This past weekend Abby and I went to our Sister's baby shower. It was a really great time however I was really uncomfortable. I have had a lot of things on my mind and this past weekend it was all crashing down upon us like a wave of uncertainty and despair. But beyond that I was still uncomfortable and I couldn't figure out why. Then I came into work and started reading this book that I got for Christmas. The book is the Bible Dictionary. I started paging through when I came across the section of peace and being a peacemaker. That is when I realized what was going on Saturday, I didn't have any peace. I know this may be confusing so let me explain and I will warn you I am going to be brutally honest.
There were so many groups of people at this shower. It seemed that all aspects of my life over the past 25 years were all meeting in one room (with the exception of High School, Thank you God!!) As I've grown up and gone through the different stages of my life I have collected a museum of hurts and wounds, some that people have inflicted on me and others that I have caused. Being in a house with all the people who either inflicted or were affected by my actions reminded me of those scars and that just filled me with a gambit of emotion. At times I was annoyed, angry, bitter, resentful and shameful toward everyone. Now hear me on this I am not pointing to one individual here. So please don't read this and think "Oh no is it me," cause it was not just one.
So when I came here Monday and started reading about peace it got me thinking about this whole situation. Peace is defined as a condition or sense of harmony, well-being and prosperity. The biblical concept means more than just the absence of hostility as this definition implies. The Hebrew word as is spelled in English is "salom" we say it "Shalom." It means to have peace or safety, yes but it is also taken a step further. This word talks about wholeness or intactness.
To have peace is to feel whole or intact. An important custom in biblical times was to wish someone peace. In other words to wish them a feeling of wholeness, safety and hoping that they have a focus on security.
Jesus takes it yet another step further in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." A peacemaker is defined as one who actively works to bring peace and reconciliation where there is hatred and enmity. God declares them His children and blesses them. Just break the word down, a maker of peace.
So what is it going to take for you to make peace? I want to start right now and make a stand. I want to obey My LORD and be a maker of peace. So right here and now I want to say, if I have ever done something to you that caused pain or strife, I am truly sorry. I apologize for whatever it was that I did and I ask you to forgive me. Likewise all those who I feel have burned me in some way I forgive you. We don't need to go through who did what to whom; I just want to forgive you and move on from here. I want to actively create peace between me and all whom I come in contact with. So I forgive you and the next time you see me I'm not going to hold feelings of anger or resentment toward you.
I encourage you to do whatever you need to do to be a maker of peace.
May our LORD be with you and may you have peace
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Endless Conversation
The other day I tried to call my mom on her work number. When I got her voicemail, I hung up and tried her cell phone. That didn't work either so I gave up and decided to talk to her later. But if I really needed to get a hold of her I could have kept going. I could have sent her a text or e-mail or facebook message or fax.
There are so many ways of communicating today, it's absolutely crazy. So that begs the question; How many different ways does God communicate with us?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." In the middle of this shotgun list of basic activities believers should put into practice are these three little words that tell us what our communication to God should be. A believers communion with God so be so intimate that talking to Him is easy and natural.
So what is prayer? Is it talking at God and Him listening? NO!! It is so much more than that. Prayer as defined in the bible is a 2 way conversation. I think many times we feel that prayer in a monologue rather than a dialogue. But prayer is a conversation.
Now let's put this together. Logic says that if we are to pray without ceasing and prayer is a 2 way conversation. Then we can only come to the conclusion that God is speaking to us without ceasing.
So how does God communicate with us? First is through the Holy Spirit. As Packer says in "Knowing God," "the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it." Or as Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory."
If you know Jesus as LORD and Savior, you have the God's Spirit dwelling inside of you. So He can speak right to you. Those "tap on your shoulder" experiences you feel when you know something isn't right, that is God's Spirit. When He enters your life, things begin to change. He speaks to you telling you how to live more like His character.
Now I don't believe that God speaks to us through signs or circumstances but He does work within our everyday boring situations of life. Take Moses for example, he see a burning bush in the desert. That was something that part of his everyday life. God used that to speak to him. The other day I was at home and I watch Zion take a huge tumble and do a face plant right onto the kitchen floor. I rushed over to him and scooped him up in my arms. As he cried into my shoulder, I felt God says to me, that that is exactly what He does when I stumble and fall flat on my face. Did God make me a father so He could tell me that in that instance? Not exactly. We can never put God in a box. I believe he took my circumstance of being a father and loving my child enough to comfort him when he falls, and spoke to me through it. I did not have the full grasp of how God is a father to me until I myself became a father. Did God make Zion fall down so He could speak to me in that moment? Probably not, God took something that is very ordinary in our household and used it to communicate His love to me.
God also speaks to us through other believers. That's why accountability groups are so important. We all have the same Spirit so God work within each of us to speak to each of us. 1 Corinthians says that we all have the same Spirit and that messages of wisdom or knowledge or faith or healing can be given through us. If you don't have one I encourage you to find a small group of believers that you are comfortable with. That you can open up to completely and be totally honest with.
Listen don't give me that crap that you don't want to spell your deep dark secrets to others. Let us not look down on each other. Guess what we are all in the same boat, we are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Find a group and let the Spirit moved in you and speak to you.
Finally God speaks to us through His word. 2 Timothy says that Scripture is God breathed. Also in Genesis it says that God breathed into man to give him life. So that goes to say, the Word of God, the Bible is alive. All that is needed is to read it. God has a lot to say to you, but this one you have to make a move.
