Almost there

Thomas Edison reminds us, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." God reminds us, "...let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."  (Galatians 6:9) How close are you to giving up on something right now? We have lots and lots of dreams as we are growing up, but how many of them are really fulfilled in the course of time? It is quite likely that some dreams get put on the back burner, while we go about pursuing other things that present themselves as 'more important' for that season of our life. Do we ever get back to those dreams? I daresay some of them are never revisited, while rare few others are finally pursued at some point. Truth be told, we might not realize just how close we were to a breakthrough when we decided it was time to give up.

Giving up is really a means of escaping something that is kind of hard and maybe even a little fearful. Sometimes we are even afraid to fail - to allow others to see we are human, just like them. Fear keeps us from pursuing things to the end sometimes, paralyzing us and keeping us from moving forward, despite the desire to see a dream realized. If we have been guilty of giving up on something, is it possible to pick it back up and run with it again? I believe God's grace allows fresh starts time and time again. If God tells us to pick it up again, then we can be assured he will be with us when we do! Will it be easy to 'start over' when we have abandoned something? No, definitely not, but will God be there to help us pick up the pieces and make right choices as we move forward - definitely!

The harvest comes at a specific time - not just because we want to see it. We have to put in a whole lot of work prior to harvesting the reward, don't we? It may be that fear isn't what is holding us back from doing what God asks, it could be we are just a bit 'lazy' in our faith. We don't want to invest ourselves quite at the level God asks us to invest. That makes us not only lazy, but stingy! Have you ever notices how God won't allow us to be lazy? He somehow manages to 'stimulate' our faith, little by little, until we are moving toward that goal once again. He brings us to the place we make the investment, maybe not all at one time, but somehow, he gets us there! 

Giving up is not really an option - God asks us to persevere - to continue on, take hold, and stand against adversity. What appears to be way to big for us to realize, or to hard for us to attain may just be the thing he is calling us to do right now. Wouldn't it be a shame to quit right at the apex of our victory? Just askin!

Adorned with victory

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. (Isaiah 6:1)

In the times King Uzziah reigned, Isaiah is given a vision of the heavenly realm -imagine it - heavens open and you have full view of the most awesome things you have ever experienced. He is escorted into the "throne room" of the Most High - the very place of God's presence. What catches his attention first? It is the "robe" of the King of Kings - God's 'clothes'. This robe is so long it fills the Temple! That is quite some robe - it fills the very space God's presence is felt and experienced! Even the longest wedding veil I have ever seen did not fill more than the aisle of the church! I have admired some of the most beautiful quilts over the years. Depending on the occasion for which the quilt was created, there have been the traditional patchwork types with pieces of varying colors and fabrics stitched close together in no particular order. Then there are the others which show a beautifully pieced pattern, with great care taken in placing each piece so as to continue the pattern with each new row of material pieces. The traditional wedding ring patterned quilts show the concentric rings intertwined, symbolizing the joining to two into one. Regardless of the "pattern", they are a thing of beauty. Even the most beautiful of quilts I have seen must have paled compared to what Isaiah experienced that day.

I think we may not understand the significance of the kingly robes, so I think it may help us to understand just a few things about the robes of old. Each king had a robe. Often, these robes would be very unique - not like the mass-produced clothing of today. They were made of only the best of materials, such as twisted linen. This is a quite dense and enduring material - considered to be one of the finest materials for the base of the robe. They were dyed with the dyes of the region - deep blues, purples, crimsons, and even golden hues. They were decorated in all types of fashion - embroidered, or possibly emblazoned with emblems of gold and silver. They were quite the 'fashion statement', but they usually had a much deeper meaning. The robes "defined" the King. In other words, he could be quickly recognized by the robe he wore. This is much like the current military uniforms we see today. The highest ranking officer has the greatest amount of braiding, color, adornment, and often even 'medals' of honor or distinction. It is easier to recognize the "rank" by the "markings" on the uniform. These robes helped to mark the 'rank' of the one wearing them.

