Empty lives

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (I Peter 1:18-19)

I was reading this passage today and really began to focus in on the words 'the empty life you inherited from your ancestors'. If you have just skipped over those words, like I have so many times, you may not have even realized what this passage points out so vividly. Our life, prior to asking Christ to take control of it, was merely an empty shell that required his intervention in order to be what it was created to become. That empty shell might not have seemed like much to any onlooker but to God, because of his intense love for his creation, it required a 'ransom' in order to redeem it from the emptiness it had inherited.

If you have not heard the truth that man is a 'tri-part being', made up of body, soul, and spirit, then you may not realize that there is a part of you that was created to actually 'house' the presence of God - your spirit. That place within each life is empty until Christ's presence fills it. The 'ransom' has been paid, but there still needs to be an invitation for him to 'enter in'. That may seem a little counter-intuitive according to man's standards of 'doing business'. If a 'ransom price' was established and paid, then the one doing the 'ransoming' has full rights to that which he ransomed, does he not? In terms of your life, there must still be a willingness to receive the gift of that freedom!

God paid the ransom. He has the right to claim us as his own. Yet, he gives us the choice. We can choose to be free, living more than an empty life, or we can choose to continue in our emptiness and wandering. It is indeed a privilege to invite his presence into our lives, but he will not force himself upon us. Some may argue with me today and tell me their life is far from empty, even though they have not invited Christ to fill that spot created just for his presence, but the truth is that they may just not realize that spot is empty yet. God will create a time and a place for them to realize the emptiness of their lives. When he does, the choice is still theirs entirely. They can continue to live empty lives, or be filled to overflowing with his love, grace, and presence. The choice for me was simple. Just sayin!

Refill Needed

The altar of God is a place of healing, but many just see it as a place of judgment or punishment. They fear approaching a holy God, probably because they don't understand the intensity of his love, nor the extreme privilege of his grace. We need to see the altar as a place of encouragement, where we are filled with the presence of God, and celebrate his goodness, grace, and strength.

Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. (Psalm 43:3-4)

Discouragement abounds today, making it ever so important to understand where it is we go to find our encouragement. It isn't in the rise of the stock market, or even the momentary good times we enjoy at family celebrations. It is at the altar that we are renewed and regenerated. It is there we find a lasting peace and an enduring courage for the trials ahead.

Whenever we only see the battle that makes us so weary and worn, we falter. Whenever we proclaim our woes over and over again, we falter. Both of these will drain us of hope quicker than just about anything else. God made a way for hope to be continually renewed, even when it is faltering more than a bit. It is the way of the altar. Light and truth mark that path - they show us the way into his presence, and they guide us out into our daily 'grind'.

There is a different path planned for us that we may not ever see without his light and truth guiding the way. We need those altar times in order to understand his purposes and see clearly the path he has laid out for us to follow. At the altar, we find our hearts want to be unburdened, set free from all the worries and cares of the day. How? His presence dwells there! Wherever his presence dwells, we will enjoy peace. At the altar, we welcome his presence into our lives and come to a place of peace each and every time we approach.

Praise and worship are powerful tools to use against all manner of discouragement in our lives. What are we doing when we praise God? We are using the truth we have been given to encourage our hearts. What's more is that we send our enemy packing each time we declare the name of Jesus, celebrate his goodness, and lean into his grace - all while being refilled, renewed, and regenerated at that altar. Just sayin!

But...this is urgent

Surely you know that you become the slaves of whatever you give yourselves to. Anything or anyone you follow will be your master. You can follow sin, or you can obey God. Following sin brings spiritual death, but obeying God makes you right with him. (Romans 6:16)

If we were honest here, we might just cop to the plea of being just a little too close to some things in our lives that are actually taking our eyes off of Jesus at times. We aren't unique in that struggle, my friends. We find ourselves 'opening' ourselves to all manner of distraction when all God asks for is our attention. It is as though we have an 'attention deficit disorder' when it comes to him! We find ourselves tilting this way or that, all at the mere suggestion of ease, enjoyment, or even encouragement. We wonder why we are not hearing God's voice, but could it be we have just allowed it to be drowned out by all those distractions?

The thing we focus on the most is our master. There are so many today that find it hard to just sit and listen. We want things 'on' to distract us, like the TV or background music. It isn't that we shouldn't listen to good music that lifts our hearts toward Jesus, but if we use it as a replacement for actually taking time in his Word, it won't 'fill the tank' quite as well as that time in his Word would. We can use a lot of things as 'deterrents' to taking time with him even without knowing it. If we throw in that load of clothes, sit down to read the Bible, then hear the load knocking about off-balance, do we leave the washer doing the 'balance shuffle' in the laundry room, or do we rush to it to reorganize that load?

That may seem like a little bit of a stretch to use that example, since almost everyone who hears the washer jiggling across the floor will set out to correct the situation as soon as they become aware of it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we would lay down our 'deterrents' to spending time with Christ just as eagerly? We rush to the unbalanced wash load, but do we rush to find 'balance' once again in our emotions, thoughts, and bodies by getting alone with him, listening to his still small voice, and just enjoying the peace of his presence? If we struggle a bit with the 'urgency' of time with him, maybe it is time to reevaluate our priorities. Just sayin!

Walls or No Walls?

