Unfaithful

"You adulterous people,

don't you know that friendship with the world

is hatred toward God?

Anyone who chooses to be a friend

of the world 

becomes an enemy of God."

James 4:4

Divorce rates are high, hovering around 50% and increasing with each subsequent marriage.  Followers of Christ are not immune to this trend as the same rate of divorce is reported among those professing to be Christian.  As a people, we know a little something about infidelity and unfaithfulness.  I would even go so far as to say that we have made it a way of life.

Reading through the Old Testament, I see many examples of where God says His people have been unfaithful to Him.  Apparently, the tendency to live unfaithfully runs deep among God's people.  But how have we been unfaithful?  Church attendance is trending slightly up, with 43% of Americans claiming to attend on a weekly or almost weekly basis.  An astounding 42% of Americans claim to be born again or evangelical.  Even though 74% of Christians believe that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, only 48% read it on a regular basis.  

On the surface, it seems like I live in a country where almost half it's residents follow Jesus.  Clearly, looking at the divorce rates and the culture in general,  there is something wrong.  Could it be that we are once again, as a people of God, turning our backs on Him?  Are we praising the LORD with our mouths but our hearts are far from Him?  (Isaiah 29:13)  It seems our inclination towards unfaithfulness is affecting more than just our marriages.

Spoiled Fruit

I have a large section of strawberry plants in my garden.  The vines look healthy and have quadrupled in size since I planted them last year.  I was so excited for harvest time to come.  As I watched the little berries grow and gradually turn red, it finally came time to pick some of the delicious fruit: I could taste the strawberry shortcake.  As I searched through the plants, though, most of the ripened fruit I came across had either shriveled up or been eaten by a bird or rodent. Disappointingly, I collected only a handful of fruit that was fit for consumption.


In a similar way, I can look good on the outside, appearing to have a strong relationship with God and follow Him closely.  When it comes time for the harvest, however, my fruit may be spoiled, shriveled up or half-eaten by pests.  The fruit I produce exposes the state of my heart. Either I am for God, or I am against Him; I can't have it both ways.


I can't be motivated by a desire to succeed and also profess to desire only God's will for my life.  It is impossible for me to say that pleasing God is my driving force yet fail to love my husband and family.  If I constantly corrupt my heart with the filth of a sinful world coming through the television set yet claim to follow a holy God, who am I fooling?  


The fruit I produce will either be from the vineyard of the Lord, or it will be harvested from the dark orchard of my own flesh, depending on who is master of my life.  If Jesus is Lord, then love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will be yielded. (Galatians 5:22-23)  


If, however, I am my own master and lord, then I will find, ". . .loveless and cheap sex, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community."  (Galatians 5:19-20 MSG)   This sounds like a description of the culture in which I live.


Paul went on in this passage to say, "This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know.  If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom."  (Galatians 5:21 MSG)  That's what I call a sobering word of caution for the people of God living in a dark world.  Will I stay true to Him and His ways, or will I get sucked into the culture around me?  


I betray the state of my level of faithfulness to God in the fruit I am producing.

Reckless Righteousness

"It's okay for me to look at other men as long as I don't touch.  I mean, God wants me to enjoy His handiwork, doesn't He?"

"Sure my family drinks a lot, but we don't have a problem.  We could stop any time we want to.  Alcohol is just a part of the way we celebrate."

"I'm free to watch, say and do anything I want to, as long as I don't hurt anyone else."

"When I write the receipt, I'll change the amount I actually collected from you for the car so you don't have to pay so many taxes."

These are some comments I have actually heard from believers and they represent the attitudes and viewpoints of most western believers:  Since we are saved by grace, the way we live our lives is not really that important.

Unfortunately for us, this is a bald-faced lie!  God is very concerned with the way I live my life as one of His children.  As His Word says in 1 Peter 1:15-16, "So you must live as God's obedient children.  Don's slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.  You didn't know any better then.  But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy."  (NLT)

Just because my sin is atoned for does not give me license to live my life as one who has not been set free from the bondage of sin!  Sin is an affront to God, and continuing to live my life as one who has no hope does not please Him.  In fact, it angers Him.  As A.W. Tozer said, "God's wrath is his utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys.  He hates iniquity as a mother hates the polio that would take the life of the child."  

Recklessly using the grace of God as His permission to continue in my selfish ways is dangerous and destructive.  If I'm serious about my walk with the Lord, I will make it my goal to live in a way that pleases Him instead of just doing what comes naturally.

My level of faithfulness to God is evident in the choices I make, in the words I say and in the thoughts I think.

