Is The Mission Compelling?

What made the followers of Jesus, those 12 guys that spent the most time with Him, get up every morning knowing that their lives could be in danger?   They knew few people would listen to them.  They knew most would think they were crazy, a dead man brought himself back to life is a pretty far-fetched story after all.  They knew they would suffer ridicule, imprisonment, poverty and even their eventual death.  So what causes people to give their lives?

The mission is COMPELLING.  

And it isn't just the wording of the mission that's inspiring, it's The Word the mission is established on.

In Jesus' last conversation with His followers (Matthew 28:16-20) He gave them this mission for His church:

• Make disciples of all nations.  
• Baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  
• Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.  

This was a huge task and one they would never be able to accomplish on their own but it was so compelling that the disciples spent the rest of their lives, and literally gave their lives, to see it accomplished.

So why do so many people stop working to accomplish their mission?  Because it's not big enough.  If your mission is about you or ultimately for you it won't sustain you.  For instance, getting rich is not an exciting or compelling enough mission to give your life to.  Booker T. Washington said, “Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”

Jesus' mission was so compelling He gave His life to see it accomplished.  As did all of His disciples and still others even today.  And as followers of Jesus we are commanded to "live as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6).  Jesus' personal mission was that the lost would be found, the blind see, the dead be raised and the captives set free.  That's a compelling mission!

Then Jesus gave the church the mission of making disciples, baptizing and teaching.  For every church that mission is going to be expressed a little differently but it should be compelling enough for us to get behind.   At Real Life our mission is to help every person possible find real life in Jesus and look more like Him every day.  That's why we do what we do.

If your mission isn't compelling you'll soon become complacent.  What are you doing to keep your mission fresh in your life?

How I'm Conquering the Morning and You Can Too

Every person faces the same challenge every single morning.  Do I get out from under these covers or do I stay here for just a few more minutes?

I have never been a morning person by choice.  I've had to get up early at different times for work or to go hunting but getting up before 6am when you don't have to... ridiculous.  Until recently.  A few months ago I felt like I was getting into a rut and needed a change.  So, I set the alarm for 5:30am.  Now, I'd love to tell you that the change was immediate and made all the difference in my life but it wasn't and didn't.  At least not right away.  But this is not about the benefits of getting up early it's about the struggle.

Whether you are wanting to get up early, start an exercise routine, be a more consistent parent or better partner to your spouse or a more productive individual it all comes down to this one critical piece.

What's NEXT must be more important than what's NOW?  

This is true for everyone who wants to accomplish something more with their life.   Whether it's getting up early in order to exercise and spend time with God.  Or just to be more productive with the time you have.  What's next may be more difficult.  It may require more of you.  Or it may just be something you've never done before, like me getting up early.  But in order for you to get over the initial push-back and develop the habits necessary to accomplish what's next you have to be fed up with the "now."

Consider Jesus.  What was next for Him was pretty miserable: torture and death.  What He had was pretty good: committed friends, some celebrity, power to do whatever He wanted.  Jesus' "now" seemed pretty good.  But He gave it up because what was next for Him was so much more important to His mission and purpose (I'll talk more about that in Thursday's post).

If you've got a decision to make about your future it won't happen until what's next becomes more important to you than what is now.  Or say it another way, until your future potential is of greater value than your current position you won't change.  That new job must hold greater potential for advancement, pay, benefits or schedule or you'll stay in your current position.

For followers of Jesus this carries some extra weight.  Most of us want to settle into what is now, especially spiritually, but God is constantly calling us to what's next.  What's next for you might mean getting involved on a service team at church.  Maybe it's stepping into a church leadership or group leader role.  God might be calling you into short-term or full-time mission work.  Or a greater depth of study and understanding.  Whatever is next for you understand that in Jesus there is ALWAYS a next and it's always more important than what's now.

What do you think God has next for you?  How can you begin setting yourself up for success right now so you can be ready to jump into what's next without hesitation?  I'd love to hear how you are accomplishing what's next for you.  Comment below!

God has a Plan for Every Single Person

When you were just a tiny speck of cells God knew you and had a plan for you.

That may seem hard to believe but when you look at the enormous number of things that could go wrong in pregnancy and birth you are a miracle.  And being a miracle means that there is more to you than one might suspect.

David wrote, "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:16 NIV).

That's a difficult concept to grasp, that before you existed God knew the moment you would take your first breath.  He knew every time you were gonna skin your knee or get stung by a bee.  He knew when and where and with whom you'd have your first kiss and the moment your heart would break for the first time.  Before you came to be He saw your first touchdown and the first time you were turned down - for a date or a job.  He saw your marriage, your mistakes,  knew your moods and even had a handle on your mortality.  

And out of every possible problem and regardless of who your parents are, YOU made it.  Just like He knew you would.  Your days were written in His book before one of them came to be.  You may have gotten your DNA from your parents but your purpose comes from your (Heavenly) Father.

God knew you would be right where you are today.  He's tried to get your attention through the years.  Tried to guide you in the right direction.  Tried to steer you away from the bad and toward the better.   You've done what you wanted and He's patiently waited.  But you were born for something more.  Out of all the people and problems YOU came to be - that's significant.  You're still here on the planet which means there's a purpose for it.

I can't tell you what that purpose is except to say that God knew you would be reading this right now. It was written in His book of your life before you ever came to be.  He knew where you would work where you would live and who you would hang out with.  The choices you made along the way may not have been the ones He wanted you to make but He knew you would make them.  He didn't force you to do what He wanted, but He wants you to do what is best.  If you choose not to follow His plan He's okay with that - you are your own person.  Just know that you lose the right to blame Him if you refuse to listen to Him.

Have you discovered your purpose or God's plan for your life?  Are you still trying to figure it out?  Comment below to share your story.

No Matter How Your Life Started it Wasn't a Surprise

When you were a kid the details of your conception were kept secret.  Parents don't talk about things like that with their young kids.   But there comes a point when that secret isn't so secret anymore.  Let me give you a scenario.

You're in High School.  You've spent all afternoon getting ready for your first real date and just before he rings the doorbell,  as you stand in the living room, your father and mother looking at you proudly, your dad blurts out, "It's hard to believe that we are sending you out on your first date in the very room you were conceived 17 years ago."  At which point mom smacks him and fully embarrassed
ushers you out of the house.