We all chose a place to live. Some might have chosen to dwell in large homes in big cities, or in smaller homes in the suburbs, while others chose a remote location with lots of land around them. Where we 'dwell' indicates a choice of where we want to live. Does our 'dwelling' provide us with protection? Most of the time, it does - from cold or heat, rain or wind. There are times when we need a 'solace' - a place to go where we feel safe, secure, and able to find rest. The 'relief' we find within the walls of our homes is something akin to the 'relief' we find when we choose to dwell in the shelter of God Almighty. Not only do we find 'relief' from the things that bring us discomfort, but we also find a place to share our most 'intimate' of thoughts, dreadful fears, and deepest of needs. To 'dwell', one must make a choice - to live 'within' those 'walls of safety and protection'.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. (Psalm 91:1-2)

Does every person receive God's protection? This is a hard question, but if we examine scripture closely, we will see that the decision to 'dwell' in the presence of God Almighty is the only way to enjoy his protection. We can choose to dwell 'in him' or we can decide we like the dwelling of the world just a bit better. The choice will always be ours - God never forces us into this dwelling place. We each make a choice where we will 'live' in a physical sense, but we also make a choice where we will live in a 'spiritual' sense. When we choose to dwell in the Kingdom of God, we choose to submit to his authority and live by his guidance. Some will say the 'rules of the house' are too cumbersome or restrictive when choosing to live in God's dwelling, but to choose to live by the 'rules of the world' is a much more 'restrictive' option. We may not see the 'restrictiveness' of Satan's rule, but the contrast between the two 'dwellings' is significant.

In God's dwelling, we find peace and comfort. In Satan's, we find unrest spurred on by the pride that seeks to outpace the person next to you and a definite lack of true, lasting joy or peace. In God's dwelling, we find we never walk alone, while Satan makes no such assurances. In God's dwelling, we walk with companions who have our best in mind, while in the world we have much competition. We might think living in this world is really awesome until we realize we are doing it in our own power, on our own merits, and without anyone really helping us to succeed. The way might seem easier, but choosing to live in obedience to God brings us much more than this world will ever offer. Satan's world offers no walls of protection - but God's dwelling is impenetrable!

God's dwelling is filled with love, but we won't feel 'comfortable' with that love until we have made a choice to fully 'dwell' within his protection. We can 'visit' him on occasion, but that isn't the same as making his presence our dwelling place. I go to hotels on occasion, but as nice as the stay might have been, those are not my dwelling places. I have a home I return to at the end of the visit. We might choose to live with God some of the time and then scurry off into the world on others, but until we make a heartfelt choice to dwell in the presence of the Almighty, we will never truly know the goodness of choosing to live in obedience to him. One thing we need to know about God's 'dwelling' is that is not a 'fixer-upper' dwelling. We might get 'fixed up' there, but his dwelling is perfect! Living in his dwelling is a lifestyle of choice - we actively choose to live within the 'confines' of obedience instead of choosing to live 'without walls'. Just sayin!

Will you be disturbed?

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Boy, we sure understand the 'trials and sorrows' part, don't we? Look around you just about anywhere and you will see wildfires taking down whole towns, people going berserk over who knows what, and one 'bad news day' after another. This world knows very little peace - it knows of warfare, misgivings, poorly behaving people, and threats beyond measure, but very little of the nightly news tells us of the great peace mankind is experiencing.

Peace is a person - when we meet that person, we truly understand peace. The person? Christ himself. The way to him? Ask him to reveal himself to you and in you. There are all kinds of ways mankind goes about attempting to find some form of peace in this world, but just as Jesus told his disciples that day, peace is not an 'earthly' thing. It is a divine thing! Once we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we finally realize there is no true peace apart from him. We can walk through all kinds of ugliness and hardship on this earth, but still be in 'perfect peace'. How? By leaning into the person of peace.

Jesus reminds us he overcomes everything that attempts to disturb 'perfect peace'. Artificial peace is the best the world can offer. All the trials and sorrows of this world don't stand a chance where Christ's Spirit dwells. When we come to Christ, guess what? His Spirit dwells within us! That ensures 'perfect peace' is 'resident' within us no matter where we go or what we face. If you have ever had one attack after another, you soon realize all Satan is up to with those attacks is a feeble attempt to disturb Christ's indwelling Spirit. Remember that peace is not the absence of chaos - it is the condition of facing chaos with confident determination the battle has already been done on the matter!

Jesus wanted his disciples to realize what was about to happen as the end of his earthly ministry was nearing. As he described the impending 'changes' to his physical presence with them, he assures them his presence would always be there, but the 'form' of that presence was soon to change. It would not be physical any longer - it would be the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Do you think he wants us to face chaos, trial, or sorrow with any less 'knowledge'? Absolutely not! In fact, he wants us to stand assured, being confident of his presence, and then 'soldier on' - even when the fires roar and the accusers bellow. Just sayin!

Let's not trivialize God

But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. (Romans 1:20)

No good excuse - did you catch that? We don't have to see God to know he exists - we can see evidence of his creative existence all around us if we look with 'open eyes'. Instead of seeing God's presence, we imagine we need some kind of 'image' of him to worship. Imagine being one of the Israelite people those hundreds and hundreds of years ago, seeing Moses ascend the mountain to commune with God. They knew something was happening 'up there', but they had nothing 'down where they were'. So, they created a 'symbol' they could look upon - the golden calf. They demanded an 'image' they could worship rather than seeing the evidence all around them. Why it is we demand what is 'false' in our lives while we are surrounded by so much of what is 'real'? I don't know about you, but I do that when I want to have some form of control in my life. Do you know what God said to Moses the day they created the idol? "I’ve seen these people and indeed they’re obstinate." Yup, obstinate and a bit 'hard-headed' about sums it up - no good excuse.

