most important part of actually making it through. Most of us just think of a crisis as something ugly happening to us at the moment and it is a little difficult to endure. If we begin to see it as a "turning point", we might just handle it differently. We might just decide we don't like what is determined and embrace a different path back into the arms of Jesus!

If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (Proverbs 24:10)

In times of crises the things we focus on make all the difference. If all we see is the insurmountable odds against us, we will tend to see only the difficulties and ignore the possibilities. Even insurmountable odds have possibilities. We think of crisis as a point of instability in our lives - when things are just about to cave in around us and take us down with them. The upheaval created in the midst of crisis is sometimes what keeps us from being able to focus on anything other than the issues at hand.

For a crisis to be a "turning point" in our lives, we must begin to take a step back from the issue, just breathe a little, and then settle into the peace God. In turn, we begin to focus less on the upheaval and turn our focus toward the point where victory is determined - Jesus holds the future, so he determines the victory. When we are able to step back a little, we get things in perspective. God's perspective is found at the point of stepping back - bringing a little clarity in the midst of a whole lot of muck and mire.

A turning point is a place where we actually slow down, consider the direction we are heading, and then take the necessary steps to reposition ourselves in a totally new direction. Many of life's challenges come complete with some form of "signs" which we must either heed or we will find ourselves going in a totally wrong direction. Learning how to read the signs before we actually need to take the "redirection" needed actually helps us to be ready for the necessary repositioning of our steps. We actually learn to read the signs long before we set out on the journey, don't we? 

We learn about dealing with the uncertainties of these challenges in the quiet times of our lives when we are able to hear and incorporate learning best. Trying to figure out the signs and how to read the road map while barreling ahead at life's fast pace is not the best methodology for getting safely to the destination! Time with Jesus is not done out of obligation, but out of necessity - for it is in this quietness and connection where we learn to read the "turning points" in our lives. Learn to see "crises" as turning points to help steer our lives in a direction which will bring growth and increased wisdom. As long as we are with Jesus in this journey, each turning point can be just that! Just sayin!

Be an eagle, not a chicken

I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone. Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come? (Psalm 62:1-2)

Joyce Meyer says, "The eagle has no fear of adversity. We need to be like the eagle and have a fearless spirit of a conqueror." As you might imagine, standing 'silently' in the midst of situations where you can be pretty apprehensive or that evoke the 'fight or flight' response is doggone hard. While fear has a 'paralyzing' effect in most of us, we experience and immediate 'ramping up' of all those stress hormones that make us ready to bolt. Adversity comes our way, and we just don't know what to do with it. Is that really true? Don't we know we are supposed to take it to the Lord and allow him to show us how it is to be dealt with? Yes, we 'know' that, but do we actually believe it and stand firm in it when that adversity is 'tap, tap, tapping' at the door of our hearts and minds?

Tense with fear - that pretty much describes what those stress hormones manage to do to us just about every time we face something we are unfamiliar with, or that presents a challenge bigger than we think we can handle. The mind and body go into overdrive to convince us we are about to be eaten alive! The eagle has no fear of adversity - what do you think that means? Eagles are pretty much known to be the 'king' of birds everywhere. Throughout scripture, they symbolize strength, power, and authority. As an American, I know the eagle symbolizes freedom. Soaring high above the earth, they are majestic and mighty.

The eagle faces adversity after adversity and overcomes. The eagle doesn't hide from the storm - it uses the power of the wind to soar even higher and higher until it is gliding on the current of the storm. When storms come our way, do we soar or hide? As the eagle climbs to higher and higher heights, his body is growing stronger and stronger as he tears through the adversity of the storm. Eagles nest high up in the crags of the cliffs - high above threats and worries. Their nests are sturdy and sheltering. They have excellent vision - what we see as clear at 5 feet, they can see as clearly at 20 feet! Their vision is focused and intent - something that gives the advantage.

Be like an eagle and soar. See clearly when others only see things as a little 'blurry' or 'out of focus'. Be safe above all the hubbub of the day - you are 'nested' well in the crag of the rock of the Lord God himself. Just sayin!