Wayward Heart  

I can tell when my husband isn't really listening.  I'll be chattering away and he'll respond with, "Mmhhmm. . .okay. . . .right. . . "  I then know he didn't hear a word I said.  His heart and mind were somewhere else, thinking about work, his list of things to do, or an upcoming meeting.  His body is present but his heart is not with me.

As aggravating as that feels to me, I often do this to God.  I talk about Him, I go to church, I attend Bible study, I pray, I do all that I think I'm supposed to do; but my heart is not really with God.  Instead, I'm going through the motions, mindlessly reciting and acting out of tradition.  I can't remember the last time I had a real conversation with Him.  

God had to warn the Israelites about this same problem through the prophet Isaiah.  He said, "These people say they are mine.  They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote."  Isaiah 29:13 NLT)  

The biggest indicator of the state of my heart is whether or not I am obeying God.  If I do what He says, my heart is focused on pleasing God. If, however, I don't give a second thought to what God wants me to do during the course of a day, then my heart is focused on pleasing myself.  I must always remember that God doesn't care how my life looks to others.  Rather, God is most concerned about the state of my heart.  

Another gauge that helps to measure the tenderness of my heart is in how much I worry.  When I fret about difficulties, needs and hardships, I am acting unfaithfully.  Or, as Oswald Chambers said, "It is not only wrong to worry, it is infidelity, because worrying means that we do not think that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never anything else that worries us."  

If my heart is faithful to God, or at least moving closer to Him, then I will do things His way and my worries will be gone as I rest in His peace.  

I am naturally a two-timing traitor.  Living in a culture that rewards individuality and the pursuit of my own self-interest, I must guard against infidelity toward God.  I will know when I am drifting away from Him by examining the fruit produced in my life, looking at the way in which I choose to live my life, and finding the location of my heart.  In this way I can keep from being a friend of the world, but an enemy of God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep focused on you and all that you are doing in my life.

How do I betray the location of my heart in the way I live my life?

In what areas do I have a hard time letting go of behavior that is not pleasing to God?

The Land Mourns

"There is no faithfulness,

no love,

no acknowledgment of God

in the land."

Hosea 4:1

As Americans, we like to think we live in a kind of "promised land."  People come from all around the world to taste the freedom our country offers.  Like the Puerto Rican immigrants sang in West Side Story, "I want to live in America!" People sneak into this country illegally in order to have a shot at a good life; one that they have no chance of living in their home country.  It does seem to be a promised land.

The problem appears when I assume that God thinks the same way about America.  If I look at my country through the eyes of a Holy and Just God, I come to a different conclusion.  I find that I have turned away from God and toward the gods of Independence, Comfort and Worldly Success.  I witness a serious lack of love for my fellow man.  I see a tendency for man to take credit for all the good things this country enjoys.  

In a nutshell, America is headed away from God.  The US may be a "Super Power" but its lacking the power of God.  America no longer considers herself to be "one nation under God."  We as a people group are moving in a dangerous direction.  As an American believer, I am not exempt from this trend.  I am easily influenced by the culture in which I live so it is important that I pay attention to what is important to God.  

Faithfulness

When Jesus prayed for His Disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, He also prayed for all those who would believe in Him by hearing their message.  He prayed to His Father that believers would, "be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."  (John 17:21)

Unity in Christ sets believers apart from the rest of the world that cannot get along with each other.  In order for this to be accomplished, though, my flesh must be surrendered to Christ.  I must want His will more than my will.  I must let God have His way in my life.  When believers submit to Jesus as Lord, we act as one.

Oswald Chambers said that since Jesus prayed this prayer, "God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him. . ."  It is vital to our existence as people of God that He be the head of us. When I turn to other things as lord of my life, He no longer is my Lord.  I am acting unfaithfully.  I am stealing His glory.  I am committing adultery.  


God sets my example; "the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever."  (Psalm 117:2)  He always does what He says He will do, He always lives up to His promises, on Him I can always rely.  This is the standard He has set.  


It is not natural for me to stick with something and be true to my word.  I may mean well when I say I will be there for someone, but then life happens, distractions rise up and tragedy hits.  Suddenly there are more important things to which I must attend and the promise falls by the wayside.


Faithfulness is not a trait I can obtain through sheer effort and determination.  Rather, it is a natural extension of following Jesus.  Faithfulness comes from God and when I am connected to Him I will see evidence of it in my life. 


One of the best litmus tests of my faithfulness to God is in how I spend the time He has given me.  As author John Boykin said, "Time is life--nothing more, nothing less.  The way you spend your hours and your days is the way you spend your life."  As a child of God who was made to glorify Him with my life, my use of time must be wise and intentional.  I show my unfaithfulness to God when I fritter my time away on mindless television, spend endless hours on social media or simply do the things that please myself.  