We don't want to ever be guilty of 'trivializing' God's creation or his presence with us. We need to continually be aware that he is near. Not in the 'image' we create of him, but in the image he gives of every aspect of himself all around us. The wind blowing through the leaves of the tree remind us he has a voice. The busy ants on the mounding anthill give us an awareness of his constant work in our lives, never tiring or giving up on us. The fluttering of the tiny wings of the hummingbird, hovering so gracefully above us, remind us of the ease at which he comes to us. We can 'see' God in many ways and in many things - there is evidence all around us. We don't need to create any 'image' that trivializes him - for that would be utter foolishness on our part. We can never create an 'image' of God worthy of all he is. We should never trade the glory of what he is for anything we could create with our own hands and minds.

How do we worship a God we cannot see or touch? Do we worship the tree or the bird? No, we allow our spirit to commune with his Spirit. Worship happens when our inner man yields to the presence of God all around us - when we let go of our need to see and touch long enough to be touched from above. We never allow anything to separate us from his presence. We want 'evidence', but we forget about all the evidence everywhere around us - even the very breath we just took is evidence of his presence with us. The sustainer of all things is within us - his Spirit communes with our spirit, ordering our finite minds so we don't create anything that would 'shroud' his presence within us. The God we serve will not be trivialized. He will not be 'veiled' - his presence is meant to be felt and known. We may not always 'see' him, but we can always know he is here. Just sayin!

Goose-bumps aren't always necessary

Sometimes we want to just 'feel' God - right? We want to know he is with us - that he is right here in this moment. We want to 'feel' his presence - that he isn't far away, but drawing near and holding us close. Is it wrong to want to 'feel' God? Absolutely not! In fact, God doesn't ask us to squelch our feelings. We aren't to rely upon what we feel, but it is not wrong to have feelings. There are times when we will 'feel' life deeply and there are going to be other times when the 'feelings' just don't come through - especially when it comes to feeling the presence of God in our lives. Drawing near doesn't always ensure some type of 'super-natural' moment with God - shivers down our spine, warm fuzzies overwhelming us. Drawing near does ensure we are right where we need to be to hear from God and to have him direct our lives - even when we don't 'feel' those warm fuzzies!

I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell—that’s not my destination! Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right way. (Psalm 16:9-11)

Our 'entering into' the presence of God isn't just a time for the 'feelings', but it is a time for him to change us from the inside out - to transform our lives. We might want to know for sure we are on the right path, but there doesn't seem to come that 'overwhelming sign' that we are going the right way. We don't have our faith built by the signs - we have our faith built by consistently doing the things God asks us to do. God is WITH us - he has taken our hand and we can stand assured that we are on the right way. We may not FEEL God's presence with us all the time - but we are in the right place when we draw to close to God and we allow him to begin to orchestrate the steps of our lives.

God doesn't always overwhelm us with 'happiness' feelings - but he does assure us he is with us even when our feelings don't always match the steps of obedience we are taking. There are times when the feelings we experience are pretty doggone ordinary and we don't think we are close to God because things are so 'ordinary' in our lives. Jesus ate, he fished, and he just walked and talked with people. That seems pretty 'ordinary' to me - how about you? Those with him 'experienced his presence', but I doubt they 'felt overwhelmed' by being with him. They just enjoyed his presence. God really wants us to enjoy his presence. Be in a right place with him - bring your sins to him and seek his forgiveness - then just abide. The presence of God is with us, but we don't always FEEL those goose-bumps of his presence. That doesn't mean we aren't where we need to be. Just sayin!

Get 're-activated' in his presence

God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked. (Psalm 9:9-10)

There are times in our lives when we just seem to feel a little "battered" by the various things coming at us - things out of our control, some brought on just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time - others brought on because we deliberately put ourselves in the place where we'd feel these repeated blows. The present "battering" many of my friends are taking are definitely not by their own doing - they are being battered by disease, the unknown of resistant viruses in tiny bodies, and the uncontrolled actions of internal processes gone wild in bodies plagued with disease. In these moments, the repeated blows seem to deal a very "heavy" and "damaging" effect on the mind, emotions, and even the spirit of those dealing with the circumstances. Bad times will come - we just cannot evade them indefinitely - although we all try! As a result, there is a time of preparation we each go through BEFORE the bad times - but we may not realize we have been through this preparatory process until we are well in the midst of the present trial. It is often in the midst of the trial where we discover the truths God has given us which we will hold onto during those times. The times of connection with God PRIOR to the present blows ensure something we don't want to overlook - the blows may be heavy, but they will be unable to wear us down because there has been a "galvanizing" of our character during those preparatory times.