May our LORD be with you
There are so many ways of communicating today, it's absolutely crazy. So that begs the question; How many different ways does God communicate with us?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." In the middle of this shotgun list of basic activities believers should put into practice are these three little words that tell us what our communication to God should be. A believers communion with God so be so intimate that talking to Him is easy and natural.
So what is prayer? Is it talking at God and Him listening? NO!! It is so much more than that. Prayer as defined in the bible is a 2 way conversation. I think many times we feel that prayer in a monologue rather than a dialogue. But prayer is a conversation.
Now let's put this together. Logic says that if we are to pray without ceasing and prayer is a 2 way conversation. Then we can only come to the conclusion that God is speaking to us without ceasing.
So how does God communicate with us? First is through the Holy Spirit. As Packer says in "Knowing God," "the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it." Or as Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory."
If you know Jesus as LORD and Savior, you have the God's Spirit dwelling inside of you. So He can speak right to you. Those "tap on your shoulder" experiences you feel when you know something isn't right, that is God's Spirit. When He enters your life, things begin to change. He speaks to you telling you how to live more like His character.
Now I don't believe that God speaks to us through signs or circumstances but He does work within our everyday boring situations of life. Take Moses for example, he see a burning bush in the desert. That was something that part of his everyday life. God used that to speak to him. The other day I was at home and I watch Zion take a huge tumble and do a face plant right onto the kitchen floor. I rushed over to him and scooped him up in my arms. As he cried into my shoulder, I felt God says to me, that that is exactly what He does when I stumble and fall flat on my face. Did God make me a father so He could tell me that in that instance? Not exactly. We can never put God in a box. I believe he took my circumstance of being a father and loving my child enough to comfort him when he falls, and spoke to me through it. I did not have the full grasp of how God is a father to me until I myself became a father. Did God make Zion fall down so He could speak to me in that moment? Probably not, God took something that is very ordinary in our household and used it to communicate His love to me.
God also speaks to us through other believers. That's why accountability groups are so important. We all have the same Spirit so God work within each of us to speak to each of us. 1 Corinthians says that we all have the same Spirit and that messages of wisdom or knowledge or faith or healing can be given through us. If you don't have one I encourage you to find a small group of believers that you are comfortable with. That you can open up to completely and be totally honest with.
Listen don't give me that crap that you don't want to spell your deep dark secrets to others. Let us not look down on each other. Guess what we are all in the same boat, we are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Find a group and let the Spirit moved in you and speak to you.
Finally God speaks to us through His word. 2 Timothy says that Scripture is God breathed. Also in Genesis it says that God breathed into man to give him life. So that goes to say, the Word of God, the Bible is alive. All that is needed is to read it. God has a lot to say to you, but this one you have to make a move.
May our LORD be with you
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Knowing God
J.I. Packer makes a very interesting statement in his book, "Knowing God." If you've never read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy. Anyway, he says that, One can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of Him. I think that is very true. It is an intellectual crime of many Christians. We can study all about any subject of our choosing and become an expert but until we experience what we are studying we really know nothing.
I can study all I want about being a Rock Star. I can watch interviews of other Rock Stars and listen and take notes about their experiences on stage. I can study the different stage performances and become an expert on putting together the perfect rock show. But until I strap on my guitar and actually go out and play a gig in front of 20,000 screaming people, I will never know what it is like even with all my "expertise."
We can read books of theological exposition and apologetics. We could dip into Christian history, and study the Christian creed. We can learn all there is to navigate our way through the Scriptures. We can speak in public, answer "Christian" questions, lead study groups, pay for the highest level of Christian education or write papers about God but that doesn't mean that you actually know God.
In the Psalms it says "Taste and See that the LORD is good." Notice the order of that statement. The Psalmist says "taste." There is no study in tasting only experience. Imagine if you were given a steak dinner. Would you spend the time looking at it, reading a book about it. I truly hope not. You would dive right into that sucker and savory every bite along the way.
That should be our approach to God, according to the Psalmist. Dive right into God and taste and savory all that He is.
After that comes the "see." The examination, the study, the intellectual part of the relationship.
I encourage you to take steps to know God with your heart before you know Him with your brain.
May our LORD be with you!
I can study all I want about being a Rock Star. I can watch interviews of other Rock Stars and listen and take notes about their experiences on stage. I can study the different stage performances and become an expert on putting together the perfect rock show. But until I strap on my guitar and actually go out and play a gig in front of 20,000 screaming people, I will never know what it is like even with all my "expertise."
We can read books of theological exposition and apologetics. We could dip into Christian history, and study the Christian creed. We can learn all there is to navigate our way through the Scriptures. We can speak in public, answer "Christian" questions, lead study groups, pay for the highest level of Christian education or write papers about God but that doesn't mean that you actually know God.
In the Psalms it says "Taste and See that the LORD is good." Notice the order of that statement. The Psalmist says "taste." There is no study in tasting only experience. Imagine if you were given a steak dinner. Would you spend the time looking at it, reading a book about it. I truly hope not. You would dive right into that sucker and savory every bite along the way.
That should be our approach to God, according to the Psalmist. Dive right into God and taste and savory all that He is.
After that comes the "see." The examination, the study, the intellectual part of the relationship.
I encourage you to take steps to know God with your heart before you know Him with your brain.
May our LORD be with you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)