Upbeat?

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. (Psalm 119:1-3)

Would you say you are 'upbeat' about all the steps of obedience God asks you to take in life? If you are anything like the rest of us who serve Jesus, you have your moments when being 'joyful' about a step of obedience God seeks isn't exactly your first response. In fact, your first response may be, "You've got to be kidding!" When he asks us to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply and doesn't really seem to be remorseful, we might respond like that. When he asks us to let go of some habit we have been holding onto forever, we might balk at the request because we know how hard it will be to let go. We don't always respond with an 'upbeat' attitude when obedience is requested, do we?

Joyful are people of integrity - who follow the instructions of the Lord. It could take us more than once to hear we need to take certain steps toward full obedience in our lives, but when we finally 'get there', we find the transition from resistance to repentance seems to be easier than we imagined. Sometimes God is waiting on us to come to the end of our resistance much longer than he'd like, but he is patient with us, isn't he? We toy with the idea of being 'mostly obedient', then wonder why we aren't all that 'joy-filled' with the half-hearted steps we took. It isn't that God isn't pleased with some movement forward, it is that he desires so much more for us, and we know it!

Be perfectly honest with me today - is that step of obedience God is asking you to take actually 'pleasurable'? It could be that we see it as just a bit 'unpleasant', so we resist. I would like to propose that remaining in disobedience can produce a much greater sense of 'displeasure' in our lives. We may not think that at first but given enough time operating in the realm of 'partial obedience', we will soon realize it isn't all that 'good'. God asks us to not compromise with evil. Period. Partial obedience is compromising with evil - maybe not outward forces of evil, but at least our own inward ones! Just sayin!

The lesson in the stump

As I sat by the gently lapping cool waters of a lake, fishing pole in hand, just admiring the stillness and lazy activity of the ducks that swam by, I began to ponder a stump on the shoreline. What made this stump so unusual was the way the roots were positioned. The tree had obviously been wherever it had been growing for quite some time as the breadth of this tree's base was about two feet wide. It had been felled at some time, stump now firmly placed at the edge of this rocky shoreline. Underneath the great expanse of the tree base was an amazing display of the tree's 'will' to grow in the first place. There were a series of roots, each about four to six inches in diameter, tightly curled around huge pieces of boulder sized rocks! I think the stump was placed where it was because it would serve as a tether for boaters to 'tie in' on the shoreline and enjoy a little fishing at that spot, but the tree's 'will' to grow must have been tremendous for it to have survived as long as it did in the obviously 'rocky' soil it had taken root within as a 'wee tree'. We probably have all heard it said, "Where there is a will, there is a way." That tree and the hundreds surrounding me on those shorelines proved that very point - the 'will' has a whole lot to do with how we prosper when the 'soil' of our lives isn't as 'perfect' as we might desire it to be!

Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth. But he finds joy in the Law of the Lord and thinks about His Law day and night. This man is like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him. Sinful men are not like this. They are like straw blown away by the wind. So the sinful will not stand. They will be told they are guilty and have to suffer for it. Sinners will not stand with those who are right with God. For the Lord knows the way of those who are right with Him. But the way of the sinful will be lost from God forever. (Psalm 1)

We might not always find ourselves in the 'perfect soil' in life. Life comes to us complete with all the rocks and boulders it can manage to put in our path, doesn't it? We can try to circumvent a few of them, but if we are to grow, we must push past them to the 'better soil' just on the other side of them. There isn't any assurance our 'life soil' will be 'rock-free', but there is total assurance that our growth will be tended and directed by the one who will help us find the 'base' we need in which growth will be forthcoming. The roots on that stump gave evidence of a couple things I think we can consider this morning:

The roots didn't circumvent the boulders and stones - they used them as 'anchoring' in their life. The winds around those parts could be pretty severe at times, especially when monsoon season is in full force. The cooler winters can bring inch upon inch of heavy snow and ice, making the trees 'bear up' under tremendous weight at times. Yet, they stand - tall and straight - unhindered in their upward growth. Why? They have not circumvented the hard places! They used them to give 'anchorage' in their lives. We can learn to use those hard places in life as something that gives us greater 'anchorage', or we can always go on avoiding them. Just remember - the upward growth that will stand the test time and time again isn't found in the 'soft soil'. Resistance doesn't have to stop us - it can act as a means by which we find the greatest 'hold' in life.

