A Warrior In God's Army

Stirring

2011-02-27T16:24:00.000-08:00

2 Timothy 1:6: "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God that is in you..."

Where does a year and a half of our lives go? Snap your fingers and it's gone just like that... and yet... and yet... there is so much to do for His Kingdom and for His Glory.

When I started this blog in 2009, I did so because I felt a stirring in my soul to minister to individuals who I knew, as well as those who only God knew, and also myself. Afterall, what better way can one get to know the Lord in a more intimate manner than opening His Word, studying it and allowing Him to work through you to communicate what He has laid on your heart?

Humans being falliable, however, I slowly allowed my own intimacy with God to be put on the backburner of job responsibilities, family life, social activities and - yes, it's true - episodes of "Modern Family" as well as the odd reality TV show, political blog or whatever other time waster I could find. A day stretched in to two, then to a week... before I knew it it was 2011 and I hadn't even bothered to crack open my Bible in prayerful consideration except for the odd time... I kept praying mind you, but on my terms -- not His.

And then, like 2009, I felt a stirring. Maybe it was the activities in the Middle East or perhaps the earthquakes, tornadoes, monsoons and other phenomena plaguing every part of the world but I could feel that knudging... that prodding... that insistent whisper that I get back to His Word, His Blog (because that is what THIS is afterall) and do the work He has called me to do. I don't know when He will return, but I do know that when He gives us a gift - and I am honoured that He has given me a spirit of discernment and communication - we have a responsibility to use it to further His Kingdom.

Let me take the idea of "stirring" and give you a visual -- imagine you're making banana bread. You assemble all your ingredients, pile them in to your bowl and then allow them to sit there. You don't touch them or move to lift a spoon but instead you will them to form into a loaf. What happens? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Without the action of stirring the ingredients, you have no way of forming them in to a product worthy of baking let alone eating. Essentially your failure to follow the recipes call to stir, whip or mix the ingredients will lead to a pretty sorry loaf of banana bread (or lack thereof).

But what happens when you lift the spoon or turn on the beaters? The ingredients - which while untouched are both lifeless and unappetizing - turn in to a smooth batter that you then put in to a pan and bake in the oven. The product emerges and, if you've followed the recipe, it is worth eating and sharing with others.

So too is the stirring that God uses to prompt us in to action. You are free to ignore it and allow your gifts to languish in an unappetizing heap that does nothing for your own growth or for God's Kingdom. Or you can heed the stirring and allow yourself to be mixed into a product that is beneficial to others, to the Lord and to yourself. Ultimately it is your decision, but if God stirs and you don't respond you're about as useful as that lump of ingredients that you hoped would form itself.

That's the crux of it, isn't it? We can allow ourselves to be distracted by the ups and downs of daily life -- the things that seem to matter now but will matter little in eternity -- or you allow God to continue to stir you, in soul, mind and body, to do something great with the gifts/ingredients He has given you. The choice is yours -- but be forewarned, you can't "bake" yourself.

It's with that in mind that I return to this blog with a heart open to His teaching and pray that He will communicate through me to all of you.

Don't ignore the stirring in Your Heart -- it's there for a reason and one which He wants you to explore for His Kingdom.

God's OCD

2009-08-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 12:9: "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

The last few weeks have been some of the best ones I have enjoyed since January 2009.

My thoughts -- which can get caught, like an old record, on bad and scary things -- have for the most part been quiet. I've enjoyed nearly a month of peace -- peace that is not coming because of medication (I'm on such a minimal dosage of it, it is almost negligible) but I believe, because God has given me rest. And my gosh, it is a treat.

The last week though has been tough... thoughts and fears are back, anxiety is up and brought with her that ugly sister of hers known as depression... it's like a bad movie. Only difference is in the last few weeks when things have been going so well, I've actually forgotten what it was like to have to contend with episodes of intense OCD.

But that's the thing, isn't it -- regardless of where we are at in life, we don't have to "contend", instead we have to trust, rely and have faith in God. It's difficult - some days, it feels darn near impossible - but it is what we must do in order to get through whatever ordeal we may be facing.

My ordeal is OCD. Perhaps yours is a broken marriage, an empty bank account, a sick child or an abusive spouse. Whatever the case may be, we need to trust on the One who delivers for His children better than anybody else, to rely not on our own strength, but on the strength of the One who asks not that we wallow and worry about our problems but instead find refuge from the storm in His open arms:

Matthew 11:29-30: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Can I suggest something a little nutty -- all of you out there, develop a case of OCD... no no, not the type of OCD I have, but the One that can give you a comfort in the midst of your storm when you think you have to do it all on your own...

God's OCD is explained this way:

O - Only

C - Christ

D - Delivers

Only Christ Delivers. Not you, not me, not your parents or spouse, friend or boss.

Christ.

His strength. His purpose. His love. His deliverance.

Christ.

When we choose to have that type of OCD, it can make every storm feel like little more than a drop.

However difficult the problem you face, choose to embrace God's OCD. It's both a hope and a promise, one that will never let you down.

Take that example of Christ on the boat in the midst of the storm mentioned in Mark 4:37-39.

Disciples screaming. Wind howling. The boat listing. Water crashing overboard. The sound of straining boards threatening to come apart with every lurch.

Where was Christ?

Sleeping. Calm in the midst of a storm.

And He rose at the disciples cries and said to the storm: "Quiet! Be still".

And it was.

Only Christ Delivers.

Then, like now. In the midst of their storm, and in the midst of yours.

Take up your shield!

2009-07-21T14:58:00.001-07:00

Ephesians 6:16: "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one".

"Incoming!"

A distant cry rises up from the battlefield -- you raise a weary eye towards the heavens in time to see a flaming arrow coming your way... it's bee-lining straight for you... for your heart... for your mind... for your soul... you cower in fear... hands raised towards the sky in the hopes -- however in vain they may be -- that you can stop this one from making contact...

You've seen this arrow before haven't you?

- Flaming arrows of depression, a broken marriage, alcohol, lust or greed?

- Rocks of insults, shame, slander and anger?

- A sharp stick of inequities, surrounded by catcalls of indignities and reminders that "you're not good enough"

- A spear of hurt, past regrets, broken hearts, poverty, a failed job, a bad investment...

You cower at the thought of the arrow -- and yet, over and over again, you've allowed it to make contact, to push into you, opening up an old wound or, worse yet, breaking open another new one when you have yet to heal any of the other open sores you carry on your soul.

Let me ask you something: Aren't you tired of trying to fend these weapons off on your own? Isn’t it time you stepped behind something better than the feebleness of your own hands? Are you tired of letting the enemy get the upper hand with the same old tricks?

If you can answer yes to any of those questions, then my friend, you're ready to take up one of the most important weapons in the Armor of God: The Shield of Faith!

Can't you see it there... gleaming white gold, bejeweled in splendor, with a crown -- His Crown -- of majesty in the centre. It carries with it not only your protection, but the promise of better days. It's a shield that is glorious enough to light up our every celebration and strong enough that we can lean against it in every moment of angst or uncertainty.

That, in a nutshell, is what it means to have FAITH in Christ... and to use that Faith as our protection or guiding principle in every situation we face.

Oh but you worry -- what if He doesn't come through? How will I know that He is there? How can an unseen God possibly understand what I'm going through right now?

Friends, your faith tells you that that "unseen God" not only knows -- but feels -- for every moment that you are going through. He understands it better than you do, and His promise of comfort and protection is greater than you could ever comprehend.

How do I know this?

Because He's been there -- He's stood on that battlefield, He's weathered the arrows, the hurts -- and He's emerged VICTORIOUS:

Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:15: "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin."

A general never rises to the top of the military if he has never experienced the fight. Point being, that God is the ultimate general -- the King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- He's fought every battle, He's beaten the scourge of death and it is faith in this God that you have the choice to hide behind when your times are toughest.

But it is -- ultimately -- your choice. You can choose to pick up the shield when you're face-to-face with your personal nightmare... you can choose to feel the weight lifted off your shoulders and onto God's when you lift that shield... Or, you can choose to leave the shield leaning against the wall and try to swat your way through life with your wits and your weak hands.

If you choose the latter, you may succeed in knocking a few arrows down, but you'll experience a lot more pain... and eventually you will lose.

Faith in God promises NOT that what we are going through will not hurt or be tough. Rather, God's Shield of Faith simply promises that it will "... extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one". Take it at face-value: a shield that will be impermeable to the enemy and to whatever other junk comes your way... or a shield of your own making, fleshly, worldly, temporal....

If you choose to get behind the Shield of Faith that God provides, you're choosing to get behind a God that will cloak you under the shadow of his wings to help you weather the storm. You're choosing to worry NOT about the next incoming arrow because you're opting to be safe behind an eternal shield that will see you through to victory. And with every successful "thunk", "thud", "bam" and "ping" of the Shield of Faith deflecting arrows from you in the midst of battle, your faith grows... allowing you to trust more, to fear less and to experience a rejoicing at every victory you experience with God, be it small or large.

