"Totally dude"

"...and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally (Deut. 7:2)!"

The above is part of a lengthy discourse by Moses to the people of Israel who are about to enter the Promised Land.  Moses is sharing all the instructions that have been given him by the Lord for their own good.  Completely annihilating the 7 nations named by Moses seems inconsistent with a God of love, grace, and mercy; unless we understand that their wickedness and immorality was so extreme as to suggest there was no hope for repentance or redemption.  Further, God knew that if the people of Israel allowed any of the other nations to survive, even a remnant, they would eventually be influenced to worship other gods and forget all that the Lord had done for them.  All we have to do is observe what eventually did happen from the time of Solomon on to know this was a real threat.

Relevant?  Totally dude!!!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book "The Cost of Discipleship," makes the following statement, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die."  Jesus invitation was to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him.  We sing the song, "I surrender all," but do we really?  Don't we hold back a part of ourselves?  I know that I do.  So long as anything of the old man still exists, it gets in the way of God being able to accomplish His purpose in our lives and ministry.  When we dedicate our lives to the Lord and to do His work, it needs to be an irrevocable giving over of all that we are, all that we have, all that we hope and desire, all that we are able to accomplish.  Whatever idols we worship, whatever gods we serve, whatever matters more to us than doing the will of our heavenly Father, needs to be totally destroyed.  It needs to be completely removed from our lives and from having any possibility of influencing us or distracting and keeping us from doing the Lord's work.

Sometimes we may wonder why all this is so necessary.  Moses reminded the people, "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, his treasured possession (7:6)."  We have been set apart for service to God to accomplish His will upon this earth.  It isn't because we deserve it, based upon our own merits, but because He loves us.

"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (I Peter 2:9)."

Doulos

Give?

Maybe you have never been bullied.  But have you ever been in a wrestling match where the other guy pinned you to the floor and asked you, “Do you give?”  He wants to know if you have had enough and are ready to give up.  Have you felt like giving up?  I think we all have at one time or another.  I counsel people daily who are weary, tired of fighting, who have had too much.  They are ready to quit.

George Herbert once said, “He begins to die, that quits his desires.”  Maybe you feel that what you desire will never happen.  David writes that God wants to give us our heart’s desire.  Sometimes, that may seem very unlikely, especially given some of the things that may happened that seemed to suggest otherwise.  It isn’t always easy to understand why God wouldn’t want the same thing that we want or why He isn’t doing more to bring it about.

What is it you turn to when you are feeling discouraged, disappointed, in despair?  David suggests we need to find our happiness in the Lord (Ps. 37:4).  You may have seen the movie, “Finding Elmo,” and remember the character, Flo, that would find her happy place whenever she was feeling stressed.  That isn’t what David is talking about here.  David is encouraging us to turn to the Lord whenever we feel like giving up.  He wants us to believe that God truly does want to give us the desires of our heart.

Often, we misinterpret what God may be doing.  When doors appear to close or obstacles appear in our way, we tend to ask the wrong questions, such as,“God, why did You let this happen?”  Or, “God, why didn’t you just (fill in the blank)?”  John Eldredge (Wild At Heart) suggests we should ask a different set of questions, for example, “What are You trying to teach me?” “What is it You want me to see?” I would add, “What is it You may be trying to accomplish through this experience?”

The enemy would rather you believe that you will never be able to be successful.  He is obviously worried that you may be able to accomplish something of significance if he doesn’t do his best to distract you or discourage you.  The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us…Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Heb. 12:1,3).”

Eldredge includes this quote in his book, by William Gurnall.

"As part of Christ's army, you march in the ranks of gallant spirits.  Every one of  your fellow soldiers is the child of a King.  Some, like you, are in the midst of battle, besieged on every side by affliction and temptation.  Others, after many assaults, repulses, and rallyings of their faith, are already standing upon the wall of heaven as conquerors.  From there they look down and urge you, their comrades on earth, to march up the hill after them.  This is their cry: 'Fight to the death and the City is your own, as now it is ours!' "

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not  give up (Gal. 6:9).”

For further study, read the story of Asa in II Chron. 15.

Send Aaron...please!

One of my favorite characters in the Old Testament is Moses.  He is perhaps one of the best known people of the Bible by even those outside of Christendom.  Whole movies have been made about his life and experiences as the leader of the great nation of Israel, numbering several million people.  The miracles he performed are well-documented as are many of his other achievements.  He wrote the first five books of the Scriptures.  Jesus makes reference of him in the Gospels and it is obvious he continued to be held in high regard by all the people of Israel.