The trees were wedged into the tightest of spots - not wide open spaces, but very tiny spots that gave way to their expanded growth. We might think we are in a 'tight spot' right now and not see there is always room for us to grow a little bit more. The growth comes for those trees when they push beyond their present limit. They have to expand their roots so that the things in their way begin to give way to allow for their growth. Certainly it is easiest to just grow a little and stop when we face resistance. Many forestry workers come through our high country and 'thin' the growth of the trees. Why? They are helping the littler ones growing just beneath these bigger ones see the light a little better. Some of us just need a little better view of the light in order to begin to reach a little further and grow a little taller. Just sayin!

Learn on!

There are times when I just don't want to listen. I am intent on something else, the plot thickens in a TV drama I am intent on watching, or I am just too tired to care. Listening is hard at times because life gets us involved in other things. Listening is really a two-way street. When we aren't listening, we are blocking one side of the street! We must have open ears to hear the message - but we must also ask clarifying questions so as to get the full meaning of what is being shared. That is how God intends for us to be with our spiritual "ears" - listening with the intention of getting the full meaning of what he is sharing.

Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening. (Proverbs 21:11)

There is a clear difference between being a "simpleton" and being a wise learner. We rarely use the word "simpleton" anymore in our English language. In fact, I cannot remember hearing it used in very many situations in my entire lifetime. A simpleton is a fool, a knucklehead, a ninny of sorts - he does not seek to understand, therefore we call him ignorant. I grew up with the idea that a fool was some kind of ninny that just did not get what was going on, was too self-absorbed to see others, or just plain 'didn't get it' in life. I think we need to focus on the fact that the fool is one who is "ignorant" - he or she just doesn't get it.

Look at the root of the word which is ignore. The fool is one who ignores what is right in front of his face - it is there for the taking, but he doesn't even notice it, or if he does, he just plain steps around it. He spends very little effort attempting to grasp what he has evident in his immediate path, much less a future one. The fool is ignorant because he will not learn from what is available to him - he has the tools, but he lacks the initiative to use them. I think of initiative as the 'internal reason' for which we use what is given to us. We are moved to use something because we see the usefulness, even though we may not fully grasp its purpose.

The fool is oblivious to life oftentimes ignoring the very plain or obvious. Even when there is clear evidence, he chooses to ignore it as not pertinent to him, the situation, or the future. Being oblivious is really because of two traits common to the fool - being inattentive and being easily distracted. The ability to distract a fool is really quite easy because he lacks the intent "focus" that is required to stay on task - not because he does not have the ability to focus - just because it is the path of least resistance for him.

The warning to each of us is that the simpleton (fool) only learns things the hard way! Ouch! That stings! Ever feel like you could have learned a lesson just a little quicker, or a little easier? The obvious conclusion is that you were submitting to the path of least resistance (the fool's path) and had to learn that lesson the hard way. So, the tendency to be "foolish" in our response to life events is apparent in all of us - even though we may not call ourselves a simpleton. We make the choice - live as a fool, taking the path of least resistance, or live as a wise man, submitting to the path of learning.

Keep one thing in mind: The "hard way" is evident at the end of the path of least resistance. The path of learning may seem "hard" at first, but in the end, it is really the path of "least resistance". Submission to the process of learning is paramount to avoiding the life-course of a simpleton - a journey none of us really wants to take. Therefore, we need to learn on! Just sayin!

Resistance isn't a bad thing

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 NLT)

As I was coming through Bible College, the "deeper" the theologian, the "greater" the writing of that author was deemed to be - but did it always affect my heart the way it needed to? No! In fact, although the truths were spot on and accurate as all get out, they were "too deep" to affect some of the spaces of my heart where I just needed to trust Jesus. I tried to apply those principles taught by those great theologians, but they just didn't make much of an impact. What did? When I just honestly stopped for a moment and realized I am a pretty simple person, so simple solutions and principles were going to be the things that changed my character, not the deeply profound theological principles! For example, it wasn't that I had to figure out "what faith is", I just had to remember that faith is demonstrated more than it is understood. The heart demonstrates faith when it reaches out for grace, or is embraced with overwhelming peace that supersedes the mess you are in at the moment. That demonstrated faith is trust - trust correctly placed not in one's own efforts, but in the overcoming power of Christ who indwells you the moment you say "yes" to him.

