Receive Rewards - 6/28/06

2 JOHN 8, "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully."

Following Jesus Christ is hard work. The pull of our sinful nature is always fighting against our salvation. Our bodies want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the flesh.

This goes beyond carnal desires. Arguing, bickering, persecuting, judging, attacking ... so many sins that divide the people God loves set us against the Spirit's leading. This stems from our sinful nature, and the people God loves who are affected by this includes Christians and non-Christians, because we all started from the same place. We just decied to follow the path of Christ Jesus, and that comes with many rewards. When you choose to live for God, life does not become easier - but the blessings become greater and this brings Him even more of the glory He deserves, and then you are blessed for bringing Him glory and the crazy love cycle begins!

The scripture above warns us, "watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for." Do not lose the faith! Do not get discouraged, the Lord wants to reward you for your faithfulness and for standing up for Him when nobody else would. But, the enemy wants you to focus on current trials and tempt you into walking away from your reward with lies.

For example, Jesus wanted to bless Jerusalem and reward its people, but they were not willing to receive it. Luke 13:34 exposes God's grief over stubborn Jerusalem; their refusal to let God bless them by their own choice to live against truth. Jesus laments to Jerusalem, "But YOU were not willing!" He wanted to bless them.

We make the same choice. We have all at some point embraced our sinful nature and become slaves to it. Luke 6:20-21, "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time...?" I'll tell you the benefit. We got to proudly shout, "I'm in control! I DECIDE!"

And where did that lead? Nowhere. We can't see the whole picture, only HE CAN. And HE LOVES US! He will bless you, guide you, and bring you into eternal life, that there may be no more strife; no more separation.

So, do not lose what you have worked for! Let yourself be rewarded fully by keeping up with God and His leading. Galatians 5:25, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

Check in with God every day to make certain that you are doing so.

Gimme More Gimel! - 6/26/06

Psalm 119:20, 24 "My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. ...Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

Psalm 138:1,4-5 "I will praise you with all my heart; before the 'gods' I will sing your praise."

I love how bold David is in this Psalm. Before the false gods he will sing praises to the real Lord of Heaven! He is fearless because his love for God and his desire to honor Him is greater than any other emotion.

We could benefit from taking the same position in our lives. Our culture is filled with false gods. Money, materialism, fame, celebrities, decadent lifestyles... people worship these idols every day. They don't pray or burn incense to them, but they are idolized and raised to the highest position in millions of lives.

What's sad is that the Lord my God will probably do one of two things: deliver those who reject Him to their evil desires, that they may enjoy the fleeting pleasures of this life and suffer consequences later. Or, He will remove from the lives of those whose hearts are prepared for Him whatever is held above the Lord. If you value anything more than God, He will remove that obstacle from your life. That can hurt, especially if you love that object more than anything else in your life.

He admitted from the very beginning that He is a jealous God, and that you shall have no other Gods before Him.

Now, imagine how bold you must be, how much you must love God to stand before the false gods and idols of others and sing praises to the Lord. That is the boldness I desire for my own life.

I think God used Psalm 119 to articulate that desire for me. The other day, I could not get the word "Gimel" out of my head. I recognized it as a letter from the Hebrew alphabet. I know that Psalm 119 has verses for each letter of that alphabet, with each line beginning with the letter of that verse in the original language.

I turned to Gimel to see why it was stuck in my head. Two lines struck me - "my soul is consumed with longing for your laws" and "your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

I am consumed with longing for my God at all times - this is how we should live. Nothing else matters more than Him. Nothing else is as permanent or as great. And, the words of God are my counselors, my strength.

I will boldly praise His name before those whose gods are man-made and temporary.

Lord Jesus, may your name be praised....amen.

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Big Events - 6/21/06

It's hard sometimes to think of what my mom would say during life-changing events. She passed away in September of '03. Since then, I married my best friend, my little brother married an awesome woman, and they gave me another niece. Now, my wife and I are stepping out on faith - going on an adventure to Belize where mission work and employment blend into one.