Maybe it wasn't the living room couch.  Perhaps you were conceived in the back seat of a car, or the kitchen or maybe it wasn't like that at all for you.  The reality of our culture is that life is often conceived in lust, not love.  The act of child making might have been exciting to your parents but the making of a child was not.  Your life may not have started in the bedroom or living room but in an ally or at a frat party.  You may not have been conceived in love or lust but in selfishness, anger and hate.

King David wrote in Psalm 139:15, "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth."

No matter how your life started God didn't have to scramble to find a place for you in His creation.  He knew exactly when and where and how your precious life was going to begin... no matter how your life was conceived He was not surprised.   He saw you when you were made in secret.

And if you were conceived from any situation other than love - I'm sorry.  You were supposed to be conceived in a loving relationship between a husband and a wife who were committed to each other for life.  That was God's plan.  God gave sex to humanity as a gift but too many have turned it into a game.

You however were not hidden from God.  The fact that you made it means He protected your life; He has a plan for you no matter how you were conceived.   I'll share more about that on Saturday, but for now, I want you to know that no matter how your life started it wasn't a surprise to God.  He knew you would be born into this world and He had a place for you in His plan all along.  You may not have been conceived in the way He desired, but He absolutely desired you.  (To read about how God knit you together upon conception regardless of how that conception happened read my last post, You Were Put Together with Precision, here.)

What do you think would happen if God kept children from being born into the world outside of the way He planned marriage and family to work?  Would that make things better or worse?  Are we suffering the consequences of our actions (or the actions of a selfish, hateful, evil individual in the case of rape) or should God intervene?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

You Were Put Together with Precision

When you look at the human body and the way our bones, muscles and tendons work together with our joints to give us movement.  The way our veins pump blood to our extremities after somehow filling up on oxygen from our lungs.  Contemplate just one of our senses.  Or try to understand how the brain works.  The fact that any of the millions of things going on in your body that have to be just right or they don't work proves your body is incredible.

But you might not feel the same way about that.

I have a son with special needs.  I have never had a conversation with him.  He can't tell his mother or me if he has a headache or needs a splinter removed.  When he was younger he was incredibly violent and it would take all my strength (and there's plenty) to hold him down so he didn't hurt my wife or his siblings.  

Sometimes it's difficult to agree with David when he said, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:13-14 NIV).

If you were born with something missing or something extra, you know the pain that comes with being physically or mentally different.  The idea that God "made" you (or someone you love) imperfectly on purpose is difficult to swallow.   

But what if David wasn't talking about our physical bodies.  What if he was talking about the miracle that happens when what is eternal is knit together with what it temporal?   Paul calls our physical bodies tents and says that when our "tent" is destroyed we have an eternal house not built by human hands (2 Cor 5:1).  Our bodies were not meant to last, but we were.

No matter what shape or size or challenge you may have God loves you - not your strength, but your soul.   Whatever you think of yourself when you look in a mirror the fact that a tiny cell could even have had the chance to become YOU is amazing and defies the odds. That you are here on this planet at all is miraculous and it has nothing to do with your physical form.

God put your physical form and your soul together with precision.  He has a plan for your life not based on your abilities but on your attitude.  Your parents may have brought together the raw materials but God knit the eternal together with the temporal with precision.

Everyone struggles with something about their physical appearance or mental abilities, everyone.  But your life is LOTS more than your looks.  You were put together with precision.

I'd love to hear what you think about how we were knit together.  Comment below. 

Sinner? You're In Good Company At Church.

If I come to church the walls will fall in... the ceiling will collapse... the place will burst into flames... Yep, I've heard them all.  But as we looked at in this post, every saint was once a sinner.  Which means that every person who has ever stepped foot inside a church was once where you may be at right now.   And most know the unsure feeling of walking into a place they've convinced themselves is full of people who have some spiritual power to see directly into their soul.  Will they somehow know what I've done?  Will they call me out?  Will I be exposed?   

If you thought your sin was too great for Jesus you need to know that only sinners are eligible to become saints.  This is true of every person who sits in any church; they aren't there because they are perfect - they are there because they have a past and want the promise of a brighter future.  

The Apostle Paul is a great example.  His past was full of hate.  His present was overtaken by murder.  He was a Christian killer.  2000 years before ISIS Christians were being hunted and killed because of their faith - only because of their faith.  Saul, was responsible for the arrest, imprisonment and eventual death of perhaps 100's of Christians.  That is, until he became one.  

Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and that experience changed more than Saul's name, it changed his life.  Eventually He would write well over half of what we call the New Testament today.  He would perform more miracles than any other Apostle that we know of and would eventually die as a martyr because of his faith - the faith he once killed others for holding on to.  

Paul didn't become a great man of God because he "got it right" but because he got right with Jesus.  He didn't wait to show up in church until he was living right, he got right with Jesus and then started living right.  And the first actionable step in getting right with Jesus is to be baptized - in fact, that is the very first thing Paul does.  In Acts 9:18 Paul  believes and was immediately baptized (dunked under the water signifying a connection with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and your own death to sin and life lived for God's glory.  

When a sinner comes to church they are in good company.  Every Christian was and is a sinner.  None of us are perfect and in fact, if the walls were gonna fall down, they would have done it already.  Since Christians are to be better at living out God's plan for our lives, and we're not, He should be most upset with us.  I'm thankful that my life isn't based on me getting things right but on me getting right with Jesus.  

Today, how can you encourage a family member, friend, or ever your spouse that coming to church with you is the best place for them to be?  

Please share any creative ways you have used to encourage someone to come to church with you!  

What Is Sin Hiding In You?

Years ago I had a young boy come to me to complain about how he had gotten in trouble at school.  Someone threw a paper ball at another student while the teacher's back was turned and this boy got blamed for it.  He went on and on about how unfair it was that the teacher immediately called him out for punishment.  After a short conversation the boy admitted that, while he wasn't guilty this time, he had been guilty in the past for doing this very thing.  

We are most often known for what we've done.  

I have a friend who was addicted to alcohol.  He's been sober a long time but still calls himself an alcoholic.   Another friend often changes the rules - mid game - to increase her odds of winning.  She is known, to those who have ever played a game with her, as a cheater.  If you've lied you're probably known as a liar.  If you've stolen things you're probably called a thief.  If you've broken the law there are those who know you as a criminal.  

The lesson is pretty simple, when sin is your NORM sin is how you're KNOWN.  All too quickly your sin: addict, liar, cheater, thief, begins to hide who you really are from the world around you.  Soon, all anyone sees is your sin.  