Faith is about standing strong regardless of the battlefield, regardless of the challenge. Seizing opportunity by confidently pushing ahead knowing that God has both your back and your front. (Psalm 91:11-12).

But you have to want that victory -- you have to want to pick up that Shield not only when you are in battle, but each and every day... because you never know when an arrow may land.

I understand how tough it can be to just trust... to wait upon the Lord to lead you to victory... but true faith demands that we do just that... that when God hears the cry of our heart, He will answer... and we just have to have confidence that He will come through.

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see".

I encourage you to take some time and read through Hebrews 11 and to see for yourself the examples of faith of others who have stood in battle before you. See for yourself how the might of God can deliver you through whatever trial you are facing. He will. He has. He always does.

Do yourself a favor -- quit swatting at arrows. They sting. They hurt. Your efforts will prove useless.

Instead, pick up the Shield of Faith that God is offering you -- it will get you through better than you can ever imagine and will leave a lot less scars.

Diagnosis

2009-06-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a condition that manifests itself in various ways, including through the sufferer engaging in repetitious acts or routines, as well as in -- some cases -- the person suffering from intrusive thoughts that they can not get out of their head. From what I have been reading -- and I am still in the very early days of understanding this -- people with OCD often compare what is going on in their mind to being similar to a record that hits a scratch and keeps repeating itself... over... and over... and over. The difference being is that the routines or the intrusive thoughts cause a great deal of anxiety to the individual suffering.

I was not sure if I should post this but I decided that I should post something about this because I do not want to wallow in shame about this condition. I don't think anybody, including myself, is served by hiding the fact that I suffer from this illness. And yes, it is an illness.

However, my desire to share this with all of you is based on the following 4 reasons:

Ephesians 5:13-14 calls on us to bring things out in the open so that the light of Christ might shine brightly on them: "But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, or it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." I could, because I do feel ashamed, hide that this is happening. But I choose to share this with all of you so that you know what is going on -- and so that you can stand with me in prayer. I would rather that the Light of Christ is focused brightly on this part of my life so that people know what is going on, how they can pray and support me and my family, and because we are commanded to bring it to the open by God. Hiding things is not only disobedient, but adds to the discomfort and fear I feel going through this. I am not alone. God is on my side, my family and friends are on my side, and a great body of believers is standing with me as well.
By sharing this suffering, I am not only being comforted but setting myself up to be able to assist others who may be going through something similar. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort". I would rather use this situation to glorify God and His plan, as opposed to wallowing in self-pity about my lot in life. I was wallowing pretty deep this morning, feeling sorry for myself, going through an episode, asking "why me" and "where is God". But God is there and uses everything we go through -- every joy, every trial -- "... for the good of those who love the Lord". If you are suffering through this, then let's stand together. In fact, if you are suffering through anything, let's stand together in unity and understanding, knowing that God brings peace, healing and comfort to ALL who ask for it. But sometimes we need to reach out to grab hold of it.
It gives me a better understanding of "The Shield of Faith" -- which I will blog about later this week as part of our ongoing series on the Armor of God. What better shield to stand behind during my moments of weakness but the shield that is God -- the one that will protect me, will comfort me and will guard me against any arrows that come my way. It doesn't mean that some arrows will not be a bit bigger than others, but it does mean that when I am behind the shield, they won't hurt nearly as much as if I had no protection at all.
Because, ultimately, sharing what I am going through helps me not to be afraid... and writing this blog, digging into the Word helps me to ground myself in the realization that I do not stand alone. For example, had I not felt the need to blog today, I would never have found this wonderful verse from Isaiah 41:13: "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you". Fear can, and does, cripple you. If you let it. And sometimes, it seems easier to let it cripple you then to face it head on. But if a gangly kid named David can face a hulking mammoth named Goliath and swallow his fear by relying on the Great I Am, then surely I can do the same. I may not have a slingshot the way David did, but we both have the same rock: God.

Whether the illness or adversity you are facing is depression, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lung ailments or even just a simple bad mood, remember you never walk alone... and what you are going through will not be anything more than you can bear, nor will God ever leave you.

This week, my friends, I ask you to remember myself and my family in prayer -- and to continue to pray that God will pour His strength, His blessings and His comfort on us. I also ask you to join me in praying for those around us who suffer -- publicly or in silence -- and who desperately need the comfort of God.

I've quoted this verse before, but I will quote it again: 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind".

We do have a choice to face our battles with fear -- an emotion not of God... or we can face it not only with our Armor, but with the power, the love and the soundness of mind that comes with it.

God walks with us -- maybe we should hold His hand a bit tighter to remind ourselves.

A Timeless Lesson

2009-06-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

Today an individual who I once considered a friend posted something on her blog about both my wife and I -- it was very hurtful, nasty and meanspirited.

My first instinct was to pound out a letter being equally as hurtful -- but I stopped myself before pressing send... even though every element of my being wanted to deliver some hurt through email.

My wife laughed it off and encouraged me to pray for this person. I fumed.

And while I fumed, washing my cup in the office kitchen, I was reminded of this:

They spat at Him. They beat Him. They crucified Him.

And He loved them still:

Luke 23:34: "Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing"

It's a hard example to follow -- but one that I will.

I guess it's no longer a mystery to me why, last night, after I had prayed I felt the need to read 1 Thessalonians 5:15: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else".

It's a verse I had read years ago and nodded to every so often... but last night I felt the need to turn to it... little did I know why... until a couple hours ago... until I nearly pressed send.

So I turn the other cheek -- not because it is easy, but because it is right.

Because His example is worth following more than my own pride.

He set the standard for us all.

Wearing our shoes of peace

2009-06-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:15 "... and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace"

It's almost been a month since my last entry on this series and as I thought over the course of the last week about coming back to write something, I always found myself getting distracted, finding something else to do or, as we can all attest to at some points in our lives, putting it off and resolving to "get to it tomorrow".

Aha.

Today as I was giving thought to what it was that I would write about feet fitted in readiness, a question kept coming to my mind in light of my absence from blogging:

Where are your feet taking you?

Are your feet taking you towards God in times of challenges and opportunities, or are they taking you through the meaningless drift of everyday life... washing the car, a busy work schedule and social life, money issues, going to the gym... in other words, are your feet running you into the ground so to speak with the worries of the world versus the promise of the Kingdom?

The reality is that too often we face life's most challenging battles with feet suited up with the world's sneakers as opposed to God's own Nikes. The world's sneakers don't fit half as well, they provide no real stability and, frankly, after you wear them a few times your feet get sore and it drags you down.

By contrast, God's Nikes -- built by the Gospel of Peace -- ground the wearer in wisdom, in confidence, in strength and in comfort. Everyone wants that in a shoe... especially when they are facing a battle. Paul himself talked about the need to press on (Philippians 3:14) in the face of every difficulty because the prize (eternal life with our loving Father) is so worth it. But, he says, you ultimately need to stand (Philippians 4:1). With His peace.

I love the imagery of kicking off those old worldly sneakers in that ante-room off the Throne Room of Heaven... Angel Gabriel jumps out of the way as your old sneakers get booted across the gleaming marble, and you push your feet into a new pair -- a lasting, eternal pair -- of knowledge, of abiding love, of salvation.

Can't you see yourself -- you have to face another day of monotony or hardship... your feet, your very soul (no pun intended) are weary, you don't think you can face or literally stand, another minute... and then God pulls out a pair of shoes... HIS PEACE... that give you a new lease on life, on energy and on strength. It's what good shoes do. It's what God DOES. All. The. Time.

But there's more... with the privilege of wearing those shoes, that critical piece of the Armor of God, comes the realization that with the "readiness" (read: stability, strength, certitude) of the gospel of peace comes the need to not only stand your ground but to ensure you are moving His will forward with every step you take. Because, yes, shoes help you stand strong and to be grounded... but shoes help you to move too... and that's what God wants -- commands -- you do ... to move His Word among the family you love, the friends you hang out with, the colleagues you share 8+ hours a day, 5 days a week with... He wants you to use His shoes of the gospel of peace not only to ground yourself but to spread yourself so as to ensure that the knowledge and hope you have from knowing Him is shared with as wide a circle as possible.

And what exactly are these shoes -- or rather, how does one define a term like "the gospel of peace"? Simple: Jesus.

Ephesians 2:14-18: "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit".

