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When Wings Make Flight

March 21, 2012 by areliablefaith

The most wonderous and perhaps the most hazardous period in a bird’s life is when it first learns to fly. Given wings by the Creator a bird is meant to fly. Yet in those first few days of flight a young bird is liable to find itself on the ground stranded and within reach of cats and other animals that are more likely to swallow it than help it back up into a tree.  New believers are a lot like those young birds.  Entering a life changing relationship with the Lord gives us wings and prompts us to desire flight.  But it is dangerous to believe we are ready for all the world, the flesh, and the devil are going to throw at us now that we are on God’s side opposing them.  We must realize that becoming a believer in Jesus Christ means we are at war.  The verse, “the devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” certainly applies and new believers are his particular target.  Knowing this to be true and having a daughter who is enthusiastically embracing her newfound faith, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few keys that I have learned about flying the flight God created us to fly.

As in many list of “To Do’s” the following will be categorized into what I understand are 1) Must Do, 2) Ought to Do, and 3) Nice to Do.  I encourage you to ask the Lord to highlight to you which of these you need to prioritize more or less.

MUST DO

1) Get an easy to understand bible and dive in.  I read several translations, but I recommend getting one that has a fair amount of scholarship behind it like the NIV or NASB.  While all the bible is “God-breathed” (See 2 Tim 3:16) the gospels are the best place to start.  Get to know Jesus, our Saviour and Lord.  After the Gospels I would move through the New Testament before tackling large portions of the Old Testament.  I have gone through Psalms and Proverbs a number of times reading small sections each day with longer readings from the New Testament. 

2) Since the bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding as you read.  It is His story and He wants you to understand and apply it to your life.  Take time to think about what the Word of God is saying.  This time of meditating upon the Word should be intentional.  A time to quietly talk to God and listen for Him to speak through His Word is a vital element in our life.

3) Talk with God.  When we are His, God says He will never leave us or forsake us.  Take time to begin to converse with Him.  This will begin with our talking… most of the time.  But be aware that He will impress truths from the bible upon your heart.  That is one of the ways He communes with us.  There are many types of prayer: adoration where we simply glory in Who God is, supplication where we lay our needs before Him, intercession where we lift up the needs of others, confession where we open our hearts to God and pour out the dirty laundry of our lives and ask His forgiveness.  All of these have their time.  But every day set aside time to just talk with the Lord.  And whenever you think of Him offer up a word of thanks.

4) Find a local body of believers and join them.  The Church was God’s idea.  He calls the Church His bride.  Therefore we should joyfully seek out a faithful, bible-believing, gospel-living church and join.  As in all our decisions after we become believers we should ask Him to guide us.  Sadly not all churches are faithful or bible-believing, or gospel-living.  Steer clear of those churches.  The Lord wants you to be plugged in and nurtured so He will guide your steps.

5) Give.  Jesus is our model… He GAVE His life for us.  God is our model… He GAVE His only begotten Son.  We are encouraged to give over and over.  I suggest reading about giving and tithing then praying for God’s guidance in this area.  Jesus talked about money more than prayer.  I think it is because money and how we handle it are a much clearer indicator of the condition of our heart than whether we pray or not.  Prayer comes easily and in a way it is usually doesn’t cost much.  Tithing always costs us, but the growth of our faith is assured when we tithe trusting in God to provide.

OUGHT TO DO

7) Get plugged into a small group.  This may happen through your association with a local church, but if not then seek out a group of believers who share your faith and a lot of your interests.  If there is a co-worker, a neighbor, or friend who exemplifies the faith you want to have, ask them if they know of any small groups that might accept a new person.  As in seeking a church to join, pray for the Lord to help you land in the right place. 

8) Seek ways to minister to others.  I am not talking about immediately getting a guitar and beginning street evangelism.  I am saying take an inventory of your giftedness (and God has given everyone at least one gift and usually more than one) and offer it up to God.  The list of ways to minister is just about limitless.  To minister is to simply find ways to reach out and help others in Jesus name. 

9) There are 3 types of individuals that everyone should have in their life – a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy or in other words a Mentor, a Friend and Peer, and a young protegé. 

Paul in the bible was a leader in the early church and wrote many of the New Testament epistles.  One of the characteristics of Paul’s life was that He took a few individuals under His wing and acted as a mentor to these younger believers.  So a Paul is a mature believer who can mentor you. 

Barnabas was a peer with Paul.  Barnabas was known as an encourager.  He acted as an intermediary in a personality clash between believers and helped bring reconciliation.  So a Barnabas is a friend and peer in the faith.

Timothy was one of the young men that Paul mentored.  He was following in Paul’s footsteps although he seemed to lack a lot of Paul’s confidence early on.  Two of the epistles are actually letters from Paul to Timothy where Paul exhorts Timothy in the work of the church.  Timothy is a young believer that you can pour into from what God has given you.

A word of caution here as I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me – these should be persons of the same sex as you.  If you are male these persons should be male and if you are female then they should be female.

10) Practice spiritual introspection.  Those are fancy words that simply mean you ask God to reveal things in your life that need to change and then, with His help, you change them.  If you are doing the things mentioned above; reading the Word, Praying, having Godly fellowship then these will come up sooner rather than later.  I was intentional about this early in my walk and there were several things that I realized did not fit with the new person that I had become.  The bible says we are a “new creation”.  It is incongruous to be a new creation and walk in the same old sin.  You will not know lasting peace until you go through this.  In reality you will still have deep-rooted things to address later as you mature, so you might as well get started early.

11) Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.  This is closely related to the item above.  I would rather put this in the must do list, but…

I am a strong-willed person.  That can be positive and negative.  In the positive, when I commit to something I am going to fulfill my commitment.  In the negative, I can go good places that God did not intend for me to go.  I have realized that I must be submitted to God completely, even to the point of giving Him authority over my will.  When we are born again His Holy Spirit is placed within us.  However the Holy Spirit is a gentleman.  He does not dominate or dictate.  He moves and fills what we give over to Him.  I realized I wanted the Holy Spirit to fill all of me.  That is my continual prayer… God have your way in me completely.  Holy Spirit fill me completely.  He has transformed much of me and I anxiously await His continuing work in me.  I urge new believers to begin this transformation. 