Faithfulness to God means I spend my time seeking Him, His kingdom and His righteousness, for His glory.

Love

Love is very important to God.  He said, "If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.  If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.  If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere.  So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."  (1 Corinthians 13:1-7 MSG)

Even if I'm like Mother Teresa in my words, actions and beliefs, but am not patient and kind with others, nothing else I do matters.  If I remember the wrongs done to me, easily pop a gasket or secretly enjoy seeing the suffering of those who hurt, it doesn't matter what I do for God.  If I write a child off, thinking there is not hope so why should I keep trying to help, any amount of effort I make to please God will be null and void.  

Love is what is important to God.  If I want to know what love looks like, I need look no further than God for He is love.

"Love never gives up.  Love cares more for others than for self.  Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.  Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.  Love never dies."  (1Corinthians 13:4-8 MSG)

I can't love this way on my own.    Instead, I am only able to love this way because God first loved me.  In doing so, He bathed me in His love, placing His Spirit of love inside of me so I can pass that love on to others; if only I will let go of my own natural desires and inclinations.

When I am fed up with my husband and tempted to fly off the handle, love hangs in there, sticking to the commitment I made to him before God.  During the times when I am hurt and my mind acts like a Rolodex of wrongs, love cuts the offender a break and doesn't try to retaliate.  If I feel discontent with my life as I compare it to that of my friends', love directs my attention to all the good I have and to what I can look forward.    

If I am to stay true to God I must let His love flow through me, softening hearts and changing lives.

Acknowledgment

I was walking down the street, doing my daily exercise when a young woman approached from the other direction.  When I could see the whites of her eyes I said, "Good Morning."  The woman completely ignored me and proceeded to pass right by with nary a word or even a look.    Maybe she was listening to music or it could be that she suffered from hearing problems.  Whatever the case may be, it made me angry.  She did not even acknowledge my existence!  

Everyone wants to be acknowledged.  It is said that the best way to make someone feel welcomed is to look into their eyes and greet them using their name.  This method satisfies our need for recognition.  We feel like we're valued and important.

In a similar way, God desires for me to pay attention to Him.  Instead, many days I go for hours without even thinking about Him.  I'm driving into the busy parking lot, searching for an empty spot when I absent-mindedly ask God to provide a place to park.  Suddenly a spot opens up.  Instinctively I say, "Never mind, God.  There's one right there."  

It's easy to think things happen by chance, as a result of my hard work or because of the generosity of someone else.  If I want to please God, I need to make an effort to include Him in all parts of my life and give Him the credit for all the good things.  This effort will not go unnoticed.  As the Proverb goes, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  (Proverbs 3:6)

Things just go better when I recognize God's presence in every part of my life.  After all, He can't help me if I'm ignoring Him!

Acknowledging God takes effort as I give Him the center of my attention every moment of the day.  

Living in a country, and frankly a world, that doesn't take God seriously is a dangerous place to live.  But it can be done in a way that glorifies God if I will stay faithful to Him, love as He has loved me, and acknowledge Him in all my ways.  In this way, even though the land mourns, I will rejoice.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that God will be glorified as I live in a place that glorifies other gods.

How do I fail to acknowledge God in even the simplest of tasks?

When do I let love fall by the wayside, instead following my own natural tendencies?

Door of Hope

"But then I will win her back once again.

I will lead her into the desert

and speak tenderly to her there.

I will return her vineyards to her

and transform the Valley of Trouble

into a gateway of hope."

Hosea 2:14-15

I was worried about the tree.  We had planted the River Birch five years earlier and it had since grown to be as tall as our two-story house.  It's full, lush branches cast an oasis of shade in our backyard, helping to shield us from the hot summer sun.  But that fateful year, it's luscious leaves became a feast for an army of caterpillars, reducing it's once flourishing leafiness to a barren, collection of branches.  I was afraid we were going to lose the tree.

Amazingly, the following spring brought a bounty of fresh, emerald foliage, filling in all the gaps that had remained since the damage was first done eight months before.  Our tree had been restored.

In many ways I am like that tree.  The troubles of life have worked to wear me down to a bare skeleton, sometimes making me feel like there's nothing good left and that all hope is gone.  God, however, has a plan for my life.  And that plan is a good plan that is meant for my betterment.  But that plan is not for the benefit of me and my own comfort and pleasure.  Instead, that plan exists so that I will come back to God, entering into a relationship for which I was created; restoring the connection between God and me.    