We have confidence in the gospel of peace because we have accepted Christ as our Savior... it means every battle has been won, including the ultimate one which is the one where Christ defeated death, sin and destruction so that we might enjoy the eternal gift of life with Him. As you wear these shoes, don't you feel the need to spread the peace that you know? People are hurting all around you . We must exercise our responsibility to share that peace God has given us -- it's one of the requirements of our salvation primarily, but also something we recommit ourselves to whenever we dress in God's Armour.

Each day is a battle, my friends... one side seeks nothing less than the destruction of man (John 10:10), while the other seeks more and more children to bring home to eternity with Him (Luke 19:10)... if we're wearing the Armour the way we should be, we need to point our shoes in the direction of sharing the truth and move that way for God.

Which gets me back to the beginning... 4 weeks without blogging... without sharing what God places on my heart is not what I am called to do. Wearing those shoes of the gospel of peace have grounded me, and ground me daily, but I have a higher responsibility beyond just focusing on what it has done for ME... I have to use that peace that grounds me and share it around me, through all the talents and means God has blessed me with.

At the end of the day, when you're wearing the shoes of God, you are never too busy to go in the direction He points us. When He wants us to stand, we stand. But we always have to be looking for the next path on which we can walk with our special special shoes.

Pray for Noah

2009-05-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I was referred to this website by a friend's profile on Facebook.

This is truly a heartbreaking story about a baby boy - Noah (pictured above) - who is laying in a coma after having been shaken by his daycare provider.

The website has been put together - and is being updated - by his Mom and Dad.

They need our prayers and we know God hears and answers prayers. We also know how much God loves to heal and how He loves the little children.

Please pray that Noah will feel the healing touch of the Great Physician and that those big, beautiful blue eyes will open again. God reveals himself in many ways, including in situations of unspeakable hardship and hurt.

Please pray for Noah and his parents, Mike and Erin.

For more information about Noah and his family: http://www.noahsroad.com/.

Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble".

The Breastplate of Righteousness

2009-05-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:14: "... with the breastplate of righteousness in place..."

Years ago, I read a book by Agatha Christie called "And Then There Were None". At one point in the book, the characters are gathered in a room trying to work out a part of a mystery they find themselves in. As part of that discussion, they begin to share intimate details about their lives -- sharing long-held secrets, grievances, past hurts or attitudes. Everyone in the room shares their story or situation with the exception of Emily Brent -- a lady who bills herself as a Christian, beyond reproach, and whose pious behaviour and attitude towards others indicates an attitude far from that which is Christ-like. I want to share with you a few lines from that book to help set the scene for the discussion about the breastplate of righteousness:

"There was a silence in the room. Everybody was looking, covertly or openly, at Emily Brent. It was a minute or two before she became aware of the expectation. Her eyebrows rose on her narrow forehead. She said:

"Are you waiting for me to say something? I have nothing to say." The judge said: "Nothing, Miss Brent?"

"Nothing."

Her lips closed tightly.

The judge stroked his face. He said mildly:

"You reserve your defence?"

Miss Brent said coldly:

"There is no question of defence. I have always acted in accordance with the dictates of my conscience. I have nothing with which to reproach myself."

There was an unsatisfied feeling in the air. But Emily Brent was not one to be swayed by public opinion. She sat unyielding."

Are you like Emily Brent? Do you wear a real breastplate of righteousness or do you wear one of righteous indignation? There's a difference. But few of us ever realize it.

So we're back in that dressing room, just off the Throne Room of heaven. God is at the door, smiling as you prepare for battle. You're marveling at the Belt of Truth that you've just donned, and start feeling a sense of confidence... a strength you didn't realize was even inside you until now. You nod to yourself: "Yep, I'm ready! Let's do this!" You turn to the door, chest puffed out, arms back, eyes closed, chin in the air... the stance of a warrior, you think and you walk.

"Wait my child -- you're not ready yet!" God says and motions you back towards the mirror. You turn around and gasp...

Michael and Gabriel are holding the Breastplate of Righteous -- it is laden with 10 large sparkling sapphires, each one inscribed with one of the Ten Commandments. But behind the sapphires on the white, crystal gold, are the words from Mark 12:30-32: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

You stand, arms outstretched, as the angels buckle the breastplate into position and you instantly understand something that for years you have never realized before:

That righteousness is not just an attitude -- it is not an Emily Brent display of piousness -- but a living, breathing shield of right living. Righteous is not, as the Pharisees would have you believe, a litany of things you must do to innoculate yourself from eternal damnation, but instead it is living out the mission that God has for you as His child -- his Ambassador on earth.

The world says that you have been hurt by the same person so many times, its better to write them off? Matthew 18:21-22, via the Breastplate of Righteous, reminds that you forgive and forgive and forgive again -- even if it hurts each and every time. The arrow of hurt may hit that breastplate and take your breath away, but your choice to forgive means it bounces off without leaving a dent.

Your temper is out of control... you blow up all the time, you're know to throw a few punches and don't care who or what you hurt in the process... The Breastplate of Righteous when we make that choice to follow its precepts -- God's precepts -- reminds us of the words of James 1:19-20: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires".

You drink too much -- so much sometimes that you find yourself staring into the mouth of the porcelain bowl, and with each flush you drain a little bit more of your livelihood, your self-respect and your family life, down to the depths... Ephesians 5:18 -- as reminded by the breastplate - reminds that we should be filled with something more lasting, more fulfilling, more life-giving than anything alcohol or drugs could provide: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit".

You're known as a gossip -- you enjoy the stories about Liz's indiscretions, Dave's money problems, Jada's attitude problem and surgery mishaps... it goes on and on... you tear people down to build yourself up, but in the end all that you really have is a stronghold of slander, malice and innuendo to overcome. The Breastplate of Righteous offers a better way -- it tells you that honor in the way you speak is the better part of valor: Proverbs 21:23: "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity".

For years I tricked myself into believing that righteousness was just talk -- that it was piousness not right-living. I thought if I guarded myself from every kind of problem, everything the world flung at me, and held myself to a standard of not sinning then I would emerge the victor. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Righteousness - as God wants us to view it - is holding ourselves to HIS standard and allowing HIM to work through us to achieve His goal. Frankly speaking, we don't have any sort of power on our own to changes our lives. You can resolve to stop gossiping, but I guarantee you that unless you release that to God, the first good story that comes your way will have you running your mouth. You can say a million Hail Marys and resolve to get a handle on your temper by yourself, and then watch yourself explode the next time you get caught in a traffic jam.... point being is we can resolve to do all these things but we can not live for God if we are not living in community WITH God. Part of that comes from reading the Word. Part of that comes from fellowship with other believers. Part of that comes from prayer. But part of that is applying what you READ, HEAR and KNOW to be the Will of God to your everyday life. That is, you allow the beautiful weight of God's breastplate of righteousness, to direct your path.

James 1:22-25 reminds us: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does".

The Breastplate of Righteousness (Right Living) is resolving to action the very things in the Word of God that you know to be true. Loving your neighbour. Holding your tongue. Forgiveness. Each one forms a shield over a part of your heart and with each arrow that comes your way -- arrows of anger, temptation, hatred and malice -- the more you have lived out the Word of God and applied it to your day to day life, the more able you will be to stand and remain standing during your battles.

satan wants to kneecap us in terms of how we live our lives. God wants the way we live our lives to kneecap the schemes of the evil one.

If you're wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness in the way God has asked you to -- over your heart, guarding your actions, protecting your honor -- I guarantee that any arrow flung your way will be broken by the power of your Christ-like example.

Resolve to allow your righteousness to be dictated by the conscience of God.

Don't be an Emily Brent.

Next up, we're putting on the shoes of peace.

The Belt of Truth

2009-04-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:14: "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist..."

Your choice to wear the Armor of God is a good one - it is the best choice you will make when it comes to living a life worthy of imitation... a life where your eyes are fixed on hope eternal and salvation everlasting, and where you strive - each day - to battle on behalf of a God that needs each and every one of us to tap into our inner warriors.

But that first time you go to pick up the Armor, are you a bit nervous? Do you size it up and wonder how this glittering piece of workmanship -- the very embodiment of the strength of God -- could ever fit onto the frail frame of a simple human? If you're like me, perhaps you feel like a bit of a klutz as you try to put it on the first time... flitting and flopping every which way as you struggle to figure out how the breastplate of righteousness tucks into the belt of truth or why the shoes of the readiness to spread the gospel of piece are a bit snug while your sweaty palms make that sword of the spirit slip in your grasp... point being, you're not sure what to do first... the strength of God, every part of it, is so special you long to wear it right there and then... and you will... but as with all things that God intends, each piece is intended for a specific purpose and His Armor is no different. He spells out what needs to be put on first -- and then leaves it to us to seek Him more to determine why each piece goes where it does.

I love the way He lays out - like an instruction manual - how that Armor is to be worn:

v.14: "Stand firm then..."