NICE TO DO

12) Begin reading good literature.  CS Lewis is my favorite author.  There are outstanding thinkers and there are outstanding writers.  CS Lewis was one of the greatest of both.  There is a plethora of great things to read that edify the mind and spirit.  I encourage you to read deeply of the godly authors and classic literature.

13) Begin listening to uplifting music.  There is an area of our soul that music touches that talks, sermons, and writings can’t quite reach.  Music that glorifies God is a balm that soothes the spirit.  While my personal preference is contemporary christian music, there is much that does not specifically fall under that genre that can still be refreshing and uplifting.  For both of these two follow the admonition of Philippians 4:8, “Fix your thought on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  This about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

14) Get fit.  The bible says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  We should treat that temple as something special.  Diet, exercise, and getting out of addictive and hurtful habits should become our goal.  While this may have the same end result physically as getting in shape for vanity reasons, it is radically different.  We don’t look good for others to admire.  We are fit because we are made in God’s image and we are special to Him.

15) Work diligently.  As Christians we reflect on our Lord.  If we are poor workers then we give people a bad impression of the Lord.  Paul admonishes us to “work as unto the Lord.”  We should be the top performers where we work because we have reasons to have a great attitude, we are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, and we know that God’s got our back.

These are 15 areas that I have found as helpful in my walk with Christ.  Even as I wrap up I can think of other helpful steps, but for now these will do.  Please send comments with the steps that you found most needful when you first came to faith in Jesus.  I would love to hear from you.

Take care and God Bless.

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Who’s in Charge?

March 20, 2012 by areliablefaith

Bob Dylan, one of the most influential figures in 20th century music wrote a song “Gotta Serve Somebody” which won a Grammy Award in 1980.  The chorus of the song was;

You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

The premise is that everyone has to serve someone.  Ultimately it gets down to two choices – the devil or the Lord.  He was right. 

Joshua was the leader of the Israel during one of the most successful periods of the nation’s existence.  He took over from Moses as the 40 year sojourn in the desert was ending and the conquest of the Promised Land was about to commence.  The time of apprenticeship was over and the mantle of leadership had been passed.  Moses had been left on the other side of the Jordan River and Joshua and the people had just crossed the Jordan River as described in Joshua 4.  Notice that in verse 14 Joshua becomes a great leader in the eyes of Israel on the day that they cross the Jordan River.  In truth he had not accomplished very much at this point, but God’s favor came upon him at that point and his leadership never wavered after that.

At the end of Joshua 5 there is an exchange recorded that puts into context why Joshua was a great leader and why Israel was so successful during his leadership.  As they approach Jericho, the first city to conquer, Joshua meets a “Man”.  Joshua did not know who it was other than it was not one of the Israelites.  He confronts the man with sword drawn.  I believe the man was one of two persons – either this Jesus or Michael, the arch angel.  (My best guess is Jesus because He does not rebuke Joshua for falling down in worship and in other instances when men fall down at the feet of an angel they are gently rebuked and told not to worship them.  Also the fact that He is told to take off his sandals for the place is holy harkens back to Moses and the burning bush.) 

Two important points come out of this brief exchange.  First the man does NOT tell Joshua that he is on his side, but that he is the commander of the Lord’s army.  I think it is very important to note that God does not pick sides.  God is God, He IS the side that it right, good, and true.  We have a choice to be on His side, but He does not take sides.  He is always the side of good.  (What does this says about praying for God to help our team win a sporting event?)  Second, Joshua immediately submits himself to the will of the man.  I am convinced that Joshua’s submission to the Lord was the reason for both his success and the success of Israel under his leadership.  The chain of command was clearly focused up to God.

The nation of Israel had not come to this place in a single instant of clarity, “Oh I think I will wholeheartedly submit myself to the Lord for the rest of my life” and then immediately they were successful.  They had seen God’s faithfulness and miracles over time.  They had been practicing faith and training themselves in obedience for 40 years in the desert.  They took note that what God said, He did.  The result was they knew God was Who He said He was and they willingly submitted themselves to Him.  There was only one Lord and He was God.

Jesus picks up this theme often.  He articulates this in the sermon on the mount in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other; your will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”  You will serve someone or something and it is prudent to consider carefully your choice.

I don’t believe it is wrong to recognize that there are other things that can fill the blank where the word money is… fame, power, self, a political agenda, etc.  There are so many things that can take the place of preeminence in our lives.  When any thing other than the Lord is our top priority we have lapsed into idolatry.  Anything that takes the place rightfully Gods’ is an idol.  I know that my reputation and what people thought of me has been an idol at times.  I want people to like me and think well of me.  However, this can be a trap if it becomes more important than doing what the Lord says and following Him with my whole life. 

What are the things in your life that vie for “top spot” in your thoughts, hopes, and dreams?  Be aware that we are so easily led that these things which might begin seemingly closely tied to our faith in God, can take us places we never expected to go. 

I am reminded of a special season of prayer when I was living in Louisiana.  I was up late at night praising and praying to the Lord.  I was in our closet and I was specifically praying for my brother back east.  I remember the Lord speaking to my heart and saying, “Dan, I am going to give you the desires of your heart.”  I immediately responded, “No Lord, not my desires but yours.”  To which He immediately replied, “That is why I am going to give you the desires of your heart.”  Shortly after that circumstances rapidly changed and I was given an opportunity to move back east closer to family.  It was a wonderful blessing that I believe came directly from submitting myself to the Lord wholeheartedly.  (I don’t even think I was praying for this, but it was a desire of my heart.)

Joshua and the nation of Israel were able to conquer the promised land because they were submitted to God wholeheartedly.  God was fully in charge.  We can be confident that when we truly submit to the Lord, He will faithfully lead us.  All other paths are dead-ends.  While they may seem right for a time, if they are not leading to living for the Lord then they are leading away from Him.  And like Bob Dylan says there are ultimately two choices in who we serve.

 

One final quote from Bob Dylan’s “born-again” years.  I find it interesting.

Years ago they … said I was a prophet. I used to say, “No I’m not a prophet” they say “Yes you are, you’re a prophet.” I said, “No it’s not me.” They used to say “You sure are a prophet.” They used to convince me I was a prophet. Now I come out and say Jesus Christ is the answer. They say, “Bob Dylan’s no prophet.” They just can’t handle it.[183]

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Blessings

March 18, 2012 by areliablefaith

The Doxology is running through my head today.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

My family is in the middle of one of the richest seasons of blessing that we have ever walked in.  Some of them are truly huge like restoration with a child you have loved for years, but not quite had the relationship that you wanted.  Others are a bit more subtle like the change in me where the feeling of being “put upon” and overwhelmed by so many chores has been displaced by an attitude of peace and even joy at being able to serve.  Being a bit analytical I really want to understand why this has happened so it can become the norm if possible.  I would also like to share this with others because it appears that most people experience more cloudy days than sunshine and I would like to help them enjoy the sunshine.

