God Wants Us to be Happy

I’m reading a booked called 60 Days of Happiness, DiscoverGod’s Promise of Relentless Joy, by Randy Alcorn.

He basically shows us in the Bible that it’s Biblical to be happy and filled with joy.

He quoted Octaves Winslow who wrote: The child of God is, from necessity, a joyful man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality, his future is a heaven of inconceivable, unthought-of, untold, and endless blessedness – with such a God, such a Savior, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not, to be a joyful man?

Alcorn says that some think God’s laws are burdensome, but that changes when they realize He intended them to secure our happiness. 

Which caused me to re-look at the 10 Commandments in that light.

 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  You shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Think about it! If you steal, several things could happen. You could go to jail! You could live with the guilt. Or you might not feel guilty, so you go on keep stealing more and then eventually get caught. No happiness there!

Keeping the Sabbath. God is giving us a day off with His blessing! Time to enjoy Him and our friends and family. And rest!

Honoring your parents. Makes for harmony in your family. Also shows a great example for your own kids to get!

I could go on, but I think you get it! God’s rules are meant for our peace and happiness. So we don’t have to keep looking over our shoulder wondering if we’ll get caught, or wondering if we did the right thing, or avoid people because you don’t get along with them.

Psalm 119:127-130 Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,
¹²⁸ and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.
¹²⁹ Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.
¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

God must be king.

Our Pastor, Kurt Gebhards, always gives us lots to think about and work on with his sermons. Some more then others though! And this was one of them:

God must be king of our life. He must be big and we must be small: this is the only relationship that will give us security in this life and peace for all eternity.

In the Old Testament book of Amos we have an example of people not treating their king properly and how it cursed them in the future. (The devastating aftermath of following a king of their own making.)

During King David and King Solomon’s time Israel was prosperous. During the next king’s reign in 931 BC the 12 tribes of Israel divided into the two tribes of Judah and the 10 tribes of Israel. Amos prophesizes about 200 years later: 28 years before Israel is taken into captivity by the Assyrians.

Amos was a shepherd and farmer near Jerusalem, so he was from Judah, but called to prophesize to Israel. In chapter one of Amos, he prophesizes against seven other nations surrounding Israel. Since seven is a complete number in the Bible, the Israelites probably thought he was done and they were in the clear. But in chapter two they are shocked by an eighth prophesy. Against them! And this one is the most scathing! It was all about how they had sinned against God.

Amos 2:6-8 ⁶ Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes- ⁷ they that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father go unto the same maiden, to profane my holy name: ⁸ and they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.

Israel had always been an oppressed people, but now they were oppressing people. Especially poor people. “They sell the righteous for silver.”

Matthew 11:29 is the only place in the Bible where Jesus describes Himself. And He says He is meek and lowly. The Israelites had chosen as their victims people who were meek and lowly. In their self-righteousness they were showing that they hated God. Look how they treated Jesus when He showed up! They oppressed Him too! If Jesus was meek and lowly then we have to be even more so!

The king always mixed justice and righteousness. For instance, if someone was in debt it was the law they had to give their coat as payment toward debt. But at night they were given their coat back to use as a blanket against the cold.

The Israelites were so puffed up in their pride they didn’t follow the king’s ethic and were only about justice. The Israelites were prosperous, but they weren’t honoring God with that prosperity. They had forgotten who blessed them. The king’s ethic is to pass on the care they had received to others. But they didn’t. So God would stop the flow of prosperity.

God blesses a person so they can be a blessing to someone else! God wants to funnel His grace through a person. Today He does this through the church.

Amos 2: 9-11 ⁹ Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. ¹⁰ Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. ¹¹ And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith Jehovah.

Verse 9 is about God’s preservation. God tells them He had been there for them all along. He had brought them the grace of deliverance. And in verse 10 the grace is His presence. God brought them out of Egypt, yes to deliver them from bondage, but Exodus was also about His desire to live among them! God wants to be near us!

Amos 2: 12 ¹² But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

A Nazirite was someone of integrity and the Israelites were defiling them and not following their good example. They also weren’t listening to the prophets. They weren’t using God’s righteousness, justice and mercy as He intended. They were living in rebellion against God.

The same thing is going on today. Instead of prophets warning us, the Bible warns us. If we turn to God He will bless us and give us grace. But if we don’t it won’t go well.

