Tag: Charles Spurgeon

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Enjoying the Right Side of Life

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I’ve mentioned in past series that I wasn’t raised in a Christian home.  My father is, to this day, an atheist and my mom is well, just sort of lost.  In my younger years, I would probably tell you I believed in God but I didn’t really know what that meant.  God was the creator and He was still hanging around, I supposed.  If I had died back then I would’ve had the same judgement as my father, I believe.  Because just like my atheist father, I didn’t have God as the centerstone of my life.

I hate to say it but I talk to a lot of folks who seem to be in this same boat.  They might even call themselves “Christian.”  But dig a bit deeper and they don’t believe the basic tenets of the faith.  Such as Jesus being full man and fully God who died to cover our sins and make us righteous before God.  Or that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.  Without these basic truths to help us navigate through life what’s to keep them from wandering off the path?  To avoid a life of fool-hardy behavior and thinking?  To be led by foolish teachers and pastors?

“Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left.” Ecclesiastes 10:1-2

Back in the ancient world of King Solomon, the right hand represented the place of honor and power.  The left hand (sorry lefties) represented weakness and even rejection.  In this introduction to chapter 10 of Ecclesiastes, Solomon shines the light on our propensity to lean a bit too far into our personal temptations and sins.  We give way to the left-hand side of life.  Those sinful “flies in the ointment” create a life that looks a lot like one without knowing or trusting in God.

Blessed is the man who has the God of Jacob for his Helper; he need not fear either want or pain, or death. The more you can realize this, the happier will you become; and the only means for so doing is to hold frequent communion with God in prayer. Get alone with Jesus, and He will comfort your hearts, and restore your weary souls.”

Charles Spurgeon

No only had I not put God as a cornerstone of my life I put so many other things and people there in His place.  In Solomon’s words I put “fools in a high position” (Ecc 10:6).  And wisdom?  Let’s just say it wasn’t a top priority for me.  

“The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.” Ecclesiastes 10:15

What a sad state to be in, as so many are today.  Lost amongst well-travelled roads.  Thinking they know the way to enjoying life to the fullest only to find themselves each morning back on the wrong side of a meaningful life.

I’ll make a confession to you.  I started having sex when I was about 16 years old – sad to say that may be a bit old nowadays.  By the time I met my future husband at age 22, I had been with more than 15 different men.  The first few sexual relationships were ones I sometimes, still today, thank God that He didn’t allow me to become pregnant because I was also unprotected.  In the midst of my sexual promiscuity years something inside me knew what I was doing was wrong but it didn’t stop me.  I plowed ahead in my left hand life.

Later, I even realized my behavior was borne out of a need to seek love and acceptance.  Of which, I usually received the exact opposite.  Folly, folly, folly.  And more wandering over the same roads.

My centerstones, or my go-to experts, were like-minded travellers.  Women’s liberation bullhorns, pro-abortionists, people who believed we deserved to do what we please, and others who scoffed at the religious right and their limiting “rules for life.”  I was going to do what I wanted, with whom I wanted, and was going to be happy and successful.  

Until I wasn’t.

As a person searching for a meaningful life, that younger me was bombarded by foolish rulers.  College teachers who were all about living the life that was “true to yourself.”  The people I worked with had no place for God and encouraged debauchery and folly.  Even the pastor of the church, where I spent about 10 years as  a new Christian, never talked about sin.

Now, as a Christ-centered Christian, it angers me that there are pastors who fall into these same categories.  Their own lives and their teaching don’t reflect God as their centerstone.  They are ok with abortion – murdering the innocent.  They are just fine with people having sex outside of marriage.  With living immoral lives as long we know we are “loved” and “don’t judge.”  They’re apparently reading from a different Bible than the one I have.  

They are not leaders of the right handed side of life.  When we look at who we’ve put as our centerstones we have to ask: are they simply leading us back around in circles to all our old sinful paths?

Click here for Enjoying the Right Side of Life Part Two as we discover the path straight to love and joy.

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Enjoying A Wisdom-Filled Life

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A teenager asked his father if he could go to an unsupervised party where there would surely be drinking.  He denied his request.  “Aw Dad, why not?” he complained.  “I’m in high school now!” Dad replied: “Because some will drink and the party could get out of control.” “But, Dad, those are just very small parts of the party!  “My answer is ‘no,’ and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over.  But you will not go to that party.  End of discussion.”

The teenager walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As he sulked, he was surprised to hear the sounds of his father preparing something in the kitchen. He soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and he thought, “Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he’s going to try to make it up to me with some fresh brownies.  Maybe I can soften him up with lots of praise when he brings them out to me and persuade him to let me go to that party after all.”

The teen was not disappointed.  Soon his father appeared with a plate of warm brownies. He took one. Then his father said, “Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you very much.  That is why I’ve made these brownies from scratch with the very best ingredients. The best stone-milled flour.  The best free-range eggs.  The best organic pure cane sugar. Premium vanilla and the finest chocolate.”  The brownies looked mouth-watering.