What we may fail to realize is the 'incorporation' of what might see as nothing more than a 'patchwork quilt' of sorts. Each robe had an "original" form which was "transformed" after each battle. The robe started out as one form, but after each victorious battle, a new piece was added. In keeping with the customs of the day, the victorious king would go over to the defeated king, remove a section of his robe, and in turn, this section would be sewn onto the train of the victorious king's robe. In time, the more victories a king won, the longer (and more colorful) his robe became! His 'patchwork quilt' became a symbol of his military might and his ability to rule. Isaiah sees the Most High God seated in the throne room. He is adorned in a great robe - so great that its train fills the Temple. I think Isaiah was being given the opportunity to see just how many "battles" our God has been victorious in! Did you ever stop to think of each new battle you face as being an opportunity for another "patch" to be sewn onto the Most High's robe? He marches right up to each of our "enemies", places his foot squarely on their necks, declares us victorious, then carefully takes a piece of each "victory" robe and weaves it into the train of his heavenly robe!

When I think of the "beauty" of the patchwork he has added just by the battles which have been fought in my own life, I know there are MANY patches which have been added on my behalf! Battles I didn't even know were fought on my behalf have been incorporated into that robe - battles you didn't even realize were being fought on your behalf, as well. Each victory is an "adorning" addition to his robe! As he admires each of these "patches", he can recount each "battle" - the start, the enduring middle portions, and the final victorious outcome. I find pleasure in imagining him running his fingers over each "patch" - taking in the "feel" of each victory taken on our behalf. I see his face, as his fingers pass over the patchwork, eyes filled with excitement, heartbeat picking up with each remembered victory. Imagine the patches added with each new victory in your life. It should give your heart a thrill! Just sayin!

Hey, Coach...over here!

Gonna meddle a bit this morning, but who doesn't meddle once in a while? How many times do we see someone struggling and then turn the other way, ignoring the struggle because it would get 'too messy' if we got in the middle of their muddle? How about the times we see someone about to jump off some cliff in life that you know will just leave them all messed up and we just shake our heads as we watch them take the leap? If we are to be honest here, we have all likely been in the position of seeing someone about to 'fall into sin' and then found it has become fodder for 'gossip' and 'poking fun' at that individual. Why do we point out the sin of others instead of stepping in to help them be restored? It could be us there one day, my friends. How would you like someone to respond if the tables were turned? Just a little food for thought here, but I think we all might like to have someone come to our aid rather than poke fun at our failure or find fault with our sin.

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galatians 6:1 MSG)

God doesn't say, "If you feel like it today, why don't you step in and share the burdens of another." In fact, there is an imperative in this passage - we are give a few 'if - then' statements to consider AND act upon. IF someone falls - THEN forgivingly restore him. IF someone is oppressed and weighed down under the burden of life - THEN stoop down and help them out of the rut. IF their burden is great - THEN help them carry it. IF you think you are too good to do so - THEN you are badly deceived. Notice that I reminded us of the need to not only "consider" the condition of another, but to "ACT" to help them in their need. This is the way of God every time - condition exists and the need is met. Nothing in God's way of doing things ever relies upon us 'feeling like it'. In fact, most of his most fruitful actions in our lives are oftentimes in direct opposition to our feelings.

God calls us into relationship with each other because we desperately need each other's encouragement and even a little coaching from time to time. Encouragement would be defined as inspiring another by giving them approval. Coaching goes just a bit further because it encompasses instruction. God's requirement for us is to know when encouragement is enough, but then to go the extra mile when coaching is required. Sometimes I don't know how to handle a situation, or how to get myself out of the muddle I have made for myself. I need more than your encouragement - inspiring words, approval that I can get out of it - I need some downright help to know the way out! IF I need coaching - THEN be there to instruct me as you also are there to encourage me with each step I take.