God is a God of restoration.  He is always concerned with my well-being as it relates to Him.  Apart from Him, my life is meaningless because I was created for Him!  In relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, my life makes sense.  Troubles become times of refining, difficulties draw me closer to Him,  hardship builds my faith.  ". . . all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Desert

The barrenness stretched on for miles, as far as my eye could see.  Flat, dry nothingness, void of any interesting landmarks or features filled my view.  From what I could see, this was not a place I wanted to stay long.  I couldn't drive fast enough to escape the miserable desolation.   

As you can see, the desert is not my favorite place to visit.  I am told by those who love it that there are beautiful features of this kind of wilderness.  It's not that I don't believe them; I've seen the desert flowers, colorful rock formations and beautiful minerals, but I much prefer the lush, green landscapes.

I think it's like this in my spiritual life as well. I'd rather go through times of growth, abundant love and wonderful feelings of joy and happiness.  But many times I find myself in a spiritually dry place, seemingly void of any beauty or purpose.  God, however, always has a reason.

Sometimes it's in my best interest to be deprived of good things for a time so that I truly appreciate every gift that comes down from my Father.  Otherwise, it's very easy for me to take goodness for granted.

Other times there are lessons I can only learn through difficulties.  My life is full of these kind of "on-the-job training" situations that have served to train me in righteousness.

Then there are the times when God takes me through the fire to refine me, holding me close to the flames to melt away all the impurities, carefully monitoring my well-being to make sure I don't get burned.  

The desert is a barren place, but it is a place I must sometimes go in order for God's love for me to be renewed.  Nothing can separate me from His love, but there are many-a-time that I drift away from His astounding love.  The desert times draw me back to my rightful place in the circle of His luscious, abundant love.

Like an oasis in the desert is God's love for me.  When I, as His precious child, am experiencing the dry times of my life, I can rest assured that He is using it for my good.


God uses the hard things to soften my heart and make it more receptive to receiving His love.

Vineyards

About six years ago, my husband and I bought a brand new house in a brand new development.  It was nice to move into a house that belonged to us and in which no one else had ever lived.  The struggle for me was that I missed all the big trees that would come along with an older home with a more established yard.  We were starting from scratch.  

The Israelites did not experience this problem.  Instead, God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey where they would live in, "large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant."  (Deuteronomy 6:10b-11)  It was ready for them to move in and start living.  

Later, when God used the Babylonians to punish His unfaithful people by sending them away from this land of promise, He sent a message of encouragement to the exiles through the prophet Jeremiah.  He said, "Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria."  (Jeremiah 31:5)  He was letting them know that even though they were experiencing their desert time, they would once again receive the blessing of the promised land.  God would restore their previous blessing.

There are times when I think I have blown it.  I fell away from God and His love for a time, and He had to bring out the big guns to get me back on track.  It seemed like I would never again experience His blessing.  But it is in His nature to restore to me my vineyards; to give me good things again.  You see, His love transcends me, my nature or my performance.  As Max Lucado says, "We think God's love rises and falls with our performance.  It doesn't. . . He loves you for whose you are: you are His child."   

As God's precious child, I am loved beyond measure, and it is in His nature to treat me as I don't deserve.  In His great grace and mercy He often gives me back what once was lost.  He restores relationships, renews hearts and returns health. . . even though I have no way of earning it.  

God delivers me from hard times and delights in restoring me to a place of blessing because of His great love.

Gateway 

I grew up in a town that boasted to be, "The gateway to Washington's greatest mountain destinations," as well as the home to Farman's Pickles and the King County Fair.  Even though the latter two were more interesting to me as a child, the first is probably the most important.  Visitors to Mount Rainier National Park drive through Enumclaw as the last substantial town before they head up into the mountains to go skiing, hiking or sightseeing.  After passing through Enumclaw, the visitors knew they are entering into beautiful, forested and mountainous terrain: they have almost reached their goal.

In much the same way, God offers a door of hope through which I can re-enter an area that used to be a stronghold of sin but now has been transformed into a place of peace and healing.  An unpromising marriage relationship, in the hands of Jesus, can be made over into a loving partnership. 

A place that used to trigger addictive behavior patterns that destroyed and harmed many can now be a location where God's healing love can be proclaimed.  

Burning, destructive anger, in the hands of Jesus, is transformed into a passion for knowing God and obeying His calling on my life.

God has a way of providing a gateway of hope that leads to new, never-before-experienced conditions in old places of sin.  He takes the old and makes it new.

There is no doubt about it: Life is hard.  Thankfully, God is completely in control and He uses the hard times to grow my faith and refine my character, soon after restoring the blessings that I once enjoyed.  He also delights in transforming an area of sinfulness and turning it into something beautiful.  

My God is a God of refinement, restoration and transformation; if I will only walk through the door of hope.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will give God the darkness in my heart and allow Him to transform it into light.