Picture yourself - you're standing in heaven's dressing room, the Armor is to your right and you have a couple of angels -- let's say Gabriel and Michael -- charged with dressing you... they've seen a few battles, they're regaling you with tales of stomping on the devil's head... but instead of feeling confident, you feel a bit morose... holy cow, you think to yourself, what have I gotten myself into... you start to wince a bit as they continue telling their stories, you start to shrink as they continue talking... your back bending bit by bit... and then a voice from a doorway booms so loud it shakes the very mountains to their knees... "Stand firm then!"... it's God, He gives you a wink and a smile... and there's something in that one moment -- that one command -- when you realize that this is a battle you're brave enough to fight... and He needs you to remember that... "Stand firm then my son/my daughter... I've got your back and we don't just toss Armor onto those who can't wear it... we're going to be right there with you, we've been there, we've done it, and we WILL succeed" is what He is saying... And so you do, you stand a little taller, toss a few laughs in the direction of Gabriel telling you how he took down the spirit of depression and anxiety and you take that belt of truth from Michael's hand....

v. 14: "with the belt of truth buckled around your waist..."

No sooner has that buckle clicked than you realize exactly WHY that belt is the first piece of the Armor -- because the belt of truth is Jesus Christ... it is the one piece of the Armor that holds every other part together... it is made of gold as white as a million lambs to symbolize the purity and sinless character of Heaven's greatest warrior, and of rubies to symbolize the blood He shed on Calvary for the sin's of all mankind... into the belt are inscribed the following words:
John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

Way. Truth. Life.

You wear the belt because it not only holds your Armor together but also because it is the guiding compass toward God's ultimate prize: eternal life and rest with Him. With the belt around your waist, you can measure everything that comes your way - in ANY BATTLE - against what you know to be TRUE through Christ... let's think about a few examples....

The enemy tells you that you're all alone and that nobody cares -- that he's got you cornered and you're about to be defeated? The Belt of Truth - through Deuteronomy 31:6 - tells you something else: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Or in other words, shut your mouth satan... cause my re-enforcements are about to kick you and your discouragement into the lake of sulphur.

Consider what the Belt of Truth reminds you of... The Battle is wearing and you think it will never end... you're too tired to go on? 1 Peter 4:12-14: "... do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you". How awesome is that -- "... the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you..." -- and here you just thought you were getting pummeled for nothing... once you remember this, once you look at the example of a Christ who suffered every sling, arrow, whip, humiliation that mankind and the enemy could throw His way, how can you not help but be inspired to continue going on? Jesus had to battle and it was not until He had realized the ultimate purpose God had for Him -- death on the Cross, salvation of man -- that His work was done... (John 19:30). So every struggle you are in, every battle, every moment is but part of the grand work God has planned for you... seize that truth and move - like a lion - in that direction: Hebrews 12:1-2: "... and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God".

The enemy telling you that you're no good? Perhaps you believe it... maybe you've said it to yourself a few times as well, or your family has, or your peers have... whatever the case might be... you are good... and what's more, you're even better BECAUSE of what Christ did for you on the Cross... so you don't need to listen to the discouragement of a fallen angel or of an angry boss or a critical parent, you need to tap that Belt of Truth and remember 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!". God doesn't - and never did - create garbage. You are not garbage, nor are you worthless or useless... A great trick of the enemy is to prey on our view of ourselves to beat us down and to defeat us... but remember, you are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and last time I checked, the image of God was not a piece of rubbish to be discarded, insulted and demeaned. Pick yourselves up and recognize the truth: God made you, adores you and has a purpose for you. Why else would He send His Son - the Living Belt of Truth - for you?

The great thing about the Belt of Truth is its versatility. You can - and must wear it - when you put on the Armor of God, but you can also wear it with any outfit you have. Pair of jeans? Top it off with the Belt of Truth. That plaid skirt in the back of your closet? Spice it up with the Belt of Truth. Bathing suit? Belt of Truth would look great on it too! Christ IS the Belt of Truth. You can measure every lie, every insult, every wound you have against the eternal truth and promise of Christ dying on the Cross to find your strength to keep going in your battle and in this life.

Cheating spouse? Tap the Belt of Truth. Cancer-stricken body? Belt of Truth has something there for you too. No money but mounting bills? The faith that comes from wearing this Belt will feed you long after the cupboards and wallet have gone bare.

Take heart my fellow warriors... that Belt of Truth has been the anchor for many Christians before you, and will be for many after you... but it must be worn, and worn with pride. Pick yours up and wear it.

The Belt of Truth -- the love, sacrifice and example of Christ -- never goes out of style.
Next up... breastplate of righteousness....

Visualizing the Armor

2009-04-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:10-12: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms".

What's your routine when you get up in the morning? Do you stumble out of bed, rub those sleep-filled eyes, shower, eat your breakfast and then get to work in just enough time to make that morning staff meeting you'd rather avoid? In your morning routine, I'm sure, you have a certain pattern -- maybe you start with brushing your teeth before moving onto shaving, showering or getting dressed... or maybe you get dressed, then shave and then brush your teeth... but when you suit up for a day at the office, are you preparing yourself with the spiritual armor that you need to get through your day? Or are you content to just go through your day with the very clothes on your back and leave it to God to make sure He has your back if anything challenging comes your way?

Up until a couple months ago, I was definitely the latter. I'd wake up, get ready for my day, eat my breakfast with a 10 second prayer thrown in for good measure, and then head out for another day at the office. Now, however, I make it my routine to add another more important layer to my daily uniform.

The Armor of God.

Over the course of the next six entries, I am going to outline for you how each element of the Armor of God should be utilized to the benefit of your spiritual battle. From the Belt of Truth to the Helmet of Salvation, we'll go through them together, suit up and get ready to rock and roll the enemy and his minions.

But before we get to examine the uniform, let's break down what the Bible says in the introduction to the pieces of the Armor of God:

v.10: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power".

Be "strong in the Lord and His mighty power". What a great line -- but, if you're like me, you need help in visualizing what that looks like. Strength is easy in the human form -- it normally, physically at least, takes the form of muscles, agility and speed. But in its heavenly form, what exactly does the "strength of God" look like?

Visualizing the strength of God is a hard thing to do -- afterall, when you can not see God or touch God in the same tangible way that you can other things, learning to visualize, depend and grasp onto His strength is bound to be a difficult thing to do.

But I think that is precisely why God describes His strength as being an "armor":

v.11: "Put on the full armor of God...".

Picture it with me, won't you?

It's there just outside God's throne room, against the wall of heaven's largest mansion -- the Mansion of God, Yahweh, the Great I Am. It looks at once like the lightest and strongest armor imaginable. It radiates a light that could eclipse a thousand suns and yet sparkles with the intensity of an infinite number of stars. Worn in millions of battles with the enemy by scores of Christians, martyrs and others since Creation, yet not a single dent or tear in it. Engraved with every word of Scripture and the promise of eternal life, it is all at once the most perfectly flawless uniform made to be worn by God's most special, if flawed, creations: man and woman. Built by God himself it stands ready to be given to any of His earthly warriors -- His children -- who ask for it.

When you take a moment to visualize that armor, aren't you eager to put it on? Can't you see its strength and don't you desire to feel it?

Then why not wear it -- and why not dress yourself in it, daily, just as readily as you do the very clothes on your back. You may not be able to see it with your eyes, but I promise you, it's on you as soon as you ask for it.

It is God's own armor, provided from His heavenly barracks for His earthly children, to be used not just when we face trials, but daily so that we are prepared for any sort of warfare that the enemy may launch our way. God wants us suited up for anything satan (and I use lower-case purposely) catapults our way. Afterall, isn't that what He makes abundantly clear in the rest of verse 11?:

v. 11: "... so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes"?

What schemes, you may be asking yourself? I'm just a simple office drone or construction worker or retail clerk... friends, you're exactly what satan wants to trip up... maybe it's the incessant demands of an impatient boss... you swear to yourself if they say one more thing, you're going to lose it -- and maybe your job in the process... maybe it's endless fighting with your husband and a very friendly co-worker at work who says he understands and why don't you get together over drinks and talk about it?... or maybe it's using that paycheque not to pay bills but to try your luck at the casino... maybe it's that extra drink before you get behind the wheel of a car... whatever it is, you had better realize that you fit perfectly into the devil's desire to seek and destroy:

1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour".

For the devil, you're an easy mark, an irritance that he'd love nothing more than to destroy... and how easy it is to do if you are not prepared for battle. No matter how nice you are or how innocent you look, you are in satan's line of fire and he'd love nothing more than to pummel you with bullets.

As verse 12 reminds us:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms".

And the battle is a tough one -- consider this reminder from Daniel about the strength and tenacity of the enemy:

Daniel 10:12-13: "Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia".