“There is one ingredient I added that is not usually found in brownies.  I got that ingredient from our own backyard.  But you needn’t worry, because I only added the tiniest bit of that ingredient.  The amount of the portion is practically insignificant.  So go ahead, take a bite and let me know what you think.”

“Dad, what is the mystery ingredient before I eat it?” the teen asked.  Dad answered, “Why?  The portion I added was so small.  Just a teaspoonful.  You won’t even taste it.” The teen said, “Come on, Dad; just tell me what it is.”

“Well, OK, if you insist.  That secret ingredient is organic…dog poop.” The teen instantly dropped his brownie back on the plate and began inspecting his fingers with horror. “DAD!  Why did you do that?  You’ve tempted me by making me smell the brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell me that you added dog poop! I can’t eat these!”

Dad asked, “Why not?  The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients.  It won’t hurt you.  It’s been cooked right along with the other ingredients and you won’t even taste it. Go ahead and eat it.”  His son replied, “No, never.”

The wise dad continued, “And that is the same reason I won’t allow you to go to that party. You won’t tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your life?  We pray that God will not lead us unto temptation. So how can you in good conscience entertain yourself with something that could easily get you into trouble?”

The teenager lowered his head, then looked up at his Dad. He smiled. He finally understood. He never did go to high school parties where there was drinking.

Ah, the wisdom of a father.  Don’t most parents wish and hope we can provide such clever and wise examples to their children?  And best of all, they listen and obey?  But alas, so much wisdom dispensed, even to us, falls on deaf ears.  We know better and usually think we can do better than the person trying to save us from heartache or hardship.  

The Old Testament can be broken into four categories of books.  The Pentateuch, the first 6 books, Israel’s history, the prophets, and then wisdom.  Two entire books, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, have as their focus the topic of wisdom.  It must be something God finds very important in the lives of us humans.  Yet, wisdom and the enjoyment of having a life filled with it, seems so elusive to many.

We all have that family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker or acquaintance who causes us to scratch our heads each time they make yet another disastrous decision.  A decision that looks a lot like the same mistake they made last time when they sloughed off good advice.  Or maybe that person is…you.

Much of the wise advice we hear throughout our lives has its roots somewhere in the book of Proverbs, authored mostly by King Solomon.  In Ecclesiastes 7 & 8, he goes on to remind us to seek wisdom but that wisdom, by itself, is not to be the end-goal.  He should know.  Having asked God to grant him the wisest mind, he eventually managed to really mess up his life pursuing all manner of fleshly desires of which his gift of wisdom afforded him by becoming a wealthy king.  He became the poster boy for “do as I say, not as I do.”  

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverb 9:10

Had he heeded his own wise words he might have produced offspring that didn’t want to betray him or destroy the kingdom once they were in power.  It’s a good lesson to learn when we dispense wisdom to our fellow, earthly travellers.  As Jesus once reminded us, remove the log out of your own eye before you comment on the speck of another.

All that aside, it appears that at end of Solomon’s life he recognized so many of his faults, sins or indescretions.  The result was his study of life in Ecclesiastes.  And with that we get such wonderful pearls as:

“For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” Ecclesiastes 7:12

If there was one thing, after seeking and thirsting for Christ, that we should spend our life attaining it would be wisdom.  It’s not easily gained.  So often the attaining requires we suffer first.  Isn’t that what we so often try to impart to others?  How to avoid pain, suffering, loss by taking our hard-earned advice?  

“It is for discipline that you have to endure.  God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”  Hebrews 12:7-8

Like the son in the brownie story all of us need discipline sometime in our lives.  It’s the first step in wisdom seeking. The person who learns from their mistakes or experiences (or others’) gains one step closer to being wise.  One step closer to living a peaceful, joy-filled life.

None of us can come to the highest maturity without enduring the summer heat of trials.”

Charles Spurgeon
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Ecclesiastes 7:4

Solomon isn’t telling us in the above verse to not have a good and happy life.  What he is saying is our seeking joy and happiness at all costs is a shallow goal and not wise.  When our yearning for closeness to God can only be satisfied during joyful times, we miss out on the richness that tough times can bring.  Life, as we all know, isn’t all rainbows and unicorns.  As he has said throughout Ecclesiastes, life is frequently about toiling and repetitiveness.  Wisdom is rarely sought and found while we are whooping it up at a party.  

Wisdom is found before we enter the door and remember the terrible hangover we had that last time.  Or the fight you and your spouse got into because of inappropriate behavior at the neighborhood BBQ.  Or even maybe the DUI your friend got when you drove home together.  When we brush all that aside for a “good time,” we’ve entered into the land of folly.

Wisdom is gained by remembering.  Remembering the wise words shared with you.  Remembering the results of poor decisions, either by yourself or someone you know. 