I don't think we realize our daily, faithful connection with the Lord has a way of galvanizing us against future blows. Blows have a way of causing "nicks" in whatever is struck. The "galvanizing" process provides a protective barrier against the things which corrupt - such as rust. How does rust occur? Isn't it because protective barriers don't exist and there are sufficient "chinks" in the metal to allow it to be exposed to the elements attacking it? Time alone with God each day has a way of "coating" us with the protective barrier we all need in order to be protected from the elements of attack against us. Blows cause chinks - if the barrier is thick - formed over the course of time spent with God - the effects of the blows will be lessened because the protective barrier will be strong. I think God is constantly calling us into the "galvanizing" chamber of his presence. Although I am not very well versed in the whole process of galvanization, I do understand something quite important. Galvanization occurs when a "charge" of some kind is applied to metal as a protective coating - but more than just a protective coating - a sacrificial coating. When exposed to damaging forces, it actually has a way of "sacrificing" some of that charge - so it does not change what is under the coating, but is combining with what is attacking, "deactivating" its destructive forces. This seems pretty important to me when it comes to us being prepared for the times when repeated blows come our way. When we have the right "charge" to our lives, we have something which can be "sacrificed" to actually "inactivate" the destructiveness of that which is attacking us.

This is what our psalmist is referring to as God being a safe sanctuary for those who run to him - who take the time to knock on his door and actually enter into his presence. There is this protective process which begins in those times and becomes totally apparent when we are facing the many repeated blows the enemy of our souls designs as those to wear us down and cause us to no longer "function" - with the purpose of leaving us open to the destructiveness of his elements. God's sanctuary is not a place to be visited infrequently. Even the most "galvanized" of metals has the potential of giving off their protective barrier over the course of time - causing them to be easily attacked by the external forces. Many different types of "galvanization" should be employed in the process of really developing a protective barrier which holds up against the elements. Metal is created using more than one "sacrificial anode" application to the metal surface - in order to increase its chances of "weathering" the elements. We might add a special paint coating - further protecting from the elements. I think we actually might get "re-coated" each time we enter God's presence - giving us just another degree of "charge" or "coat" which protects us. Despite the present blows, know this - if you have been preparing all along for the eventual attacks by being faithful to enter the "galvanizing chamber" of God's presence, you will not be undone by the repeated blows of the attacking enemy. Those blows may slow you down a little, but they won't destroy you! Just sayin!

Drink deep

On a hot summer's day, sun beating down incessantly, humidity climbing, trees silent as even the wind has found it too hot to work, aren't you thirsty and desirous of a large, cool drink? You can guzzle gallons of iced tea or lemonade, sweat beads cascading from the glass, ice cubes clanking to the bottom as you down the cooling liquid. Yet, you aren't satisfied, are you? You want more because the demands of the heat are telling your body it needs to keep up with these demands. I wonder if our spiritual heat were turned up a little if we'd find our spirits telling us to 'keep up' with the demands of getting deeper and deeper into the things God has designed for our lives? Maybe, just maybe, we all need the heat turned up a little more in that arena - so we'd drink deep of his grace and love - not just once, but over and over again!

Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20 MSG)

Huge drinks of his presence - doesn't that say so much? Everything else is like 'cheap wine' compared to the intake of his presence. The thing about our spirit is that it is never 'sated' - it always desires more - but we sometimes ignore the desire because it isn't always the first desire of our heart. God 'built' us to desire his presence - to actually hunger and thirst for it. Yet, it is quite possible that we push aside that very real hunger and 'feed' some other hunger that urges us to do so in just a little bit louder voice. The 'cheap' infilling of whatever it is we substitute for his presence in our lives is going to leave us unfulfilled, though. There is no substitute for his presence and grace - his love is not able to be resisted for long.

Any excuse to 'feed' or get 'filled' - it doesn't matter how small the niggling to come into his presence is, we should never ignore it. The reason I keep my car radio tuned to Christian music is that even the slightest input of those words that come through those songs can fill and refresh at times when I don't even realize I have been thirsting for just a little bit of his presence in my day. It is quite possible I don't even know I am thirsty, but in that moment when the music comes on and my heart is turned for just a moment toward his face, I begin to be filled. The thirst isn't quenched totally in those 'casual encounters', but they keep me going until I am able to settle into a long, deep 'draught' of his presence. Maybe we need to take in a little more of him and settle into some long and deep moments with him a little more. Just sayin!

We can fill up in a lot of ways

8 The psalmist tells about this, for he says that when Christ returned triumphantly to heaven after his resurrection and victory over Satan, he gave generous gifts to men. 9 Notice that it says he returned to heaven. This means that he had first come down from the heights of heaven, far down to the lowest parts of the earth. 10 The same one who came down is the one who went back up, that he might fill all things everywhere with himself, from the very lowest to the very highest.  

(Ephesians 4:8-10 TLB)

Christ came down from the heights, but his return to those heights made possible the "filling" - not with a temporary filling of power, but with a permanent presence of himself wherever we are and go. That means everywhere you are, if Christ's presence dwells within your heart, then Christ is right there in the midst of the present moment. Many times we focus on the coming of Christ, but forget there is a "remaining" part that actually was the purpose for his entire coming!

We have the evidence of God everywhere we look, but can others see the evidence of God everywhere they look? They can, especially if the see even little bits of him in you! The purpose of our filling is that we might show forth what fills us not just to capacity, but expands our capacity so we can keep on being filled.  I think this is often missed - the belief that once filled that is "enough", or all there is. The "filling" is ongoing and continual.

Sometimes we allow things to fill our hearts, occupying the space intended for the presence and peace of Christ. The sad part of this comes when we finally recognize, often with regret, just how much we would have "benefited" from actually abiding in that presence and peace all along. It is understandable that regret may enter in when we consider just how "lean" we ran during those times we didn't count on his filling, or take time to be refilled. We truly run much "leaner" than we were intended to when we push the presence of God to be back and allow anything else to fill that space intended for him.