That was spoken to Daniel by an angel -- an angel basically saying, I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner to help you out but I was in one heck of a battle with beelzebub that lasted for 3 weeks and which I needed re-inforcements to help me out with.

So if an angel - one of the toughest guys this side of heaven - has this much trouble with the enemy, why would we think we are immune enough from satan's arrows to walk on our own?

Your battle may begin and end quickly. It may last a long time. Whatever it is, if you're wearing the armor, you've got God and the armies of heaven working with you. And that beats that suit and tie you were planning on wearing today!

Just because you can't see the battle with your eyes doesn't mean it isn't going on around you. Indeed, that is very clear in verse 12 -- the battle is SPIRITUAL! It may manifest itself in other ways but it begins and ends in the spiritual realm. Arm yourself.

Friends, that armor is in the hallway -- and the battlefield is strewn with men and women who chose the blue tie or the pink dress over the inpenetrable armor of the King of Kings.

Do yourself a favor -- ask God to suit you up tomorrow morning. Pray Ephesians 6:10-20 over yourself. And then do it at least once more throughout the day -- like every armor, it may shift a bit during battle, so make sure you're always wearing it the way you should be. You'll be glad you did. And unlike most armors, it isn't heavy to wear - but light! (Matthew 11:30).

Next we'll take a look at the belt of truth.... in the meantime, here's some music to dress to:

Battle on!

My First Series: The Armor of God

2009-04-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Starting on Easter Monday I am going to begin this blog's first series: The Armor of God.

As you know, I believe that I have been caught for awhile in a bit of spiritual warfare and one of the things I have said consistently to myself and others is that I wish that someone had given me a bit of a manual so that I knew how to fight back. I know that we have the Bible -- the written, living, Word of God. But at the same time, I wanted some sort of road map to inform me how to wield the weapons outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18.

The Armor of God is a powerful - in fact, the MOST powerful - thing we can cloak ourselves in next to the blood of Christ. The Armor is effective not only in spiritual warfare but also in our day-to-day lives. However, sometimes, it's difficult to know what each piece is for and how we can be using it in our walk with God and in both the challenges and opportunities we face.

I don't claim to have all the answers but I do believe that God uses our experiences to speak hope, encouragement and direction into the lives of others while at the same using those very same experiences to teach us something special about the plans He has for our own lives.

I hope you'll join me for the journey. I'm looking forward to it.

It starts, here, on Easter Monday.

Martha, Martha...

2009-03-31T16:10:00.000-07:00

Her house is the cleanest one on the narrow, dusty, street. It should be -- you can see her on the step, every morning, sweeping at the crack of dawn, shooing away birds that gather on her stoop.

Her cooking is renowned in Bethany -- nobody knows how to make fresh bread and lamb the way Martha does.

When a neighbour is ill or feeling under the weather, she's known to prepare a basket of her famous treats and bring them over.

She's always busy -- if you want to catch her, it's best to do it at market when she is picking up food for the week. A picture of calm in a sea of chaos and loud voices bartering for the best deal on everything from baking supplies to wine.

At temple socials -- or in fact, any social -- you can feel the weight of Martha's stare and the tell-tale click of her tongue if you aren't pulling your weight. Those blue eyes bear into a person... those pursed lips and disappointed shaking of the head make everyone work just a touch harder.

While Martha is an example of what every hostess should be, she has a short fuse when people let her down.

Such is the situation we find her in on the day Jesus pays her a visit:

Luke 10:38-40: "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

Can't you just sense her frustration? She knows how important Jesus is -- she understands He's the Messiah -- and so her normal diligence in preparing her home to host a guest has increased ten-fold. That tongue of hers has been clicking all morning - she's clanging pots in the kitchen, trying to get Mary's attention, all the while her sister sits there looking up at Christ, sitting at his feet, enjoying the presence and wisdom of the King of Kings.

This week the idea of writing about Martha came to me when I saw this passage -- but I didn't quite know what to write about until I heard a song called "In the presence of royalty". The song talks about appreciating the complete majesty of being in God's presence and as I heard these lyrics I started to think about the story of Martha and Mary and how it relates to my own life:

"We're in the presence of royalty. It's our sovernign God and King, we're before your throne, we bow at your feet. We worship you holy king. It's in your presence that I find joy, it's in your presence that I find peace. I find rest for my soul and strength for my life lying here at your feet".

I know in my case I am a Martha - I find myself running around, trying to be perfect, the best host, the best clothes, the best food, the best, the best, the best... and like Martha, if Christ walked into my home, you would probably find me in the kitchen banging pots trying to catch the attention of my wife... I'd want her to help and not to waste time sitting around lolly-gagging. But that's the beauty of what Mary is doing in this passage... she's finding peace, joy and strength at the feet of Her King. Her ears are turned to His words of wisdom and she's too caught up in the moment of having the Son of God sitting in her living room to worry about taking the bread out of the stone hearth.

What does Jesus think of this moment? Is he angry at Martha for asking Him to scold Mary for sitting around while she does all the work? For clicking that famous tongue in His direction? I don't detect anger in the words that Jesus spoke... I think Jesus appreciates Martha's hospitality, the desire to do good through doing works, but he does give her a gentle reprimand:

Luke 10:41-42: "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

I love how that begins -- "Martha, Martha...". He's heard this before, hasn't he? Martha scolding Mary and anybody that hasn't pulled up their socks? But His words to her are spoken in love and He reminds her that for all her hospitality, her gifts of service, that the only thing that is needed in THAT moment -- indeed, in all of life's moments - is the very thing Mary has found: peace, wisdom, strength and love. In other words, He is saying... Martha, come find some rest... you are always on the go, always working, but if you work without concentrating on me, you will have missed the whole point. We don't know Martha's reaction after those words... but something tells me, her face would have flushed and she would have wiped the flour off her hands pretty quick and sat down. Embarrassed? Maybe slightly... but probably grateful for the reminder that love and devotion are as much found in obediently listening and enjoying God, as they are in serving Him directly.

Let's not forget that Martha was one of the first people to acknowledge that Christ WAS the Messiah:

John 11:25-27: "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?". "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

Martha, like all of us, knew Christ as Her Saviour. But she had a tendency to allow her God-given gifts to get in the way of appreciating being in the presence of royalty.

Do you do that? Do you, like Mary, sit at the feet of your King and just take Him in? Content to sit and absorb His love, His wisdom, His glory? Or are you like Martha - like me - someone who loves Christ so much that you think works are a better way to demonstrate your love?

There is nothing wrong with serving, nothing wrong with embracing your gifts... but remember, focus on the things that are lasting -- God -- and you'll find that balance that Christ wants us all to have. Your focus should always be on Him -- enjoy the presence of royalty... it's okay if that bread is a bit overcooked.

It only takes One

2009-03-23T14:54:00.001-07:00

1 Samuel 17:40: "Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine".

The stream tumbles across millions of stones beneath its surface, the sun glints off the water making a thousand perfect rainbows dance against the sand on this hot afternoon, a young boy of 16 kneels by the stream and - in silence - plunges his hands into the cool water, scooping up five stones to place into his satchel. In the distance, the sound of taunting, fury and ignorance beckons the young warrior to battle.

David is about to face his Goliath.

He picks up the first stone, feels its edges, maybe weighs it a moment in his hand... then drops it into his sack. The second stone he grabs is sharper on the edges though its surface is smooth. In it goes. The third and fourth rocks are heavier, but good rocks for a slingshot. Plop. Plop. The fifth is flat, about 1/2 inch thick and 1 inch wide... it's smooth and almost perfectly rounded... David feels its surface a moment and ponders his situation and then, swallowing his fear and offering it to God, goes to face his giant.

When David knelt in that stream to gather the five stones - the arsenal - he would use to battle Goliath, I wonder what was going through his mind. There had to be a certain amount of fear -- he was just a boy afterall, and he had only ever battled in defence of his sheep... never in defence of his people. But at the same time, what outweighed the fear, was the faith -- the faith that comes from the best rock there is: the Rock that is God.

What do you do when you are about to face a giant? Do you plunge your hand into that creek, grab about under its surface for anything -- anything -- that could possibly wound the giant, without any real thought as to how you can destroy it? Or do you, like David, patiently select five stones, praying all the while, confident that one of those stones will fell a problem bigger than yourself?

Before January 2, I would have been in the former category -- my hands were damp from many years of reaching into many a pool, reaching for sticks and bramble to try and fend off giants different varieties... and never really succeeding.

On Sunday, my friend Hope, gave me a stone -- I call it David's stone -- that made me think of David in the moments before he was to face Goliath. I imagine the stone David used was much like this one -- flat, smooth, the perfect weight, not too big, not too small. Was he scared? Yes, but his faith in God to deliver him gave him the will to win a battle by claiming the victory he already knew God had won.