Jesus was always confronted with individuals others had labeled.  A prostitute washed his feet.  A tax collector served him lunch.  A "dog" asked him for a miracle.  (Dog was the term Jews often used when referring to Samaritans.)  That's the thing about sin, it tries to hide who you can become behind what you have done.  

That's why I'm thankful that Jesus SEES what sin HIDES.  Jesus didn't see a prostitute he saw a woman who would become one of His greatest supporters and who, along with her family, would be very influential in the beginning of the Church.  Jesus didn't see a tax collector he saw a man who would become incredibly generous.  Jesus didn't see a "dog" he saw someone who had great faith and might become a great evangelist among her people.  Other's may see what you've done, but Jesus sees what you can become.

Today don't let sin be your norm, make choices that affirm what you can become in Jesus instead of what you've done in sin.  

How can we stop looking at what others have done and start seeing them for who they can become?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!  

You Were Born To Be A Saint.

I'm pretty sure this lottery slogan was meant for me, "you can't win if you don't play."   Only lottery players win the lottery.  And since I don't play... I can't win.

Growing up I played basketball but will never win an NBA championship ring because I don't play at that level.  I'll never earn a Purple Heart because I don't serve in any branch of the military.  I'll never win an Emmy or a Grammy because I'm not an actor or a singer/songwriter.

But there is something I can be and I was born with the ability to attain it.  So were you.

You've probably heard of the term Saint before.  In religious circles it is used when referring to someone who has attained a high level of  holiness.  You've probably heard of Saint Peter, Saint John, etc.  Some churches have special votes to confer the title Saint on individuals who display extraordinary holiness in their lives.  For example, on September 4, 2016 Mother Teresa was declared a Saint by the Catholic Church.

Honestly, I don't believe in declaring individuals Saints because the Bible says that if you're a follower of Jesus you're already a saint.  The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said that by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy, Hebrews 10:14 (emphasis mine).   But here's the best part, you already are a candidate for sainthood!  In fact, you were born eligible!   You may not win a Super Bowl or be the President of the United States but you ALREADY qualify to be a saint.

Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome makes it very clear that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23.  And since all have sinned it's the one thing every saint has in common - they all started out as sinners.  That's why you have already met the qualification to become a saint because only SINNERS become SAINTS.  You may be feeling bad about your sin or your inability to stop sinning.  You may feel like you will never be as good as some "Saint" you know.  But they started out just where you are.  And if they are honest, they still struggle to do the right thing consistently.

Today, focus on who you want to be (saint) and not on what you've done (sin).  Every saint has struggles but in Jesus you have been made perfect and are being made holy.  It's a process and God is way more interested in your progress than in perfection.  So go do today the things a Saint would do, because you are one.

If You're Not Ashamed... Post This As Your Status

You've seen them.  Kept scrolling.  Felt guilty.  Caved.  Reposted.  We've all seen them on our social media feeds and I'll be honest, sometimes it's hard to ignore them.  I mean, I'm a pastor and I still get that little twinge every once in awhile, "what if God DOES disown me because I don't repost this?"
So this morning in my Bible reading time I actually read this verse in it's context.  And guess what?  Reducing this verse to a post on your social media account is pretty far from what Jesus was actually talking about.
When Jesus told his newly commissioned disciples, "everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" it comes in quite a different way than what you might expect.  Let me explain.   Jesus makes this statement towards the end of Matthew chapter 10 when he is talking to His disciples about what they will experience as they go out and preach the Gospel.  He tells them they should be prepared to endure:  being taken to court, whipped, beaten, dragged before governors and kings (but are not to prepare a speech before hand), families betraying each other to death because of the Gospel, being hated and persecuted.
Then Jesus says, "everyone who acknowledges will themselves be acknowledged and everyone who denys will also be denied.  And right after that he continues, "I have come to bring a sword to the earth... to set a man against his family, father against son, mother against daughter, a person's enemies will be the members of his own household... whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
The disciples, very early in their ministry, were tasked with taking the Gospel to a people (the Israelites) who would not only reject the Gospel, but reject the men brining it.  I wonder how many would repost these verses if they knew for a fact that re-posting would bring the loss of their jobs, the rejection of their families, the loss of income or the destruction of their marriage?  These followers of Jesus were actually preaching on the street corners telling strangers about Jesus in a very hostile environment.  If someone didn't like it they could literally drag them out of town and murder them with no repercussions.  What happens to us if someone doesn't like our FB post?  They block us.  But, they were probably just FB friends anyway, you probably never see them and don't really care if they are your friend or not.  But you won't lose your life... or even any sleep for that matter.
Now, I'm not saying it's wrong to repost these spiritually shaming FB status images or verses... I'm saying, the context of sharing our faith should cost us something and I'm afraid that for most of us, reposting only helps us clean our FB friends list a little.
Here's the test:  If you aren't sure whether you should repost something like this in the future ask yourself this question, "when was the last time I stood in room of my unbelieving friends and boldly proclaimed the Gospel TO THEM expecting them to repent and turn to Jesus?"  If you've never tried to convert a friend or co-worker, if you've never acknowledged Jesus in a place that would cost you something, then posting to your FB status isn't going to get you in good with the Big Guy.  If you're only willing to acknowledge Jesus on a FB post or a t-shirt or a bumper sticker, but not in your speech or actions or at work or among your non-believing friends and family then I'm not sure a FB post counts as acknowledgment at all.
Just something to think about...