Amos 2: 13-16 ¹³ Behold, I will press you in your place, as a cart presseth that is full of sheaves. ¹⁴ And flight shall perish from the swift; and the strong shall not strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver himself; ¹⁵ neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself; neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself; ¹⁶ and he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith Jehovah.

There are many reasons for repercussion by God, but one of the main reasons is because He will protect His mission. When we go on our own path for our own pursuits, God is not going to fund us for that. The mission for God’s people is and has always been to become a blessing to the nations.

There were eight condemnations in chapters one and two of Amos because we are all under condemnation from God. It’s not just one people. But Israel got greater condemnation then the other nations because they knew better!

Christ's Holiness Part 2

Yesterday I posted about the holiness in Christ from a study I did on book The Pursuit of Holiness. Here's the rest of that thought.

Most Christians really do want to live a holy life, but simply believe they can’t do it. We settle into kind of a mediocre “goodness”, not living in gross sin, but still committing sins pretty much daily. And we find the strong commands of Scripture to live a consistently holy life – frustrating!

We try to stop a certain sin with our own willpower or by praying for it to stop. Then we hear things like, “let go and let God”. That we should just turn our sin over to Christ and rest in His finished work on Calvary. That He will then live His life in us and we’ll experience a life of victory over sin.

And after all our struggle, we like this idea! But after a while, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we discover we’re still losing the sin battle. We still struggle with pride, jealousy, materialism, impatience and lust. We still eat too much, waste our time, criticize each other, lie, etc… all the while hating ourselves for doing it.

Then we wonder why it doesn’t “work” for us! We think we’re unique. That somehow our sinful natures must be worse then others. The author says that Satan works to confuse us on the issue of what God has done for us and what we must do ourselves. And that we have to realize that God has indeed made provision for us to live a holy life, but He also has given us definite responsibilities.

Romans 6:12–14 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Not allowing sin to reign in our mortal bodies is something we have to do. The experience of holiness is not a gift we receive like justification, but something which we are clearly told to work at.

Also, Paul started this verse with therefore, meaning it’s because of something he had just said, which was true. So lets look at (Romans 6:1-12)
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

The “therefore” refers back to the fact that we died to sin. What does he mean that we died to sin? Well first we see from these verses that our dying to sin is the result of our union with Christ. Because He died to sin, we died to sin. So that is something Christ has done. Dying to sin means it has no dominion over us. Before we trusted Jesus for our salvation, we were in the kingdom of Satan and sin. We followed the ways of this world.

Paul said in Romans 6:17 that we were slaves to sin.

Everyone who has ever lived, except Christ, was a slave to sin. But our union with Christ takes us out of Satan’s kingdom and into Christ’s kingdom. We used to live for ourselves, not Him. We didn’t want Him to be king of our lives.

Why do we still sin? Because even though we’ve moved to another kingdom, our sinful natures came with us! And they are powerful. Galatians 5:17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want.

There’s a battle going on!

We also have strong, sinful habits. We’ll talk about this next time, but a lot of what we do is just habit. And we’ll spend the rest of our lives taking off these habits and putting on the habits of holiness. Through little (and big!) choices we make everyday.

Also we still live in a world that’s populated by slaves of sin. And the world tries to conform us to its own sinful mold. So though we’ve been delivered from the kingdom of sin and its rule we have not been delivered from its attacks.

That’s why Paul warns us to be on guard, to not let our still sinful nature take over. We have to keep reminding ourselves that we are no longer slaves. We can stand up to sin and say no to it. As slaves we sinned without even thinking about it. As Christians we are free and make a choice to sin or not. God gave us the potential for resisting, but the responsibility for resisting is ours!


"Dear Lord, You are the true goal of our lives. In the varied business of this day let us never lose sight of You. Show us how to make each of our activities a stepping stone to You. If any chore or habit of ours leads in another direction, show us what it is and help us to remove it."

More Thoughts from the Following Him Conference

Some random thoughts I took a way from the two days:

A God we can imagine is no God at all! The world makes light of God. Our job is not to make up a God, but to stand in awe of Him who has revealed Himself to us!

“We talk of the 2nd coming. Half the world has never heard of the first.” Oswald J. Smith. We need to be disciples and share the good news.

When we look up (worship God), we work out (service and missions), and as we live out, they will look up!

The number one discipline for a Christian is to read the Bible and pray. There is no substitute for simple time with God.

People watch Christians. They want to know if it works! They need us to show them unconditional love along with our faith and trust in God. We are all called to be ambassadors for Christ. It’s a huge responsibility to show God to the world. What if we are the only Christian someone sees?