But, Moses' legend did not have an auspicious beginning.  If you read Exodus 3-4, you see that when God approached Moses with His plan to use Moses to rescue His chosen ones, Moses didn't think it was such a great idea.  It may be hard for us to conceive of Moses having any doubt at all after God reveals Himself in a burning bush.  You would think that was enough to convince Moses that he could trust God.  But, Moses doubted...not God, but himself.

Maybe you have always been the more confident type and never had to deal with self-doubt, but I doubt it.   I have yet to meet anyone who hasn't at one time or another, had doubts about their ability to carry out an assignment, complete a task, succeed in a plan, or develop a relationship.  That may not seem like the same thing Moses is dealing with here, but whatever we are doing is what the Lord has given us to do.  Paul wrote, "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men (Eph. 6:7)."  Thus, when we falter at the work we do, when we struggle with uncertainty in our roles as parents or spouses, when we doubt our abilities to make the right decisions and choose the right ways, we are being just like Moses.

God's response was not to tell Moses, "Everything will be alright," and,"You can do it."  God turned Moses' attention to Himself.  Each time He responded to Moses' doubts, He replied with a statement about Himself.  "I will be with you."  "I am who I am."  "I will do these miracles to make the Egyptians believe you."  "I will help you."  "I will help you and teach you."  Moses doubted until God finally became quite sharp with him, but God did not change His mind.  Like a parent to a child, God told Moses, "You will do it (because I said so)."  Ring a bell?

The good news is that God can still work with us even when we doubt.  I look back over the many years that I have been following Christ and realize that I haven't always trusted God could work through me; and yet, He has accomplished some spectacular things that I would never have imagined were possible.  I am eternally grateful for this and, as I have grown in my appreciation of His love for me and my awareness that He does have a plan as to what He wants to accomplish through me, I have been able to respond with trust and obedience and been able to see even greater things take place.

I would encourage you, don't wait.  Put your trust in God that he can work through you even when you doubt that you have anything to offer.  He asks you as He asked Moses, "What is that in your hand?"  Whatever it is, that is all He needs.

Godspeed, Doulos (God's servant) Phil
 

Theodicy...God's Justice

".Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure...(Ps. 73:13)."

Although not in these words, the individual in front of me was saying something similar.  There was some anger in his voice, similar to the writer of this Psalm; who, apparently suffering some physical affliction (v. 14) and feeling somewhat oppressed (v. 8), was wondering why God would allow those who were giving him such a hard time, to get off without God doing something about it.  The gentleman had tried to live right, obey God, and be a good father and husband.  In spite of this, he was experiencing physical and emotional pain, hurt, and disappointment.  And, some of that was aimed towards God.  It just didn't seem just.

It sometimes appears that those outside of God's will are the ones who prosper, who are without struggles, healthy and strong, and "free from the burdens common to man (vv. 3-5)."  "Carefree" is how the author describes their lives...until he stops to think from God's perspective (17).  Then, he realizes their future destiny and how God will eventually dispense justice upon them for their arrogance and their pride.  He was also reminded of how God was always with him (v. 23ff), holding his right hand, guiding and giving him counsel.  At this, he changes his tune and remarks, "Being with you, I don't desire anything else on earth (v. 25)."

God doesn't mind the questionning, the angry emotions, the doubt and uncertainty.  But, God is just.  We may not see how it is just that He allows difficulties and trials, failures, and frustrations, and even oppression.  He is willing to help us gain a perspective that will help us at times like these.  It requires we come before Him with our concerns, as the Psalter did.  "Authentic prayer is a scraping of the heart whereby the dregs of the soul are offered up to God (Foster, "A Year with God")."  Prayer, at times like these, Foster says are for the strengthening and the reshaping of our own hearts.  We need to be open to God's changing our perspective.


 

Regret

"The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives."--Albert Schweitzer

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self (Luke 9:25)."

When I was about 9 or 10, my dad was a volunteer chaplain at Michigan City Prison.  As such, he was allowed to accompany a group of prisoners outside the prison walls, where they would put on a program in churches, singing and sharing the Gospel.  I will never forget a man named Frank Dunn who was in prison for life with no chance of parole.  He had a beautiful bass voice and sang a song that haunts me to this day, "Wasted Years."