Don't Be A Pig

Why does Jesus allow the pigs to be killed?
That's often the question I'm left with after reading Matthew's account of Jesus's meeting with the two demon possessed men as He crosses the sea of Galilee.  Why kill the pigs?
Here's what's happening.  Jesus has just arrived in an area called the Gadarenes when two men possessed by demons come from the tombs to meet Him.  Yes, the tombs.  They lived there.  Like wild animals.  In fact, no one could go to the tombs because these men, given strength by the demons, were so violent that they would beat whoever came out.  Imagine not being able to go visit a loved one's tomb because two maniacs would attack you.
The demons ask a pretty obvious question, "what do you want with us?  Have you come to torture us before the appointed time?
Those are good questions if you're a demon, they just don't have much to do with reality.  First, Jesus hadn't come to see them, they just happened to be there.  Apparently being possessed makes you a little paranoid.  Or it could be that when you mess with evil you just assume that you're going to get caught.  Like, you can always tell whose got a little guilty conscience by who jumps and looks every time they hear a siren.  Second, these demons know that there has been an appointed time where God will deal with them, until then they are free to do their evil.  They also know Jesus doesn't "torture" any of them - not in His character.  But, lying is certainly in their character.  So they accuse Him of something they know He would not do.  Evil spends a lot of time accusing others of what it does.
Anyway, back to the pigs... the demons ask Jesus to send them into the pigs for some reason and He allows it.  He doesn't do it, He allows it.
And what happens to the pigs?  They are immediately thrown into confusion, they rush head-first down an embankment and into the Sea of Galilee and they all drown.
I thought pigs where supposed to be smart.  But that's what messing with evil will do to you.  And guess what, you don't have to be possessed by a demon to act like it.  When you and I engage in evil we "act like" those possessed.  So we run head-first into danger and destruction.  Usually in groups, misery loves company, and usually head-first with our eyes open.
If you're an animal lover you probably don't like this story... you're probably mad at Jesus for allowing it.  But that's what Jesus does.  He allows us to do the things we want to even when He knows the outcome will be devastating.  Why?  Because He's not a God who tortures us, or sails across the sea to confront us.  He's the God who patiently waits for us to come to him.
Like the two formerly demon possessed men.  Yes, the story isn't really about the pigs.  It's about the two lives that Jesus saved and about the whole town that was now better off having these two restored to them.  They were out the pigs, but they had regained their brothers, fathers and sons.
Don't be a pig.  Refuse the herd mentality that tries to get you to do something stupid just because everyone else is.  Don't be a pig.  If you can see you're heading toward danger, STOP!
Evil always accuses the innocent, distorts the truth, corrupts a group and rushes toward danger.  You don't have to join in.  Jesus wants to restore your life and sanity. Restore you to your family and give you a fresh start and a new hope.

What's Your Struggle? Oppression

Revelation 2:12-17 The Church In Pergamum
Have you ever just felt oppressed spiritually?  Maybe it was a place you entered and you just felt like your skin was crawling and you had to get out.  Maybe it was surrounding a movie or an event or even a person and you just had this strange feeling come over you and you had to leave or get away, quick.

Imagine living in the hometown of Satan.  If Satan and his demons are like a gang, they hold their territory very well.  They are very protective of it and will come against anything or anyone that tries to push them out.

Maybe you know what it's like to be the property of Satan.  To be in his territory or be a part of his gang.  Now maybe you didn't swear a blood oath with a chicken head, but you did live apart from Jesus and in line with the devil and his ways.  Perhaps Satan ensnared you with an addiction years ago and it's hold on you has been difficult, if not proven impossible up to this point, to be free of.  Maybe he snared  you with an unplanned pregnancy and a marriage to someone you never intended to be with for more than one night.  When you live in Satan's wheelhouse it's oppressive.

That's the situation for the church in Pergamum.  They lived "where Satan has his throne." Satan's realm is earth, he is confined here.  He is also unable to be everywhere present, as God is and he doesn't know everything, as God does.  He also is not all-powerful like God is.  That means that Satan must have, on this earth somewhere, a base of operations from which to attack, destroy, kill, maim and steal.  Where that was, Pergamum was right in the middle of it.

Imagine trying to to plant a church in such a spiritually dark place.  There is only one word that can describe it, oppressive.  The church in Pergamum not only existed here but they struggled to thrive, to remain true to the Name of Jesus to not renounce their faith even in the face of fierce opposition that resulted in the martyrdom of a man named Antipas who was killed because of his faith in opposition to Satan on his own territory.

Though they remained true to the Name of Jesus in this dark place they struggled so much with oppression that they let some other things slide.  Namely, they begin to think that as long as they didn't renounce the name of Jesus or their faith even if they were enticed to dabble in the sexually immoral practices of those surrounding them in the city it was okay.

You know the draw, to attend church, give your offerings maybe even serve a little, claim to be a Christian but then actively participate in sin.  You know you shouldn't but it's not a big deal, others are doing it you're sure so it's okay.  Oppression works that way you know.  Tempting you to give a little and then sinking it's hooks in and causing you to sink further and further into it.  Soon you're living a double life, pretending to be a follower of Jesus, but acting like a follower of Satan.

Look, I get it.  I'm inundated with sexual explicit material all the time.  It's not always easy to avoid or even to stop.  And that is really the struggle, sin never stops.  Satan never takes a day off.  He never leaves you alone.

If you're struggling with oppression remember that comes only from the enemy.  Satan wants to keep you oppressed because you're easier to control that way.  He wants to convince you that as long as you live like a Christian on the weekend you live like a sinner during the week.  The Church in Pergamum certainly knew what this was like.

Take a minute to read this passage in Genesis 4.  I had to go way back to just the second sin ever committed.  Satan's kingdom was still the earth at this time but there were far fewer people for him to focus on.  He was able to oppress Adam and Eve's oldest son Cain into seeing his brother Abel as a threat.  He oppressed Cain with envy and jealousy and fear.  Cain eventually killed his brother Abel, but before he did God had a conversation with him in verses 6-7 that may do you well to read today.

What's Your Struggle? Financial

Revelation 2:8-11  The Church in Smyrna
Do you know what it's like to be broke?  I do.  There was a time in the early years of planting Real Life that I didn't make any money.  In fact, when the economy crashed we lost our home to the bank.  It was a devastating time in our lives.  I questioned everything I thought God had called me to do here in ElDorado.  My life, ministry, direction, decisions... everything.  Isn't strange how a lack of financial resources will make you question life more than just about any other situation or challenge?

The church in Smyrna knew this all too well.  They were in such a terrible financial place Jesus says, I know your afflictions and your poverty.  That's not where anyone wants to be.  What's worse, perhaps because of their poverty, there were Jews there that slandered the church.  They said that because the church was poor they weren't really following God.  That was a common misconception in Jesus day (and today), that financial blessing and abundance follows faithful service.  I think the Apostles would disagree with that.  They were often broke, destitute and struggling without adequate financial resources.  But being poor also puts you at a disadvantage because often people believe that, because of your situation, they can exploit you, ridicule you, treat you badly or even persecute you simply because of your position.  You have nothing, so they can offer scraps and expect you to be grateful and happy with that.

This is a great struggle for churches today.  Especially when they see the mega church down the street with money to burn and they feel inadequate and can begin to feel that God doesn't love them or what they are doing in the Kingdom as much as the bigger churches.  This church was in a bad spot, financial burdens within and slander and oppression from without.  It was maybe because of their poor financial position that the Jews felt it was okay to go so far as to persecute them.