What would my mom say?

Luckily, I know her heart so I have an idea of what she would say. And she knows Jesus Christ (she lives in His house right now). I know Jesus, too, and she is most likely aware of what He is doing in my life right now. So I know what she probably is saying.

I think God helped this become incredibly clear when Melissa and I were driving home from Tacoma on Father's Day. God the Father's Day...

She had fallen asleep, and I was listening to the radio. A song that I had heard dozens of times before started playing. It was a familiar tune, but I never paid any attention to the lyrics - until now. Suddenly all of my attention was fixed on this message playing in my car. I believe it is exactly how my mom would react to the news of my traveling to Belize to teach junior high in a Christian school. This is where the lyrics started speaking to my heart:

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
to dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
and help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
that leads you through your days
And may convictions keep you strong
guide you on your way
May there be many moments
that make you life so sweet
But more than memories

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
to dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
and help you find your wings

It's not living
if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
but I'll cheer as you fly

...so let my love give you roots
and help you find your wings

Thank you Jesus for your presence; for reminding me of my mother's love - the roots of which will be there for me whatever this life brings. Thank you Lord for filling my heart with dreams and the faith it takes to do great things for you. I praise your holy name, Jesus. Amen.

Christian Chameleons - 6/20/06

Galatians 2:11-12, "When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of [those men]."

I don't know that I've been struggling with this, or maybe I will in the near future, but it's a good reminder for me. When I read this scripture, the first thing I thought of was the term "Christian Chameleons." This does not refer to colorful lizards singing praise with long sticky tongues and testifying with their arms in the air in the jungle. I've heard this somewhere before in reference to Christians who change who they are or what they say they believe depending on their environment. Peter did this when influential believers with opposing beliefs came to visit him. He stopped doing what he knew was right out of fear that he would offend these men.

Of course, that is the exact opposite of how we're supposed to live. Think of it from the point of view of somebody who has never really seen a Christian live out his or her faith. Every time that person is around a believer, they don't see an example of Christ's love or a person living by His teachings. Instead, that person has seen watered down versions of the truth in order not to offend.

I don't care much for an in-your-face approach to sharing faith. Sometimes that is necessary, but if that is how you approach even casual conversations, your well-intentioned faith will be written off as overzealous and oppressive. But, we should not allow fear of other points of view or the influence of others censor our convictions so as not to offend. We have been commanded to go out into the world and be an influence. Refusing to share what we know to be true out of fear does nothing to fulfill that commandment.

I like this scripture because Paul confronts Peter directly. He doesn't gossip about the situation to other believers. In alignment with scripture, he told Peter to his face that he was in the wrong. Peter "...was not acting in line with the truth of the gospel" and Paul let him know it.

There are have been many times that I was confronted with opposing beliefs that forced me to identify why I believe what I believe. My faith was like the proverb, "Like a reed in the wind, I will bend but not break." Evidence of God working in my life is undeniable and reinforces my faith all the time. That doesn't mean though that I haven't questioned some things from time to time, and I believe that's healthy.

This scripture is a good reminder overall. I must be strong when faced with opposing points of view, and must not change who I am to suit my environment; I must avoid becoming a "Christian Chameleon."

Shut The Door - 6/12/06

Matthew 6:6-7, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. "

I think God is reminding me here that my devotional time is just that - devotional. I must devote my time entirely to Him when I make a point to read His word and seek His guidance.

First of all, I haven't been regularly devoting time to God lately. Not that I'm not in prayer every day, but there is a special connection made when I step aside from my daily routine and responsibilities to check in with Him and just spend quality time together.