We are God’s marketing campaign! How are we doing?

God Created Us, We Must Not Create God

I was teaching about the Bible being true and the inspired word of God and as I was finishing up working on the last lesson I heard Dr. David Jeremiah on the radio tell the story about when the Israelites were getting ready to move in to the Promised Land.

God told them to wipe out the different pagan groups who were there. Today we read that in the Bible and we can't understand why God would do that. But, the Israelites had been set apart by God. They were coming out of a long training period designed to make them Holy and God knew if they mingled with those pagans they would become more like them.

And the thing is, they didn't kill all the people. They got there and thought, "they aren't so bad, let's let some of them co-exist with us." And that's when Israel turned from loving God first and formost and above all else.

They not only disobeyed God, they started picking up on the pagan's ideas and views and mixing them with their own.

Today we have people who invent a God of their liking. They take traits of different religions and come up with something they can live with. That's not only wrong, but dangerous! Because it's made up!

As Christians, we have the Bible, and God tells us in there exactly what He's like and exactly what we are to do. And we need to share that with the world.

If by Amy Carmichael

If I have not compassion on my fellowservant, even as my Lord had pity on me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can easily discuss the shortcomings and the sins of any; if I can speak in a casual way even of a child's misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve around myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not give a friend "the benefit of the doubt," but put the worst construction instead of the best on what is said or done, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I take offense easily; if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.

If I say, "Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget," as though the God, who twice a day washes all the sands on all the shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from my mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the praise of man elates me and his blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.
From If by Amy Carmichael. Christian Literature Crusade © 1991
Amy was a missionary in Southern India

Waiting on God

From my Application Bible about Abram going from Ur to Canaan, but stopping in Haran:

“God may give us transition periods and times of waiting to help us depend on Him and trust His timing. If we patiently do His will during the transition times, we will be better prepared to serve Him as we should when He calls us.” (Sometimes God’s calling comes in stages.)

Why do we study prophecy?

28% of the Bible is dedicated to prophecy. About 100 prophecies predicted Christ’s first coming and Jesus fulfilled every one of them. There are five times that many prophecies in the Bible that concern His second coming, and if Christ came back today, no prophecy of the end times necessary for His return would go unfulfilled.

Although Jesus tells us in the New Testament that we aren’t to know the day, only the Father knows that, we can know the season. And we are in the season.

Why do we study prophecy?

We study prophecy that’s already history to show us we can believe God and trust His promises.

We study the prophecy of the end times because; it challenges believers to holy living in an unholy age. Ephesians 5:17-21 tells us to walk in the spirit. We need to be in God’s will. Studying future prophecy also gives the church a greater challenge to evangelize and to fulfill Christ’s great commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) When we share our faith with others, not only do we help others, but also our own convictions are strengthened.

And we study prophecy so we are not deceived. Jesus said the truth shall set you free. We are to know the Bible! Daily reading of the Bible is a must for Christians. Proverbs 3:6 tells us to seek God’s guidance in life and teaching. 1 John 4:1-3 tells us to ask if the message or teaching glorifies Jesus Christ.

Doing all of this keeps us in a state of readiness. In Matthew Jesus tells a parable of a servant who expects his master’s return at any minute. He doesn’t waste time running to the door, but diligently pursues his work so it’s completed to the master’s approval at His coming. We are commanded both to work and watch so we are ready.

God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to behold!

There is much that we can know in this life, knowledge upon knowledge, but unless we discover the love of God and a love for humanity and of all God’s creation, we are nothing. 1 Cor.13

Quiet Time

Questions we should ask ourselves and then listen for the Holy Spirit’s response:

1. Is there an action or behavior in my life God wants me to stop?
2. Is there an action or behavior God wants me to begin?
3. Is there a person I have wronged? If so how should I approach this person and ask forgiveness?
4. Is there a person who has wronged me whom I have not yet forgiven?
5. Is there a person God wants me to care for, to serve, or to show love to? What would He have me do?
6. Is there a sin in my life that I need to confess and change my actions?

More thoughts on suffering

Every loss we suffer is a death of something. And every time we suffer loss, we encounter an opportunity for the loss to bring gain for Jesus’ sake by allowing His life to be revealed in us. (He suffered loss and betrayal and temptations to be an example to us.)