Do you know what some who fall repeatedly need more than anything else? They need a coach! They need someone who will come alongside and do more than encourage them to 'live better'. They need to be shown how to live - how to take the first step that helps them be ready for the second one and then the third. Coaches actually help us 'train' - not just 'try'. Repeated failures are not fodder for gossip - they are fertile fields where a mighty harvest of new and developing faith is possible. That may be what God had in mind when he calls us to share the burdens of another - encourage them - but then go the extra mile to help them take the steps out of the muddle. Now, lest anyone think a coach is someone's conscience, let me set us all straight here - a coach knows how to instruct because they have already walked the path! The coach is able to instruct - not be someone's conscience - but assist another to find the right steps to take in order to move from where they are to where they need to be. Just sayin!

V-Day

Victory! What does this term mean to you? Perhaps it means you have succeeded in something you never thought you'd be able to complete, or that you triumphed over something that held you back in life. Maybe it carries the idea of having achieved superiority to your enemy - no longer having to engage that enemy in battle because you have been declared "victorious" over that enemy. If we look at this in the truest sense, any victory is really a sense of achievement where an advantage is attained and maintained. There is something in the one who is victorious that screams, "I have overcome!" There was an obstacle in your way and now that obstacle no longer stands as any impediment to your progress or success in life. I wonder just how many obstacles God has removed for us without us even knowing they were gone - allowing us to walk victoriously in areas we never really had any idea how to overcome?

Only through God can we be successful. It is God alone who will defeat our enemies and bring us victory! (Psalm 108:13)

Victory comes one way and one way alone - through the work of God in our lives. It is only in Christ that we truly can be successful over the things that hold us bound. God defeats our enemies - even when our enemies are our own thoughts, emotions, and doubts. There are tons of us who are facing obstacles that aren't external to us, but are right there in the thoughts we frequently reconsider and ruminate on repeatedly. There are those of us who find our emotions huge hurdles to overcome, binding us to some specific course of action because we cannot seem to overcome how we 'feel'. Still others of us are intent on doing something that will result in a life-change we desire, but all those doubts and frustrations keep creeping up, paralyzing us, holding us back from ever taking more than the first step. Obstacles aren't always easy to identify, but when they are within us, ever-present with us, we find their taunts hard to overcome.

It is only through God we can be successful in overcoming these internal hurdles. No amount of self-help, positive intent, or mind reset techniques can help us. We might get to 'feeling' a little bit like we can take on these hurdles, but if we were to be honest here, these tactics and techniques might work for a while, but they aren't lasting! They fizzle as soon as the next negative thought pattern takes hold, crumble when we find ourselves too fatigued to try any harder, and evaporate when we realize changing our thinking isn't all that easy. God defeats all our enemies - even those that are of our own making! Success - how would you define that in terms of your present 'internal enemy'? In order to define our success, we must first be able to name our enemy correctly! This requires honesty on our part and the help of our Savior to help us understand the true enemy that stands as the obstacle in the way of our victory.

We don't have to overcome on our own. We don't have to understand every nuance of that internal obstacle that mounts defense after defense, avoiding any attempt to eradicate it from our midst. What we do need is God's presence, power, and peace. As his presence begins to be entertained and made a more prominent thing than the obstacle that stands in our way, we find that obstacle begins to lose its power over us and his peace begins to permeate our entire being. We aren't asked to use our power, but to rely upon his. Yes, we will be asked to take steps of obedience toward the obstacle and then to actually begin to tear it down in his power, but we don't do that alone - he guides us step by step until it is finally removed. On the other side of that obstacle stands a victory we won't know without his help. Don't go it alone - remember he desires to go before you in the battle! Just sayin!

A well-placed heel

The moment we realize we are in the thick of the fight, we can begin to waver a little bit in our faith, can't we? Being on the outside looking in isn't all that intimidating, but being right there in the middle of the fight - well that is a different matter all together! God rarely calls us into spectator faith - he wants us involved! That means we will get our hands dirty on occasion, and that we won't always be able to be observers. There will be times we must step up, be the one to take on the enemy, and then to push on through until we see the enemy turn tail and run. At other times, we will be called to fight to the death - not ours - the enemy we face off with will be the one to meet their end. There is no middle-ground in this Christianity thing - either we are in it or not!