Pondering the year

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. (Hal Borland)

With just a few short days left in this year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect over the past couple of very challenging years. This pandemic has been astronomically difficult for a great many - losses abounding all around us. Families have lost loved ones - homes emptied of fathers, mothers, siblings - never to be quite the same again. Lives have been changed as bodies may have 'recovered' per medical standards, but the tell-tale signs of this awful disease linger on in the core of their being. Social gatherings have been curtailed, scaled-down, or not held at all - leaving many lonely, fearful, and without support. Masks have become a permanent part of the wardrobe of many - covering over smiles, hiding fear, and leaving us wondering what a person really looks like underneath it all. As we ponder the passing of these two very challenging years, let's not lose sight of the things that have held us together and what will hold us together as this thing seems to linger on. Truly our year's end is not an end, nor is it really a new beginning - it is indeed a 'going on' of what some think might never end. The crux of it all - use all the wisdom God has given us - take the experience we have gained - learn from it and do our best to gain even more wisdom.

God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me— my whole life one long, obedient response. Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway! Give me an appetite for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way. Affirm your promises to me— promises made to all who fear you. Deflect the harsh words of my critics— but what you say is always so good. See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways! (Psalm 119:33-40)

Truly the lessons for living we can garner from God's Word are more than most of us can consume and learn in a lifetime, but we can be assured the consistent intake of his Word will lead to changed lives. New beginnings - challenges embraced - discoveries made - lives transformed. This is the hope we must cling to when all other earthly hope seems to elude us. God's promises are true - sure, certain, long-standing, and abiding. God's lessons are not learned in one moment - they are learned over a lifetime. His insights don't come to those who don't seek them, but the seeker is constantly rewarded with good things from the hand of God! God's wisdom will guide us through this thing. There is a passage from God's Word that reminds us there is nothing new under the sun. We might think there will be some big discovery that will redeem us from this awful disease, but truly it will be the accumulated knowledge of all the times we have faced diseases in the past that will give us the greatest wisdom to deal with this one.

Here's something we can rest upon - God will guide those who seek his guidance. He will give wisdom far beyond our years - we just need to ask. Then we need to listen and obey. I guess this is the hardest part of wisdom - obedience. It is the thing that eludes us the easiest, isn't it? It may seem the 'dark cloud' of these past couple of years has no intention of leaving us anytime soon, but we can stand assured God's presence goes with us when we lean into him for guidance as we go into this next one. Those who hunger for his righteousness will be rewarded with his counsel - his wisdom. The greatest thing we can do is ask God to help us, but it is also the hardest thing we can ask since it requires us to be obedient to what he shows us. New year - new challenges - but the same God we can count on through all of eternity. Just sayin!

Alive and Well - Because of Him

Were you fortunate to have the kind of friend on the playground who actually stood up for you when the bullies came to make trouble for you? I remember more than one of those occasions when the group of playground thugs would be headed my way - a loner on the playground, nary a friend close by to stand up for me. It made me very uncomfortable and the rest of the day usually went fairly poorly because others would have observed their ability to put me down, driving home some point about how I didn't really 'fit' in their crowd. Amazing what a bully can do to one's self-worth - making one feel lower than dirt. I no longer face 'bullies' in this life alone - Christ stands up for me!

Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took my side against evil workers? If God hadn’t been there for me, I never would have made it. The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” your love, God, took hold and held me fast. When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up. (Psalm 94:18-19)

If God hadn't been there....those words mean a great deal to me - how about you? If God hadn't been there when pressures got to be too much for me to handle - what might have come in my life? The pressures might have consumed me. The sheer exhaustion of continuing to fight against those things that caused the pressures to mount would have overtaken me. If God hadn't been there when the biopsies were pending - what might my mind have convinced my body existed? My mind might have convinced me there was not hope - no good diagnosis that ever could come. Who stood by me as my mind created images of 'malignant' until the doctors proclaimed 'benign' - Jesus himself. 

As the world around us seems to be crashing in and our footing seems to be slipping away, there is no greater foothold we can have than his presence and peace. I don't know why God keeps taking me back to this lesson from time to time in life. At the moment, there is no pressure too great, nor are there any 'impending' declarations, yet he returns me to this passage today. Maybe it is just to remind myself (and you) of his faithfulness - that there is no challenge too great; no 'bully' too strong'; no wickedness too dark for him. In Christ, we stand where others fall. In Christ, we walk away from the 'bullies' unscathed because they don't speak truth - we are valued far more than they will ever realize. 