 Wisdom isn’t just knowledge.  My mother-in-law was a very wise person.  She didn’t go to college, she didn’t have some big shot important job.  She was a mom, a sometimes employee at dress shops and florists.  She was a devoted Christian and a ready-hand at many volunteer events.  She was creative and quick-witted.  And she dispensed wisdom with ease.  Wisdom gained from a dirt poor childhood with an alcoholic dad.  From watching her brother make one bad decision after another ending up on drugs and in jail.  She didn’t need self-help books to know about life, she lived it and remembered it.

To know is not to be wise. To know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.”  

Charles Spurgeon

Friend, in this first look at wisdom let’s make a good evaluation of our own lives.  Are we enjoying a life of wisdom or are you continuing to make the same bad decisions?  Are you saying “talk to the hand” when someone who has wise words wants to impart them to you?  Do you brush aside past mistakes thinking things will be different this time?  Have you prayed, as King Solomon did, to the Lord asking for wisdom, in each and every aspect of your life? 

Wisdom will keep you from the extremes, as Solomon reminds us in verse 7:9.  It will preserve you, your good name (Ecc 7:1), your family and other relationships.  Seek first to be obedient to God and then ask Him for insight and wisdom.

I want to leave you today with a prayer that many may be familiar with written by theologian Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), called the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Enjoying A Wisdom Filled Life Part Two now available! Click here.

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Enjoy the Surrender Part Two

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A continued look at Ecclesiastes Two

My pastor recently asked us if we are committing our lives to God or surrendering them.  What’s the difference you might ask? “Committing” implies a bargain or an agreement from which we could divorce ourselves.  Whereas, “surrender,” waving the white flag, admits we can’t do this thing called “life” on our own anymore.  Our resources are depleted.  We come in rags, desperate for a Savior.  We succumb to the truth we can’t heal ourselves.  Heck we can’t even keep from sinning each and every day.  

So, we find our bodies fully prostrate to Jesus.  Our Lord and King who provides us with the salve for our wounds.  He gives us white, clean robes.  He holds us up steady and strong in front of God.  And God, in turn, showers us with love and blessings and meaning for all eternity.

Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose… only (upon) the Beloved who will never pass away.”

C.S. Lewis

If we think we can heal our pain and suffering with a better job, spouse or car, a bigger bank account, or even seeing those that hurt us suffer the loss of all those things we fool ourselves.  Because here’s the thing.  God is also the source of our ability to enjoy all the things we have.  Yes, as Solomon discovered, the LORD is the source for even enjoyment.  We can try to muster up happiness in our circumstance but without God it’s a wooden stage prop.  Look truthfully at the rich celebrities you see on tv, the news or social media.  They put off an air of glamour and grandeur and happiness.  Then you read of yet another acrimonious divorce, another entry into drug, alcohol or sex rehab.  Or even angry rants about how the “little people” just won’t do what they tell them to do.  A writer in The Wall Street Journal called money, “an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness.”

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23

The LORD Adonai wants your complete and total surrender.  Not a contractual agreement.  He wants to strip you bare and give you all that you really need.  He is the creator of the source.  And He will send you the need – whether through yearning or trials.  

As for my friend, who knows what God has next in store for her.  She may or may not become a regular Sunday School teacher because that wasn’t the whole point.  He wanted to heal her through her willing obedience.  Imitating Jesus, allowing Him to set our direction, opens the world of possibilities.  It may be passing along the Word to 10 little children or He could give her even more responsibility now that she has taken her obedient steps.  The unknown path in the hands of God is more rewarding than any palace or banquet or man-made delight.

It’s time to enjoy the surrender.  To wave the white flag.  To enjoy the righteousness that God wants to bestow upon you.

It’s not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. “

Charles Spurgeon
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Enjoying The Surrender

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Part One of our look at Ecclesiastes Two

A friend of mine recently surrendered a bitter, past hurt over to the Lord.  She started with obedience, albeit reluctantly she admits.  The pain caused by her last church has been difficult to overcome.  She told me she’s been praying one of the best prayers you could ever pray: “Help me imitate Jesus.”  As part of a study about revival we’ve been doing she’s also spent a lot more time just listening for God’s Word.  Not asking, pleading, telling, or even praising.  Just listening.  And He has spoken.

You see my friend used to love teaching children the Word of God.  At her old church she was deeply involved in children’s ministry.  After a tumultuous pastor change and the subsequent wrangling for top dog positions within the church, a few staff members were laid off without warning.  She was one of them.  She had given her whole heart over to the ministry and felt betrayed.  It caused her to pronounce she would never work in children’s ministry again, ever.  

And then in January we opened Pastor Robby Gallaty’s study on revival titled, Revive Us.  He encouraged us to spend time with God starting with just five minutes of quiet time.  We soon worked our way up to 15, then 20 and finally 30 minutes.  Over the course of the next two months, we shared what God showed us.  A word here and there, a vision of being loved, a message of strength, a picture of His majesty.  

For my friend?  After praying yet again on how to imitate Jesus, she found herself in her quiet time with a vision of a beach scene.  A man teaching little children at the edge of the sea.  Love abounded from child to teacher and teacher to child.  The teacher turned and looked at her and smiled.  It was Jesus.  She was overcome with tears; real tears streaming down her face in realization that to imitate Jesus would be to do the one thing she had refused.  To do the one thing she knew God had gifted her.  To teach the children.