First off, we are not people without trials.  We have a broken leg in the house and a Momma who is limited in what she can do.  She is steadily improving, but there are plenty of ways that she could be discouraged.  But she is not.  In fact a number of the blessings flow directly out of Lisa’s attitude and approach to her broken leg.  Even though she has been in a lot of pain, she has not shown it.  The past several days she has pushed herself to do as much normal life as possible.  The result is a growing sense of normalcy for the family, but what they don’t see is the leg swelling and pain at night.  Instead of letting this get her down Lisa is relying upon the Lord more than ever before.  Her words of encouragement from out of her affliction are uplifting.  God is honoring that growing faith in tangible ways.

The prophet Jeremiah was God’s spokesman to the nation of Israel at one of their darkest times – the captivity in Babylon.  In the midst of that captivity God had Jeremiah send a letter to the exiles in Babylon.  This is found in Jeremiah 29.  God dictated this letter not only for the Jewish people of that day, but for all of us who find ourselves is difficult and seemingly impossible situations.  Verses 11 – 13 are God speaking to every single person.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you.”

We are experiencing this in our life right now.

So the reasons we are in the season of blessing are summed up in this scripture.  1) Call upon God, 2) Come to God, 3) Pray to God, 4) Seek God, 5) Seek God with all your heart.

As I look at this list I realize for the first time how the progression is exactly what happened to me at my conversion.  It is also the path I have followed since that time when I have begun to stray from the life God has called me to.  And it is what has happened to us through what we are calling “Momma’s broken leg season”.

Call upon God.  The beginning is to realize that there is a Someone greater than all others.  It can be in recognizing that all of creation with it’s infinite complexity and interconnectedness had to begin with an intelligent design.  It was not a cosmic accident.  To believe in no design is to ignore the obvious and takes infinitely more faith than to believe there is a design behind it all.  If there is an intelligent design then there must be a designer.  Call out to that designer.  He is God and He is patiently waiting for each one of His children to turn to Him.  Calling out to God can be an act of desperation since it often begins when we have run out of other options.  How much better if we do not wait until we are desperate.  A broken leg got us ALL calling out to God.

Come to God.  Coming to God must be by faith and it must be based upon truth.  When we are totally honest we realize that we cannot in our own righteousness approach a holy God.  Now there are a lot of “religious” approaches that we can try in approaching God, but from everything I have observed and experienced, God is not impressed with religion.  In fact religion is often an expression of man trying to fit God into a box.  We do this so we can control God or so we don’t have to deal with the thing that prevents us from approaching God, our sin.  God is a spiritual being who wants to relate to us directly.  He made that possible by becoming a man – Jesus, and living among us.  And through Jesus, God dealt with the problem of sin that keeps us separate from a Holy God.  Through faith in Jesus, we can enter into a living, vital relationship with God.  When we recognise our sin and turn away from it and toward God we can be immediately brought close to Him.  For several of us walking through “momma’s broken leg season” we have been given pause to look at our lives and realize that we needed to come to God through repentance.

Pray to God.  Once we have established that relationship by coming to God through faith in His Son, Jesus, we begin the work of growing in that relationship.  Now no one can expect a relationship to grow without ongoing interaction.  This interaction is found in our conversation with God called prayer.  Fortunately for us, He has given us an absolutely trustworthy account of His will in the written word – the Bible.  Even though God already knows every detail of our life, He enjoys speaking with us about it.  As I have shared before I have experienced God speaking directly to my heart on a number of occasions.  Most of these were when I was speaking to Him and He chose to impress something upon my heart in a way that I knew it was Him.  On a few occasions it was more spontaneous, yet it was still coming from a prayerful life.  Never have I heard anything that contradicted scripture.  I have had some of my religious beliefs blown up, but the scripture has never been violated.  And in most cases what the Lord spoke was directly tied to His written Word.  For Lisa and I we have been reading a wonderful devotional titled “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young.  The Lord has used this devotional and the accompanying scriptures numerous times over the past two months to speak directly to our hearts.

Seek God.  If prayer is talking to God, then seeking God is diving into a deep conversation with Him.  Where prayer is telling God about your day and asking for His help with a few things, then seeking God is laying aside the more trivial aspects of living and beginning to search out God’s purpose for you in this life.  It will encompass a diligent and more personal search of the scripture.  Many people have studied scripture to learn what it says and gather information.  The Pharisees were accomplished at this.  But God wants us to study scripture to meet Him and get to know Him more and more intimately.  We must strive to KNOW Jesus, not know ABOUT Jesus.  One of the saddest things in life is to know the bible and miss the Word.

In this season we have seen our prayer blossom into times of earnestly seeking God.

Seek God with all your heart.  Finally there is the total immersion in loving God and being exactly who He has created us to be.  The best illustration of the difference in Seeking God and Seeking God with all your heart is the difference between courtship and marriage.  While Lisa and I were dating I was convinced she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.  We believed that we knew each other well enough to make that kind of commitment but we also knew we didn’t know everything.  In the courtship there was still the option to chose to go another direction.  When we said “I do” we sealed our commitment to each other, and to God, that our hearts were melded together from that point on.  There are no other options.  Lisa has my heart, it is hers.  And I have her heart.  The bible says the two become one flesh.  If we can set aside what man has done in his brokeness to minimize the beautiful covenant of marriage and get the picture of what God was doing when He established marriage, we can see it wonderfully reflects what God wants for us with Him… the melding of our heart with His in a forever relationship.

Back to why we are experiencing such a season of blessing, I believe that God is prompting us in this way so that we will truly seek Him with all our heart.  I believe that together we are closer than we have ever been.  We are not there yet.  We still have areas to be transformed.  And like in the courtship stage where we don’t know what we don’t know, I am sure there are still areas in each of our lives that the Father will bring to light that must be dealt with.  However He is gently, consistently leading us on to that point.  And right now I am just so thankful that He is lovingly at work in my family and me that the doxology keeps running through my head.