God takes our 'upset' and sets us right. He takes our escalated emotions and evens them out again. He takes our worst worries and releases us from their burden until we are free to worship him without burden or grief. Those playground days are gone for me - the taunting, teasing, and times of others having fun at my expense. Today's challenges may be a little more 'sophisticated' though - for the 'bullies' of this world will always exists - attempting to convince each of us that we are not worth much to anyone. As those taunts come - remember this - your worth is declared as far above any other - worth so much in fact that the price paid to set us free was the 'ultimate price'. Just sayin!

God's proving ground

Out of difficulties grow miracles. (Jean de la Bruyere)

Miracles still happen, but when we don't find ourselves on the receiving end of a miracle, how do we respond? There will be times when we celebrate nonetheless - because we know God is still in control of the circumstances. There may also be times when we begin to realize we have hardened our hearts toward God because we didn't receive the miracle we sought. At others, we may see something that resembles a miracle and walk away totally unaffected by it. How can there be so many responses to God's presence in the midst of his people? I think it all comes down to the condition of the heart. The more we are hardened to the grace and love of God, the less likely we will be to recognize his presence in the small or large miracles we observe all around us.

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They did exactly as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw the stick down in front of Pharaoh and his officials. It turned into a snake. Then Pharaoh sent for wise men and people who do evil magic. By doing their magic tricks, the Egyptian magicians did the same things Aaron had done. Each one threw down his walking stick. Each stick turned into a snake. But Aaron’s walking stick swallowed theirs up. In spite of that, Pharaoh became stubborn. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 7:10-13)

Pharaoh no doubt saw the various miracles of God right in front of him - each one of them bigger than the other. Each one mimicked by his 'magicians', telling me that this world has a way of attempting to 'crash God's party'. The thing we cannot fail to see is that God's miracles were not just to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelite people free from their slavery in his nation, but they were faith-bolstering evidence that God was with his people even when the situation didn't seem to give evidence of his presence! Each miracle Aaron and Moses performed at the instruction of God was mimicked by the magicians of Pharaoh - God promising to 'multiply the signs and amazing things he would do in Egypt' (vs. 3). In spite of all the evidence of God's presence and power - Pharaoh wouldn't submit to the plan of God.

The most telling things that reveal a great deal about Pharaoh are of the things God records about his extremely poor attitude of heart. "He will not listen...", "He became stubborn...", "He refuses to let the people go...", and "Even the miracles didn't change his mind..." - all telling statements of the hardness of his heart toward the truth. A heart hardened to truth, repeatedly rejecting the grace and power of God, will eventually just get harder and harder. Is there a way back from this hardness? It is a question I know we have all considered at one point or another. Can a man or woman so hardened to the grace of God be 'softened'? I believe in miracles, my friend! I believe God is able to change even the hardest of hearts.

Miracles oftentimes grow out of difficulties - out of those hardest places in our lives. We may not realize God is setting up the perfect display of his power and love, but in that moment of the 'miracle breakthrough', we see God soften even the hardest of hearts to his move upon their lives. Moses and 

Aaron didn't like that they had to repeatedly return to the courts of Pharaoh. They knew his heart was so hardened toward God's desires for his people. They knew they would be repeatedly challenged. It was a difficult situation, but they also knew they had the presence of God with them all the way. Difficulties are just God's 'proving ground' for the evidence of his grace and power to be demonstrated in ways we never imagined possible! Just sayin!

An opportunity in our midst

I once heard it said, "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal".  I think Henry Ford may have been the originator of this quote.  There is some wisdom in this statement as we all seem to lose focus on the mission, if even for a temporary span of time, when we get wrapped up in the obstacles in our midst.  Booker T. Washington said, "Success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles he has overcome."  An obstacle is anything or anyone that "obstructs" our vision, progress, or stand.  It almost blocks our passage from one point to the other.  If you are like me, these are annoyances which you "deal with" and then move on.  I sometimes "paint myself into a corner", then am left trying to figure a way out.  How about you?  The truth is, there has never been an obstacle (or a corner) which God has not been there with the wisdom to help me through it (or around it).

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG)

Paul is so awesomely correct in his perception of how we feel and what it is we are perceiving in life when obstacles riddle our pathway - it LOOKS like everything is falling apart on us.  Yet, it is on the inside where we need to keep our focus - not on the external evidences of obstacles!  The inside is where God is at work - where his grace and wisdom give us the ability to overcome the obstacles in our midst (or find a way out of the corner we are in).  Even the ability to see an obstacle is a measure of God's grace.  If you don't believe me, consider just how many times you DIDN'T stub your toe on the dresser instead of the one time you did!