So, although she had obeyed the week prior and told her new church she would dip a toe in to Sunday school the next week by “observing” she said it with trepidation.  That vision, given to her the day before she was to serve, filled her with love and joy.  When she walked into the children’s ministry department the administrator was so happy to see her – they were short leaders in Kindergarten.  “Would she take on the class?” she was asked.  Without any hesitation my friend agreed.  You should have heard the joy in her voice when she told us how she was immediately loved by the children, how she danced and sang, how she was filled with the Holy Spirit.  How she was healed!

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. " Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Juxtapose my friend’s experience at Sunday School with King Solomon in chapter 2.  The richest man in the world at the time.  He had everything at his fingertips.  He built palace after palace.  He made large parks and orchards.  He had plenty of female slaves to do his every (and I mean every) bidding.  He had singers, dancers, gold, silver, food, drink – all the delights of a man’s heart (Ecc 2:8).  And he was miserable.  He was seeking meaning and purpose.  He tried buying it and building it and owning it.

The abundant life is to be found in “treasuring up for God” rather than for self.”

Kenneth Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes

What did my friend have?  A humble servant heart, slightly broken and needing mending.  She didn’t seek to enrich her life.  She asked to serve the One True God, Jesus Christ.  So, He gave her 10 little, beautiful faces that Sunday.  Little children who were eager to be her new friend and to mend her heart.

I read once that we should look at ourselves as channels not reservoirs of joy.  Meaning we don’t store up all the blessing for ourselves but rather send them on to others.  Pastor Gallaty reminded us of this truth.  Through intercessory prayer and acts of service we become those channels.

If revival coming to your family or community depended on your prayers, would it come?”  

Pastor Robby Gallaty

When our prayer life and subsequent actions serve only to enrich ourselves, we find our situation mirroring Solomon’s.  Striving and chasing wealth, status, knowledge and even wisdom – with God as a supplemental figure or not thought of at all, really.  When our seeking pleasure or even “peace” is above all else we miss the beautiful work of God He wants to do in our life.  

"A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil.  This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. " Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

My pastor recently asked us if we are committing our lives to God or surrendering them.  What’s the difference you might ask?  I’m glad you asked! Join me for my next post Enjoying the Surrender Part Two! Click here.

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The God of Rest

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For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14

Last night I woke up around 12:30 a.m. That’s not unusual for me or apparently most of my friends. As we have gotten older, a complete night’s sleep seems elusive for us. But last night when I awoke it wasn’t a bathroom run that was needed. No, when I am in writing mode I find myself thinking on God almost 24/7 — not necessarily a bad thing. 

As a laid there contemplating various post themes my mind became a jumbled mess. So I decided to employ my “back to sleep” technique I began a few years ago. It’s based on the children’s song B.I.N.G.O. and Psalm 46:10 — Be still and know that I am God. It’s a meditative method to focus my mind. You first repeat the psalm’s line a few times until you visualize only those words. Then you begin the B.I.N.G.O. part which goes like this:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know that I.

Be still and know that.

Be still and know.

Be still and.

Be still.

Be.

Repeat over and over picturing each word. Next thing you know it’s morning! But here’s what happened last night. As I began repeating this psalm a thought struck me. How is it that knowing God helps me to be still? What about Him brings peace to my mind, soul and heart? And wouldn’t you know, the Holy Spirit said, “Yes! You finally got what I’ve been trying to tell you!” (I love when He does that)

By knowing his name is also meant an experimental acquaintance with the attributes of God, which are everyone of them anchors to hold the soul from drifting in seasons of peril.

Charles Spurgeon on the attributes of God

Omnipotent God: Almighty, having unlimited authority and influence.

What I love about this God is He can move mountains. He can set the world back into order. He performs miracles the world couldn’t even imagine. God the King, the Lord of Lords – it’s who we press our faces to the ground in submission as we seek His grace and deliverance. It’s who we offer the only true gift we have, ourselves, as we approach His throne.

Omnipresent God: Present in all places at all times.

I know a number of people who feel God’s presence constantly.  One woman, in her early 80s, told me He is always with her, like a friend.  She talks with Him throughout her day. He guides her with gentle touches.  He comforts her.  He is never far from her because she sees Him all around her – in nature, in people, in animals and in the every day.  The wonderful thing about this God is He never forgets me.  I am never lost.  He always knows where I am because I am always with Him. 

Omniscient God: Possessed of universal and complete knowledge.

My friend Betsy trusts God completely.  That’s because she knows God has a plan.  She knows deep in her heart that all things do truly work for our good and somehow, someday her prayers will be answered.  This omniscient God is above our thoughts.  He knows what we truly need, even when we think we know better.  This is the God who sent His son to teach us His ways because He knew we needed someone who had a “human experience” yet was without blemish.  Jesus intimately knows man’s ways and God’s ways.  God knows the ultimate outcomes. 