By the way Lisa wants me to know that there only needs to be one “Momma’s broken leg season”.  She is encouraged by all that has transpired and the blessings that have flowed forth.  But she said the next time we need this type of spiritual shake up she said it is my turn… Praise God from whom all blessings flow…

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When Prodigals Return

March 17, 2012 by areliablefaith

There is rejoicing in heaven when a prodigal child returns home.  The joy of the parents here on earth is pretty intense too.  Today I am experiencing that joy.  I mentioned in an earlier post that my wife’s broken leg has been the catalyst for so much positive in our lives.  Last night one of our children said to me, “Dad, I hate that Mom broke her leg, but I have to tell you it changed my life.”  And I have been watching that transformation for weeks now in silent thanksgiving, but last night as she said that I could no longer be silent in my thanksgiving… Alleluia, Thank You Heavenly Father!!!

Our child has been going through a very difficult time at work.  She has some very legitimate issues with promises that were made to her by leadership but broken by the next round of leaders to step in.  The flesh side of our nature is so volatile.  When we feel wronged it is natural to become angry, frustrated, upset – all normal responses.  But also not responses that should rule over us.  Another comment she made was that when she prayed to God she asked what she had done wrong she was immediately reminded of the verse – Love your neighbor as yourself.  Her response was repentance and forgiveness.  And God has taken away the depth and pain of the emotions as she did so.  As we talked I could clearly see a woman who has been through a mighty battle emerging victorious.  She is a bit battered and bruised, but victorious none-the-less.  God is working in her life and for the first time in a long time they are working diligently together.

One side note, shortly after Lisa broke her leg our daughter shared some of her work turmoil with me.  Obviously it became a prayer concern of mine.  I run a good bit so I was praying for her as I ran.  I distinctly remember as I got to the cul-de-sac at the end of our neighborhood the Lord speaking to my heart.  He said, “When R gets to the end of herself, she will find Me”.  When I got home I mentioned it to my wife.  Last night’s conversation was the fulfillment of that word.  (I just noticed the symbolism in that the Lord spoke when I hit the cul-de-sac and had to turn around…Wow)

That reminds me of another thing she said, “You know we are all Prodigals to one extent or another.” From my experience I believe so.  I know I rebelled against God and His moral law.  Several of those persons who I look to as examples of godly virtue have shared that they were once rebels against God.  And this agrees with the scripture in Romans 3:23  All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  I am so thankful that God made a way to reconcile us to Himself and to others.  Jesus and His sacrifice on our behalf has made a way for us to be put in right standing with God.  And He gives us His Holy Spirit to live within us as He transforms us from the rebels we once were to the saints He has destined us to be.  What glory and wonder we get to experience!

Today I am so thankful to God.  He promises that if we train up a child in the way they should go, when they are old they will not depart from it.  I have believed that for 20+ years.  Today that believing is seeing.  He promises that if we pray believing, then we shall have that which we pray for.  Today we have one of the most precious things we have been praying for.  He describes the love He has for the prodigal child and the loving response when they return.  Today our daughter is embraced by her Heavenly Father (and as soon as I can get my arms around her by me too!).  There is a robe with her name on it and a fattened calf that is mooing its last moo somewhere as well.

Alleluia, Praise the Name of the Living Lord – Who was and is and is to come.  Honor, Glory, Power, and Praise be unto Him forever and ever. AMEN!

 

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Prayer, Power to Transform

March 16, 2012 by areliablefaith

Why do we pray?  The first time we pray is usually based upon our need and our inability to fulfill that need.  It is a cry for help not unlike an infant who can do nothing for themself and must have someone else tend to all their needs.  However just like that infant that grows and matures, so to our prayer, or more correctly our life, should grow and mature as we continue to live connected to God our heavenly Father.  I believe the most important purpose of prayer is not the fulfillment of our specific prayer needs, but transformation.  The consistent, progressive development of the mind of Christ.  2Corinthian 3:18 says, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Prayer is our on-going communication with God who is our Father.  For me the imagery of God as Father is full and rich as I was blessed with a wonderful dad who loved, taught, corrected, coached, and poured life into us all the while looking toward the day when I would be a man and father in my own right.  While not everyone is fortunate enough to have an earthly father who modeled traits that forshadowed our heavenly Father, that does not limit God.  The bible also says He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother and He is a wonderful counselor.  The point is that God is able to meet us wherever we are and relate to us in a manner that begins the transformation process inside us.  That process begins as we begin that conversation with Him called prayer.

Before going further I want to point out that I am not making light of the many other purposes of prayer such as intercession for the needs of others, prayer for guidance, prayers of praise and adoration, etc.  In fact I believe that all of these carry within them the ability to transform us and others.  There was a time when I was engaged in a focused period of prayer with 2 – 3 others for an hour early every morning.  One day after leaving the Prayer Tower and going to work I was flushed with the joy that comes from spending quality time with the Father and other believers.  A little later that morning one of the admin assistants, Chris, asked me if I knew a young man who had worked at the mill.  It turns out the young man, Tim, had felt called to missions and was in Singapore with his new wife and they had just found out he had lukemia with no money and few good options.  I immediately said I didn’t know Tim, but I knew Tim’s Father and that we should go to Him and ask for Him to heal Tim.  We prayed right there and I was totally confident that God heard.  A few weeks later Chris stopped me and told me Tim had gotten to the Philipines and they were planning a procedure which among other things meant he would never be able to have children.  Well we prayed again including asking that the Lord would not make Tim unable to father children.  God answered those prayers over time.  Tim was healed, he was not sterile, he is a father now, and he continues to minister.  I never met Tim personally and I know my prayer was joined with many others in interceding for this young man and his wife.  However I know this on-going prayer with the Father helped build faith for me, for Chris, and for Tim and his family.

I have heard people say that God answers prayer with a “Yes”, a “No”, or “Wait”.  I know for a while I suscribed to this simplified explanation and on a rudimentary level that can be applied.  However this simplification of prayer tends to reinforce a picture of God as Santa Claus… “Yes, here is your present”, “No, this is not your present”, or “Wait it’s not your turn for a present”.  In our early days of walking with Him God may seem more like Santa – a distant, benevolent giver of gifts, but in reality He is so much more.  And He wants us to become so much more than consumers of gifts.  His goal is that we become obediant loving children who are being changed into the likeness of His Son, Jesus.