Cottage cheese fills my stomach when I am hungry, but it doesn't always satisfy what I long for - the craving is different than what the taste or texture of cottage cheese can satisfy. In a much similar manner, things and people may fill the space in our lives, but will they ever satisfy quite the same as Christ's presence? Hardly! That space was designed specifically for him - even a clever counterfeit might attempt to fill that space, but the counterfeit lacks one thing - the ability to keep filling that space as it was created to be filled! Just sayin!

Galvanized

Battered:  to beat persistently and hard; pound repeatedly; to deal heavy, repeated blows; to damage or injure as by blows, heavy wear.

God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked. (Psalm 9:9-10 MSG)

There are times in our lives when we just seem to feel a little "battered" by the various things which impact us - things out of our control, some brought on just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time - others brought on because we deliberately put ourselves in the place where we'd feel these repeated blows.  The present "battering" many of my friends are taking are definitely not by their own doing - they are being battered by disease, the unknown of resistant growths in tiny bodies, and the uncontrolled actions of internal processes gone wild in bodies plagued with disease.  In these moments, the repeated blows seem to deal a very "heavy" and "damaging" effect on the mind, emotions, and even the spirit of those dealing with the circumstances.  Here are some things I would like us to consider this morning:

Bad times will come - we just cannot evade them indefinitely - although we all try!  As a result, there is a time of preparation we each go through BEFORE the bad times - but we may not realize we have been through this preparatory process until we are well in the midst of the present trial.  It is often in the midst of the trial where we discover the truths God has given us which we will hold onto during those times.  The times of connection with God PRIOR to the present blows ensure something we don't want to overlook - the blows may be heavy, but they will be unable to wear us down because there has been a "galvanizing" of our character during those preparatory times.

This is something I don't think we realize about our daily, faithful connection with the Lord - it has a way of galvanizing us against future blows.  Blows have a way of causing "nicks" in that which is struck.  The "galvanizing" process provides a protective barrier against the things which corrupt - such as rust.  How does rust occur?  Isn't it because protective barriers don't exist and there are sufficient "chinks" in the metal to allow it to be exposed to the elements attacking it?  Time alone with God each day has a way of "coating" us with the protective barrier we all need in order to be protected from the elements of attack against us.  Blows cause chinks - if the barrier is thick - formed over the course of time spent with God - the effects of the blows will be lessened because the protective barrier is strong.

I kind of think God is constantly calling us into the "galvanizing" chamber of his presence.  Although I am not very well versed in the whole process of galvanization, I do understand something quite important.  Galvanization occurs when a "charge" of some kind is applied to metal as a protective coating - but more than just a protective coating - a sacrificial coating.  When exposed to damaging forces, it actually has a way of "sacrificing" some of its charge - so it does not change what is under the coating, but is combining with what is attacking, "deactivating" its destructive forces.  Now, this seems pretty important to me when it comes to us being prepared for the times when repeated blows come our way.  When we have the right "charge" to our lives, we have something which can be "sacrificed" to actually "inactivate" the destructiveness of that which is attacking us.

This is what our psalmist is referring to as God being a safe sanctuary for those who run to him - who take the time to knock on his door and actually enter into his presence.  There is this protective process which begins in those times and becomes totally apparent when we are facing the many repeated blows which the enemy of our souls designs as those which will wear us down and cause us to no longer "function" - leaving us open to the destructiveness of his elements.  God's sanctuary is not a place to be visited infrequently.  Even the most "galvanized" of metals has the potential of giving off their protective barrier over the course of time - causing them to be easily attacked by the external forces.  As many different types of "galvanization" should be employed in the process of really developing a protective barrier which holds up against the elements.  For example - we use more than one "sacrificial anode" applied to a metal surface - in order to increase its chances of "weathering" the elements.  To that we might add a special paint coating - further protecting from the elements.  I think we get "re-coated" each time we enter God's presence - giving us just another degree of "charge" or "coat" which protects us.

So, despite the present blows, know this - if you have been preparing all along for the eventual attacks from without by being faithful to enter the "galvanizing chamber" of God's presence - you will not be undone by the repeated blows.  They may slow you down a little, but they won't destroy ya!  Just sayin!

The gift of laughter

Did you ever stop to consider laughter a gift?  It seems our writer of this psalm did - and it suggests God is actually honored by our laughter.  Not by our mocking laughter, but the laughter of delight, joy, and overwhelming awe. If you have ever seen a little guy shoot a free throw from mid-court and land it with nothing but air, you might have experienced this free-will laughter - delight in his success, joy in his having done what others put down as impossible, or overwhelming awe that a little guy just sank the "hoop of a lifetime".  I wonder just how many times God lands the "shot of a lifetime" in our lives and we take the opportunity to celebrate with the gift of laughter?

On your feet now—applaud God!  Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.  Know this: God is God, and God, God.  He made us; we didn’t make him.  We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.  Enter with the password: “Thank you!”  Make yourselves at home, talking praise.  Thank him. Worship him.  For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.  (Psalm 100 MSG)

Our writer suggests coming into God's presence with laughter and singing.  In other words - celebrate a little.  God's presence is not just a place of quiet repose - it is a place of delighted ecstasy!  We are to enjoy being there!  Getting into his presence is half the battle, isn't it?  It takes us a while to actually center our focus well enough to shut out the pull of everything else and actually find delight in just being there with him.  Maybe if we took the path of laughter and song a little more, we'd be inclined to travel this path with more frequency!