This is a big struggle for Church people as well as non-church people.  Poverty and affliction are followed closely by depression.  You look around at others in church and notice what they have and what you lack.  Those "with" can begin to believe it's because they are living right that God is blessing them.  Many a rich person has gotten to their eternal destination surprised because they thought they were doing everything right based on what they had in this life.  On the other hand, if you don't have financial resources you can begin to feel as though there is something wrong with your service, your life, your devotion to God.  While giving/tithing do a play a part in our financial success it's important to remember that financial success is not the litmus test for faithful followers.  Nowhere in the Bible is financial blessing tied to righteous living, again, ask the Apostles about this.

Jesus encouragement to the church is not to strive more or do more or be more, it is simply to endure for a short time more in order to receive the reward.

If you're smuggling with a lack of financial resources God wants you to know that in His sight you are rich.  What is going on in your life on earth is not indicative of what is happening in the heavenly realms.  Your poverty here may be exposing your riches there.  Check out James 1:2-4 and be encouraged that through these temporary struggles you are being made mature, complete and lacking nothing.   In fact, the poor should take pride in their high position... (while you're in James read verses 9-10 too!).

What's Your Struggle? Being Right

It seems that a lot of people in and around my life are struggling with different things right now.  Marriages are on the verge of destruction or already there.  People are struggling with living in their own weaknesses and why they can't "just get over it."  There are financial struggles and interpersonal struggles and family strife and job headaches.  These things aren't new, nor are they going away anytime soon - unless Jesus comes back.

These same struggles have been going on for millennia.  Why?  Because they work.  They keep us distracted, they keep us focused on ourselves or our situation instead of on Jesus, on His power, on His Way.

My Bible reading today was Revelation 2 and it just so happened that I got a text while I was reading... I didn't respond to it, but saved it for when I was done.  Turns out, the Holy Spirit had prepared that text and today's reading to come together for a little freedom.  Let me share with you what I mean.

In Revelation 2 the Apostle John is writing to several churches who are having some struggles.  I'll bet you find at least one of these churches that resonates with your own struggles.  I've included some additional Scriptures that can teach you how to handle each struggle as it comes your way.  In faith and the strength of the Holy Spirit in you, you can overcome just as the churches in these letters were encouraged to overcome, to press on, to repent and to follow.

So what I'm going to do is share one of these letters a day until we get through them next week.  I hope that by seeing what the churches in the first century were struggling with and how you might overcome, or stand up through, those struggles you will be encouraged.


Revelation 2:1-7 The Church In Ephesus
This church was praised for their deeds, hard work, perseverance their unwillingness to tolerate wicked people among them and their strong adherence to the Word of God by testing those itinerant preachers who came to them against the Word they had already received.  All these are good things.  Solid things.  Biblical things.  But Jesus, through John, says that this same Biblically solid church has forsaken the love they had at first.

I think the church in Ephesus struggled with being so focused on doing everything right that they forgot to love.

It's an ancient struggle of focusing more on doing than on being.  They were down all the right things.  There is nothing in the list that they should stop doing, but they had forgotten to do all those good things in love.  What's the difference?  Well, it's something I have struggled with myself.  They wanted to be right for the sake of being right, not for the sake of benefiting others.

Being right, diligent, thorough in their study made them feel good about themselves but didn't help others.  They needed to work hard, persevere and correct wicked people out of a spirit of love, for the other persons benefit, not just so they could be proven right.

Are you struggling because you're doing everything right and still feel like there is a disconnect between you and God?  Are you diligent in your study and in your prayer time but you feel like you're praying to the wall or your words crash back down once they hit the ceiling?  Perhaps it's because you're doing these things for the sake of doing them, of being right or telling others of your spiritual discipline and not out of love.  Love for God first.  Love for others second.  Love corrects with the purpose of restoration not retaliation.  Love studies for the purpose of knowing God, not getting noticed by God.

If you're struggling with doing and want to just be in love with Jesus start here:  1 Corinthians 13:1-8

PS.  Notice at the end of verse 7 in Revelation 2 Jesus says that if they are victorious he will give them the right to eat of the tree of life.  This was the tree Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden so they couldn't "eat it and live" in their fallen, sinful state.  When we are victorious in walking in love God gives us the right to live forever with Him in harmony and love as it was in the beginning, we get restored to His perfect plan of presence with His creation!

Give & Take: 2 stories. 1 outcome. 4 blessings.

Have you ever had anything stolen from you?
It's a pretty terrible feeling isn't it.  Just weeks after my wife and I were married someone broke into our home and stole a bunch of our few and precious belongings.
Have you ever had someone keep something that belonged to you?
Maybe it was the government keeping your tax refund or withholding your workers comp or unemployment funds.
When someone takes what doesn't belong to them or withholds what belongs to us it makes us angry.

Let me start with the most recent episode.
Judas was one of Jesus closest followers, a disciple.  He was present when Jesus fed the 5,000, when He restored the demon possessed boy, when He healed the crippled man by the pool and for every lesson Jesus ever taught.  Judas not only heard everything Jesus said about loving, giving, serving, helping and about who Jesus was and what He came to do, Judas actually saw all the miracles that proved Jesus was who He claimed to be, well, almost all the miracles.

But Judas had a problem.  Though he followed Jesus he loved himself.  Judas thought he was worth more to Jesus ministry than anyone else, including Jesus! John, another close follower of Jesus, would write this about Judas, "...he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6).  Judas literally stole from Jesus.  He took was not his and what he himself did nothing to earn.  It was given to God, it was taken by Judas.  Eventually Judas would sell out his friend and leader, Jesus, for 30 pieces of silver.  After he realizes what he has done, Judas went out and hung himself.  He never saw Jesus' last and greatest miracle, His resurrection.

Go back about 400 years.  Through the *prophet Malachi God spoke to His people Israel.  The same people who God rescued from slavery in Egypt, led through the wilderness for 40 years while providing for their every need.  These same people who thrived under kings like David and Solomon, who had wealth beyond measure and blessing upon blessing because they were were the people of God.  These same people were withholding what was rightfully God's and He was angry with them.  Here's what God told Malachi to tell the people, "Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me."  I know.  They asked the same question you're asking, "How are we robbing you?"  Here's God's response.  "In tithes and offerings."  He goes on to pronounce the punishment.  "You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me."