It is no secret that the last few months have been a big battle -- horrific thoughts, anxieties, fears and just plain depression -- have been my giant. I have used the best rock I knew how to use: God... through prayer, reading the Word, the Body of Christ. It hasn't always been easy -- battles never are -- but it helps to know that the Rock is there and the foundation is strong, especially when you feel anything but:

Deuteronomy 32:4: "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he".

Psalm 18:2: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold".

Psalm 144:1-2: "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me".

Is my giant defeated? I would say yes and no. Yes in the sense that it is defeated because I know, now, how to fight back: prayer, the Word of God, the blood of Christ, solid Christian advice, the Body of Christ. No in the sense that I still have to fight. Perhaps we always do have to battle -- but when the battle you are fighting is God's, it's a battle worth waging for as long as it takes to overcome. I will tell you this though, every day - EVERY day - I gain ground... and that's because everyday I am choosing to run my hand over that perfect Rock to remind myself that it only takes one (in the words of my friend) to make a giant fall.

The smooth stone. The perfect stone. The round one. The rock that can trip up the littlest of ogres to the largest of foes. The last one that David selected from the creek but the first one he grabbed from his satchel when he was face-to-face with an ogre.

Thanks to my friend Hope, I am holding a rock just like that right now... a rock that reminds me that, in any battle we are in, that it only takes One Rock, and a little faith, to knock down a giant of any size.

Friends, whatever giant you are facing, do yourselves a favor: Grab that Rock and use it.

You don't have to entertain those thoughts (Philipians 4:8).

You are not too weak to overcome (Philippians 4:13).

Your fears are not too much for Him to carry (1 Peter 5:7).

He is stronger than even the mightiest and foulest of giants (1 Samuel 17:45-50).

You are perfect in His image (Hebrews 10:13-17).

It doesn't mean that your giant isn't scary or that the battle isn't tough -- but you are victorious.

Giants - all giants - fall if they are battled properly and with the might of God. Count on it.

Take it from me: Choose to feel the strength of the stone. Not the weight of the giant.

With one small stone and a whole bucket of faith, David watched Goliath fall to his knees.

Don't you want to watch your giant do the same?

Giants

2009-03-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you all the song that has been ministering to me for the last two weeks or so. You know the battle I am in right now and so I cling to every piece of encouragement that God brings my way. This song is one of those encouragements. One day as I was listening to a c.d. in the car, it was like God opened my ears to this song. That is quite a feat as I often struggle to understand the lyrics in faster songs -- I often like the beat of the music but I will get the lyrics wrong because the words just sound jumbled to me.

Until this song.

I love it -- as the song says: Giants do die... the bigger they are, the harder they fall... Just walk around the Jericho wall.

If you're facing a giant or giants today, close your eyes and be encouraged.

Remember -- there is power in a slingshot.

Just ask Goliath.

Quelling the storm

2009-03-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me maybe you enjoy sitting in a warm house watching a blizzard outside -- coating the world in layer upon layer of white. Or maybe you love the way lightening flares up the sky, the boom of thunder and the sound of a billion splashes of rain against the roof. Or perhaps you like knowing you are safely inside when howling winds batter the siding of your house. Storms are great to watch, aren't they? It's fun to sit there and watch the majesty of God on display.... but storms are not quite as enjoyable when we get stuck in them. Who among us likes getting stuck in that beautiful blizzard... the wind clipping your face, while thousands of snowflakes blind you... or drowning in the rain just as you are half-way to a meeting in your best suit... or trying to walk home in the face of an onslaught of wind, as dust gets in your eye... yes, storms are beautiful when observed at a sheltered distance, but less fun when you are among the things being pummelled.

So let me ask you: how do you handle storms in your life?

Are you more likely to sit and watch it happen -- safe and secure in the knowledge you don't have to go outside?

Or are you the type that thinks you can handle the storm -- and the mess that comes with it -- on your own? Do you think yourself fearless... able to battle back against the elements?

I'm probably a bit of the latter -- to tell you the truth, I have often embraced doing things on my own versus asking someone for help. Frankly, until the last couple months, asking God for help would have seemed so silly to me... I claimed to have abiding faith, and yet when faced with some of my biggest issues or challenges, I relied on my own strength to get me by.

While reading the Book of John recently, I was struck by the idea of storms and the idea of how the strength of God can be used to conquer ANY of them:

John 6:16-21: "When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading".

Those verses stood out to me because I can relate -- as I am sure each of you can relate -- to the disciples. Going about our lives in calm waters, doing what we always do... mapping out a goal and moving towards it... then getting caught in a storm, not sure of what to do but paddling like crazy in the hopes you don't capsize.

That's what the disciples are doing.

Can't you see them, a band of men struggling to right the boat in the midst of churning waters and gale-force winds? Peter is yelling at Andrew to paddle harder? John's paddle just broke from the sheer force of the waves... James' calloused hands are torn and bleeding from trying to hold the sails into place... a scene of chaos... and then, when things can't look any worse, they see some guy walking towards their boat... Jesus! But, like us when faced with the help God offers, we need reassurance, don't we? When the force of the winds, the slap of the waves, the bleeding of the callouses on our hands hurt so bad, we can become confused... frightened... unsure whether to let anybody into the boat... but watch what happens... "But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading".

We tend to do the same thing when we are in a storm: Demand God prove himself to us before we allow him to set foot in our boat to right the ship. But look what happens when we do... "... immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading". This verse doesn't say that after Jesus got in the boat, the storm knocked them around a few more hours... no... it says they IMMEDIATELY reached their destination.

We need to start asking God to get into the boat without questioning Him about who is He, what He will do and where He will take us -- when we do this, we can be assured that we will get to the best destination imaginable: HIS destination. The waters may still be choppy from time to time, but we'll get there and be the better for it with Him in the boat.

It is worth saying that storms in your life aren't always big and noticeable -- storms can also be the small ones as well... maybe it's a debate between yourself and your spouse about whether you want to get a dog... or perhaps you lent a friend $5 dollars and haven't been paid back... or maybe it's somebody who cut you off in traffic... whatever it is, sometimes these little gusts of wind can turn into a bigger storm if we proceed to row our boat without thought. That is why it is so vitally important that we have a seat in the boat for God at all times and we stop peppering Him with questions before letting Him take His rightful place at in the captain's chair.

Let Him quell the storms in your life -- ask Him into your boat. You'll not only reach the right desination, but you'll do so without getting alot of sand and rain in your eyes.

Are you an Andrew or a Phillip?

2009-03-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am really struggling in my life to determine the direction I feel God is leading me -- I am not completely satisfied in the job I am in right now, but at the same time, I don't want to leap into another job just because I might make more money. No. The next job I get I want it to mean something -- I want to go to work every day knowing that I am furthering God's will not only for my life but for HIS Kingdom. It's hard to determine what that is - afterall, we all have preconceived ideas of what we want to do and how we want to get there. But sometimes, like now, we wait and wonder: what is it all for and to what purpose does God wants us to work towards?

This is when faith is so necessary -- so very very necessary.

This week I was reading the Gospel of John and I was struck by a few verses that, I believe, God laid on my heart -- these are not verses that I would normally gravitate towards because on their surface I am not sure how much meaning there is at first glance. However, God has really been focusing my mind on these verses and to me these verses speak to the very real need for us as Christians to have FAITH in what God has planned for us -- FAITH in his infinite wisdom and timing to reveal His plan for us.

John 6:5-9: "When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages[a] would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

I love that scene - scores of people hungry after a long day and Jesus turning to His group of disciples to ask them what to do -- seeing if they would rely on what they thought to be right... that is to say the tangible things around them: lots of people, no food, no money. Or, instead, if they would turn to God and put their faith in Him.

Phillip's response is interesting because I think it characterizes how we often react in situations that call for pure faith and confidence in God: "Pft..." he grunts, "Are you kidding me? Jesus, there is no way we can feed these people... not only do we not have any money but all of us put together working night and day still wouldn't have enough cash to feed them. Good luck bud... we're going to have us a riot because nobody thought to plan ahead!"

Are you like Phillip? Is your first instinct when you are faced with an issue that requires faith - that is a "test" as Jesus knew in His own heart was the case with the 5,000 - to think that all hope is lost and that there is no way out of the problem you are facing?

If you are, can I encourage you to look at the next verse and to take your example from Andrew (v. 8-9): "Okay wow... there are tons of people out there and I don't have a clue what to do here... That kid over there has a few loaves of bread and some fish... barely enough food for the 12 of us let alone all the rest... but you're the miracle worker Jesus... so work your magic my friend".

Andrew doesn't have the answers either -- like Phillip he has absolutely no clue how to feed the scores of hungry (and likely, grouchy) people. But he differs from Phillip in that he doesn't try to solve the problem himself -- he doesn't try to mathematically equate how much money they would need in order to feed these folks, instead he presents an option to Christ and asks HIM to solve it.

