Fear

The greatest enemy of faith is fear. As I look into my past, I am afraid that God cannot turn those failures and losses into triumphs and gains. As I look into my tomorrows--near and far--I see situations and difficulities that are beyond my ability to solve. No, it's not that they look that way, they are that way. And sometimes my fears "meander" into my relationships. I know myself too well to think I won't do something stupid, say something unthinkingly, fail those I love in some way. And, of course, I fear the approbation of others, their misunderstandings at times even if I do the right things. And who doesn't--be honest--fear what others might think of them. Fear! A powerful and deadly enemy of my faith. Yet, without faith, I cannot please Him. What to do? How can I be courageous? How can I live by faith?
Obey. Courage demands obedience no matter what sight reveals. The walls of every Jericho fall before the steps of the obedient. "Shout! For the Lord gives the victory!"
Remember--memories teach me that He has used my past before to bring glory to His name and strength to my soul--the strength of His joy.
Humble myself. Mistakes are the foundation for forgiveness to the one who humbly admits those mistakes to the Great Forgiver--and to those who have been hurt--intentionally or unintentionally. A community of grace is one of the greatest gifts God gives His children. I must surround myself with grace givers--and always be one myself.
Pray and cast. The only way to face my future is to rest in the promise that it is my weaknesses that He uses to enhance my courage for each day's battles--the physical ones as well as the spiritual ones.
Be content. Embrace the life-long learning process called contentment. In all situations--"good" or "bad"--I must learn to trust and embrace His will. Submit to the molding of the Potter as He makes me a vessel fit for His use. All things are designed for that purpose.
Fear. Not my circumstances. Not my future. Not my past. Not men. Not my weaknesses. Not my Jerichos. Not even my strengths. No, fear God. Under the Spirit's control live in the awareness of His presence. "Fear thou not, for I am with you" is an inescapable promise.
"Only be strong and very courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua and his generation lived a life of courage--of fearing the Lord.
The generations that followed--read the book of Judges--lived a life of fear.

You choose.

Reflections for January

We are each day to be transformed more and more into His likeness. If you think you have arrived spiritually, ask yourself this question: "When the people I interact with each day see my life, what would they say God is like?"
_____________________

 The minute I begin to think that my blessings--my prosperity--are a result of my own doing--that I have earned them--God must remove them. If His blessings are pushing me away from Him, they must be taken away. His greatest desire is to have a deepening relationship with me--nothing that comes in the way of that can stay. Oh, the deep necessity for a heart of thankfulness.
___________________

As I was reminded today at church: The prayer I must pray at the beginning and end of each day is: "Not my will, but Yours."
__________________

Love that is merely words, is not love. Loving in word and deed is the obedience that God requires.
__________________

 If you touch one person today with His presence, you will have had a spectacular day. Spectacular Christianity is found in the common interactions of your common days.
_________________

 The depth of one's prayers is not related to oratory or length but to the depth of one's submission to His will.
_____________

 As God lavishes your life with His grace today, be sure you pass it on. Is there any life more beautiful than a life that reveals His graciousness-in word and deed?
____________________

 When you are at "the end of your rope," the most difficult but essential step is the next one: Letting go--so you can discover that underneath are the everlasting arms.

Dress Code

Dress Code:

Don't wear what the world wears: anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, lying.
Put on this instead: unity, equality, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, loyalty, forgiveness, love, peace, gratitude.

"Wear" Him--not you. Be beautiful.

Today's Quiz

Today's Quiz:

How many times did you say "thank you"?
How many times did you silence a harsh word with a soft answer?

How many times did you build up--edify someone else, be the pillar that person needed in order to remain strong?
How many times did you encourage the discouraged?
How many times did you comfort the sad and lonely?
How many times was the truth you spoke radiating love?
How many times did you whisper a prayer for someone God brought to your mind--and heart?
How many times did you simply smile and say "hello" so that someone knew he or she was worth noticing?
How many times did you confess when the Spirit nudged you?
How many times did you share a laugh--or a tear?

The Test one day will be a simple one: Will He say, "thank you for being a good and faithful servant in My Name?"