I praise God that He redeemed what was left of Frank's life and used it to His glory.  But, it reminds me of how important it is to allow God to redeem the days we have left.  There are times I regret the years I wasted when I was not in a relationship with God; but, I also regret that even as a follower of Christ, I still waste a lot of time, resources, opportunities, focusing on what I want and my will instead of God's.

Right before Jesus made this statement recorded by Luke, He told His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."  Being a good steward isn't only about our money and giving our tithes.  It is also about giving our time, our energy, our other resources, our talents and abilities, our hearts, minds, and all of our strength.

Being a true disciple of Jesus is also about realizing that there are others around us who are wasting their lives, not at all fulfilled, in need of knowing the Savior that we serve.  Let's not waste another moment.  Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind all that we are able to do, what He would have us to do, and how we can reach others for Jesus.

Godspeed, Doulos

 

Terminated!

Recently, several of the individuals I have been working with lost their jobs.  In today's economy that can be a very scary thing.  It can lead to feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, and discouragement.  In times like that, it can be very difficult to trust God.  Why would He allow this sort of thing to happen?

In Daniel 6, we read of a Biblical hero who lost his job.  Daniel was a devout follower of the Lord.  He was also an exile, a young man who had been taken as a prisoner and removed from his homeland and made to serve the king.  So, to begin with, this wasn't the dream job he had hoped for coming out of college.  Nonetheless, Daniel "so distinguished himself...by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom (6:3)."  What were these "exceptional qualities?"  Daniel was "trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent (v. 4)."  Daniel was a man of integrity, such that when those who were jealous of him attempted to find fault in him, there was none to be found.  The only way they were able to get to Daniel was to deceive the king into passing a law against praying to any man or god other than the king.  Daniel continued his practice of praying to his God and lost his job.  He almost lost his life, but you probably know that part of the story (if not, read it).

When I was a younger Christian, I remember the challenge, "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"  Daniel had done nothing wrong.  The individuals I mentioned above did not lose their jobs because they had done something wrong.  In fact, in one situation, the individual had left her job because she believed God would not want her to continue working in that environment.

It still isn't certain why God did allow these individuals to lose their jobs.  I don't believe God is ever caught off guard.  He knew what was going to happen and He continues to have a plan and a purpose for each one of them.  This wasn't about God punishing them.  I also don't believe it is about God needing to grow them in some way, nor using this as a form of discipline.  I am not certain it is about them at all.  At times like this, we search for what God may be wanting us to do, how He would have us to handle the situation, what He would have us to learn.  Sometimes, all God wants is for us to trust and obey.

Daniel survived "because he trusted in his God."  As a result, the king "wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land...people must fear and reverance the God of Daniel.  For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end.  He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders, in the heavens and on the earth (vv. 26-27)."

We need to trust God even when we lose our jobs, even when we end up in a pit full of hungry lions.  As hard as it is to face these types of trials, we need to continue to trust and obey God.  Our experiences, as Daniel's, can be used to bring glory to God.

 

Summon bonum

"Summon bonum" is Latin for "the highest good" or "the supreme good."  What is the highest good?  There are many good things that we enjoy in our lives.  I enjoy good food, a good book, a good friend.  But, is that the highest good?  I know many good people who do good things.  There are many good things that we could do.  But, what is the highest good?

Jesus said, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul (Mk. 8:36)."  By way of contrast, Jesus is saying that to pursue the things of this world and to make these our priority could be very costly.  I know many, and I am sure so do you, that have wasted their lives on the pursuit of wealth, status, position, or reputation.  But, we are admonished not to become attached to the "things of this world (I John 2:15-16)."  Though God is not against personal wealth or any of these other things, these should not be our goals.  Paul was able to say that he had learned to be content with plenty and want (Phil. 4:12).  When we fail to be content with what is from the Lord, we miss out on what His plan is for our lives.  Are we willing to spend our whole lives pursuing what others have referred to as the "good life," if that means that we miss out on the blessings of seeing God working through us and accomplishing His purpose?  Are we willing to make these things a priority if it means we neglect our relationship with our Lord and, ultimately, lose our own soul?

And what about the souls of others?  Are we willing to do only the good that brings us pleasure if it means that others are lost for eternity.  Jesus made it clear that the greatest good that we can do is to love God and to love one another (Mk. 12:31).  What did He mean when He referred to this type of love?  He also said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)."  This means we are willing to forego the pleasures of this world (I John 2:15-16), so that the love of God can flow through us to those in need.  That is God's purpose for us.  "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10)."

Godspeed, The Teacher