Two stories separated by 400 years, one similar outcome.  Curse.  Now, Judas wasn't cursed by God but follow with me for just a little longer.

The people of God were suffering greatly when God spoke to Malachi.  They were calling out to God for help because of their oppression and poverty.  This once great nation was falling apart.  God said that it was because they were robbing Him.  What was Judas doing all those years later?  Robbing God.  Judas was taking what was not his and the Israelites were keeping what belonged to God.  Same sin.

I wonder what the outcome would have been if Judas would have responded to the blessings of Malachi?  There are 3 blessings God says He will give the Israelites if they stop stealing from Him by withholding what was rightfully His.

1. The blessing of PLENTY.  "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house" (v10).  When we give to God what is God's there is plenty to meet the needs of the ministries and missions God has called His church to support.  There's something comforting about having plenty.  It is a blessing.
2. The blessing of TESTING.  "Test me in this" (v10).  Have you ever had anyone tell you to, "prove it"?  They are putting you to the test.  Seeing if you really can do 10 pushups without stopping.  Or eat that whole pizza or marry that girl.  Here's the deal though, very few are actually able to stand up to the test.  But God always will.  He will never fail a test - in part because this is the only thing we are allowed to test Him at.  His faithfulness in response to our giving.
3. The blessing of POURING.  "...see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it" (v10).  Have you ever gotten to the end of the milk and you know others will want it for their cereal but there isn't enough for everybody to have as much as they want so you ration?  Isn't it so much better when you can pour out the milk without worry because there is plenty?  God doesn't want to give you a little here and a little there, He wants to POUR out blessing on you until it's overflowing.
4. The blessing of PREVENTION.  "I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe" (v11).  We often think in terms of God giving blessing to us, but of equal, if not greater value, is the blessing of prevention.  How much money would you save if the car never broke down, the kids never got sick, you never got laid off or your gas tank never ran out?  When God gets involved He doesn't just give things to you He prevents things from getting to you.

If Judas would have been generous toward Jesus the blessing of Malachi could have been his.  In any case, God can't bless what you don't give.  Whether you're taking what doesn't belong to you or you're withholding what belongs to Him you're the one that's missing out.  The Israelites and Judas both thought the same, if they take or keep they'll have more but that wasn't the truth.  

Are you taking what doesn't belong to you?  Are you withholding what belongs to God?  God can't bless what you don't give.  

How can you make sure you're giving to God?  

• Serve.  Use your time, abilities, finances or possessions to help your church fulfill it's mission.
• Give.  This is pretty obvious.  Don't keep what isn't yours, things He's given you for the express purpose of blessing others or His church.   Don't withhold what belongs to God, the tithe or first 10% of your increase - for most of us that's a paycheck, for others it might be barter or animals or fruit from the ground.  
• Grow.  Make a conscious effort to study, read and pray to make sure you're giving so He can start blessing.

How Do You Feel When You See Jesus Coming?

A little over a year ago my family and I were given a little white puff-ball dog.  A Maltese.  Here he is doing one of his favorite things.  He looks real cute but he has some serious separation anxiety.  And after being left at home for a while he goes crazy when we get back.

That crazy dog, running around, so excited and anxious and nervous and jumping and twisting around and barking is the picture that popped into my mind when I read the story of the demon possessed man from Luke 8 this morning.

It's actually something that I had missed every other time I have read this passage but it jumped off the page when I read it this morning.  Let me set it up.

As I was reading down through the chapter I first was struck by this verse, "Consider carefully how you listen" verse 18.  I actually stopped reading and just thought about that for a minute.  How often do we consider how we listen?  What does that even mean?  I wasn't sure, so I prayed something like, "God, help me to learn to listen so that I don't miss You in anything."

As I kept reading I came to the verse that caused me to think about my crazy dog.  It happens in verse  27 right after Jesus gets to the other side of the Sea of Galilee after calming the storm.  It simply says, "when Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon possessed man from the town.  For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs."

Here's what got me, Jesus is sailing across the lake and on the other side is this naked man acting like my dog when I come home.  I just pictured him running up and down the beach screaming and flailing his arms and jumping around.   My guess is that Jesus saw him long before He reached the shore.  The man had to be there waiting because Luke specifically says, "when Jesus stepped ashore..."  This crazy man was the only one waiting for Him.  Anticipating Jesus arrival.  And what does he say when Jesus finally gets out of the boat?  "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg you don't torture me!"

Why was the man there? No one apparently knew Jesus was coming that day.  No one else was there when He got to shore.  Perhaps the demon possessed man was down by the water when he noticed a storm, and then no storm.  Maybe he just knew that the only one who could calm a storm was in that boat.  Whatever the reason he was there it is a beautiful picture of the craziness of life and the freedom found in Jesus.

I want to be the one waiting for Jesus when no one else is around because I know when Jesus gets here, lives are going to be changed.

What's Your Plan?

Easter is this Sunday.  In the life of the preacher Easter is the Super Bowl.  It is the single largest attended Sunday of the year - every year.   And I'm actually not as stressed as I usually am at this time.  Part of the reason is that I have a plan.  I started message prep early.  I got some time in on the message yesterday and I plan to have a working outline by the end of the day today.

What's your plan for today?

You've probably heard it said that if you fail to plan you plan to fail.  That's the axiom that hit me as I read through my bible reading from yesterday.  Paul says in Romans 13:14, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

As Easter approaches every year there are lots of provisions that have to be secured.   We do a huge Easter egg hunt every year following Sunday service with candy filled eggs and special notes in some of the eggs that get the finder special large prizes.  There is music to plan and rehearse.  Volunteers to be solicited and trained and time with God that must not be overlooked.

While on the treadmill this morning the Holy Spirit spoke this thought to my mind, the more I pursue the Jesus the less time I have to pursue evil.  Truth is, most sin doesn't just sneak up on us.  Now, we say it does - I didn't mean to, it just happened, I slipped.  Truth is, 90% of the time we've made provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.  Sometimes that looks like staying up after everyone has gone to bed.  Spending too much time on our electronic devices.  Turning so no one can see or covering up the truth with a irritated comment.  I know that I have thought about ways to make sin work.  Planned it.  Orchestrated it.  And then fell prey to it and felt overwhelming guilt.

Today, make plans to pursue Jesus.  If you're intentional about Jesus you won't have time to be intentional about sin.  Fill your down time with things that benefit your spiritual growth.  Organize your time for Jesus and you won't have time for the flesh.