The evidence of obstacles in our lives is not evidence of God's displeasure with us - they are a means of discovering greater depths in his love, protection and grace.  Those very things which seem to be our greatest challenges are really the things which will produce the greatest growth in our lives.  We SEE the obstacle - God sees the opportunity.  I would like to challenge us to begin to equate "obstacle" with the word "opportunity".  When we pair these two together, we might just come to the place of developing a different perspective of the thing which causes us so great a degree of distress.

God's intention is never to allow an obstacle so great HE cannot overcome it in our lives.  I think we get it all wrong when we thing WE have to overcome the obstacles ourselves.  Every obstacle is God's opportunity - it is his chance to connect a little more of his grace with our need.  God sees the obstacle as a temporary "stoppage" - not a full "blockage".  When we get "stopped" in the our path by the obstacle, we are just at a place of inactivity - we cannot move forward as we'd have liked to.  When we are "blocked" from making progress, it is with intent.  When a stop light creates a "stoppage" of traffic, it is to facilitate the safety of those who must turn at a certain intersection, or traverse in the opposite direction of the other traffic.  When a police officer puts up a road-block, it is to keep traffic out because a certain pathway has been declared unsafe for passage.  By the blockage, we are diverted away from hazards unknown.  What appeared as an obstacle actually becomes a means of ensuring our safety down the road.

When we begin to see obstacles, we usually engage in some "self-talk".  We think things like, "Now why did I get myself into this mess?" or "What on earth was I thinking?"  We ask the "why" and "how come" questions a lot.  It is almost like we immediately assume the place of being a "victim" when we are faced with the obstacle.  Why is it in my path right now?  How come I couldn't have avoided this hurdle?  Why is it I always run into this kind of stuff when I try to make any forward progress with God?  And the list goes on.  We need to learn how to "talk to" the obstacles in our midst instead of talking "about" them!  

The truth be told, some obstacles are there by our own doing - others because another places them there.  Those which our own doing often come with other types of "compounding obstacles" such as guilt or shame.  Those which are the doing of another may also have their "compounding obstacles" such as anger or resentment.  It is amazing to me how many times one small obstacle becomes a bigger one just by the "compounding obstacles" we introduce into the mix.  The "shift" in seeing an obstacle as an opportunity may just help us not "add to" the obstacle in our midst by keeping us away from the negative self-talk and the introduction of those compounding obstacles!  Just sayin!

Playing the hand we are dealt

There are times when we feel like no one is "in charge" - the moments just seem to tick on and all the chaos of the moment keeps us bumping into all kinds of obstacles.  We all face these times - the times when life deals us a hand we just would rather not play!  When "dealt our hand", we can either throw it in, ante up and play, or bluff our way through.  Which way are you facing what life deals you today?

^3-4 The day my enemies turned tail and ran, they stumbled on you and fell on their faces. You took over and set everything right; when I needed you, you were there, taking charge.  (Psalm 9:3-4 The Message)

If we throw in our hand right now, we may miss out on the reward which awaits us!  If we are bluffing our way through - faking it until we make it - we may not always be able to keep up the facade!  But...if we ante up, pick up our cards, and play like there is no tomorrow, no telling what we may end up with!  Take heart, my friends!  The very obstacles others want to place in your way are exactly what they will stumble upon in the end! 

Look at our passage today.  The day our enemies turn tail and run, what happens?  They stumble upon God!  They stumble upon the very one who takes over when we turn over our "hands" to him.  The come face-to-face with the one who has the power to set all things right.  No need to bluff your way through life - when you hand is being overseen by the God of the Universe, you have all the right cards!

David knew one fact in life - when he most needed God, he knew God was there.  Not just as an observer, but as the one in charge.  Many times we see God as an outsider in life's challenges - just an observer, keeping an eye over us, but not really involved.  The exact opposite is true!  God is there!  He is taking charge!  We may not know how, when, or where, but he is orchestrating our "hand" according to his divine plan.