Christ gives us the invitation to rise to a new life – a more compassionate life, a wiser life, a more productive life and yes – even a better life.

Is God so sufficient to me that I don’t even need to complain or seek pity or sympathy from others?

Psalm 50:15 – Trust me in your times of trouble and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.

What is the Lord teaching me through my suffering?

Something to focus on if you are suffering:

Sometimes it may be to see the consequences of my actions and turn from sin. It can always be to trust and love Him and praise Him through it all to show people Christ in us. And that our faith is strong and not dependent on “happenings” but in the knowledge we are saved.

Lord, please help me have faith that You are using this time for my good. Help me not complain and help me be patient so that it glorifies You. Please give me greater power to bring blessing out of every pressure and trial.

Have you been selected to struggle for God’s Glory? Your faith in the face of suffering cranks up the volume of God’s song. Use your problems to glorify God.

Surround yourself with His Word

There are so many beautiful and inspiring verses in the Bible. I underline them, put exclamation marks and stars in the margins, rewrite them on the blank pages in the front and back of my Bible, write them on small pieces of paper and carry them in my daytimer.

Some people have posters or pictures framed with verses that are especially meaningful to them. The ones we’ve chosen as our life verses and the ones we love the most or feel like we really need to remember and work on – we want in front of us at all times.

God actually told the Israelites to do this! Here's what He said when He gave them the law, “Hear, O Israel: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart: and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Frontlets, also called phylacteries, were small leather cases containing pieces of parchments on which were written four passages from the old testament: (Exodus 13:1-10, 11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9;11,13-21) Men wore them on their foreheads and on their left arms during morning prayer.

We need God’s word in front of us daily; as we walk, sit, lie down and talk; to inspire, to comfort, to teach and encourage.

Show me your glory!

Moses had spent 40 years as a shepherd when God called him to lead His people out of Egypt. Shepherds have always held a special place in the Bible. David, “a man after God’s heart”, was once a shepherd. It was shepherds on the night the baby Jesus was born that a host of angels appeared to and Jesus is often referred to as the Good Shepherd. Shepherding is a quiet, lonely profession where there is plenty of time to listen for God’s voice.

It wasn’t easy getting the Israelites away from Egypt, but it was harder still living with them in the desert! Moses was in charge of at least 2 million people. People, who just like us, one day are good and one day disappoint God. Moses constantly intervened with God for the people. In fact in some conversations with God when both were disgusted with them, God would refer to them as “YOUR people” and Moses would come back with, “but, YOUR people….” Neither wanted to claim them!

For as much time as Moses spent talking with the Lord, and the Bible says in Exodus 33:11 that the Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a friend, Moses yearned to know God better. He wanted God’s total guidance in dealing with these people and in doing God’s will. At one point when God threatened to take His presence away from what He called “these stiff-necked people” Moses said, “If thy presence will not go with me; do not carry us up from here.” (Exodus 33:15) Moses wasn’t willing to make a move without God. Moses related God’s presence with His favor when he asked, if God didn’t go with them, how would they know they had found favor in His sight?

Today, Christians don’t go anywhere without God. We have His Holy Spirit inside each of us. The Holy Spirit is evidence of God’s favor with us, but we need to listen for His guidance and obey Him.

Moses also asked God to let him know Him better. At this point Moses probably knew God better then any other living man. But, it wasn’t enough for Moses. To know God, really know Him, means to be changed by that knowledge. And once a person is saved they will act differently. They will show God’s love, reflect His light, spend time with God and worship Him with great joy. And finally, Moses wanted God to show him His glory. God chose to do this by showing Moses His goodness and His character, revealed by His name. He told Moses He was “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished. He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-7) God shows us these attributes of Himself because we are called to have them too. Christians are to have goodness, mercy, compassion, grace, love, faithfulness and be slow to anger.

God gives Christians His presence in the Holy Spirit and His knowledge in His Word, the Bible. These show us God’s glory; which we are called to reflect to the World.

“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3

From Max Lucado’s “It’s Not About Me.”

When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God Himself, we cross a threshold.

Why Is Justice So Important?

In order to understand the end times we need to understand justice. Isaiah 2:12 says, “For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and high.”

The day of the Lord Almighty is the Day of Judgment when God will judge good and evil. When we study God’s word we see that God will lift up the humble, judge all people, destroy the wicked and bring all believers together to establish the new heaven and the new earth.