The statement, "GOD is God, and God, GOD", has some meaning we should not just gloss over.  As our writer instructs, he calls us to our feet.  In getting to our feet, what are we doing?  We are directing our attention because it takes some effort to move from a place of repose to a place of alertness.  Try standing up and see how long you stay in that position if you are not awake!  I think our psalmist is telling us to really enjoy our time with our Lord, we need to be fully aware of having entered into his presence - because we don't just get there accidentally.

So, what meaning does this statement have?  First, understand he uses two terms to describe God.  This was not uncommon in the language of Hebrew.  The attributes of a person were often described in the title they were given.  For example, if you were given a name, it described the foremost aspect of your character, or that of your family.  So, when we see various names of God in scripture, in the Hebrew language they are just proclaiming another aspect of God's character.  As the two terms are used, they have significant meaning:

GOD:  Jehovah - the unchangeable one.  As this term is utilized, it refers to the steadfastness of God's character - he is the unchangeable one who fulfills promises, becoming what it is we need, and every action emanating from his holiness.  

God:  Elohim - the creative one.  As this term is used, it refers to the attribute of possessing all things - having created all things.  In other words, he is the one with the right to govern all things - sovereign in all power.  As such, he is the one holding all things together, bringing life to all things, and maintaining covenant relationship with his creation. 

So, our psalmist invites us into God's presence, first by coming to a place of alertness and attentiveness, then enjoying our entrance into the very presence of the one who invites us into covenant with him and becomes the means by which we actually are able to enter into this covenant relationship.  He is saying we enter by the blood of the Lamb - Christ's shed blood - and we are maintained there by the same blood.  

One of the things we learn in the presence of God is the faithfulness of his love.  Of late, I have read many posts, listened to many sermons, and even caught several conversations by DJs on Christian radio proclaiming much about the unconditional love of God.  I don't think this is by accident.  As a matter of fact, my pastor said it so well this past weekend.  Pastor Chad said, "Our issue is not how much we love God, but how much we realize just how much he loves us."  Let that one sink in a little.  He was saying we spend a whole lot of time working to get God to love us - when all the while God is saying "I already love you beyond measure!"  

I think our psalmist really understood the love of God - it being beyond measure in his life.  No wonder he was comfortable enough to celebrate God's goodness with laughter!  I think God is honored when we can laugh and celebrate his goodness, faithfulness, and compassion in our lives.  There is nothing dishonoring about realizing God's presence and just letting out a little giggle!  I do it all the time - his presence bringing me peace, settling my emotional turmoil and focusing me on what really matters.  Try it some time!  You might just enjoy celebrating the one who gives you both the means of access and the full access into his very presence!  Just sayin!

We never travel alone

Lonesome:  Depressed or sad because of a lack of companionship; separate, apart, isolated from others.  There are varying degrees of loneliness - even though people are surrounded by other people, it is quite possibly one of the most "alone" times of their lives.  The presence of people never guarantees the lifting of the spirit, but the presence of God in your life does!

And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel; they wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!  God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!  (Psalm 84:5-7 MSG)

The ideas laid out in our passage today are multi-faceted, but there are a few I'd like to explore this morning:

- If God lives IN a man, there is a sense of blessing, of happiness and awareness of the deep fortune one has in being inhabited by the Lord of the Universe.  Our psalmist doesn't refer to us living IN God, but rather God living IN us.  The description of being lives where God travels with great frequency really bespeaks the continual passage of God through our lives.  My morning times are often filled with God's fresh "passage" in my life.  I see the evidence of his "traveling" as I take time to ponder and consider the things he says, the elements of scripture he gives for me to chew upon.  I think we sometimes get the idea we do all the "travelling" TO God and forget he is the one who is doing the "travelling" IN us.  It is this passage of his presence which brings joy where only despair existed, freedom where bondage persisted.

- Together, lonesome valleys are traveled.  I don't want us to miss this - God lives in us, he passes through our lives with such frequency so as to know well the "routes" he will travel, and he knows the "lonesome valleys" of our soul.  He travels with us through those lonesome places.  I never really thought much about God being with me in the most lonesome places of my life, but when I stopped to consider this truth, I realized how many times he was right there in my "isolation".  In fact, my place of "isolation" from others seemed to be the very place where his presence became more evident in my life.  I think we sometimes "feel" the agony of lonesome places, but forget we did not travel there alone - God is right there with us - this is a road he frequents quite often in us.  Every time we end up at the end of "lonesome avenue", we are never alone - he is there.

- Brooks, cool springs, pools brimming with rain - all are discovered as he travels the roads of our lives.  All bespeak refreshing and cleansing.  It is in the brook we find fresh water flowing.  Brooks are natural places of flowing water - no stagnancy, no real effort of anyone to produce the water, it is just there.  Cool springs are kind of the same - they have a source arising from parts we cannot see, but we know they have a good source because what is produced is awesomely refreshing.  Pools brimming with rain are really dependent upon what comes in the season of rain.  No rain, no pool.  Yet, the rains pool because the conditions of the soil are such so as to allow the collection of that which will bring refreshing as it soaks into the parched places.  All speak of refreshing - some rising from sources we cannot see, but they produce exactly what we need in the moment; others coming from sources we can see, but which bring refreshment long after they are gone.