Unplowed Ground

Day 295:  Hosea 10, Psalm 145 & Jeremiah 46

In the last few weeks I've been reminded of the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13.  In that story Jesus tells us that a farmer went out to sow seed in his field.  Some of the seed fell on the path that he walked through his field and the birds came and ate it.  Some seed fell on rocky soil where it sprouted quickly because there was only thin layer of soil so there was no where but up for the plant to grow.  However, it soon wilted because of the lack of soil.  Some seed feel on soil that had lots of weeds which grew up faster than the plant and soaked up the sun, water and nutrients so the plant starved.  But there was a lot of seed that fell on the good soil, plowed, fertilized, weeded and free of rock soil.  The seeds there grew and produced a great harvest.

Jesus goes on in that chapter to explain that the farmer is God, the seed is His Word and the soil represents the conditions of the heart onto which the seed falls.  However, satan is also involved because he is blamed for snatching the seed away that falls on the path (the birds eat it).  The rocks and weeds are spiritual and physical distractions that minimize growth and end up producing nothing.

I've preached that story many times.  I've approached it from the standpoint of the churches role in spreading seed.  I've talked about the church and christians doing the early work of preparing the soil so that a larger portion is considered "good" so that the return is greater.  I've shared how all the soil may look alike from the top but a few inches under is where you find the rocks and roots so you need to dig a little in order to get things cleared.  And recently we've looked at satan's roll in stealing seed and "planting" rocks and weeds in an attempt to stifle and stop an individuals growth.

But today I was reading in Hosea 10 and I read something that made me look at this Matthew 13 passage from a different perspective again.  In verse 12 of Hosea 10 Hosea is speaking to the people from God and he says, "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground;  for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."

Something that my father once told me came to my mind, "God blesses you in the areas of your life where you are faithful to Him."  If you are faithful with your stewardship of God's resources He will bless you in the area of finances.  If you are faithful in your prayers, your job, your relationships, with your children toward God, He will bless you according to the areas in your life you are faithful to Him.  So I can be faithful to God in one area of my life even if I am unfaithful in another (this is not a goal or a loophole it is a reality for many Christians).  God is able to bless me where I am faithful to Him and discipline me where I am not.

Then I read Hosea give two commands to the people, sow righteousness in order to reap unfailing love.  Which just means, trust God in every aspect of your life - Abraham obeyed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.  It wasn't that Abraham did everything right, quite the contrary if you read his story, but Abraham believed God when He spoke.  Believed Him when He said, I'll make you into a great nation... In your old age your wife will conceive and give birth to a son... Leave your home and go to the land I will show you... We sow righteousness by believing what God has said and then acting on that belief in our lives.  Here's an example.  I trust what God has to say about my finances when I return to Him 10% of what He gives.   I then live that out by actually giving that tithe faithfully, freely and happily.  I am trusting God and acting on His Word which means I am sowing righteousness in the area of my finances and I should expect to reap unfailing love.

But the second command is that we break up the unplowed ground and this is what got me thinking.  In my life I can have areas where I have good soil, hard packed soil, rocky soil and weeds.  Where I may be faithful in one spiritual area of my life I may be unfaithful in another.  While I may trust God financially I may not trust Him relationally.  I may trust Him in service and sacrifice but forget what He's said about sexual immorality.

It's not enough for me to sow righteousness where the soil of my life is fertile and prepared to receive that seed, I have to be actively clearing the unplowed ground, enlarging the field of turned soil.  Removing the rocks, pulling the weeds up by the root and aerating the packed soil.  Hosea's encouragement is to get busy doing this, seeking the Lord's help in revealing those areas of bad soil, until He comes and showers righteousness on you.  That's sounds pretty amazing to me!

So I want to work to seek out those areas of my life where the soil has been abandoned or even packed down firm and begin to till those areas up.  I will pray for God's help in revealing those areas that I'm not aware of (though there are plenty of areas I am already aware of).  I will use removed the rocks and the weeds according to His Word - so I know what a rock is and weed is and don't pull up anything good!  And I will use His Word to fertilize that soil so that when the seed is sown it has every possible chance of sprouting AND producing fruit.

Here's to playing the dirt and reaping a great crop!

Put It To The Test

Day 232:  Ecclesiastes 3 & Nehemiah 6

This last Sunday I shared in the message how important it is for us as believers to know God's Word. For the message the point was that we needed to see how relevant it was to our lives so that we could help others see that it is relevant to their lives as well.  But there is another reason we need to know what God says.  I'll use an experience Nehemiah had to explain.

Nehemiah had come back to Jerusalem from Babylon (the heart of the Persian Empire - same Persia represented in the movie 300) and had begun to rebuild the wall around his beloved City.  While work continued the surrounding people groups tried desperately to slow and ultimately stop the work claiming all kinds of reasons and threatening all kinds of destruction if it did not.

At one point Nehemiah was asked to visit a man named Shemaiah who was very concerned for Nehemiah's safety.  He claimed (probably honestly) that some men were going to try and kill Nehemiah that very night.  As they talked about what that might mean if something happened to Nehemiah they began to discuss some possible ways to keep Nehemiah safe.  At some point, Shemaiah suggested that Nehemiah barricade himself in the Temple so as to avoid this attempt on his life.

My guess would be that up to that moment Nehemiah was tracking pretty well with his friend.  An attack on his life was serious and could bring the work on the city wall to a complete stop.  And the fear that this would bring might keep the people from ever restarting the work.  I'm sure Nehemiah was concerned not only for his life but for the work God had moved in him to complete.

That is, until, Shemaiah suggested he go find sanctuary in the Temple.

Nehemiah new the Word of God.  That instruction made it clear that ONLY the Priests were allowed to enter the Temple.  Only those who were the descendants of the first Priest, Aaron.  Because Nehemiah new the Word of God, when his friends suggested that he break that Word and sin against God Nehemiah was able to correctly determine the real intent of Shemaiah's concern.

Turns out, Nehemiah's enemy had paid off Shemaiah to try and get Nehemiah to break God's law so that they would have something against him with which to tarnish his reputation before the people and with a character assassination bring the work on the wall to a halt.

Self preservation is a pretty powerful motivator but it does not take precedent over God's Word.  Nehemiah knew that God would protect him if he continued to follow Him.  However, if Nehemiah had taken Shemaiah's advice He would have been in violation of God's Law and under guilt and punishment himself.  Because Nehemiah knew God's Word he was able to correctly determine what was going on and then stand in faith instead of falling in fear.