When they had them all there in front of Joshua, he called up the army and told the field commanders who had been with him, "Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." They stepped up and put their feet on their necks. Joshua told them, "Don't hold back. Don't be timid. Be strong! Be confident! This is what God will do to all your enemies when you fight them." (Joshua 10:24-25)

Joshua was going up against one army after another as Israel was coming into possession of their promised land - Canaan. One of the tribes of Israel, Gibeon, was in serious trouble with enemy kings surrounding them. Not just one army attacking, but five Amorite kings had mustered their military might and had surrounded Gibeon! Ever feel like Gibeon? Surrounded on all sides and ready to send up the white flag? Ready to call it quits - to just be a spectator again...maybe all we need it to 'send word' that we need help - that this enemy we are facing is bigger or tougher than we can face on our own. The men of Gibeon send word to Joshua that they are surrounded and require his immediate intervention. They raise the standard higher - not of surrender - but of intent to fight on.

Joshua had been camped at Gilgal with his army. They had to march all night to reach Gibeon, but the call for help would not go unanswered. As they approached Gibeon, scripture tells us that God threw all the military of these five opposing kings into immediate panic and confusion. The five armies scattered to the hills and valleys - running in panic. This military battle is probably best known for the prayer of Joshua - asking God to stop the sun and moon - giving him more time to attack until every last one was rounded up. The five kings were not too eager to lose their lives, so they hid in a cave - just remember that - the enemy often hides out, hoping we will just give up in our pursuit of their total destruction. When Joshua and his men had finished the work of taking the five armies, they came back to the cave and took the kings.  They are brought before the people of Israel, where the military field leaders of Israel's army are instructed to come forward and place their feet on the necks of these five kings. A strange thing to ask, huh? Not really when you understand the purpose or symbolism of that maneuver.

Joshua was giving Israel a visual display of the might of their God. He was showing them that God had delivered these kings and all their military might or tactics into their hands. They were victorious over even the strongest of the military in the land - none could stand in their way. The foot on the neck is a symbol of victory - it is a sign of submission by those that are held in such a manner. A humbling experience for these kings of the Amorites indeed. Imagine how our enemy might feel when we do exactly the same thing! Nothing can stand against the people of God. God is supreme and when he is raised up in the lives of his people, he will go before them. When we have the faith to believe the impossible, God has the wherewithal to do the impossible. I have never asked the sun or moon to stand still, but I have asked God to heal cancer, restore lost children, and release me from guilt, just to name a few. In each prayer, he has been faithful. Victory belongs to God. As his children, it belongs to us, too. He invites us forward, just as Joshua invited the military field commanders to come, in order that we might place our foot on the neck of our greatest enemies.

Our enemies come in many forms - that favorite sin that drags us down, the long-held shame of past failures, the present compromise of misplaced affections. Regardless of the form, God is victor over all. If we are "in Christ" and Christ is "in us", then we are victors over all, as well. Today, we are invited to come into victory - not to be observers, but participants in pushing that enemy fully out of the caves where they hide in our lives and then declaring our total and absolute victory over them. Ask God for what seems impossible. Place your heel upon the neck of your enemy today. Your victory awaits. Just sayin!

Celebrating Defeat!

Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out. (Edwin Markham) 

Most of us would agree with the idea of victory sending us into places of awesome praise and tremendous celebration. Those who win some major sporting event will jump up and down, slap each other on the back, whoop, holler, and even cry in awe at having "done it". The tremendous release of emotion can almost overwhelm, but the sense of "high" which was celebrated with such passion cannot live on, for the moment will pass, memories will remain, but the moment is now behind. On the other hand, one walks away from the "win" as the defeated. Is it possible they could celebrate in similar fashion, for out of the things that shake our very souls can come greatness and character formation not quite found in the moment of gleeful victory?  

In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. (Psalm 118:5-9 NLT)

As I write today, the song by, "God is on the Move", is playing softly in the background. If you haven't heard it, the words that capture my attention are "God is on the move today" and "God is on the move in many might ways". My friends, I don't know the things which seek to overwhelm you, or the troubles that disturb your restful slumber, but I know for a fact that God is on the move! It isn't just the victories we celebrate in Jesus - we celebrate the defeats, as well. Why? These are the moments he uses to show us just how much we need to lean into him - to do more than just declare ourselves Christians, but to act in every way as though we are!