How do I resent the desert times of my life instead of recognizing God's Sovereign hand in it all?

When do I resent the position I currently find myself, looking back to times when things seemed better?     

Diligent to the End

"With flattery he will corrupt

those who have violated the covenant,

but the people who know their God

will firmly resist him."

Daniel 11:32

"A lot of churches have not moved with the times."

"It's God's will for you to live in prosperity not in poverty."

"If you want financial blessings you need to sow financially."

"You can make some mistakes but that doesn't make you a sinner."

These are some quotes from a popular pastor and author.  He is very charismatic and his message sounds good on the surface.  For those who are following Jesus and rooted in His Word, however, red flags are waving madly in the air.  There is something off. It isn't quite right.   I must be careful.

I am inundated with positive and inspiring messages on a daily basis.  I am told I can have my best life now, that God is just waiting to send over a truckload of money if only I would believe, and that my destiny is in my hands if I would only follow my heart.  It is easy for me to get off track and start following a belief system that is contrary to God's Word.  The message may be attractive and appealing, it may help to make me feel better about my life, or even serve to bring me out of a time of struggle, but if it's not the truth then I should not be adhering to its principles.

As I read the Bible, I learn that I will be faced with many false teachers in the end times.  It is important for me to be capable of recognizing the falsehoods so that I will be able to resist accepting their teachings as truth and stay diligent to God's ways to the end.  

Rightly Related

I used to own one of those hose reels that conveniently keeps the outdoor hose rolled up on a wheel.  There is a small section of hose that hooks to the faucet and then the longer length of hose connects to the reel.  If that small section is not lined up perfectly with the spigot, it will leak like a sieve, spraying water all over the place.  But, if I carefully align the hose with the spout, it spills not one drop of water. 

In a similar way, I must be rightly related to God in order to receive the flow of living water.  Many times, though, I get off track by following other people, fertilizing an area of sin in my life until it grows so large that it blocks the light of my Savior, or neglecting to pay attention to Him. Placing Him in the proper position as Lord of my life means that everything else will fall into place.  At least it will end up the way He wants it, not the way I imagine it should be.


Lining my life up with God's means desiring Him as my highest priority.  There are many times in my life where doing things for him becomes more important than hanging out with Him, but as Martha found out, "Only one thing is needed." (Luke 10:38-42)  That "thing" is making Jesus my most desirable pursuit. 


How effortless I find myself sliding into a state of perpetual toil for Jesus' sake instead of sitting at His feet.  It is important that I remove all things that distract me from simply living in right relationship with my God.  As Oswald Chambers said, "If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live."


Living my life connected to the Source is important; not only for production of His fruit, but also for strength to stand strong against deceptive teachings. 


Keeping myself aligned with God gives me the strength to stay diligent to His ways until the end.

Seek to Know Him 

I recently read that employers are utilizing social networking sites to help in their quest to hire quality workers.  Sometimes a perspective employee looks good on paper and in person, but their personal life leaves much to be desired.  The way a person lives their life tells a lot about their values and integrity, inspiring human resource personnel to do a little research.

Much in the same way, if I want to know about God, I need to spend some time doing some digging.  He makes it easy by providing the Bible with all it's teachings and guidance.  Even more, though, God is available to us as followers of Christ.  He does not play games with us, but is readily available to those who are truly trying to find Him.  As He told the people of Israel through the prophet Jeremiah, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)

In order for me to truly know God, I must trust Him, live my life in tandem with Him, or as David said,  taste Him and see that He is good.  Henry Blackaby, pastor and author of Experiencing God, put it this way.  " You will never be satisfied just to know about God.  Really knowing God only comes through experience as he reveals himself to you."

Although employers vicariously become a part of perspective employees lives through the Internet, I cannot do the same in my relationship with God.  Rather, it is my calling to concretely and tangibly invite Him into every part of my life, melding Him into my being so that His Spirit and mine are indistinguishable.  

Seeking to know God intimately is important in my quest to please Him and stay true to Him to the end.

Do What He Says

A professional student is one who loves learning so much, he stays in college indefinitely, earning degree after degree without ever embarking on a career path.  The security of their life as a student is comfortable, making it tempting to continue the learning forever.  Studying and learning new things is wonderful, but it is always with the intention of using the knowledge in some tangible way in the future.  

James talked about the importance of not remaining simply a student of God's Word, but to also put it into practice.  "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says." (James 1:22)

God's Word is useful for many things: teaching me, reprimanding me, correcting my ways and training me in His ways.  (2 Timothy 3:16)  These are all action words, propelling me into deed, not simply an exercise in intellect.  My mind processes the lessons and my body carries them out.  In order for this to happen, I must be fully committed to Him; anything less and I will argue my way out of it, find an excuse to wait until later or justify my present condition.  