While yes, no, and wait may apply it is always accompanied with a conversation – if we are still and take time to listen.  I’ve just had a major decision come up.  I have been praying for guidance and asking a few close friends to join with me in seeking God’s will.  Well the answer came, but it was wrapped in a conversation with the One who loves me more than I can even imagine.  While I am happy to have a clear answer, my joy is even greater that I am a child of God Who is intimately involved in my life.  And even better He is continuously working in my life to transform me.  I know I am still far from where God is taking me.  Those who know me well can still see plenty of work for God to do, but He is making progress.  And so it is with all of us.  God wants to work in us, He wants to converse with us.  He wants to love us in tangible ways that we can see, feel, and hear.

I encourage you to take time to just tell God what’s on your heart today.  He already knows but He likes to hear it from you.  As you pour this out read His word and listen for His voice.  He will speak life into you.  He will transform your places of pain into places of victory because He loves you!

Be blessed and be a blessing.

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Laughter the Lubricant of Life, Prov 17:22

March 15, 2012 by areliablefaith

I’m convinced that laughter is the lubricant of life.  Being a Maintenance and Reliability Engineer I know a bit about lubricants.  Rotating equipment will only run a little while without the proper lubricant before friction will begin to generate heat, wear, and damage.  In a similar way disagreements and conflict will bring about heat, wear, and damage in our relationships.  Laughter, like a good lubricant, minimizes the friction caused when two persons come into close contact.

There are four primary considerations for a lubricant that ensure success.  The first is that the correct lubricant be selected.  The final three all relate to quality of the lube – clean, cool, and dry.  For simplicity sake I am going to talk about oil when referring to lubricant even though there are different types of lubricants other than oil.  Most people know that they need to have oil in their car’s engine so that imagery will work well in our illustration.

Let’s look at the first key trait.  The proper oil must be used to achieve the maximum life for your vehicle.  Viscosity is the term for the resistance to flow.  Think of honey and water.  Honey is much slower at flowing because it has a much higher viscosity than water.  If you live in northern climates you must use a lower viscosity oil because the oil must be able to continue to flow even when the temperatures are very low.  The same oil would not give the desired results in the tropics because it would be “too thin”.  With laughter there are different types as well.  The laughter of children happy and content, the good-natured ribbing between friends, the giggle of a young lady as she talks to a boy she likes, the deep belly laugh as we relive an embarrassing but humorous incident we encountered, the mature laughter of spouses as they recount the perils and pleasures of marriage… the list could go on.

While there are less desirable forms of laughter such as laughing at another person’s expense, there are so many positive benefits of appropriate laughter that is pays to cultivate a healthy sense of humor.  This brings me to the first of the quality traits – clean.  Since the purpose of a lubricant is to keep metal parts that are very close together from touching and creating friction it is important that there not be contaminants that bridge the gap between the parts.  Dirt consists of very small, but very hard particles.  Dirt in oil can easily fill the gap between parts and cause localized friction and damage in parts.  In this way the oil can actually carry damaging material into the places where it is not supposed to be which will actually perpetuate the damage.  This is why we have filters on our lube to remove the contaminants from the oil before it returns into the tight spaces between the metal parts.  In a similar manner I have seen and benefited from laughter that carries away pain, suffering, and stress bit by bit.  If laughter is the oil that sweeps in and carries away pain, suffering, and stress then a filter has to be present to actually capture this “contaminant”.  I have found God more than happy to help in this regard.  His filter is called forgiveness.  I have learned that when the laughter removes some of my pain and carries it through forgiveness it comes back without the sting.

The next trait of oil is that it be cool.  Friction generates heat.  Heat while a natural result of equipment performing its intended function is generally an enemy when it gets too high.  Almost all materials expand as they become hotter.  With very small spaces between parts, high heat can actually cause this small space to close up and friction and damage result.  Oil flowing in the small space actually picks up heat and carries it away.  In our relationships we often work in close quarters with others.  This can be in the office, on the shop floor, or in our marriage and family.  We will not always see everything eye-to-eye.  Stress and heat within relationships is a natural result.  Appropriate humor and laughter is crucial in carrying away this heat and enabling productive relationships to thrive.

The final quality trait of oil is that it be dry.  Now those who know me will immediately think of my attempts at humor that come up rather dry… that is not my point here.  We have already mentioned that oil’s primary function is to prevent metal to metal contact between moving parts.  The viscosity of oil gives it characteristics where it does not flow or get squeezed out of the small space between parts even if there is a good deal of pressure.  However water does not have this capability due to its extremely low viscosity.  It will immediately be displaced or squeezed out as it goes through the very tight space between moving parts.  This allows metal to metal contact and all the negative impacts that come from this.  The metaphor for water in relationships are the unkind, hurtful, or cutting things that are sometimes present.  These can wound quickly and if untended these wounds can fester into something much worse.  Laughter can reduce the pain at the point of impact and it can lessen the amount of injury sustained.  This is similar to an oil’s ability to hold moisture that might be present in solution so that it doesn’t form actual water droplets which can be devastating to an engine.  Laughter can help carry us through some of life’s hardest and most challenging of times without our being crushed.

Although I have seen many try to rely on laughter and a well-developed sense of humor alone to carry them through, this is not enough.  Honesty, courage, patience, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23) are all essential elements in a well-rounded and fruitful life.  Laughter plays a vital role though.  Jesus Himself used humor that is captured in the scriptures more than once.  (I personally love the pun He used in giving Simon the name Peter, which means little rock or pebble and then Upon this Rock, meaning Himself, He would found the church.)  Living with 12 disciples… on-the-road…with minimal showers…with a Judas in the group…with the constant threat from the religious leaders and Roman rulers… Yes a little laughter was probably necessary and I suspect it was rather common.

Have a good chortle, chuckle, guffaw, or giggle today and remember, laughter is the lubricant of life.

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Ebenezer

March 11, 2012 by areliablefaith

We all need a few Ebenezer’s.

Samuel was the last of the old testament Judges. During Samuel’s day the Israelites and the Philistines were constant enemies. In 1 Samuel 7 we read a story about one of the clashes between these two groups. The Israelites had come to a point of contrition and through the leadership of Samuel they were engaged in a time of corporate repentance and rededication to the Lord at a place called Mizpah. The Philistines took note and decided this was a golden opportunity to attack hoping to wipeout their enemy while they were distracted with their religious activity.  The Israelites were not ready for battle and fear seized them as they realized the Philistines were soon to be upon them.  The Israelites cried out to God and He responded.  God thundered from the heavens throwing the Philistines into confusion.  Then the Israelites attacked and the ensuing battle was a rout with the Israelites defeating the Philistines all along the way back to their land.  After the victory Samuel instructed the people to set up a large stone in that place which he named Ebenezer which means “the stone of help”.

