Riding out the storms

Earlier, there came a sudden storm.  The wind was blowing & some rain was splattering about and I felt God was speaking to me through it.  There is no storm now.  It is as if God whipped up one to teach me something and then once I got the gist of it the storm stopped.  However, He kept right on showing me things... and I just kept writing it all down. And at the end the tug came on my heart to write it out for you here. 

First off let me ask - when the storms of life hit you, where do you seek shelter?  Are you already sheltered under His wings or are you running in the opposite direction hoping you can ride this one out on your own?

I love storms... that was my first thought strange as it may seem but I do.  There is something about sitting safe and sheltered inside and watching a storm (rain, snow, wind, whatever it may be) raging outside.  Storms can be beautiful and tragic.  But what came to my heart was the beauty of watching a storm while safe & secure, with peace & calm surrounding and filling me.  It is a poetic example of our spiritual life in and apart from God.  With God we are sheltered under His wings, safe, secure, at peace, calm in the midst of a storm raging around us.  Whatever those storms may be (uncertainty, loss, confusion, etc.).  Whatever comes against us we are sheltered, shielded, safe and surrounded by Him who loves us, who is faithful, sure, true, strong - Mighty is my God to save!

Now without Him, you are out in the storm... needless to say let your imagination run with what all that means.  It brings to mind the story of Jonah who instead of obeying God ran in the opposite direction and well a big storm came a brewing!  (Just read through Jonah ch. 1-2).  It is amazing to me that even when we have deliberately disobeyed Him, He still will look after us.  Yes, there may be consequences - being thrown over board into a raging storm, that suddenly stops and being caught safe in the belly of a fish.  Um consequence - your in a fishes belly surrounded by stomach acid, stink and ... ugh!  But you are still alive and once repentant and willing to obey you are spit up safely on land back where you need to be to get going in the right direction!  How awesome is our God! 

It also brings to mind other stories of storms raging & Jesus calming them.  Check out Matt. 8:23-27, 14:23-33. It even reminded me of Elijah when all the "storms" came by but God was not in them... He was in the gentle blowing. (1 Kings 19)  God made sure Elijah was cared for, He came and spoke to Him and told Him what to do... He provided.  God is near, are you listening expectantly?  Do you believe He cares about you and will take care of you? In Christ we are His beloved, cherished, the apple of His eye... How amazing is His love!  How great is His faithfulness!  How tenderly He deals with us... we who are not deserving are chosen, blessed, redeemed, forgiven, adopted, accepted and continually being transformed to be more like Christ Jesus! Amazing! Inspiring!

But will this do more? Will it... Not only amaze and inspire you but also provoke you to action?! To love? To faithfulness? To obedience? To not stand still in complacency? Will it get you moving, going forward to walk with Him, follow Him, obey Him?!  There is so much more - are you ready?!  Can YOU wait EXPECTANTLY on Him?  Will YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY?  When all is said and done and you leave this earth what will be said of you? What will be remembered? What is your legacy?  Where did you invest your heart, time and giving...?  Was it in the eternal, the lasting? Was it in doing Kingdom living? Was it for Him? Loving and serving others? I am not by any means where I would like to be or think I have attained it... oh no, but God is working on me!  And what I cannot do, what you cannot do on your own - we have a God who can!  He can do anything! And we can do anything through Christ who strengthens us!

Jesus - God made flesh, came to earth - amazing in itself is that fact, but even more He came for us! To serve us. He lived for us. He came to teach us, to save us, to heal us, to help us, to redeem/ransom us.  He literally gave His life while living and in death and in rising again to life for us.  What is my response to that?  How will I live? Love? Serve?  Where is my treasure?  Is my greatest treasure Him or in earthly things?  I know and you should know that He is our greatest treasure!  Will I, will you - choose Him? My portion and inheritance - all I ever want and need... all you could ever want and need too!

He who paid so great a price to ransom us all - to call us His children, His beloved, to take away our sin and make us pure, holy and right before God.  In Christ we are a royal priesthood, given power and authority to bind up the enemy, to tear down strongholds, to fight the good fight (that is not against flesh and blood), to stand firm and be equipped with every offensive and defensive weapon and shield we need - we are victorious!!!  We can be strong and courageous because God is for us, so therefore who can stand against us!  Certainly not the defeated enemy... Think about it!  Believe it and live it out!  Through Him we can do the impossible because we are not doing it, He is!  We are partnered with Him and a vessel used to do the miraculous!  What is more, He does the miraculous in us... making us a new creation in Christ Jesus... free from sins hold and alive, victorious - free! Wow!  How much better can it get!

In this world let me not cling to old ways, thoughts or be held back from full out victorious, abundant living!  Not because I can do it but because He who is in me is greater & HE CAN!  Let's do it - no holding back, but holding on to Him as we take the most exciting and wildest, most wonderful ride of our lives!  And the thing we cannot even imagine or fathom is there is soooo much more ahead.  When we see Him face to face, when we are with Him in His kingdom - everything we now know or see pales in comparison!  Are you ready - grab on and hold on tight to Him, cling to the Rock and follow Him for the greatest adventure and more to come!  To His glory and for His name and His purpose and plan and Kingdom...  Come Lord Jesus, come!