Immutable God: Not subject or susceptible to change.

Our lives seem every changing. We age, our families grow, jobs come and go, our health can change in an instant. Governments flip and loyalties dissolve. But God never changes. He is the same loving Creator who made us in His image and planted us on this earth. He didn’t change when Jesus came. Jesus was the next step in God’s plan to bring us back into righteousness for our eternal home. He won’t abandon us or forget about us. While our faith may wax and wane, His never will. He is ever faithful.

Infallible God: Incapable of erring or failing.

God’s Holy Word — the Bible — is inerrant. It has no errors. If we humans think there is a mistake or a contradiction it’s because we’ve brought or own interpretation to the text. Knowing that God is infallible is important because when we think He’s made a mistake it should cause us to seek Him and talk with Him in prayer. It should make us question our own motives, feelings or ways. When I have looked in the mirror with self-hatred I’m reminded that God loves me and finds me beautiful — and He never lies. When He asks us to take an uncomfortable step out in faith we must remember He has His reasons for doing so.

There is no one in our lives that can match the ways of God. He is our faithful and trustworthy partner in life. He is the father we can rest our weary heads upon. He is the King to whom we give all glory and honor to because He is our protector and our victor. The knowledge of all that is God allows us to rest each day and night in peace.

Soli Deo Gloria. Amen

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Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

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Charles Spurgeon once wrote that if God took full license of His greatness and majesty we would surely be trampled under His feet.  Instead, God, Himself, displays the most magnificent teaching of gentleness for us all to experience.  He holds back in His anger, judgment, and frustration.  He is long suffering and meek in His dealing with us humans.  

King David, with all his power and authority, mirrored this meekness and humility often when he wrote of God in the psalms.

"You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand supported me,
    and your gentleness made me great." Psalm 18:35

God’s gentleness made King David great.  It seems like an odd statement to make.  You would think he would say “your strength” or “your authority” is what bolstered the king.  No, instead he sought to point out the gentleness of God.  And I wonder, how often do we realize how gentle God has been with us?

The unbeliever or borderline Christian may never fully appreciate this character trait of God.  An unrepentant sinner doesn’t see the need to apologize to anyone for doing life as they see fit.  They consider there to be no authority which will one day sit in judgment of them.  Therefore, they don’t have the viewpoint that God is being so, so patient with them.  Each day on this place we call Earth that the non-believer merrily lives a life in direct conflict with the fruit of the spirit (ie: hatred, discord, jealousy, selfishness, idolatry, rage, sexual immorality) is another day in which God is showing His gentleness.  A day that God has given them to hear His voice before the final judgment.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Matthew 11:29

Imagine hearing a man say He is God, a man of flesh and blood, yet tell you He is gentle and humble.  You can’t point to any other person in history, besides Jesus, that would say that and be believable.  The pharisees expected the Messiah to come in on a mighty steed to the sounds of trumpets.  He was to slay all of Israel’s enemies and lay claim to all land and treasure.  He was to pronounce all those suffering without fair trial in jail free to leave the prisons.  He was to place the Jews at the top of all humanity.  

Instead, as He rose from the waters of baptism by John, a dove appeared over His head.  A symbol of peace and gentleness.  There was no lightning.  There were no earthshattering sounds.  Just the sound of water dripping from His body and a cooing dove.  And yet, a revolutionary was set on His designated path.

So often I hear Christians and non-Christians talk about meeting God face to face.  At the pearly gates of heaven, they imagine a conversation about whether their “nice list” is greater than their “naughty list.”  But let’s back up.  Moses, himself, could not look directly at God or he would have certainly died on the spot.  God’s power was so great He had to put some of it into a burning bush for a visual of sorts.  And even then, Moses was admonished to not come too close and to clean his feet in reverence.

We humans while we are alive on earth can only see God as a shadow or a lesser representation because we would be so overwhelmed by His presence.  So now understand the meekness He had to undertake to become flesh and blood. 

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. 

C.S. Lewis

Jesus said He was God.  Jesus performed miracles as God.  Jesus warned of judgment as God.  So, either we believe He is God or we must throw away everything He said as a crazy person.  And if we believe He is God then we should be amazed at how gentle and humble He truly was while here on earth.  He didn’t once look at a Pharisee and afflict him with a terrible illness.  He didn’t lay waste to the soldiers who came to arrest Him.  No, He was patient with everyone.  Teaching, showing, loving us into His coming kingdom.

No destroying angel smote the men who spat in his face, no devouring flame burned up those who scourged him. The force of his life was the omnipotence of gentle goodness. He did not lay the weight of his little finger upon the minds of men to compel them to involuntary subjection; his conquests were such as led men in willing captivity.”

Charles Spurgeon

As we look at the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness, this week let’s keep it constantly on our mind that our Lord God has infinite power and authority that He could use at any time against us.  Instead, He holds us gently in His loving hands and waits for the day we call Him Abba.