Lately too, when I do get to my devotions, I've been almost trying to multi-task. I may read the Bible in the living room while the T.V. is on or carrying on a conversation. I believe this is a reminder from God regarding the first entry I made in this journal based on the scripture Luke 5:16, "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray." I must completely detach myself from everything in the world ... to withdraw to a lonely place and pray. I have found that only when my attention is completely focused on God can I hear Him leading me through scripture or inspiration. If I'm focusing on what I hear from the TV or radio, I'm not focusing on Him and won't hear what He has to say.

We are supposed to model our lives after Christ's. That is a huge task because I am so self-centered naturally. But making sure I also model my prayer life after His, that tendency will naturally be kept in check. ...Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray...

I feel a bit like our cat (who I'm pretty sure has Attention Deficit Disorder) . Sometimes to get his attention, I'll have to snap my fingers or clap at him and shout his name. Then he'll look at me with his head cocked to the side and realize, "OH, you mean I'm not supposed to be on this countertop! My bad..."

I think maybe God may have clapped His hands at me to get my attention to remind me that I must not lose my focus or take my devotional time lightly. This is not an option; what I do in the rest of my day is.

Did Something Crazy - 6/7/06

So... got a little crazy today! I'm still looking for a teaching job, and the options are limited. Melissa and I had joked about me getting a teaching job in Belize, since we fell in love with it on our honeymoon.

Well, I randomly decided to search for teaching jobs in Belize today, and came across a Christian School looking for six teachers. All positions but the 7/8 grade teacher had been filled. I meet all the minimum qualifications, and then some. I talked with Melissa about selling most of our things and heading down there, and she is as excited about it as I am. So, I completed and submitted my application this evening.

So... if you're reading this blog right now I'd like to ask you to pray for God's will in this situation. That way, if He wants me to go down there and teach these kids, it will happen. If He'd rather I stay in Washington and help kids here, then that's what will happen. Still, I'd appreciate a quick prayer on the subject. Thanks!

Know What You've Got - 6/4/06

Ezra 3:11, "And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the House of the Lord was laid."

"You don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone." This is a famous proverb, proven to be true in every life, generation after generation. Of course, it's also a rock ballad from the 80s.

The book of Ezra takes place upon the Jews' return to Israel. While in exile, the Jews could have easily made this song their National Anthem. Although the rock group Cinderella wouldn't exist for a few thousand years or so...

A few generations of wicked rulers slandered the Holy name of the Lord in the nation He rose up. As a consequence, God removed His hand of protection. His own house - the temple Solomon built - was looted and destroyed. The walls of Jerusalem were torn down, and its people carried off as captives.

They had all forgotten or turned away from God. He sent many prophets to speak for Him; to nudge the people back in line and reveal to them the wickedness of their ways. We receive similar reminders when our lives don't mesh with God's will. A friend may rebuke or identify our unhealthy decisions out of love. A scripture may remind us of how we should live. The fact is God gives us many chances to turn our lives toward Him.

Some of us don't learn so easily. Too many of us choose the hard road, and must "hit rock bottom" before we can see how destructive or unhealthy our decisions have really been. When the Babylonians invaded, the Jews lost their fredom, their wealth, power, and the right to worship God in His temple and enjoy His protection and provision. Cue their anthem.... "You don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone..."

While in exile the Jews returned to the Lord. It's a sad truth that many times we must be faced with tragedy before asking God to start working in our lives. They returned to God, then they were permitted to return to their land. Their captors were eventually conquered by the Persians, and the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem.

God used this exile to lay a foundation of people who would serve Him, then they returned home to build the foundation of a temple to do just that. The scripture above describes their reaction to the sight of that foundation - they shouted and praised God.

It may be time for you to lay a foundation in your own home to praise God. Maybe like the Jews had done, you've also embraced a spirit of rebellion against God, or just forgot to reference Him in your decisions. Maybe your home already collapsed under the attack of the enemy. Rebuilding and strengthening can start immediately.

This time, make Jesus Christ your foundation. Build your house on that rock, and regardless of the enemy's strength, you will prevail to give God the glory. "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.