I often wonder if those who set up such opposition within my life will ever get their "just rewards".  I imagine I am not alone in this pondering.  The answer is right there in our passage - they cannot run, they cannot hide, their course of action is in the hands of the Almighty.  Not ours!  He will be who they stumble upon, not us!  We try to present the best defense in the time of trial, but God is our defense in time of trial and blessing!

They stumble upon him - and they fall on their faces.  I can only imagine their posture is something both orchestrated to humble them and to bring honor to our great God!  Upon their faces, the only direction of hope they have is in looking up!  It is the same direction we all have to look in order to find our deliverance - UP! 

Your Bumper Sticker Says What?

 Remember what you said to me, your servant—I hang on to these words for dear life!   These words hold me up in bad times; yes, your promises rejuvenate me. 

(Psalm 119:49-50 The Message)

Bumper stickers abound in our society today.  An individual is able to post almost any viewpoint for public display simply by attaching one of these "emblems" of opinion on their vehicle.  There have been times I have tried to pull just a little closer in order to read the small print!  Something caught my eye and I wanted to know what it said!  On occasion, they make me laugh.  Sometimes I have to turn away because the words are less than uplifting.  At others, they give me a moment to pause and think.  Each has its impact, does it not?

In the times David penned these words, bumper stickers were not invented.  The use of mass publication was not even possible.  The scriptures were handwritten, kept by only a few in religious service, and read only by those with access to them.  David had to rely upon memory to recall God's counsel.  There was no internet search, nor thumbing through a Bible promise book for a special verse.  Yet, he tells us that he "hangs on these words" for dear life!  They were the words of life and he used them to "live life".

In his daily walk with God, he asks God to not forget what he has told David - through the prophets, the religious leaders of the day, and his times of meditation on God's Word.  He is not asking for the ability to remember what God says - he is asking God not to forget!  He is really asking God to hold him up in the bad times - with the promises of his deliverance, assurance of peace, and mighty displays of power.  

We all "hang on to" something in life.  Our "holding point" is often best revealed in the bad times.  Where we run to in the midst of trial is often the most telling truth about what we base our hope upon.  For David, it was God's promises.  I don't think David got there all in one day, though.  He learned to trust God with the course of his life little by little - until he relied upon him totally.  We all start out like this - not sure that God will do what he says he will - then learn to trust a little more as we see his faithfulness each and every time.

Look at what David tells us next - the tough times are made better by God's involvement!  Oh, you don't see that in this passage?  Read it again!  He says the promises of God hold him up and they rejuvenate him.  It doesn't say anything about God always delivering us FROM those bad times!  In fact, David emphasizes that he is upheld - able to walk through - refreshed within those bad times.

Did you know that one of the meanings of the word "rejuvenate" is actually a process of "erosion" that uncovers what was previously hidden?  It is a geological term that is often used to describe the effects of water cutting a new course, or some natural force like an avalanche uncovering and disturbing what lay in its course.  

In the bad times of life, David calls out for God to "uncover" what is hidden in what others only see as the "bad stuff".  God sees what lays just beneath the surface and stands ready to reveal it!   The "erosive" forces of life are what reveal the good stuff just beneath the surface!  In fact, without the erosive force, the "rejuvenation" cannot occur!

Maybe we need to change our opinion of the "bad times".  If we take a little different view, we might just see what God is "revealing" just beneath the surface.  These times are clearly meant for our benefit - not for our undoing!  When we hold close to God in the seasons of despair he brings us through with new revelation, revitalized hope, and an ability to display his grace in some new way.  In a way, God is writing "bumper stickers" of his grace that he puts on "display" in our lives.  Write on, God!

Sermon Lessons: Challenged

 ⁸"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world."

(Matthew 5:8)

^2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

(James 1:2-4)

We all have differing responses when we are "challenged" - some rise up, take the bulls by the horns and plunge right in - still others withdraw a safe distance, consider their options and seemingly take forever to respond to the challenge.  Regardless of how we face life when we are "challenged", it is important to keep in mind that each challenge carries a purpose.  As Jesus taught on the Mount that day, he turned to his disciples (those closest to him) and reminded them that true blessing in their lives comes when heart and mind are in alignment.  It is the "purpose" of the challenge to assist us in identifying where our heart and mind may not have that "perfect alignment".