- All roads lead upward.  In our loneliest times, we seldom feel like looking upward, but if God is "driving" the roads may twist and turn, but they all lead us upward!  They begin in his presence, they end in his presence - they are traveled in his presence.  Nothing short of God's passage in our lives will bring us to the place where we behold his glory.  

So, we might be dry, feeling kind of alone and isolated, but if God is IN us, we don't travel this road alone.  We have a companion who knows exactly how to connect us with the sources of refreshment we need and will ultimately bring us to the place high above our worries of the present day.  Just sayin!

Truncate this!

Face-to-face conversation seems to be a thing we just don't engage in as much as we did in times long gone by.  Today's electronic age has helped us to "connect" with each other via all kinds of social media.  We text, IM, post, and tweet.  We abbreviate, truncate, and mutilate the human language to the point of LOL while we are ROFL with our BFF.  (For those not into this "truncated" IM language - we laugh out loud while we are rolling on the floor laughing with our best friend forever!)  The thing we really miss is the "connection" which occurs when two people actually stop long enough to look each other eye-to-eye and begin to notice the things those eyes tell us!

Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.  (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 The Message)

So, in thinking about this "connection" via social media this week, I began to really wonder just how God makes connection with his children.  Could you imagine if he began truncating his word to us?  We'd probably get a "spiritual IM" reading:  FOYF while CYOW - ILYA!  (Fell on your face while choosing your own way - I love you anyway!)  Now, I am being plain silly here - God is not going to start sending us truncated messages - his words are clear and they are authoritative!

Looking at our passage, we find Paul taking time to write to the Corinthian church about the freedom which comes in finally recognizing the old way of religion under the Law is totally and completely obsolete.  In his closing remarks for the chapter, he pens these words.  Look at what he says:

- WHEN they TURN to FACE God...
- God REMOVES the veil and there they ARE - face-to-face....
- They suddenly RECOGNIZE that God is a living, PERSONAL PRESENCE...
- When God is PRESENT...
- We're FREE....
- Nothing BETWEEN us and God....
- Our lives gradually BECOMING brighter and more beautiful...
- As God ENTERS our lives and we BECOME like him...

Okay, I admit it - I just "truncated" God's word!  But...do you see what Paul is saying to us?  It is in the making of this face-to-face contact with God that we finally see God as he is and he helps us see ourselves for who we are in him!

Don't miss the words I put into all caps.  "When" we "turn" to "face" God.  The sentence suggests a willingness to take the time - "when" - it is conditioned on our action.  It also suggests another action - "turning" - from whatever we are doing to what he wants us to do at this very moment.  "Facing" another individual does much for both of the individuals involved in the encounter.  For example, I am free to see your body language.  I don't have the advantage of this when I simply text you!  I can "read" the undertones of your text, but seeing your body language and observing the emotion in your voice when we speak give me much more insight into the impact of your life's events!

It is God who "removes" the veil which keeps us from seeing both him as he is and us as we truthfully are.  Most of us are content with the veil because the veil covers a multitude of imperfections!  God knows until we see him as he is, we don't see ourselves as we are.  It is in the "recognition" of his living, vital connection with us that we begin to understand the capabilities of living with God as a "personal presence" in our lives.  The most important thing God wants us to see is not just his desire for us to be "real" with him, but the fact he will be at working setting us "free" by the continual renewing of our minds which comes when his presence is understood and embraced.

Nothing "between" us and God - now this is something most of us only hope for!  There is security in the veil - but when it is stripped away - we stand "naked" before God.  You know what?  It says there is nothing between us and God!  That means he is getting just as "intimate" with us as we are with him!  He is not afraid to let us see him as he really is! 

It is in this "intimate" exchange where we "become" more beautiful than we already are.  It is in God "entering" our lives that we become more like him.  He could force his way in - but we'd be affronted by this and would not be inclined to pay attention to him.  He could just pop in and out of our lives here and there - but we'd be put off by his inconsistencies.  The plan God has is quite different.  He "moves in" - entering our lives in such as way so as to take up residence in us!  He begins to invade the dark spaces of our lives with the brightness of his glory - until what we behold is no longer the darkness, but only his light!

Now, when we realize the significance of the face-to-face, doesn't it make us a little less inclined to "truncate" our connection with him?  Just sayin...

Settling down!

How many times do we find ourselves hoping we have been able to "get on a good thing"?  Indeed, it is inevitable - we miss the "window of opportunity" by a fraction of time!  If only we had been a little quicker on the uptake!  Our passage today deals with us learning to get in on the "best" - not just the "good".


Get insurance with God and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last.  Keep company with God, get in on the best. Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done:    He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.  Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. (Psalm 37:3-7 The Message)



In the New Living Translation, this begins as, "Trust in the Lord and do good..."  The promise is for us to live safely in the land and prosper.  I like the way the message sets out several key thoughts for us this morning.  Let's begin to consider them:


- Get insurance with God.  Why do we have insurance?  What is the purpose of various types of insurance available to us today?  Isn't the purpose of homeowner's insurance to protect us in case we were to be robbed, or worse yet, lose everything in a fire?  Isn't the purpose of car insurance to protect us from being without a mode of transportation should something unforeseen happen to us as we traverse the highways?  In fact, we have health insurance to provide us with the care and treatment which will protect our state of health at the best possible level.  In all cases, insurance is a form of protection.  Now, back to our passage - when we get "insurance" with God, it is more than "fire insurance"!  It is more than a safe passage out of hell!  Too many times I think we view our commitment to serve Christ as nothing more than an insurance policy guaranteeing we won't spend eternity in hell!  It is way more than this!  