Why is justice so important in the Bible? First, justice is a part of God’s nature. It is the way He runs the universe. Second, it is the natural desire of every person. Even as sinners, we all want justice for ourselves. And third, when government and church leaders are unjust, the poor and powerless suffer. Then they are hindered from worshipping God. So, injustice attacks God’s children.

When we do nothing to help the oppressed we are in fact helping the oppressor. We shouldn’t just leave it to our country or church to carry out justice. Each individual must deal justly with people and situations. We are accountable to God. We need to be more concerned with the poor and powerless. Less self-serving and self-centered. Christ is described in Isaiah 11:2-5 as the perfectly fair judge. We are called to live by His example. God’s complete moral perfection is revealed by His hatred of all sin and this will lead to judgment. This same moral perfection is revealed in His love for all He has created and this leads to mercy. Mercy for sinners who put their trust in Jesus. We don’t have a chance with justice! We NEED mercy! And lucky for us God is also a God of mercy.

Although sin must and will be punished, for believers it already has been. Christ took on all sin and died for it. Because of this, we who believe are granted God’s mercy for Salvation. We don’t deserve it, but God loves us enough to give it to us. Our first step is realizing we need it. Our second is to ask for it!

The Alpha and the Omega

John and I went to another church today to hear Dr. Ron McManus speak. He is a worldwide church consultant for the General Council Assembly of God.

His message was on chapter one of the book of Revelation and he talked about how Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. Not only the beginning, but also the end. He has seen our tomorrows. Dr. McManus said something I thought was really good.

“Jesus tells us if we will let Him, He will walk us through all of our tomorrows.”

The second thing I took away that I want to think about every day is; whatever we are going through right now we need to stand and praise Jesus in the midst of it.

Hypocrites!

In Isaiah 1:11,14 God says, “I have had enough of burnt offerings…your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates.”

What’s THAT all about?

Didn’t He spend most of Exodus and Leviticus telling Moses and the Israelites in minute detail about what festivals they should celebrate and how? What burnt offerings they should be making? What grain offerings? What peace offerings?

So why is a God who never changes telling them He now hates those things?

It is because although the people claimed to be close to God, they were really disobedient and just going through the motions. Religion had become routine instead of real. And God knew that.

Just like He knows today who is coming to church to really worship Him… and who is just coming. Who is singing hymns of praise… and who is just singing.

Jesus quoted Isaiah’s condemnation of Israel’s hypocrisy when He spoke to the Pharisees in Matthew 15:7-9, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said: this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.”

The key is faith not works.

Being a descendent of Abraham. Living in the Promised Land. Having trusted God at one time. None of these were good enough. We need to have faith in God. A personal relationship. That is why we are set apart. Ask yourself; are you relying on your Christian heritage? The rituals of worship? Past experience? Or do you have faith that puts you in a right relationship with your Heavenly Father?

God expects our belief in Him to penetrate all areas of our conduct and to extend to all people and circumstances. Amos 9:13-15

Thankful for the Thorns

I’m going to be gone for Thanksgiving until Monday morning, so I won’t post between now and then. If you are just discovering this blog you might want to go back to the beginning to catch up. It is only 1 month old.

I’m leaving you with a Thanksgiving story. Author unknown.

Thanksgiving Classic: Thankful For The Thorns

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location.

Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?"

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk.

"I.... I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want the beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi, Barbara...let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again." She said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Ah, that lady just left with, uh.... she left with no flowers!"

"That's right, said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra.

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery."

"That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.
"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."

Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement... twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"

"No... I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too... fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read:
My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."

Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.

Memo from God

This is something most people have probably read before, but it is helpful to re-read once in a while:

MEMO FROM GOD

Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes you need to make in your life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill my promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. I know, I already gave you the 10 Commandments. Keep them. But follow these guidelines, also.

1. QUIT WORRYING Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST Something needs to be done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list! Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to me. And although my to-do-list is long, I am after all, God. I can take care of anything you put into my hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME Once you've given your burdens to me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on my list. Problem with finances? Put it on my list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For my sake, put it on my list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with me and forget about them. Just let me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what is making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please don't forget to talk to me - OFTEN! I love you. I want to hear your voice. I want you to include me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in me that I know what I'm doing. Trust me, you wouldn't want the view from my eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

Focus on God and Jesus

Be true in the small things – it is on those who faithfully and ungrudgingly accept the simple duties of life that the world is built.

It is never to be forgotten that in the everyday duties of life we make or mar a destiny and we win or lose a crown.