Whenever I begin to see the waters of my own life stir a little more than usual, building into lapping waves at first, then eventually in rolling waves, and soon into mounting waves carrying such force behind them that I am pretty sure I will feel their churning effect, I can either panic, or I can look up. The seas are constantly changing, not because the fish move from here to there, but because of those waves - those underlying currents, the winds of the air, the phases of the moon, and the movement of our earth's own crust all play a part in their change. Nothing is static in the seas because they are meant to change! In fact, nothing is static in our lives because we are designed to move from glory to glory - sometimes through tremendous victory, and at others, through agonizing defeat.

This may seem strange, but I fear victory more than I fear defeat. Why? Victory has a way of lulling me into times of complacency - because I somehow think I have "arrived" or that things are all "worked out". The truth is, the place of victory is just a place of temporary rest - it isn't the place I am to stay forever! In time, the waves will begin again! While I don't relish the times of defeat, and my pride takes a tremendous hit at times, they are probably the "best times" in my life because they are the times I learned to trust. They are the times I let go of my stubborn will to do things my way, leaving behind some pretty bad habits and hang-ups, taking tenuous steps forward into the unknown. Each tenuous step was always met with God's encouragement, though. Never once did God kick me when I was down in order to keep me down. In fact, sometimes we need a little "kick" to get us moving again! It is as though the wave frees me from the resting place where I remained entrapped and just continuously pounded by those waves which were doing nothing more than wearing me down. In setting me free, he changed my perspective - giving me a new freedom to see things from a new vantage point.

I don't know what "waves" of defeat you may think you are experiencing right now, but let him move you with those waves, my friend. You don't know how much that small change in perspective can change the defeat into a moment of victory and in turn, allow the "glory out"! Just sayin!

A patchwork quilt

I have admired some of the most beautiful quilts over the years.  Depending on the occasion, there have been the traditional patchwork types with pieces of varying colors and fabrics stitched close together in no particular order.  Then there are the others which show a pattern, with great care taken in placing each piece so as to continue the pattern with each new row of material pieces added.  The traditional wedding ring quilts show the concentric rings intertwined, symbolizing the joining to two into one.  Regardless of the "pattern", they are a thing of beauty.  Today, we will look at something of a "patchwork" quilt of another kind.


In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple.   (Isaiah 6:1 The Message)


In the times King Uzziah reigned, Isaiah is given a vision of the heavenly realm.  He is escorted into the "throne room" of the Most High.  There, he encounters the "robe" of the King of Kings.  This robe is so long, it fills the Temple!  Now, that is quite some robe!  Even the longest wedding veil I have ever seen did not fill more than the aisle of the church!


Here are some interesting facts about a kings robe:


1)  Each king had a robe.  Often, these robes would be very unique.  They were made of only the best of materials, such as twisted linen.  This is a quite dense and enduring material.  In turn, they were dyed with the dyes of the region - deep blues, purples, crimsons, etc.  They were decorated in all types of fashion - embroidered, or possibly emblazoned with emblems of gold and silver.  


2)  The robes "defined" the King.  In other words, he could be recognized by the robe he wore.  This is much like the current military uniforms we see today.  The highest ranking officer has the greatest amount of braiding, color, adornment, etc.  It is easier to recognize the "rank" by the "markings" on the uniform.


3)  Each robe had an "original" form which was "transformed" after each battle.  The robe started out as one form, but after each victorious battle, a new piece was added.  In keeping with the customs of the day, the victorious king would go over to the defeated king, remove a section of his robe, and in turn, this section would be sewn onto the train of the victorious king's robe.  In time, the more victories a king won, the longer (and more colorful) his robe became!