So let me ask you this: who are you more likely to be in a problem situation? Are you like Phillip, trying to solve your problem with reason but without God? Are you immediately dismayed at the present circumstances and unwilling to look to the ultimate problem solver for help? Or are you like Andrew, unsure of how to solve the problem, but willing to let God take hold of the options in front of you and to use them as HE sees fit for your life?

As tough as it is to do, we need to be more like Andrew and a lot less like Phillip -- we need to put our faith in Christ to use the loaves and fishes in our lives to HIS glory. We have to have faith that He WILL use them and He WILL multiply them as He sees fit. Consider your talents, your skills, your passions, your beliefs and your possessions. When you see ALL these things as God-given, then you can truly begin to allow God to utilize these loaves and fishes to the glory of His Kingdom.

In my job, right now, I'm not completely satisfied. But I have to trust that God will reveal His plan in His time... and that, like those 5,000 people who ate five loaves and 2 fish, I too will be nourished by the plan He has for me and WILL reveal to me in His time.

How do I know this?

Because to paraphrase what our Pastor said today at church: The God that fed 5,000 people 5,000 years ago, still feeds His people in 2009.

Remember what we know to be true from John 6:6 - Jesus already KNEW what He was going to do... He was testing Phillip to see if he had faith in Him. If He already knows the outcome for us, isn't it best to just stand back and watch as he multiplies those loaves and fishes?

Resolve to be an Andrew -- I guarantee you, you will have plenty to eat!

The Sound of Applause

2009-03-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

I couldn't get into the worship service this past Sunday -- it just felt a bit different than other weeks... the worship team itself was new, so there was a new style up on the stage and the congregation seemed a bit more muted than usual. I am not sure what it was but I just couldn't get into it this Sunday -- sad, isn't it, with so much bounty to praise God for I couldn't bring myself to lift my hands to heaven because I just wasn't "feeling it" that morning.

As I was singing half-heartedly, trying to get myself in to a rather slow song, I heard something that just filled me with irritation: the sound of one person clapping. During a slow song. I cast a glance at my wife as if to say, what on earth is that guy doing? Clapping during a slow song... the sheer nerve of the man. Afterall, I reasoned to my crusty self, slow songs are NOT when you're supposed to clap.

As I wallowed in self-righteousness and tried to sing the song on the screen "properly" (read: without clapping), I was struck with a thought:

"When was the last time I applauded God?"

Instantly, I felt ashamed as I looked at the man ahead of me, happily clapping his hands to worship our God, as I stood there going through the motions because I wasn't quite in the mood. As I reflect on it now, I am struck by my willingness to judge the man ahead of me for his style of worship - and his JOY in doing so - when my own worship that Sunday was anything but heartfelt.

Scripture reminds us that it is right - and necessary - to praise and extol our God:

Psalm 117:1-2 (The Message version): "Praise God, everybody! Applaud God, all people! His love has taken over our lives; God's faithful ways are eternal. Hallelujah!"

Yet how often do we truly praise God? Or to be a bit more broad: do we realize that applauding God is both an act of thanks in worship AND a way of life?

In Luke 10:27 Jesus tells his followers - us - that we are to: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind". I love that verse -- alot. However, let's for a moment take that word love and replace it with applaud... because applauding the Lord is based in love.... see what you get... "Applaud the Lord your God...". Changes the dynamic a bit, doesn't it? Applauding and loving unto God are one and the same thing.

But oh we claim -- or at least in my case, I claim - I don't KNOW how to clap the way God wants me to clap! I don't know how to applaud God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind!

Aren't we all guilty of this? Claiming that we don't know how to clap? Or if we do know how to clap doing so pretty half-heartedly? I like to claim that I don't know how to properly love/applaud God... but you know, it really is pretty basic how it shakes down:

In our work, are we working for God? Or are we shuffling papers on our desk to pass the hours before we can go home and do something better? (Colossians 3:23-24)
When there is the altar call on a Sunday morning... do you head up for prayer or do you bee-line for the door because you need to get to Swiss Chalet? (James 5:14)
In our relationships are we always aiming higher? Or are we content with the status quo? (Ephesians 6:1-4 and Ephesians 5:22-33)
Is your offer to help that person who kind of bothers you sincere? Or are you hoping that they will say no thanks so you can go back to your own life and avoid having to ask them if they need anything for the next few weeks? (Luke 10:30-37)
Are you truly happy and thankful for what you have or do you constantly wish you had more, were more and looked more like someone else? (Philippians 4:19 and Exodus 20:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Are you repairing broken relationships -- or are you content to allow the past to define your future? (1 John 4:20)
Are you of the world or in the world? (John 17:14 and James 4:4)
When a friend, a family member, an acquaintance makes a rude comment about God or about Christians, do you not say anything because you don't "feel like getting into it" or do you chuckle along because it is just easier that way? (Romans 1:16-17)
When you give your offering to God through tithes do you do so willingly, or do you think of a million better ways you could be spending that money you just put in the plate? (2 Corinthians 9:7)
On Sunday morning, do you scowl when your neighbour praises God in his/her way, when in actuality you should be casting your glance inward at yourself and the way you are worshiping God? (Okay, clearly that last one is for me! :-)

No matter how you answered those questions above, the reality is that God -- and our loving applause of HIM - is found in all those areas... in our work, in our dedication to Him, in our relationships, in how we live our lives, in our willingness to be servants... all of these are ways to demonstrate how we love and serve Him. You don't need to simply applaud God to worship Him... applauding God can take many forms, obedience to Him and His Word being first among them.

If we define applauding God by this standard, then the simple act of applauding becomes a lot deeper in meaning, doesn't it? Imagine the sound of rejoicing among the saints when we - with a heart filled with the joy of the Lord - rejoice at the act of repairing a relationship!! Imagine the smile on God's face, and how He claps His Hands, when we declare His gospel with a voice as loud and strong as Christ's own voice!! Imagine the applause of heaven when we stand strong in the Lord when we are faced with incredible adversity!!

God wants our applause on a Sunday morning -- but what He values above that is applause of a different sort.

The applause of obedience.

Maybe it's time we all started clapping a little harder.

Riding the wave of provision

2009-02-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

God has blessed me abundantly this week -- first with the beautiful dream about my Grandma and then in an unexpected way today. In many ways, I feel like I am just surfing down a wave from heaven's floodgate!

Last week we purchased a central vacuum cleaner for the price of $903.99 -- an expensive, but necessary, item in a new house where drywall dust is still abundant. It makes the end of the month reconciling of finances a bit difficult -- but such is the case when you move: there are alot of unexpected costs.

Today, I received an email from the venue where my wife and I had our wedding reception and they informed us that they had a credit on our account and that they will be issuing us a cheque on Monday. The amount of the cheque? $903.46.

Anybody that tries to tell me that this was just a convenient coincidence is simply wrong. The reality is that God has - once again - demonstrated how much He enjoys providing to His children as a reward for our faith and to demonstrate His love to us. I believe He sees that we are being faithful to Him not only in prayer, in spending time in His Word and in praising His name, but also through the act of giving back to God through our financial offerings.

Each Sunday my wife and I tithe -- we give a flat amount every week and then the difference on the last Sunday of every month to ensure we give back a total of 10% of our income faithfully to God each month. We look forward to the day when we can give more to God than 10% but for now, we are blessed enough to be able to give Him what He asks for.

However, today the verses from Malachi 3:10 came to my mind as I realized God had re-filled our bank account by giving us, essentially, our vacuum cleaner for free: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it".

Today He demonstrated just how much He loves to throw open the floodgates. For a doubting world, here is yet another story of a profoundly loving God who ALWAYS keeps His Word.

What has God provided you this week? How has He opened the floodgates of heaven on you? Are you riding a wave of His provision or are you standing on the beach, hoping for a wave, not realizing that you have to sometimes put your surfboard (i.e. your faith) in the water in order to catch that wave?

Take it from me - be faithful to God, in every way, and stand back and watch the blessings flow... sometimes when you least expect it... and then enjoy the feeling of riding that wave all the way to the beach!

Little Gifts from a Big God

2009-02-24T15:34:00.001-08:00

Fourteen years ago this December my Grandmother passed away -- to say that this was the worst moment in my life would be an understatement. In fact, to this day, I continue to struggle with grief -- a grief so raw that sometimes it feels like she died only yesterday. She was 57 when God called her home and I was 17. It was the saddest moment in my short life.

I take comfort though from knowing that she is in heaven because she called out to God in the last years of her life and He saved her. Even though cancer wracked her earthly body, God raised her up into a new body -- one free of pain and suffering, one sanctified with His love:

John 5:24: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

1 Corinthians 15:40, 48-49: "There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.... As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[b] bear the likeness of the man from heaven".