Sometimes its easier to do things for God and call it good.  That reminds me of the time a king made a sacrifice to God in order to make up for his disobedience.  When the priest arrived, God gave him the following message: "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22)

In order to please God, I must take Him seriously and follow His ways faithfully.  Then I will be able to distinguish between His and counterfeit teachings.

Doing what God says keeps me too busy in His Kingdom to get distracted by false teachers.

Resisting all the phony messages from teachers who claim to follow God is important in this day and age.  To do so, it is vital that I stay rightly related to God, that I spend my life seeking to know Him, and that I don't just learn but put His lessons into practice.  Then I will be able to firmly resist the corrupt and stay diligent to Him to the end.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will be able to stand firm against all the alluring, ungodly messages inundating my mind.

In what areas am I most susceptible to influence?

When do I seek to do more for God rather than seek to know Him?

Open my Eyes

"'Don't be afraid,' the prophet answered.

'Those who are with us

are more than those who are with them.'

And Elisha prayed, 'O LORD, 

open his eyes so he may see.'"

2 Kings 6:16-17

Elisha was in a tight spot.  Through the revelation of God, the prophet had been tipping off the king of Israel regarding the movements of his enemy's actions.  Whenever the king of Aram changed positions, the army of Israel had already anticipated their moves.  Frustrated, the king of Aram vowed to capture the prophet, ending their advantage.  

As the enemy troops gathered around the city, Elisha's servant took one look and knew they were doomed.  His courage was gone, his hope had disappeared, his strength had vanished.  They were surrounded!  The army of Aram was strong with horses and chariots, giving them the clear advantage!  There was no escape!

I feel like that sometimes.  I look at the circumstances of my life and deduce that there is no way out.  I am surrounded by problems.  I can see no possible escape from my troubles.  My thoughts turn to feelings of doom.

Then, I look to God, and He opens my eyes to the truth, much like Elisha's servant's vision was broadened.  When my perspective has changed and I see the multitudes that are fighting in my stead, my hope returns.

Broaden my View 

The bills pile up, my health declines, the family grows apart, I fall into despair.  All my problems feel overwhelming; they are taking up my entire viewpoint, blocking out the glory of God.  He is bigger than all my struggles, but my focus is too narrow.  I am concentrating excessively on the issues.

It is kind of like trying to view a majestic mountain from close up.  When I am on the mount, all I see is white snow.  It doesn't seem so impressive because I can't see the whole peak.  Once I descend and take a look at the same mountain from the valley below, I appreciate the magnificence of it's imposing presence.  Up close it just seemed like a vast snowfield.

In a similar way, I can't appreciate the power of God when I am focusing on a tiny part of the picture.  When I only see the here and now and the impossibility of my issues, I forget that God is bigger.  When I am trying to come up with solutions to my problems, I am overlooking the fact that God uses trials to refine me in the same way that a silversmith purifies silver in the fire.  When I dwell on the hardships, I fail to see all the good that God has given me.

The people of Judah found themselves in an impossible situation during the time of King Hezekiah.  The Assyrian army surrounded the city of Jerusalem, and the people were afraid.  But the wise king encouraged them by saying, "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.  With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." (2 Chronicles 32:7-8) Not surprisingly, the people gained confidence from his words. 

Notice that Hezekiah did not deny that the army that laid siege upon their city was large.  He was upfront about the threat that faced them.  What Hezekiah did was to remind everyone that no matter how big the problem, God is bigger!  Like God reminded Abram, "I am your shield, your very great reward." (Genesis 15:1)

When hard times hit, I can remember that God's power overwhelms any force that I can face.  If He is for me, who can be against me? (Romans 8:31) Who or what can stand against the Lord?

When tough times overwhelm me, I need to broaden my view.

Lighten my Grip

I'll admit it; I'm a control freak.  I like to be in charge.  It makes me feel more comfortable knowing that I make the decisions.  Directing my own path seems natural.  The problem with this tendency is that I am not really in control.  I like to think I am, but the Creator of the universe is in charge.  

When I refuse to let go of my own sense of autonomy, I am in essence saying that I am god and there is no need for another.  My desire to manage my life the way I see fit and in the way that pleases me gets in the way of Jesus reigning as Lord of my life.  As Oswald Chambers said, "He is King of kings and Lord of lords from the day of His Ascension until now."  There is no doubt that Jesus sits on the throne, but does He reign in my life?  Or do my desires, comfort and well-being rule?