If you have ever driven a vehicle that is "out of alignment" you can relate to the "challenge" of controlling that vehicle.  It is a rough ride!  What you soon realize is that the vehicle has a tendency to "drift" to one side of the road without any real effort on your part.  You have to truly "work" to keep that vehicle centered on the lane!  That is how you know you might have an "alignment" problem - when there is continual "drift".  

Guess what - it is pretty much the same in our spiritual lives!  We begin to take notice of the fact that when faced with challenges, we often "drift" to the path of least resistance.  When we try to "counter-act" that drift, it becomes a little difficult to control mind, will, or emotions.  It takes effort - sometimes beyond what we seem to have left to invest in staying on course!

The truth is that the automobile "stays on course" much better when we routinely have the alignment checked.  As long as I have those tires rotated every 5,000 miles and request that mechanic also "check the alignment" with those rotations, I enjoy a much easier ride!  Take this idea into your everyday living.  It is in the continual focus of our "God-mechanic" on our lives that we can enjoy the alignment of our mind, will, and emotions with what he knows will produce the best "ride" in our lives.

My mechanic does not automatically check my tires for alignment - I have to request him to do so and I have to be willing to pay the price for that service.  The same is true in our spiritual lives - we have to make frequent requests of our Lord to "test our alignment" and then we have to be willing to pay the price in order to be "realigned".  

God sometimes points out that we are "out of alignment" much as my mechanic might point out uneven tire wear as a sign that my automobile needs an alignment.  God's way of "pointing out" our lack of alignment is often in the challenges of the day.  He often lets us "struggle through" the natural pull of our emotions, will, and thought process until we become aware of the lack of alignment.  Yet, there are times when we have been drifting long enough and he just simply sits us down and points out the "results" of our lack of alignment - the wear and tear the drift has taken on our being.

When challenged by the drift - take time to realign your mind, will and emotions.  You will save yourself a whole lot of unnecessary and expensive wear and tear!

To the victor goes the spoils

Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God.  It's through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen.  Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life; mock life and life will mock you.

(Proverbs 9:10-12)

A man or woman of wisdom understands clearly the value of a rebuke - their response is to embrace it with a desire to learn and to change, if necessary.  There is a desire to leave "foolish ways" behind and to learn how to make wise and learned decisions.  Solomon reminds us that the starting point of such a life is the "fear of the Lord".  

Wisdom "benefits" us - it adds to our days, creates opportunities, and opens up new things to us.  When we embrace a lifestyle of "folly", we miss these "benefits".  Folly is simply the lack of understanding, or the "sense" to avoid those wrong turns in life.  There are lots of reasons why we'd be enticed to a life of "folly" instead of wisdom - most of them have to do with fulfilling immediate desire instead of future hopes.

According to Solomon, folly leads to the grave - not a very appealing place, if you were to ask me.  We deal with a variety of daily choices that are "doctored-up" to look like they are good for us, when in fact, those very choices will certainly end in falling into the pit of despair - at the purpose of the pit is to swallow us whole.   

Most of life's challenges do not come at us just one challenge at a time.  In fact, they come at us in twos, threes, or multiples of these.  Most of the time, they come without warning.  With their onslaught comes a tremendous amount of overwhelming emotion.  There is nothing more that Satan loves to use than the combined forces of confusion and overwhelming emotions.  Internal havoc and emotional stress are sure-fire ways to catch us off-guard.

God never intends for us to face these challenges by relying on our emotions.  Rather, he expects us to become wise in the reliance upon his grace to get us through the challenges.  By definition, a challenge is an invitation into competition.  Challenges come to excite us - cause us to be stirred up in some manner.  Our greatest opportunity comes in understanding what it is that is stirring us at this moment.  Wisdom helps us recognize the "inner stirring" as either positive or harmful.

As I close this morning, let me just say that I acknowledge that we rarely feel competent to handle the challenges that seem to be daunting in size.  It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit and by the grace of God that we can walk through them.  We come out as victors when we are in reliance upon God's grace to bring us through.  On the other side of the challenge, there is a renewed passion for more of God in our lives.  A challenges calls us into account - making us more aware of who we are, what our limitations are, where we have developed strengths, etc.  A challenge may attempt to intimidate us - but if we are not attempting to face it in our own power or ability, it cannot overtake us.

Challenges stimulate a person of wisdom - because they encourage growth, bringing depth of character in the end.  Never doubt the value of the challenge - to the victor go the spoils!