As I look back over my life I see several Ebenezers, several memorials of when God showed up in marvelous, miraculous, mighty ways.  These show up in the God-stories our family tells when we get together.  They are the touchstones I go back to when facing difficulties.  They are the faith strengthening memories that I rely on when the present is either dark and challenging or bland and boring.  (I don’t do bland and boring well.)

Take a few moments to ask God to remind you of the times when He showed up with the help you needed.  The bible says God is “an ever-present help in times of trouble.”  If you have walked with God then you have received His help, possibly more than you even realize.  After you have thought of a few times God showed up ask Him to help you create an Ebenezer to commemorate them.  It doesn’t have to be a rock on the side of the road, but I suggest it be something tangible.  For me it is family stories.  For you it might be a poem, a song, a verse, a picture… something that captures for you a reminder of God’s help when you really needed it.  Next I suggest that you put this in a place where you can periodically take it out and remember what God has done for you.  Let this remind you how much He loves you.

God truly is an ever-present help.  He desires to be involved in our lives, but He is also a gentleman.  He does not force Himself upon us.  Look to Him and ask Him to get involved with you right now in whatever you are dealing with.  Don’t wait for the big problems like when the Philistines (or their modern-day equivalent) are breathing down your neck.  Call upon Him for guidance and help on the daily issues of living more fully for Him today.  Then follow His lead.

Have a blessed day my friend.

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Hope Lifts

March 10, 2012 by areliablefaith

Hope is one of the most precious of virtues.  Hope is the warm, gentle breeze in late winter that let’s us know spring is coming.  Hope is the bridge across fiery trials that gets us safely home.  Hope is an anchor when all around is chaos and tumult so that we are not blown away and crushed in despair.  Hope lifts us when anything, perhaps everything, tries to weigh us down.  Like several of the most crucial virtues of life, Hope is a gift from God and it is an attribute that is built and solidified as we walk with God.

The scriptures are full of hope.  Job is one of the oldest, if not the oldest recorded book in the bible.  Job’s story is one of great abundance lost.  In his misery Job has the dubious pleasure of three friends coming to comfort him.  They sit with Job for a week before their patience gets the best of them and they begin to explain to Job why all these bad things happened to him.  So in addition to his loss Job is now dealing with people he has considered friends giving rebukes and advice rather than comfort and hope.  Job does demonstrate a degree of pride and even anger, but he also expresses that virtue which helps carry him through, “Though He (God) slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)  No matter what happens Job is going to stake his future on God and His character.  And that is a very safe thing to do.

Pastor P has been preaching about the three Hebrew slaves in Babylon who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold idol and were thrown into a blazing furnace.  The king gave them one final chance to renounce their rebellion against his command and save themselves but this was their reply.  “O Nebuchadnezzar we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan 3:16-18)  Theirs was a faith in God and a settled hope that God would deliver them either from the fire or through it.  And He did.

Hebrews 11 is often called the hall of faith as the writer catalogs a virtual hall of fame of faith.  The chapter begins with these words, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb 11:1) Faith in God and the Hope that I am describing today are inextricably linked.  In many cases faith is the action we take and hope is the foundation from which that faith springs and the product that faith delivers.  But it is able to deliver because it is real, God really does show up.

In Romans 5:1-5 Paul places hope and faith into perspective.  “Therefore since we have been justified through faith we have peace with God through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

One of the greatest stories of hope in my life began in January of 2007.  After working in a paper mill for 17 years in various maintenance leadership roles I had taken a position as a corporate staff person.  I had been working in my new role for about 6 months when rumors began circulating that the group I was attached to was going to be either downsized or eliminated.  (Note: Rumors are torpedos purposed with scuttling faith and sinking hope!)  Just before Christmas I was shipped back to my old mill to give them help through a major outage.  While I did this willingly, this tended to reinforce the idea that my corporate staff job was disappearing.  If they could live without me for 2 months why was I necessary.  While I was away on assignment the rumors grew even stronger.

At the mill I was offered a position and part of the sales pitch the manager gave was “because it appears your job is going away”.  I was fairly satisfied with the new corporate role I was in and I definitely resist being bullied into things.  I put off the manager and completed the outage support without addressing his offer.  The day after the outage was over the announcement came that our company was merging with our biggest competitor.  Even at the time most of us considered this troubling news at best.  I then called the manager to discuss his job offer.  His reply was, “Things have changed and that offer is no longer on the table.”  My first thought after I hung up was “Oh boy, I might have screwed up”.  But I gave this up to God and put my trust in Him.  I don’t know about everyone else, but for me crisis, particularly ones that I know have the potential of negatively impacting the persons I love tend to force me to my knees in prayer.  And that is where I went.

In the few days I had before I reported back to my corporate job I had plenty of time to consider walking in to a pink slip and what would I do.  It’s funny because usually I am a big planner.  I try to anticipate difficulties and avoid them or at least prepare for them.  When I go camping or I travel I usually take too much stuff just for this reason.  Yet in this instance I remember specifically just going to the Lord in prayer.  I was walking into this knowing that I was trusting in God to somehow see me through.  It was a walk of faith… I am not saying it was an amazingly strong faith, just an acceptance that I could not control what was going to happen, but the God who I served was big enough to see us through no matter what happened.

On Monday morning I got up early and had a good quiet time with the Lord.  As I finished my devotion I fixed my bowl of cereal and then bowed my head to say the blessing.  As soon as I bowed my head God spoke to my heart, “Dan, I love you.”  I picked my head up and I said, “Thank you Lord.”  I bowed my head a second time and the Holy Spirit spoke a second time and said, “Dan, I am with you.” I picked my head up again and repeated, “Thank you Lord.”  It was very encouraging to know that on this day that I was expecting to go in and be told my job was eliminated that God was affirming me.  I bowed my head a third time and the Lord spoke, “Isaiah 41:10”.  At that time I did not know that scripture although today I hold it as one of my life verses.  I slid the bible I had been reading over to me and I looked up Isaiah 41:10… “So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

As I sit here a little over 5 years later I am almost overwhelmed with the goodness of God.  I did not know what was ahead, but God did.  And He knew that I would need to KNOW He was there as the tumult of the ensuing years came.  And He provided an anchor that morning that I could look back to as the coming weeks, months, and years unfolded and KNOW that God was walking it with me.