In fact, when we look at this passage again, there is a command associated with our "insurance" being in God - we are to settle down and stick to our commitment!  If we view our salvation as nothing more than a ticket out of hell, we miss out on the tremendous blessing of learning to follow close to Christ - learning what makes his heart beat.  There is much more to God's protection than a safe passage out of hell!  There is the day-to-day experience of learning at his feet, surrendering our desires into his hands, and seeing him take them to levels we had never imagined possible.


- Keep company with God.  The company we keep determines the course we take.  This is why our mothers constantly told us to beware of certain friends! Do you remember ever hearing the question, "If your friends jump off a bridge, are you going to do the same?"  If you do, you are probably among millions who have heard the same thing at least once!  Mom was trying to warn us of the silliness of just going along with others without thinking.  We are to choose wisely the company we keep.  Our passage reminds us of the importance of keeping company with God.  In so doing, he doesn't challenge us to do things which end up in our hurt - in fact, he does things which build us up, meeting the desires of our heart like no other can.


- Open up before God.  When we trust someone enough, we find it easy to open up before them.  I have all kinds of "friends", but only a few who I'd trust enough to see my "real me"!  In other words, I trust them with my emotions, my fear, my hopes, and my silly ideas.  God is this kind of companion - one who doesn't laugh in our face when we have a silly idea!  He takes each idea as a serious matter - helping us to come to the revelation on our own of just how silly it is.  Some find it hard to open up to anyone in the natural sense.  If this is the case with you, perhaps you might like to begin with God.  Trust him to see your hurts - he knows them already.  Trust him to hear your "brilliant ideas" - he won't laugh, but he will help you clarify them and make them even more "brilliant".  


- Quiet down before God.  Okay...look at the progression.  First, we learn to trust the one who can protect us like no other.  Then we develop relationship with him - through keeping frequent company with him.  This leads to being able to open up with him - sharing what otherwise would be kept to ourselves.   In the end, we learn to quiet down before him - settling in for the enjoyment of his presence.  I have few relationships where I can actually do this.  I know there is a freedom to just sit and be me - no frills, no expectations to perform a certain way.  These are special relationships.  God is this way - he allows us to be us.  When we quiet down before him long enough - we begin to enjoy the presence of his company.  In time, we learn to sense when he is about to move - and we are ready to move with him.  In fact, we almost can fill in the sentences when he is about to speak, just like we do with the good friends we have come to enjoy the company of.


Just thoughts from the Psalms this morning on what God calls "settling down" and "learning to keep company" with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Never been this way before!

^1-4 Joshua was up early and on his way from Shittim with all the People of Israel with him. He arrived at the Jordan and camped before crossing over. After three days, leaders went through the camp and gave out orders to the people: "When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile—be sure now to keep your distance!—and you'll see clearly the route to take. You've never been on this road before."

(Joshua 3:1-4)

You've never been on this road before - I think this is the hallmark statement of Joshua's life.  He was assuming leadership of Israel just after the death of Moses.  The people are ready to move into the Promised Land of Canaan.  He has been commissioned to be the leader who will bring them in and help them settle into the land.  He had a lot to live up to and I am certain he was a little concerned that he might fail along the way.  This was a huge task!

His statement tells us much about his perspective in leading the people.  First, he rises early.  A good leader is not afraid to be up before the chickens!  He is willing to "put in the time" in order to be the kind of leader God wants him to be.  There is much to be said about spending time with God first, then going about what it is he calls you to do.  

Second, he reminds the people of the importance of keeping God in right perspective in their lives.  God goes before them - not behind, not alongside - before.  There is nothing more telling about the quality of a leader than to see where God is given priority in their lives.  When God has the first priority, the leadership is made easier.  

The placement of God in our walk is the most telling part of our success in the journey - simply because we have not been on the present path we are traversing before.  We need God's perspective to help us navigate the unknown and to avoid the pitfalls.  He challenges the people to keep an eye on the Ark of the Covenant - the presence of God - to take their "lead" from the presence of God in their lives.

Third, he was obedient to what God asked him to do - not compromising one instruction God gave him in the work that laid ahead.  As they cross over the Jordan River into Canaan, they do so on dry land.  This was a clear display of the power of God in the midst of a people who had given God the right perspective in their lives.  God is amazing - he held back the waters, but he also made the ground dry beneath their feet.  People, carts, animals, and all their belongings - pass over on dry ground.  When we are reliant on the direction God gives, he makes the way clear, the path is prepared, and his power is displayed.

Fourth, as they crossed over the river, the people are moved into worship.  It took the leadership of one who was willing to step into the river the first time to bring the souls of many into the presence of their God.  There is a general sense of awe as the people stand on the opposite side of the Jordan, now flowing in its full current.  They were out of the wilderness and into the promised land.  They were awe-struck with the majesty of their God.  There is a sense of the grace of God in recounting his delivering power and his keeping strength.

God made Joshua great that day in the eyes of the people.  That is what God does when a man or woman gives him the right place in their lives.  He lifts them up, encourages them, and delights in them.  If we learn to rely upon God, are obedient to his direction, and keep him in proper perspective, he will bring confirmation into our lives that he is our God and that we are his people. God is all about making his identity in us as evident as it possibly can be!