Coming up: Gentleness Misunderstood

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Our Faithfulness to the Father

krisshetter

I met Jill* when I volunteered to be part of a new discipleship program at my church.  I was to guide her through a program which helps newer or younger believers understand their faith in God and Jesus.  At our first meeting she described her life situation as fairly dire.  After becoming pregnant as a teenager much of her family disowned her.  If not for her godparents she would have found herself destitute.  Fortunately, she and her mother eventually came to a place in their relationship where she and her son could temporarily live in her mother’s house.  

As I listened, I discovered a few things.  First, her professed Christian grandfather had a lot to learn about love.  At every turn he made her and her son feel outside the love of God because of her sin.  Second, I realized, having asked her what she believed, her faith was based on what others believed.  She could not answer what she honestly believed.  And lastly, I witnessed how easily it is for us to focus on the terrible things in our life and push God to the outskirts.  

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  James 1:5-6

I’ve referenced the book of James before because it is a no nonsense look at life’s reality – we will experience trials and temptations.  We shouldn’t be surprised by this statement.  Sure, we are maybe stunned by what the trial is or the level of its awfulness.  But we live in a broken world full of sin and sinful people.  The key to all of this is first seeking God’s wisdom in a trial.  Turning to Him before all else.  And secondly, to have faith without doubting that He will find a way.  That path He works you through might have a few more bumps and bruises in store but with our eyes fixed firmly on Him we will also see the blessings before us.  And when we feel we can’t or don’t know what to pray?  We ask the Holy Spirit for help.  “Help me stay faithful, help me to know what to pray!”

So why did I bring up Jill?  Over the next few months, I tried encouraging her to ask God in prayer for direction, both about a job and her housing.  I pointed out the blessings in the midst of her trial.  I urged her to see the work God was doing in her life.  What I got back from her was the opposite.  I’m sure we have all been in relationships like this (or maybe we’ve been the one like this).  At each turn a blessing she received was still not good enough.  There was always something else wrong.  She told me she was getting nothing from God.  And yet she had a place to live, food to eat, a school for her son, a church that was helping her, and someone to talk to – me.

How many of us when we are in the inevitable troughs of life, troughs that feel lacking in joy and love, create an equally deep trough of faith?  If asked that question just a couple years ago I would have raised my hand in agreement.  God’s not there.  God’s not listening.  God doesn’t care about me.  God doesn’t see me.  And sometimes leading to my cry, “I don’t believe in you anymore!”  

Friend, God never, ever leaves.  He never stops listening and responding.  He never stops loving.  But we do.  And it’s time to start a new practice.  I used to tell the girls I coached in softball, “If you keep practicing something the wrong way you will get very good at doing it…the wrong way.”  So, yes, it’s time to look in the mirror and tell yourself a new approach is needed.  A new way of practicing our faith.  The second life takes a twist we must drop to our knees in faith.  We become people with buckets overflowing with faithfulness rather than fruitlessness.  Because let’s be honest, the old way really wasn’t working that great in the first place, right?

"When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, 'Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.'" Matthew 8:10

Do you want to be recognized by Jesus like the Roman centurion who pled with Jesus to heal his servant?  He told Jesus he had faith that Jesus didn’t even need to come to his house in order to perform the miracle.  He told Jesus – “just say it and it will be done.”  Whew!  That’s some amazing faith for a man who shouldn’t have had anything to do with this Jew.

I love this quote by Charles Spurgeon about our relationship with the Almighty during difficult times:

When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.

Charles Spurgeon

When it comes right down to it you have to ask yourself, “Do I trust God? Do I have real faith that He is faithful?”  Not just in the good but in the bad.  When you are facing homelessness, financial ruin, the death of a loved one, sickness, pain, betrayal, and more – are you finally ready to say to Him, “You give every good and beautiful thing. And I know you will work this out for my good.”?

It’s time for a perspective shift in our faith lives.  Seek the blessings.  Search them out more earnestly than we do trying to find the worst in any situation.  You’ll find it’s not that difficult after a while.  That’s the fruit of faithfulness.  That’s loving a God who loves you deeply.

I have read mystery and detective books my whole life, starting with Nancy Drew.  Recently I decided to use any free time to read various theological books.  I’m currently in the midst of the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.  For those not in the know about this book, it’s letters from a “head” demon advising a lower demon on how to best ensure his assigned “patient” goes to hell.  I was writing this post on faithfulness and came across this passage:

“In a week or two you will be making him doubt whether or not the first days of his Christianity were not, perhaps, a little excessive.  Talk to him about ‘moderation in all things’.  If you can once get him to the point of thinking that ‘religion is all very well up to a point’, you can feel quite happy about his soul.  A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all – and more amusing.  Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.  

On the troughs of faith, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Think on that spiritual battle in your next trough.  Will you allow it to pull you further down?  Or will you fight back in faithfulness?