When we take God's Word as truth He can protect us from making the wrong decisions.

John says, Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  How do we test the spirits?  How do we test the advice we get from others?  How do we know when it's God speaking through them or not?  We must know God's Word.  It is our defense against making the wrong decisions.  When we test our ideas and the advice we get from others against what God says we have a clear direction - even though we may not understand it, we may not want to do it, God's way is always the right way.

Take some time today to read God's Word so you can make the right decisions and avoid sin.

You Must Be "This Tall" To Ride

Day 226:  Job 39 & Ezra 10

Do you remember these signs?  I never really had a problem with these I think I was born at 5'3" so I almost always met the height requirement.  But once in a while I didn't and boy was that difficult.  Especially when others were tall enough.

But this desire to measure up isn't just an issue for roller coasters or the house of horrors it's something each of us struggle with nearly every day.

My neighbor has a nicer car than me.
My wife makes more money than I do.
My friend has a bigger house, a bigger TV, a louder surround sound system...

For me, I struggle to measure up when I look at other preachers.  They are always better communicators, better closers, have bigger churches, better salary package and seem to be better at dealing with sin than me.

Measuring up when we compare ourselves to others in what we consider similar situations never ends well and we almost always feel more inadequate and less competent.

I heard someone say the other day that part of the problem lies in the fact that we are comparing our "normal" selves with others "best" and so we never get a fair shake.  A woman who just woke up and flips through pages of a magazine is comparing herself with the made-up, dressed-up and touched-up woman in the pictures.  When we compare we almost always lose.

I'll be that's how the Ostrich feels.

I think I said yesterday that this section of the book of Job is my favorite because God is now speaking and what He says is just fabulous - as long as He's saying it to Job and his "friends" anyway!  Today, God tells Job to look at the Ostrich.  When an ostrich flaps it's wings it is a pretty impressive sight.  The ostrich is powerful and intimidating.  It stands in majesty as it flaps it's wings as though it could any moment begin to overcome gravity and rise to the heavens.  The ostrich is a majestic and power animal... but it's wings are useless.  And even though the ostrich is much bigger and more powerful than the stork, when a stork flaps it's wings and soars into the sky all attention is off the ostrich.  Poor ostrich.

And the ostrich isn't even able to say, "at least I'm a good mother!"  An ostrich lays her eggs on the ground, exposed, to be warmed by the sun.  While she goes off flapping her powerful wings someone finds breakfast just lying on the ground!

By this point the ostrich is feeling pretty low.  All this size and strength and she can't fly and is a terrible mother.  She's too short.  She doesn't measure up.  She sticks her head in the sand so no one can see her...

It's a sad day for the ostrich.  But what if the ostrich challenged the stork to a foot race?  When the ostrich begins to run there is virtually none faster.  Though she can't fly she sets the bar in land speed!  While she may not be a good mom, if her kids do survive they have an excellent example of how to, as Ricky Bobby would say, "go fast."

So while the ostrich can't fly and isn't a good parental roll model there is something she can teach us about comparing ourselves to others.  Don't.  There will be plenty of times when you don't feel like you measure up, but when you find that thing you are good at and you work to improve it you can be unstoppable.  You may not be good at everything.  You may not be as talented in certain areas as others. But God has given you something that you can do.

1 Corinthians 12:5-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good... [and] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

It the ostrich spends all it's time trying to be a stork it will be very disappointed and consider it's life worth little.  But when and ostrich runs, when it does what it was created to do, nothing can compare.

If you're on ostrich - be an ostrich.

What To Do In A Storm

Day 225:  Job 38 & Ezra 9

There are a lot of storm references in the Bible.

• Imagine the storms during creation
• The storms that brought about the flood of Noah's day
• It was a storm that destroyed the home of Job's son, killing all of his children
• Elijah witnessed incredible storms while in the mountains waiting to hear God's voice
• The disciples thought they would die during several storm on the Sea of Galilee - once while Jesus was sleeping in the boat and again when they saw Jesus walking on the water
• There was a pretty big storm when Jesus died while on the cross and 
• There will be a pretty fantastic storm when the sky gets ripped open when Jesus returns to establish His eternal Kingdom.

There were lots of natural storms in the bible but perhaps no one experienced a greater personal storm than Job.   Over the last 37 chapter in Job we've heard about how Job's difficulties began and we've heard reasons, ideas and opinions about "why" from Job's friends.  

But now it gets to my favorite part of the story of Job's life, when God begins to answer.  And I love the first verse here:  "Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm."

Once again we see God connected to a storm.  And I'm not sure whether it was a natural storm (there is no indication that it was storming from the text) or if it was more like, the Lord spoke to Job in the midst of his storm... either way the storm is happening.

I have lived in the mid-West for 24 years now and we get some pretty good storms.  Thunderstorms and hail and tornadoes and even straight-line winds.  Storms are pretty impressive and I have often taken to standing on the porch to watch the sky as the storms begin to form.  I've even had occasion to see a few funnels begin to form and stretch down to the earth.  And I even got to see the aftermath of the Joplin Missouri tornado when our church took supplies to the struggling area.

Storms represent well the chaos of life.  The driving winds and soaking rain.  The damaging and fire-starting lightning and even the darkness.  In light of comedian and actor Robin Williams suicide we're all keenly aware of the darkness that often accompanies storms.  When the storm is raging we're not sure we're going to survive and when it is over we often wonder if we'll ever recover.  

That's why it's interesting to me that God chooses to speak "out of the storm."  And I wonder if there is something God wants us to catch in this.  God speaks out of the storm.  When our world is falling apart and we don't know if we'll survive - at our darkest hour and in the most dreaded of moments God speaks out of the storm.  I think there is a reason for this.  I think God wants us to understand that there is no power in heaven or on earth that is big enough, strong enough or devastating enough to scare God away from desiring to be right there with us.  Romans 8:35 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"  

Storms don't only represent the chaos of life they represent the power of God over the storm as seen when Jesus calms the storms with the words, "peace. be still."  The power of God in the storm as Elijah witness the rocks split and the mountains heave.  And the power of God through the storm as we see in Job.  

In the midst of your storm - whatever it is and no matter how black, wet or powerful it is God is speaking out of that storm something that you need to hear.  Listen.  I wonder if the outcome of the events of that led to Robin Williams death would be different if he had heard God out of the storm... 

Today, in whatever storm you face at home, at work or just inside yourself God is speaking out of your storm and into your life, listen.