Two Sorrows

Two sorrows are at work in the world. One, the sorrow of the world, leads to death. The other, godly sorrow, leads to repentance without regrets. Godly sorrow cries with David, "Against You and You only have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight." It is a sorrow that trembles at the impact one's sin has on the heart of God--the disappointment His love endures. Such sorrow leads first to a turning away from the thoughts and attitudes that brought sin and its consequences into my life. Then, it rests in the confidence that His forgiveness is complete and eternal--that the consequences of my sin rest in the hands of the God who turns failure and loss into victory and great gain. He is the God who promises that He will remove my sin as far away as the East is from the West--that they are buried in the deepest sea, nailed once for all on the cross of redemption. He will do good. He will turn evil into good. He will glorify Himself. Deliverance is provided. Promised.
The sorrow of the world is self-pity. It is the idolatry of shame for shame's focus is not on the sin, but on how the sin impacts others' opinion of me and my opinion of myself. It leads to blaming others for my consequences--"the snake made me do it;" that woman You gave me made me do it." Ironically, and tragically, it can lead to a self-adulation that glories in the shame. And it leads to death, a living death first of all--a loss of joy, a loss of relationships, a loss of hopefulness, an inablity to rest in the cleansing of forgiveness and to live in the freedom of His deliverance.
It's really a choice between being God focused or self-focused. One leads to cleansing, freedom, joy, and confidence in the forgivenss and love of God. One leads to shame, slavery, emptiness, and hopelessness. One is the basis of the abundant life. One is the foundation of the empty life, of self-pity and self-deception--the sorrow that leads to death. Godly sorrow believes that breaking God's heart is the true tragedy. Worldly sorrow believes that God's love should protect me from a broken-heart. Godly sorrow turns my broken-heart into a blessing. Worldly sorrow turns my broken-heart into a heart of stone incapable of accepting love from--and giving love to--others. Life or death. The choice is yours in the midst of your sorrows.

Surety

The surety of our hope is designed to be the bedrock of our daily attitude toward our circumstances. God promises confirm His love for me and the victory that will come through my faith in His promises. When I take my eyes off those promises--off my hope--I begin to let my fears dominate my view of my circumstances both in the present and the future--sometimes, even, in the events from my past. I struggle then to love and obey Him. I struggle then to live by faith and find myself dominated by sight. When fear and worry overwhelm me, the cause is clear. I have "lost" my hope in the immutable promises of God. Our hope is sure. Believing that, brings daily victory and the death of fear and worry's ability to control my thought processes. Hope in God!! Live a life of confident obedience.

My Own Eyes

When we think of the book of Judges, the phrase "And every man did what was right in his own eyes" comes to mind. What we fail to reflect on far too often is that God is not describing the ungodly nations surrounding Israel, He is describing His people. For the ungodly--those who have no fear of the Lord--the commandments of God found in His Word are foolishness. The non-Christian naturally acts in his own self-interest, developing a code of conduct that suits his desires and wants--a code of ethics he can live with. But a culture declines when God's people begin to live by and support a system of ethics of their own making. And it comes in two different forms. One group we call Pharisees--they add their own "laws" to God's laws. One group instead of upholding God's laws because it makes them uncomfortable in the eyes of the culture in which they live, ignores or rationalizes God's commands to fit their comfort zone. Either way, the result is a powerless church, a church that lacks discernment. And I can tell I'm heading down that path when my first response is "Oh, I know people just like that." My first response must always be, "Search my heart, Lord. See if there be some wicked way in me." And there always is--from both sides of the problem. Then, comes the crucial step--confession and repentance. Yes, we are commandment to "test the spirits" and to lovingly confront the wayward saint, but the saint that needs to be examined and confronted first is me. Our culture is not declining because ungodly men are suddenly doing what is right in their own eyes. That's been going on since the beginning of time. The culture declines when God's people start to think and live that way. Then we become saltless salt and hidden lights. And the rottenness and darkness grow. I must begin today to examine myself. And I must do it every single day. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

The Difference

The difference between stagnancy and vibrancy--growth--in our Christian walk is simple: Obedience. Are you living out what you know God wants you to do? How can the Spirit teach you more if you're not doing what He's already taught you?

Grace

Paul is a stirring lesson on God's grace. He, in the name of God, did everything in his power to destroy the church. Arresting Christians, complicit in their deaths, destroying families, so anti-Christ that he was not content to merely attack the church in Jerusalem. And? God showered him with grace and brought Him redemption. And? Used him mightily in the spread of the very Gospel he at one time strove to destroy. His teacher, Gamaliel, had told the Jewish leaders in Jersulam that if it was of God, they couldn't stop it. Guess what? Yes, God can save anyone. Don't stop praying for those you know who are resisting the Gospel.
And don't forget. It took just as much grace to save you as it did Paul. Share the Gospel with great humility of spirit.