When Jesus taught about trials or sorrows, saying they were going to be part of what we'd have to deal with as long as we walked on this earth, I never really understood how a loving God could allow kind of ugly stuff to happen to good people who put their trust in him. Another one of those things that just "don't add up" when you think about God as "good", "kind", "loving", etc.  When you think of him as the giver of grace and peace, then why isn't it that we can avoid these awful things? I think it might have to do with something called resistance. You see, when resistance is applied there is a little bit more which happens than if there was no resistance at all. Endurance is developed. Strength is increased. In terms of medical science, when an organism develops resistance it is said to be "incapable" of being affected by the "normal stuff" which would otherwise affect it. The strain of organism develops "super-strength" and resists the intake of the stuff that could otherwise destroy it! Where resistance doesn't exist, the organism is said to be "susceptible" to the impact of what is applied to it. This is why antibiotics work to kill some organisms - they are susceptible - they allow input of the medicine and that medicine counteracts the effects of the organism.

Maybe this is a "simplified" way of understanding the purpose of trials and sorrows, but I think it might just make a little sense. The things we "resist" and become less "susceptible" to are probably good for us in the long run! The things we are supposed to be susceptible to are his grace, peace, and love. The things we are supposed to develop a resistance to are things like sin, hatred, envy, bitterness, and the like. Those things exist all around us and they provide just enough "impact" in our lives to allow resistance to be built to them when we get enough of the stuff into our lives that make us strong to "fight against" them! The more of God's grace we embrace, the more resistance we exhibit toward the things of this world trying to impact our lives in a negative or harmful way. This brings us back to the topic of faith - for faith is simply stated as trust. What is it we lean into - rely upon - hope in? That will be the thing that we have faith in. It could be our own intellect, but when it is, we usually find ourselves trying to reason our way through some of the most awkward circumstances that really aren't "figured out" with the mind at all. It could be our emotions, but when we are trying to work through things on an emotional plane alone, the ups and downs can be dizzying indeed!

Jesus doesn't want us to be unknowing or oblivious to the things around us - he warns us there is evil - it exists. He also reminds us that to counteract evil he gives us one very powerful weapon - peace. How can peace serve to build resistance or help us counteract the attacks against us? When we lean into Jesus more, his peace becomes that wall of resistance that isn't easily penetrated by those things working to tear us down and gain access to our inner man. His peace surpasses human understanding, but is a great indicator of how closely we are relying on him (leaning into him) rather than trying to figure stuff out all on our own. His peace then is like a barometer - giving us a good indicator of how "susceptible" we are to attack! Just sayin!

Facing a little resistance?

I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the Anointed.  (Philippians 3:14 VOICE)

Are you are goal-setter?  Do you make those lists of all the things you need to accomplish in a day, complete with tiny check-boxes so you can mark them as complete as you get them done?  Are you one of those planners, mapping out each phase of your journey for an upcoming trip, almost down to the places you will stop to take restroom breaks?  I know the world needs people who will create a vision, map out a plan, and then get people moving in that direction, but honestly only one goal really matters - where it is and with whom we will spend our eternity!

Sprinters will tell you they are running at full-speed when they reach the point of the race where the sprint makes the race, but they cannot sustain that pace forever.  They have trained repeatedly to do as well as they do, but eventually their body becomes fatigued by the constant demands placed upon it to sustain that level of activity.  They don't sprint the entire race, but pour on the speed, increasing their kick and widening their stride, not right out of the starting block, but nearer the finish line.  Why?  They see their end goal and they know in order to win the race, they must finish the race!

They run for a prize - but also because the race provides some type of reward along the way. The end of the race, with the crossing of the finish line even a margin ahead of the other runner will be rewarded with a prize of some sort.  Yet, as that runner passes milestones in the race - such as the one-quarter mark, then the half-way mark, then the one which tells them it is time to pour it on full-speed ahead - they determine their speed, endurance, and remaining capacity to make it the rest of the way.  If they feel good about where they are at the quarter mark, they will continue their pace to the half-way point.  If they see they didn't make the goal they had for that point, they might just pick up the pace in the next leg of the race.

For some of us, running the race means we have to push past a whole lot of resistance within our bodies, minds, and heart which just bogs us down.  We don't really "feel" the sense of urgency to increase our pace, run with determination, or even to consider the end of the race. We are running lazily along the route laid out ahead of us, but not really with any intensity.  It is either because we don't know how to push past the resistance, or our motivation for running the race has somehow "left us".