Now, let's go back to our passage.  Isaiah sees the Most High God seated in the throne room.  He is adorned in a great robe - so great that its train fills the Temple.  I think Isaiah was being given the opportunity to see just how many "battles" our God has been victorious in!  Did you ever stop to think of each new battle you face as being an opportunity for another "patch" to be sewn onto the Most High's robe?  He marches right up to each of our "enemies", places his foot squarely on their necks, declares us victorious, then carefully takes a piece of each "victory" and weaves it into the train of his heavenly robe!


When I think of the "beauty" of the patchwork he has added just by the battles which have been fought in my own life, I know there are MANY patches which have been added on my behalf!  The same is true of your life - each victory is an "adorning" addition to his robe!  As he admires each of these "patches", he can recount each "battle".  I find pleasure in imagining him running his fingers over each "patch" - taking in the "feel" of each victory.  I see his face, as his fingers pass over the patchwork, eyes filled with excitement, heartbeat picking up with each remembered victory. 


Imagine the patches added with each new victory in your life.  It should give your heart a thrill!  

Come into victory

²⁴ When they had them all there in front of Joshua, he called up the army and told the field commanders who had been with him, "Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings."  They stepped up and put their feet on their necks.
 ²⁵ Joshua told them, "Don't hold back. Don't be timid. Be strong! Be confident! This is what God will do to all your enemies when you fight them."
(Joshua 10:24-25)

Joshua was going up against one army after another as Israel is coming into possession of their promised land - Canaan.  One of the tribes of Israel, Gibeon, was in serious trouble with enemy kings surrounding them.  Not just one army attacking, but five Amorite kings had mustered their military might and had surrounded Gibeon!  Ever feel like Gibeon?  Surrounded on all sides and ready to send up the white flag?  

The men of Gibeon send word to Joshua that they are surrounded and require his immediate intervention.  Joshua had been one of the twelve spies Moses sent into Canaan to spy out the land prior to their entering.  Only Joshua and Caleb came back with any belief that Israel could take the land.  When Moses died, Joshua became their leader.  Under Joshua's godly leadership, Israel entered Canaan to take it as its own.  Now, he is called upon to assist Gibeon.

He had been camped at Gilgal with his army.  They had to march all night to reach Gibeon.  As they approached Gibeon, scripture tells us that God threw all the military of these five opposing kings into immediate panic and confusion.  They five armies scattered to the hills and valleys - running in panic.  This military battle is probably best known for the prayer of Joshua - asking God to stop the sun and moon - giving him more time to attack until every last one was rounded up.  

The five kings were not too eager to lose their lives, so they hid in a cave.  When Joshua and his men had finished the work of taking the five armies, they came back to the cave and took the kings.  This brings us to the passage we examine today.  They are brought before the people of Israel, the military field leaders of Israel's army are instructed to come forward and place their feet on the necks of these five kings.  A strange thing to ask, huh?  Not really.

Joshua was giving Israel a visual display of the might of their God.  He was showing them that God had delivered these kings and their military might into their hands.  Now they were victorious over even the strongest of the military in the land.  The foot on the neck is a symbol of victory - it is a sign of submission by those that are held in such a manner.  A humbling experience for these kings of the Amorites indeed.  

What can we learn from this passage?  First, nothing can stand against the people of God.  God is supreme and when he is raised up in the lives of his people, he will go before them.  Second, when we have the faith to believe the impossible, God has the wherewithal to do the impossible.  I have never asked the sun or moon to stand still, but I have asked God to heal cancer, restore lost children, and release me from guilt.  In each prayer, he has been faithful.  Last, but certainly not least, victory belongs to God.  As his children, it belongs to us, too.  He invites us forward, just as Joshua invited the military field commanders to come, in order that we might place our foot on the neck of our greatest enemies.

Our enemies come in many forms - that favorite sin that drags us down, the long-held shame of past failures, the present compromise of misplaced affections.  Regardless of the form, God is victor over all.  If we are "in Christ" and Christ is "in us", then we are victors over all, as well.  Today's invitation is to come into victory.  Ask God for what seems impossible.  Place your heel upon the neck of your enemy today.  Your victory awaits.