Coming up: Faithfulness in action

*Jill is not her real name

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Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness

krisshetter

A few years ago, one of my daughters was going through some really tough stuff.  If you are a mother, you know how much it hurts to watch your child go through trials.  On top of her situation, I was struggling with my own demons, you might say.  I found myself standing in my bedroom crying.  Feeling so much hopelessness and despair.  And betrayal.  Not by any earthly being, but betrayal by God.  I looked up through my tears and yelled out, “That’s it.  I’m not going to believe in you anymore.  I’m done.”

And then I laughed.  Yes, I laughed.  Because God turned right around and said to me, “If you don’t believe in me then why are you talking to me?”  It’s impossible to feel betrayed by something you don’t believe exists!  He made it clear to me He wasn’t going anywhere.  I then needed to decide if I was going to stay as faithful to Him as He has always promised to be to me.

For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Psalm 117:2

God’s faithfulness to us lowly humans has never really been in question.  It started in Genesis 1 when He created the heavens and the earth and then mankind.  He made it clear that this beautiful, bountiful place we call home was designed for us.  To sustain us and to bring us joy.  And although scientists have yet to confidently determine the age of this planet, we can at least say it’s been here longer than we have.  He carefully prepared the table for us and continues to have it serve His beloved people.

“Sometimes His work goes on quickly, and sometimes it goes on slowly.  Man is frequently impatient and thinks that nothing is being done.  But humanity’s time is not God’s time.  A thousand years in His sight are but as a single day.  The great Builder makes no mistakes.  He knows what He is doing.  He sees the end from the beginning. 

 J.C. Ryle

This week as we look at the fruit of the spirit: faithfulness, I will venture into three areas.  First, today, the faithfulness of God to us.  Then the opposite path –our faithfulness to Him.  And last, how our fruit of faithfulness sees its work in the world. 

I think it’s almost a given now that in each era theologians, pastors, Christians, and even non-believers determine “this is it.”  The world is coming to an end.  Some have found “proof” that the goings on of man are evidence that we are in the end times found in Revelations.  But it’s the view of the “end” taken so often that is fascinating.  The idea that God is now so done with us that He is going to rain down fire and smote the wicked has reared up throughout the ages.

To be sure, God keeps His promises.  He has since the first covenant with man.  And this version of the world, as we know it will one day end.  Many would view that as a scary and unloving idea.  That is, if we didn’t see God as loving and ever-faithful.

If you wish to know God, you must know His Word. If you wish to perceive His power, you must see how He works by His Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.

Charles Spurgeon

When my Bible Study Girls decided to delve into the book of Revelations many of us did so with trepidation. We were told by pastors and others how difficult and, at times, worrisome, the book can be.  In the end, what we learned was God is a faithful and merciful God.  He is working right now to create a New Eden.  One that sees no pain or suffering.  One where love reigns supreme.  Evil exists no more.  A place where the complete fulfillment of His covenant with man is revealed.  The only thing we have to do is be faithful in return.

My friends, God has never left us.  He’s not planning to, ever.  He has shown up in your life every, single day. Yes, even when it felt too hard.  Has He solved all your problems?  No.  Has He provided a path toward all your problems being solved one day?  Yes.  He has never stopped loving you or me.  

Of all the fruits of the spirit, it is faithfulness that can teach us so much about God and how to blossom in the other fruit.  Faithfulness is not just about knowing God.  As James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God.  Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”  No, faithfulness is about stick-to-it-ness because you love and respect something so much.

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
    through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Psalm 89:1-2

God has never disappeared.  Even during the most horrific events in time.  Even during the worst of situations now.  When you seek Him, you will definitely see Him.  And He will say, “Keep talking to me.  I’m not going anywhere.”

Coming up: Our Faithfulness to the Father

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The Result of Goodness

krisshetter

A few years ago, tragedy struck popular Christian singer Toby Mac’s life.  When his 21 year old son died of a drug overdose he found himself in deep despair.  And wouldn’t we all?  The next few songs he wrote reflected that state of incredible sadness.  One day, he asked God if this was where he would sit the remainder of his life.  God, in his infinite goodness, began a new work in the singer.  Through the Holy Spirit, the beauty and glory of God were revealed to him in what Mr. Mac calls, “glimpses.”

I wrote on a napkin one day, ‘you’re still the goodness in my life,’ and I started to believe that, and to see how God is good to me. That’s when I wrote “The Goodness,” and it felt like a celebration, because I began to think about how gracious God is, and how He gives us little glimpses of His goodness, even in the valley.  

Toby Mac, on You’re the Goodness in My Life

The result of understanding and experiencing God’s goodness was an action by the singer.  An act I would call of kindness.  He wrote the world a song to help so many others see those glimpses during their difficult trials.

Too often we take the gifts of God and create a narrow narrative on what they should look like.  Hospitality “should” be a beautiful home, sumptuous meal and perfectly made up host.  Joy means always being “happy.” Love means not only accepting everyone’s choices but willingly going along with them.  You see what I mean?  We all know, in our hearts and minds those are false narratives.  And yet we still succumb to them.  Kindness falls into the same trap.