Waiting and Believing

Wow, it has been a while huh!?!  To say the least, though I have been silent on this blog God has not been silent in my life... He has kept me busy & growing.  He has been challenging me and showing me things about myself, sin, love, faith, trust, forgiveness, patience, humbleness, persistence, perseverance, helping, abiding, knowledge & understanding and so many other things in between. 

Does God sometimes seem to be silent to you, especially when you want to hear from Him?  The prophet Habakkuk felt the same way.  Sometimes He is speaking and we are not listening, sometimes He is active all around us but we overlook His hand, sometimes we have to wait because He is waiting on us to have ears to receive what He wants us to know... It may be a hard lesson, it may be difficult for us to understand.  But His word reminds us that His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8).  We are told to wait on Him, to believe Him, to rest in Him, to trust Him, to be strong and courageous... Yet are we? Are we doing those things or are we impatient, unbelieving, and set on things going the way we want them to? 

The waiting can be hard, but that might be why we should be strong and courageous, patient and keeping the faith.  Waiting, because in the waiting God can mature our faith and walk, He can change our hearts and our minds, He can do any number of things that seem impossible or unfathomable at the time... The main thing is HE CAN!  Do you believe that?  Do you believe that He hears you; that He cares; that He answers; that He desires what is above all best and right?  Do you believe Him, His Word, His promises?  Because without faith we are told we will not receive.  And even more if we don't believe He will answer us then how will we listen to hear Him?  I just started (as in finished the 1 chapter of) Discerning the Voice of God by P. Shirer.  If you open this book up it will speak to many of these things...  Several months back I read her book, One in a Million - fabulous and God so used it to speak to me over and over again! 

One thing I know is I do not want to stay where I am, I want God to continue to grow and mature me in Christ and His Word assures me that He will. He's not done with me yet.  I want to hear from Him. I want to obey Him. I want to be strong and courageous... and so I chose to be.  I chose Him, to believe Him and to let Him be my strength and the one who enables me to be more than I can be on my own.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me, and so can you...

I have learned that waiting is a great opportunity to see God grow me, change me; to see God do things I couldn't have imagined and to even know He is right there with me and He is working on things, on me and He is faithful.  I have no idea where all this is going except to say, He prompted me to write today and I am being obedient to do so.  Maybe in some of this rambling is encouragement to you or for someone you know... I am not sure but what I do know is that God can use anything or anyone to serve His purposes.  May you be blessed today - seek Him, believe Him, trust Him, listen and obey... wait at His feet.

I am waiting on Him, I am believing Him and I am being changed... Praise Him!

Action - Heritage & Lessons Part 2

A follow up to my last post and in response to the comment left.... (Thanks for the questions and making (me) us think!).

If all we do is complain and get angry it accomplishes nothing...just as worry doesn't add a day to our life.... we have to actually do something, even if we are not seeing results at least we are doing our part.

I believe first and foremost we have to PRAY and go to the WORD! We are commanded to pray for those in authority over us ... from our boss at work to our President. Pray for them, pray for our nation, pray for hearts to be turned back toward God. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY... Go to the Word and see the examples of how we should live. A good example being Daniel, but there are many others. As a friend pointed out today, first Daniel resolved not to ... basically live like the unsaved but to live for God, according to His Word and His ways. Daniel was obedient to the authority placed over him unless it conflicted with what he knew was right- what God commanded. He served God first even if that meant he might lose his life. He prayed, he studied God's word, and he strived to live it out... to be a light shining in the darkness.

We have to stop thinking someone else will do it, say it, etc. and look in the mirror and start with doing our part. Get involved... in the things that the LORD lays upon your heart/conscience. As people are fond of saying "put your money where your mouth is"... Donate to your cause, volunteer, educate yourself and others... take action!

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE - Study up on the issues, the candidates and vote according to your conscience. There are issues that are right and wrong... and vote accordingly, to be obedient to God and what is right. One day we do have to answer for what choices we have made... our vote does count. And even when we vote and things do not work out the way we would like... it isn't over. There are issues, bills, etc that come up... email your Representative and voice your thoughts and concerns. There are websites that can send you updates on current issues and that have contact info on them. (Check out Dr. Dobson/Focus on the Family)

Even if our country continues down this current path it is on at least we are doing our part and being honoring/obedient to God. We know in end times things will continue to get worse but we as Christians must continue to be a light in the darkness, speaking truth in love, and living righteously... not to please man but to please & glorify God.

Please leave a comment if you have more ideas or suggestions... I and others would love to hear them!

All in all - the main point is to take ACTION! We just need to do our part... and let God do the rest. At the end of the day (or at the end of this earthly life)... I just want to hear Him say "Well done good and faithful servant."

Check out James 1:19-27

Obedience is better

Take a look at 1 Samuel 15. As I was reading several things came to mind... so I want to highlight some key verses for you and do a sort of commentary as we go...