My job did not end that day, but changes began within a couple of weeks.  Surprisingly I got a promotion about 2 weeks later although not in the best of ways.  About 8 months after this I, and most of my coworkers were told our jobs had been eliminated.  However they needed us to stick around through the transition.  On many occasions during this time thoughts of the uncertainty I was walking through would try to discourage me, but I always went back to Isaiah 41:10.  It was SO COOL.  I had job offers to go to different locations within the company during this time, but praying through them I did not have a peace about taking them so I turned them down.  Finally about 5 months before my job was to officially end the new VP I was reporting to flew down to make me a job offer.  He said I could continue to do what I was doing, the only thing I had to do was relocate to another part of the state.  He also said this was absolutely the last chance for me to continue with the company, there would be no other offers coming.  And to sweeten the offer he said they would implement the home relocation for me.  Although I hadn’t mentioned it before, we were living in a small rental house and trying to sell our home back in Tennessee… had been for over a year.  So the offer seemed like a good one and logic said to take it.  But I asked for time to pray about the decision.

It seems kind of counter-intuitive, but one of the surest signs for me that I am doing the right thing is when logic is so clear to take one path, but an overwhelming peace descends when I consider an alternate path.  The decision was prayer soaked and the peace was in telling the VP “No” to the job offer.  In fact as I awoke the morning after he gave me the offer, in those first moments of wakefulness I thought about accepting the job and finally getting settled after about 2 years of family disruption.  The feeling I had was just blah!  I could not picture it and be happy.  So I turned my thoughts toward saying No to the job offer and losing my last hope for staying with the company I had been with for almost 20 years.  And that I would have to find a job somewhere.  And peace absolutely flooded my soul.  It was amazing and even a little bit funny.  I remember chuckling more than once about God’s way of breaking me from needing to be in control so much.  (Yes I admit this has been a challenge for me, but I am better than I used to be, and through God’s grace I am going to be better than I am today.)

Needless to say I turned down the offer.  At the time I knew at least a few persons were encouraged by my walk of faith.  I could see God’s hand in that.  But I still didn’t have a job or prospects.  The walk of faith had to continue.

About a month later the old VP that I had been working for, Larry, mentioned that he knew an opening existed in a corporate group for a Reliability Manager.  This actually fit my skill set better than the CMMS Manager role I was currently in.  I interviewed with 4 or 5 persons about the position.  The gentleman that was to be my manager seemed very positive so I left with a fairly high degree of confidence that I might still get to stay with the company.  About a month after this another management reorganization took place and that manager was no longer in mix.  I waited but I heard nothing about the job I hoped for.  Meanwhile the clock was ticking toward my end date.  I realized that logic was saying, “Dan, you better find a job”.  Yet I was not motivated to do so.  I cannot say whether this was laziness on my part or simply an assurance that God was directing my steps, but I did not have anything lined up for when my job ended.  Five days before my job was to end, I received a phone call from one of the other VP’s I had interviewed with for the corporate Reliability Manager position.  He asked if I was still interested in the position to which I replied that I had not found another job yet.  He said very good and then he hung up.  I have to chuckle because he didn’t tell me I had the job, but I had seen God move so much in my work life in the previous days, months, and years that I knew this was working out just as God had planned.  An HR person called the next day and we worked out the details.  And the job has been a great job… a great fit with my skill set and an exciting way to provide a real benefit to my company.

I do not know how I would have made it through that time though if God had not given me the specific word at the beginning of this chaotic time.  I went back to that time and again for encouragement.  There were many times during that process (and since as well) when God would provide just the right amount of encouragement to continue and the hope to lift me closer to Him.

While this is a rather long post, I believe that my story is meant to help others to know that God loves them and He is with them.  God’s love for me and the hope He has given me is real and tangible.  But it is not limited to me or to any group.  It is freely offered to anyone and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.  If you are not a believer I encourage you to call out to God and ask Him to make Himself known to you.  God is and He will reveal Himself if you ask and seek Him.  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  And you will find as I have that God is the giver of Hope, a Hope that grows, a Hope that fills, a Hope that lifts.

If you are a believer then you already know that Jesus loves you and He wants the very best for you.  I encourage you to ask God to expand your faith and grow a deep hope within you.  This won’t be without trials, but I am learning that trials are the surest means of gowing and the greatest source of blessings there is.

Father this morning I ask that You lift my brother and my sister with Your Hope.  That You would bouy them above the challenges of the day and that You would affirm in them Your love, Your peace, and Your great goodness towards them.  Lord make yourself real in a tangible way like You did for me when I was facing the most severe and prolonged trial of my life thus far.  You are awesome and I ask that You meet them at the point of their need.  Thank You Lord that You hear our prayers and that You respond in Your perfect way.  To You be the glory, honor, power, and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

God bless you all today!

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Noblesse Oblige

March 9, 2012 by areliablefaith

The phrase Noblesse Oblige has been running through my mind for quite some time now. It struck me as I listened to a commentary yesterday about a study coming out of UC Berkley that purported that rich persons are more unethical than poor people.  While there were some obvious flaws and a degree of bias in the study, it does effectively raise the question of the personal responsibility we each have.

I looked up the term Noblesse Oblige in Wikipedia and I found that it is of French origin and it simply means that with nobility comes responsibility. I was raised to believe that we have an obligation to do for others less fortunate than ourselves. In the home where I was raised this did not manifest itself as a political ideology but rather a personal responsibility. It was to be carried out at least partly in thankful response to God’s provision for us.

In Hebrews the people of God are called a royal priesthood and a holy nation.  As a child of God we are adopted into God’s family.  Children of kings are princes and princesses.  Since God is the King of kings we His children are princes and princesses of the most high king.  We are royalty.  But this is not an honor to be crowed about, but rather a responsibility to be lived out.  Rather than a status to become puffed up and proud about this should provoke a response of humility and gratitude.  All the resources of heaven are at the disposal of God’s children, but they are not there solely for our benefit and consumption, but so that we can further God’s kingdom.  We are blessed to be a blessing.