Trying to direct my own paths has not worked very well, in my experience.  I tend to obsess over problems, analyzing possible solutions and dreaming up various scenarios until I'm sick to death of thinking about my difficulty.  I never thought of myself as a worrier, but considering the fact that worrying is simply focused thinking on difficulties or troubles, I came to the conclusion that I am a first class worrywart!.

Jesus had something to say to me, the bundle of nerves. He said to watch the rest of creation for a clue: birds never worry because they trust God to provide for their needs.  He knows what I need better than I do, and I can place my confidence in Him rather than in my own wherewithal. Then He advised me to, ". . .seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)

Letting go of my desire to control and giving God dominion over my life means I will trust Him to provide my needs.  I will be so secure in His ability to supply that I won't even think about it.  Instead, I'll be completely focused on what He's doing around me and how I can join in.

When my grip is white-knuckled, it's time to let go and give God a chance.

Narrow my Scope

We've all heard it: "He who plans to fail, fails to plan."  The maxim to "plan ahead" is drilled into our minds at a young age.  While it is wise to give thought to my future, if I extend those thoughts to foreseeing possible difficulties and taking part in troubleshooting of future imagined problems, I will work myself into a pile of nervous anxiety.  

John Piper, author and pastor, explained this phenomenon by using the term, "future grace."  He said God gives us a continuous supply of grace, but each day's supply is sufficient only for that day's trouble. That's why Jesus said to, "not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  

I have been given enough grace to handle today's problems, but when I hone in on things that may happen in the future, I am weighed down by the pressure.  I have not yet been given the strength to handle what may come tomorrow.  I am only enabled to cope with today.

As I "borrow trouble" by focusing on the future, I am taking away the grace that was meant for today.  Corrie Ten Boom, holocaust survivor and author of The Hiding Place, said, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strength."  Using today's God- given resources to attempt to deal with tomorrow's troubles robs me of today's grace.

Instead, it is my desire to maximize the grace God has given me for this day and use it only for today's difficulties. 

When my vision is too far-sighted, it's time to narrow my scope.

There is a lot in this world to keep me anxious.  If, however, I broaden my view to take in all that God is doing behind the scenes to protect me, lighten my grip to give God dominion over my life, and narrow my scope to focus only on the troubles God has supplied the grace to handle, I will live a life of peace that passes understanding.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will live my life with my eyes wide open to God's sovereign work that is happening all around me.

How do I discount God's power by trying to rely on my own strength?

When do I think I can try to tackle tomorrow's problems and thus borrow trouble?

His Great Mercy

"O Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness;

therefore you are feared."

Psalm 130:2-4

"We do not make requests of you

because we are righteous,

but because of your great mercy."

Daniel 9:18b

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong to deserve all this trouble!"

"I must have really gotten on God's bad side recently because I'm having the worst day!"

"It's one thing after another.  I can't understand why my life is so difficult!  What did I do to deserve this?"

If the circumstances of my life truly depended upon my own worthiness or righteousness as I sometimes think, I would not last another moment.  God never gives us what we deserve: if He did, as the psalmist said, "Who could stand?" 

Instead, the Lord is a God of mercy.  He withholds my rightful treatment, instead drawing me to Himself in a relationship of love.  There is nothing I can do to earn His love.  I can never be good enough to enter into a relationship with Him.  I have no hope without the mercy of God which is best shown through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ my Lord!

His Nature

Toward the end of his life, David took a census of all his fighting men, putting his trust in his might instead of in God's.  As a result, God gave him three choices for punishment through the prophet Gad.  Famine, being chased by his enemies, or a plague.  David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress.  Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."

The judgement of God is just, but He mercifully does not treat me as my sins deserve.  For this reason, it is always better to leave my life in the hands of God rather than men who may be having a bad day and decide to annihilate me.  God never acts out of spite, irritation or frustration.  His actions are deliberate and always with the goal of lifting up His great name and restoring my relationship with Him.  He acts with perfect justice and love.


Since I am a human being, I have very little experience with mercy.  Instead, I am used to others taking their frustrations out on me.  I am accustomed to getting the short end of the stick.  I am familiar with the back of the proverbial hand. Cruel, ruthless behavior is commonplace in my world.


To be fair, I am not always on the receiving end of unmerciful actions.  Many times I give exactly what I think someone deserves.  If I had a 'smite' button, I would have incinerated many-an-irritating driver, especially during rush hour traffic.  Then there are the moments when I secretly hope that the woman who is always so nasty to me will get what's coming to her.  I am merciless.