We see in verse 3 the command of the LORD given to Saul.

3 ‘Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

Maybe this seems pretty harsh to you but remember we are not God and we do not know fully or know what is ultimately best. This command is in keeping with the promise God had made to avenge the Amalekites (see Ex. 17:14-16). The time had come for this to take place and Samuel gave this command to Saul to utterly (totally) destroy them, that is, to "place them under the ban (herem) of holy war".

8 He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Here we see that Saul did not follow through on what he had been commanded to do... This is where it hit me. How many times have we been led, called or commanded to do something by the Holy Spirit and yet maybe we did it in part but not fully... and we thought well at least I did something ... and that is ok. But as we will continue to read and see no it is not... it is better to obey! Half way measures are not obedience... it is like telling our child to come here and they come half way and then decide they want to stop and sit... well yeah they did start to come but they didn't ever actually come to you.... and maybe where they decided to stop half way was a dangerous place (like the middle of the road)... to them they don't see the danger in not fully obeying us but we can. Like my poor example here God can fully see, and He fully knows what is best for us, where we can fall into a dangerous trap, etc... There are reasons we are called to do things or commanded and it is for what is ultimately best... we might not can see it in the here and now or yet but one day we will.

11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.

In a moment he (Saul) choose to turn his back and not follow the LORD but to do things his way, for his glory... he chose self/pride over God and obedience.

12 Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”

See here is where maybe we will start to see more of the "heart" of the matter... Because you see in bringing back Agag, king of Amalek, as prisoner and all of the other stuff... well this would enhance his own glory and prestige... they would be exhibits of his leadership... you can see this intent more clearly as you look at verse 12, in which it tells us that Saul went and set up for himself a monument to his own honor (not God's).

Look at me, look at what I have done, what I can do... When really it isn't about us, but is all about what God has done... it is all for His glory not our own. And when we are obedient that is exactly what happens God is honored, God is glorified and God is praised. However, when we seek to do things our way... half-heartedly following God, and acting on selfish, prideful motives... well that is when we, like Saul, turn and go our own way and stop following God. We are disobedient, sinful... When we think we know better than God, we know best, glorify self... NO, NO, NO... it is SIN, it is wrong!!!

13 Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.”

Here I have to say "oh, come on", Saul knows he has not carried out the command of the LORD. It is like the water example... Let's say I have a jug of pure water and a jug of urine.... and let's say you ask for a glass of pure water and I pour you one half way but because that I don't want to run out of the pure water & have plenty of pure water for myself, I then decide to put oh just a splash of the "other" jug into your glass... and say here you go, this is just what you asked for... well is it? NO, of course it's not! It is disgusting and you wouldn't event think to drink it!!! Well, that is sin, & it is disgusting... and half measures don't measure up.

17 Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel, 18 and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ 19 “Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?”

Here we have it again... disobedience, rushing upon the spoil (selfishness/pride)... doing what is evil in the sight of the LORD!

20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 “But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

I am sort of laughing at him here because I can see myself maybe trying to plead my case, and make myself feel better... "but I did do that but these people..." oh it isn't me it is these people.... I was obeying the Lord.... Blame, blame, blame... it is as old as Adam and Eve (seriously). And it isn't even just the blame but hey really we had good intentions for not fully obeying... we didn't fully obey God because we thought it best to offer these things up to Him as a sacrifice, hum yeah that sounds good; yep that is why we did it. LOL - get real here people! Can you see how ludicrous this is! Well, Samuel has a few words for us when we do that ... it is better to obey!

22 Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He has also rejected you from being king.”

To obey is better than sacrifice... even if we like to think that what we are doing is ultimately going to be a gift for God by not fully following Him ... He doesn't want it! He wants obedience! Rebellion, insubordination... it is sin!!! And you guessed it, God hates sin! That is why we need a Savior... and praise Him because He sent us one! Thank you Jesus! Thank you for redeeming us, thank you for forgiving us, thank you for you loved us even in our sin!

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.

Ok, I am sure you can think of a time (I know I can) when we have let the fear of other people (what they might think or want) influence us from doing what we know we should do... from what God has commanded or called us to do.... Maybe if I say that then they won't want to be my friend any more, maybe if I tell them that it will keep them from coming to the Lord... on and on we can come up with stuff... but the truth is, well the truth ... and what sets us free??? The truth! How can a person come to salvation if you don't tell them the truth? Well any way just an example... There are many, many more...

29 “Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.”

I am so thankful that God is nothing like me because if He was well people would probably still be dying in sin... God's ways are sooo much higher than ours, His thoughts are... He is not like us and He does not change His mind. Praise you Lord!

30 Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.”

Ahhh, and here is again another struggle... recognizing our sin and desiring to worship the LORD but at the same time still concerned over what others will think... We have to really get this... it does not matter what any other person thinks... what matters is what God thinks about you!!! Thankfully, in Christ we know that we are accepted and loved! Cling to that and walk faithfully with the always present and ever faithful, loving and merciful God!!! To His glory - Amen!