When the Holy Spirit does his work in us He does it in concert with our gifts and talents, I believe.  For Toby Mac, an accomplished musician, that meant creating something beautiful musically for all the world to enjoy.  He didn’t have to write that song and record it.  He could’ve kept it to himself.  But I’m sure the Holy Spirit whispered to him, “This is what I want you to do.”

While I have written before the importance of prayer when it comes to so many decisions in our life, when we seek to merge our life to reflect God, we will know what kindness done with our talents can look like on a daily basis.  We don’t have to ask, we will know.  We may need that whisper or nudge but if I were sitting having lunch with you right now and asked how you could be kind to your neighbors you would have a few ideas that would differ from mine.  And all of them God would say, “It is good.” 

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

Our daily walk in soaking in God’s unfailing goodness and the Holy Spirit’s transforming power of helping us shine that goodness will lead us to the fruit of kindness.  Fruit that is so juicy and good.  We won’t feel as though we “have to” help that neighbor or stranger.  We will feel impelled to.  Just like God doesn’t feel He has to be nice to us – He loves us so much it’s just His essence!

Kindness to me may look like asking my neighbors to overwhelm our new neighbor with a newborn with boxes of diapers.  To you, it might be a hot lasagna tray or trimming their bushes.  Kindness to a homeless person can be just a moment of talking to them or an invite for a meal or shower.  

I once called the police to come and check on a homeless person laying across the sidewalk and onto the street.  I feared the was dead.  Many, many people had walked and driven by the man.  When the police came, they took him (alive) to a shelter.  Yes, that was kindness too.  Not leaving someone in a distressed or dangerous state.  Isn’t that the type of kindness God does for us most often?  At least that’s what the Holy Spirit did for Toby Mac.  Through His love, goodness and kindness He lifted him out of despair and put him back on his fruit-filled journey.

Friend, if you aren’t sure or feel uncomfortable about selfless acts of kindness look to our Father.  He doesn’t hesitate with us.  He gives generously and freely.  And if we want to be imitators of “good,” bountiful fruit bearers, He shows us the way each and every day in our own lives.  

You may find it almost impossible to keep your minds always tending upwards, but at any rate, while you are here, “look up” with eyes uplifted to the hills where comes your help. Happy will it be for you, if by the good Spirit of God you can but get the eye so fixed upon the goodness of God now, that you shall become so fascinated, that your attention cannot be taken off that glorious object; it will be a blessing to you, a great blessing which will bear you through all your trials, and make you suck honey from the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.

Charles Spurgeon

Next week: Faithfulness

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Selfishness vs Selflessness

krisshetter

I recently heard a riff off of Martin Luther’s theology of baptism: “I was drowned in the water of baptism but that sucker can float.”  Picture your selfish flesh coming up like a zombie out of the water each morning.  The battle of being fully sinful and fully cleansed commences.  A battle that will not be won until the day Jesus returns and raises us from the dead.  Sounds a bit disheartening doesn’t it? 

Each day we face the prospect of allowing the world to take control of our thoughts and actions.  Our desire to be vengeful, a worry-wort, greedy, immoral, and selfish sits at the end of the bed beckoning us like a zombie siren song.  

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

When I was a child, our cartoons frequently portrayed this great battle.  The everyday man, when faced with even everyday choices found a little devil and little angel sitting upon his shoulder.  So often the devil would seemingly win.  Why? Because he brings the shiny things.  The opportunities for immediate gratification, fame and glory.  What the cartoons also portrayed is the angel’s way always wins in the end.  The gratification of self always led to some sort of personal destruction.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. James 3:16

The problem with the cartoons was it showed “obeying” the angel as less fun and satisfying.  Isn’t that what so many of us really think when we talk about obeying God?  Removing the fun out of life.  Becoming monk-like in our ways.  James describes disorder, lack of peace, lack of love.  Those don’t actually sound like fun while the opposite does.  So I harken back to the previous post’s question, “Who do you love and admire?”

When we honestly answer that question we can then get to the root of our desires.  As a professing Christian our desire for “the good life” should come from a desire to selflessly love and worship God, not ourselves. 

How great is your (God) goodness that you would choose us, and predestinate us to be conformed into the image of your Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren, and we the happy brethren who should be transformed into his likeness!

Charles Spurgeon

We are God’s chosen.  He brings you out of the water cleansed every morning, ready to put on your full armor of God (Eph 6).  Ready to please and love God, not the water zombie at the foot of the bed.  We stay close to Him by soaking ourselves in His Word.  Watering our roots deeply so our branches grow strong.  We talk to Him throughout the day in prayer so the Holy Spirit can guide us in our fruit production.  We thank Him at every possible turn so our good fruit can bless others.

We humans know, it’s implanted in our hearts and souls, that our selfish ways are destructive.  But the pull is so great.  It can only be counteracted by turning our face toward our Creator.  Relying on Him as the broken, sinful people we know we are.  To become selfless we need to be less of ourselves and instead more as people yearning to grab ahold of God’s saving mercy and grace pulling us up from the waters into His arms.

Coming up: The result of goodness