Resistance can be a good thing when we use it for our benefit.  It increases capacity and helps us to expand our capabilities.  At other times, it can over-tax us and leave us totally uninterested in taking another step forward.  Resistance is simply the opposition afforded when one thing comes in contact with another.  If I run into a wall with my shoulder, the wall is likely to resist the movement of my body.  It may shake a little, but more than likely my shoulder will begin to announce to the rest of my body that it came upon something which opposed the effort it put forth to attempt to go through it!

If I run into the wall, feel the pain in my shoulder because of the resistance it faced, I will most likely adjust my course.  I don't want the pain again - and I learned from the pain that not all resisting forces will be able to be moved by my effort.  Sometimes the best course of action is to take a new course of action!  At others, the resistance we feel actually builds strength - such as when a tackle on a football team works with those tackling dummies.  He repeatedly pounds against them, moving them even ever so slightly.  Why?  He is building endurance and increasing capacity!  It doesn't matter how much we run - it is that we have the capacity to finish the race and to do it with an all-out effort!  Just sayin!

Hammer or Fire?

What do fire and a hammer have in common?  First, both have an effect of changing what they touch, don't they?  Nothing touched by fire is quite the same - so it is with the hammer - they both can reduce to pieces that which are touched by their influence.  Second, there is a "heating" effect of both.  The hammer begins to "heat up" the nail as it drives it through the wood - repeated blows from the hammer actually change the temperature of the nail!  So, there are some commonalities between the hammer and fire. Why on earth does God compare his Word to fire or a hammer?  Perhaps it is for the reasons we have just stated - it changes what it comes into contact with and it has a way of changing the "temperature" of whatever it touches.

Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]? says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the rock [of most stubborn resistance]?  (Jeremiah 23:29 AMP)

It is important to see God does not say the purpose of the fire is to consume us and get us all ashy - it is just to consume whatever cannot hold up to the test of the heat!  So, in other words, whenever we feel like the Word of God is a little "consuming" in its focus, it is like a farmer doing a controlled burn around his place.  The purpose of the controlled burn is to remove the weeds and brush which threaten the potential for his harvest!  The Word of God is really not after the good stuff - it is after the "chaff" - the unfruitful, unproductive, and choking influences of our life.  Have you noticed how well some of the wood burns in a fire, while the other wood seems to be harder to "catch" and it burns a lot longer before it is reduced to ash.  The "hardness" of the wood is often the determining factor of how long the fire has to "work" upon the wood to achieve the optimal effect of reducing the wood.  Sometimes our heart is responsive to the fire of God's Word, allowing the Word to take hold quite quickly.  Other times, it is a little harder, isn't it?  

The likeness of the Word of God to a hammer is pictured here not so much as the hammer driving home the nail, but of pounding upon rock.  I think this is an appropriate picture of our hearts sometimes - rocky, hard, and just needing a little "pounding".  My dad used to have a couple of sledge hammers - some smaller like hammer size, others bigger like the size of an ax.  It took quite a bit of effort to wield the sledge hammer, regardless of the size.  Why?  They carried some "weight" to them - because what they would come into contact with was often unyielding and requires a little more force to affect the desired change.  If we had an unyielding stone in the garden, dad could take a couple of cracks of the sledge hammer against the stone, effectively breaking it apart into "manageable" sizes.  Then he could remove them one by one.  I think God's Word is sometimes like this in our lives - it encounters some pretty unyielding stones and must break those stones up into smaller pieces, allowing for those pieces to be removed and discarded in order to begin to prepare the place it occupied for fresh growth.

The hammer on the stone produces some "heat" with each blow.  It is perhaps the influence of this "heat" which gets the stone to the point of beginning to yield to the blows.  A sledge hammer applies force - it is the force which begins the process of changing the consistency of what it touches.  If you know anything about using a sledge hammer, you know it is the weight of the hammer which is used to produce the force.  God's Word is a "weighty" thing in his hand!  It is by the strength of his hand and the force of his Word we are changed - our places of our most stubborn resistance are broken into manageable pieces until they no longer find a suitable place of dwelling in us any longer.  

Fire or hammer - either way, the effects are similar.  The Word embraced becomes the basis of change.  Embrace it quickly and we see the effect of its influence almost immediately in our lives.  Exert a little stubborn resistance to its influence and we might just need a little more heat or a few more blows.  Just sayin!