There is no human example of mercy that I can look to for enlightenment.  It is God's nature to be merciful, and until I know this, I will not be able to fully trust Him as David did.   David had no right to ask for leniency or favor.  He knew he had gone against God in relying on his own might instead of God’s.  But David was familiar with the nature of God and understood that His mercy is great.  In throwing himself at the mercy of God, he was showing God how much He trusted Him.

In the same way, I can show God my reverence and appreciation for Him and put myself at His mercy; not because I deserve it, but because I know Him.  I trust Him enough to place my very life in His hands. 

Given that it is God's nature to act mercifully, I can trust Him fully.

Undeserved

Just a few more days, and then I can leave this fugitive lifestyle, she thought as she jumped the ditch and darted into the forest.  I can't let my brother go hungry.  He's just a baby!  She contemplated the sentence of death that awaited her if she was caught as she jogged along, being careful not to draw the attention of nearby residents.  Finally, she made it to the hollowed out tree that had become their home, stolen merchandise firmly hidden in her pouch.

"Here, I got your favorite; bread and apples.  God ahead, take it!"

I must find some milk, or he won't grow strong and healthy.  "I'll be right back.  I'm going to that family's barn on the other side of the meadow.  It's milking time and I should be able to sneak a ladle or two.  Fresh milk!  Doesn't that sound good?"  The boy looked at her listlessly. He's getting weaker. 

As she rounded the corner of the barn, the king's horses stood pawing at the ground.  To her horror, the ruler himself sat upon his steed.  Oh no, I'm dead meat!  I've been stealing food from all over the kingdom!  Desperately, she threw herself face first in the dirt.  "Have mercy on me, Oh King!"


In the above scenario, the girl knew she was in the wrong, even though her reason for living the life of a thief was noble.  In the face of the supreme judge of the land, there was nothing she could say in defense of her actions.  Her best chance for survival was to place herself at the king's mercy and hope that he would allow her to survive.


Maybe part of the reason that I don't truly accept God's mercy is that I don't understand the depths of my sin.  Because of my disobedience to God's law, my nature that is contrary to God's, and my pride that is an affront to Him, I deserve death.  Like the girl, my punishment is well-deserved.  


In the confession of their sins as a part of a time of worship during the time of Nehemiah, the Levites gave an account of the unfaithfulness of God's people.  They constantly turned their back on God and His ways.  God punished them and then they would inevitably cry out to Him.  He would save them.  They would become comfortable and forget Him again. . .and the cycle went on; disobedience, warning, punishment, repentance.  The worship leaders end this historical account with the statement, "But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God." (Nehemiah 9:31)


I am completely at God's mercy, whether I know it or not.  I cannot stand on my own two feet, so heavy are my transgressions.  John Donne, 17th Century English poet and priest, put it this way: "We are God's tenants here, and yet here he, our landlord, pays us rents--not yearly, nor quarterly, but hourly and quarterly; every minute he renews his mercy."


God's mercy is undeserved, but necessary for my continued existence.

Sovereign

The trickster received the blessing while the firstborn received more of a curse, destined to live an impoverished, brutal life.  One was loved, the other hated.  One was chosen, the other cast away.  


Jacob did not deserve to receive the blessing meant for his older twin brother, Esau.  He had shown himself to be a deceptive, selfish young man.  Still, it was God's good plan for the younger to take the older's place. At their birth, God let Rebecca know that the older would serve the younger, but it had nothing to do with either of their characters, abilities or worth.  As it is explained in the New Living Translation of Romans 9:11, "This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works."


It is God's choice who receives mercy.  If you are reading this blog, it is most likely that you have been called according to His purposes and were chosen to become a part of God's family.    As such, each breathe you take is according to His mercy.  If He lets you live another moment, it is because of His mercy.  If you can stand before Him, it is because of His mercy.  


I recently heard a story about a young woman who did not believe in God.  She suddenly went into a coma and remained unconscious for eleven days.  During that time, the One whom she previously disregarded spoke to her, saying, "It is not yet your time, my child."  


Needless to say, the first thing this woman did when waking up was to thank God for His mercy.  Even though she had completely ignored all the good He had given to her and had earned death, He had planned for her to live a little while longer.  She now lives for Jesus.


In the same way, "In his great mercy he has give us new birth into a living hope. . ." through faith in Jesus Christ.  As He rose again on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God, so I will live eternally in His presence.  I neither deserve this nor expected this, but God extended this gift anyway.  It is His choice.


God's grants His great mercy according to His plan.




The mercy of God is unfathomable.   Due to His merciful nature, an undeserving people are chosen to be a part of His plan, paving the way for life; abundant, everlasting life.  Then I can truly say, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will remember that I am at the mercy of God.


How do I take life for granted, failing to savor the moments He has give me?


When do I expect things I neither deserve nor earned?