I think a lot about the legacy I am leaving my children.  My parents were able to provide more for my siblings and me than their parents provided for them.  There is no condemnation of my grandparents in this but the simple recognition that coming out of the depression my grandparents had little, so their opportunity to provide was diminished.  My parents trained us that we in turn were to provide appropriately for our children when our time came.  But that provision carried within it the clear mandate of responsibility to others beyond our children.

While I am fortunate that I can look to the pattern my parents set not everyone has the good fortune to have the role models in the home that I had.  However we all do have Jesus, the penultimate role model that we can look to.  Jesus was the Son of God and yet He condescended to live among us as one of us.  His time here on earth was a model of obedience to His father and His Father.  And the expression of that obedience was to always do the Father’s will in serving, helping, teaching, and ministering to others.  A quick scan through the gospels reveals that Jesus helped rich and poor alike.  All social classes were drawn to Him.

Even though I would postulate that the religious and political elite of the day were generally antagonistic toward Him, Jesus still reached out and ministered to those who would listen.  Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were members of the Sanhedrin who could easily have gone with their religious leaders, but they followed Jesus instead.  And even in His final hours Jesus was not hostile to the leaders who were condemning Him.  He spoke the truth and then offered up His life as a sacrifice for them as well as for the admiring followers.

The practical application of Noblesse Oblige falls to us today.  As children of the King we are to further God’s work of redemption in this fallen world.  Kindness, courtesy, and treating others with respect are the basic fundamentals we must exhibit.  Noblesse Oblige is as simple as listening to God’s voice and responding when He gives us a task or reveals a need that we can address.  Serving others like Jesus did is a wonderful privilege and holy obligation that is ours as believers.

Be blessed in your service to our Father and unto those He puts in your path today.

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Payback

February 29, 2012 by areliablefaith

When faced with a trick question from His detractors Jesus gave a most insightful answer – “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God” (Mt 22:21). When I read that I marvel at the cleverness of Jesus’ answer in trapping the Pharisees.  However the real punch in this statement are two powerful truths that His answer illustrates.

Jesus acknowledges that there is a role for human government in our lives. He also endorses the collection of taxes by that government. The Pharisees seemed to think that Jesus would somehow implicate himself as “anti-government” in His answer, but He did no such a thing. Instead He affirmed that government had a right to some portion of payback because it was theirs. In Jesus day the government in Rome had established roads throughout the empire, it provided stability and security in many areas that were once lawless, it brought a level of opportunity in trade and education that many areas had never known before, it brought a common currency. In short the Roman government provided benefits to the communities where they held sway and it was appropriate for those who benefited to pony up and pay taxes. That does not endorse everything they did nor all the methods they used in bringing about those benefits but it does provide a legitimate basis for the collection of revenue for services rendered.

Jesus’ statement does not address the issues of how much tax, what level of benefits, etc. It only touches on that fact that the government was due payback. As I study Jesus’ life He comes across as the least political, high profile person ever. In fact in one sense it can be argued that His lack of political manuevering resulted in His untimely death (from a human perspective).  A little wheeling and dealing probably could have saved His life from the political machine at work in his day… but then we all would still be lost in our sins.

This brings us to the second half of Jesus’ statement which I hold up is far and away the more important point of the exchange – “give to God what belongs to God”. If the government provides a few roads and some military protection for the entire population then a combined group offering to pay for these benefits is due.  But Jesus’ action is ultimately a personal act.  Jesus action is intensely personal.  He saved MY Life.  He radically altered it for the good while I am living here on earth and He has promised an eternity in heaven with Him. This is way more than roads and a tenuous security, it is life that rich and full. In a very real sense Jesus bought me with His love and sacrificial death on my behalf. I belong to Him so my only appropriate response is to give Him all of me.

What does it mean to give Him all of me? Well I have figured out a few things that seem to fit into the definition of all.

First off all my finances less what He said I owed to the government is rightfully His. But if we take scriptures as a whole we see that God gave a guideline of a tithe, 10%. While He rightfully can ask for it all, He allows us to begin at 10%. I recognize that the rest is also His so when He asks for more I seek to be in a position to give more. I won’t go there today, but this speaks to being financially responsible with the remaining 90%.

Next there is my time. Since I belong to Jesus then all my time is His.  Obviously my quiet time with God is a blessed shared time with Him.  He speaks through His Word and by His Holy Spirit He breathes life into me during these times of sweet communion.  But when the quiet time ends, my time is still His.  Some persons have postulated that we give God 10% of our time.  Setting aside 2.4 hours each day for dedicated alone time with God CAN be achieved by a few and I don’t doubt that it can have benefits, but I honestly believe that God’s expectation for our time is not the tithe but the total.  Brother Lawrence, a monk in the middle ages, penned a devotional called “Practicing the Presence of God”.  In it this humble man identified that He was able to commune with God while peeling potatoes and performing the most mundane of tasks.  I believe the same concept is captured in 1 Thessalonians where we are admonished to “pray without ceasing”.  We are to live with a constant awareness of God and respond immediately to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. These promptings can be to pray, to perform a kind act, to give a word of encouragement, to provide an appropriate word of correction, to speak or sing or shout or wait – any number of God-directed acts that fit within the plan that only He sees in its entirety.  I would like to say I have achieved this… or that I have made significant progress, but the truth is while I have matured and I do better than I once did, I still have a long way to go.  However I believe this to be God’s call to me, to live fully in Him and give Him all my time in this manner.

Lastly I want to speak to those relationships and possessions that we call ours.  It naturally follows that if I belong to God, then everything that I call mine belongs to God as well.  Holding back anything falls short of the total surrender that Jesus calls us to.  He gave us the perfect example in His obedience to the Father. In leaving heaven to become a human, born in the most humble of circumstances, raised in relative obscurity and meager provision, Jesus surrendered more than any of us can imagine. But He did not stop there. He willingly submitted to a mock trial, accused of false charges He did not even defend Himself, but He accepted a punishment that He did not deserve. He truly gave everything to God… and He did it on our behalf. With Jesus as our model and inspiration we can offer every relationship and every thing in our lives for His use. For things I have learned this means not to hold on too tightly. For relationships I have learned this means to love with all the intensity that we have and hold them up to God for Him to do what He knows needs to be done.

While I would love to continue, my time is again about up. Remember to give to God what belongs to God. You were bought with a price. The precious blood of Jesus covered your sins and made you part of God’s family. You are His. Live fully for Him today and always.

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