It is an amazing feeling to know that you will get to one day walk the streets of heaven with those who have gone before you -- heaven is a place we can all look forward to going if we have accepted the free gift of salvation that comes from Jesus Christ, but there is something that makes it that much more exciting when you pause to consider the receiving line that will greet you upon your arrival (Hebrews 12:1).

So while I rejoice in the fact that she is saved, I mourn on those days when I am acutely aware that she is no longer walking on this earth.

But since she passed away in 1995, I have been blessed by God to have vivid dreams of my Grandma and I had such a dream last night.

My dream last night was about me preparing to go on a trip with my grandparents - I was the same age I am now, my grandparents were the same as ever, and I was busily packing to go away. Funny thing, right as we were about to leave for the trip, I had to dart back up to my room and re-pack my bag -- evidently I wanted to bring the clothes I wore on my honeymoon to Costa Rica. My grandparents sat waiting patiently in the kitchen of their house -- which looked very similar to my parents old place - but there they waited, nonetheless, for me to be ready... even though the plane was leaving shortly. (I knew it must have been a dream given how patient my Grandfather was being... God has blessed me with Grandpa, but patience is definitely something both he and I struggle with).

A simple dream but today as I was driving home I thought to myself how faithfully God has allowed me to receive dreams of time spent with my Grandma. As I have grown up without this very special lady, I have consistently had amazing dreams -- going to a party with her once shortly after she had passed away, walking along a lake at a family reunion in another dream, family Christmas's spent with her, talking with her... just spending time with Grandma. Sometimes those dreams end with me waking up crying, other times I wake up laughing. Always I wake up grateful to have had some time spent with my grandmother. To hear her laugh. To hear her voice. To just get a hug from her. It's a profound comfort to me and one that I can reflect on afterwards and smile about for days and weeks to come.

That's the thing about the greatness and gentleness of God -- He delights not only in bringing us comfort and joy, but in granting us the cries of our heart... even when we don't know that our hearts are crying:

Romans 8:26-27: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will".

I am blessed that God knows that I miss my Grandma - alot - and that, from time to time, He gives me a little dream to tide me over until I get to see her again in heaven. We're reminded in Philippians 4:19: "... my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus". Isn't He doing just that -- meeting my need to see Grandma? Isn't it interesting how sometimes we equate "needs" with our earthly wants? The new car? That promotion we're craving? That fancy vacation? That new sweater? To God, our needs are different -- they are the faith we hold in Him. They are the fellowship with the Body of Christ. They are the truths of His Word. They are the direction of His Holy Spirit. And, yes, sometimes it's a dream or two about a Grandma that I miss very dearly.

Take a moment today to consider the little gifts that God has blessed you with -- they surround you, they touch you, they are HIS provision over and above that which you already have.

Thank you God for that little gift last night. It helps more than I could ever describe... but which You surely know!

Great and mighty are you Lord that you minister to the things in our lives that are both great and small.

Thank you for knowing my needs even when I do not.

Amen.

The Plateau

2009-02-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

The last 10 days have been a whirlwind of moving, getting organized and stepping over flattened boxes and discarded packing paper. To say our new house is organized would be an understatement of gargantuan proportions. But we are getting there, slowly but surely.

So too am I making progress in this struggle that I am in and have been in since the beginning of January. While things are not perfect yet, I am getting there -- just not as quickly as I would like.

Today in an email to my friend Hope, I was telling her how I felt that I had hit a plateau of sorts and that I didn't seem to be moving beyond this new normal of 80% to 90% days. We all know what plateaus are like, don't we? We feel like we reach a point where we are not going up or going down, just staying in one place - stuck so to speak - on a flat plain where the status quo becomes a new normal of sorts.

I am on a plateau right now -- but that has me thinking... what exactly are plateaus for? And what is that God wants me to LEARN while I am on that plateau?

In my mind, a plateau can be many things:

1) A place of rest and relaxation
2) A place of contemplation
3) A place that gives us a good vantage point to see other spots where we can look to for our next journey.

Let's have a look at how we can apply those three to our lives.

Rest and relaxation:

Scripture reminds us that God IS our rest and relaxation in every storm. What Father - what master - does not allow His children or servants to rest during a battle? What general, in a war, does not allow his troops some downtime so that they can regain their strength?

So too does God allow US the rest and relaxation we need to re-charge so that we are ready to be used for HIS purposes. We are not much good when we are battered, weak and weary -- yes, it's true that through HIS strength we are made stronger -- but I don't believe that God wants us to be in such a state of readiness to battle that we don't take the time He gives us to re-coup... to embrace Him... to find shelter in Him... to pray... to consider... to find rest in His arms.

Matthew 11:28-29: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls".

We rest on a plateau called Jesus Christ -- a plateau given to us by God the Father. But how often do we truly rest? I sure don't... I don't know how to. I have a mind that is always going, always worrying, always wondering. I have a body that defines rest by sitting on a couch, scarfing down chips, watching TV. Is that rest? Probably to some extent -- but our rest has to be found in Christ. That doesn't meant that when we are on the plateau we shouldn't watch TV or enjoy the things around us... however, we are not on that plateau alone. Christ is with us. So too is our Heavenly Father -- don't they deserve our attention while we are there?

I think - I know - that if we take our rest in Christ on that plateau we will find that our burdens and weariness will dissipate and we will find "rest for our souls" as Christ promises. But first we have to allow God to shut down our minds to the outside so that we can focus on Him.

Even Jesus needed rest (Matthew 8:24). Why would we think we are any different when it comes to spiritual rest in Him?

Comtemplate:

Have you ever seen those pictures of someone sitting on a peak, silhouetted from the back, gazing up into the sky or out at the vastness of the land below? Thinking, wondering, taking it all in.

Do you do that? Do I do that? How often over the course of your day - whether you are setting up camp on a plateau or walking through a valley - do you stop and look around you and take in the breathtaking majesty of everything that God has given you, surrounded you with or made you privileged to see or feel?

Psalm 46:8: ""Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 37:7: ^"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..."

I'll be honest -- I'm not good at contemplation. I am even less adept at "being still" as Scripture reminds us to do. I'm not sure I even know how to be still. I can't seem to shut my mouth or my mind long enough to hear what God has to say or even to take in the breathtaking beauty of His creation.

But take it in we must and allow ourselves not only to contemplate what He has done - and is doing in our lives - but on the plan He has for us to glorify His Kingdom and to sow His children so that He can reap!

The problem I find with me is that I don't know how to contemplate - oh sure, I know how to think about the things (read: worry) that are going on in my day-to-day life... do I need to get the car fixed, how much money do I have in my bank account... will I be able to finish my work on time... the list is endless, but fruitless. These things don't hold the same degree of importance as the things of the Kingdom, and yet we get caught up in them don't we? We get tripped up by the rocks on the plateau - rocks that we are not obligated to trip over but which we seem bound to find, despite the fact that God has given us a great vantage point by which we can take stock of where we are at and move forward from there. It's our choice to wander, worrying, along that plateau, stubbing our toe, fearful about tripping over another rock. God asks us to sit and wait and too often we take that as an invitation to stumble and worry.

Scripture gives us a pretty clear idea as to how we can contemplate the greatness of God from whatever plateau we are on. Obviously, the first instance listed above is to "be still". Be silent before God. Let Him speak to you. You've sat in a room with someone where you were both just comfortable to be silent. It's okay to be the same with God. At some point He'll say what's on His mind. As well though, you can contemplate His greatness by appreciating the provision He has given you, the beauty of His creation and everything and everyone you are surrounded with.

It says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "... give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". That doesn't just mean in pleasant circumstances but in ALL circumstances.

Remember that the next time you get stung by a wasp up there on that plateau. Give thanks for that too. You'll be blessed.

The other way is to dig deep in to the Word of God -- it seems so obvious but do we do it?:

Joshua 1:8: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Psalm 77:12: "I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds"

Psalm 143:4-5: "So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done".

Meditate = contemplate. Dig into God's Word from the vantage point of your plateau. You'll find it not only will give you rest but, like a road map, will point you on the best course to manoeuvre those distant valleys and high mountains.

Aren't paths made easier when we follow direction? Take the time up on your plateau to chart out that direction with the best guide: God and His Word.

Take a good look from your vantage point:

Depending on the plateau you are on, you'll able to see valleys, canyons and mountains... all of which we will walk through in our own lives. Perhaps than a plateau is God's way of letting us see the broader picture and to let us get our bearings before He gets us to climb up another mountain or journey through a deep valley.

Take a breath then, and look around.

So what if you are having a 1% day or a 100% day - take in your plateau and the surroundings. Get acquainted with the spot that God has allowed you to get to. If you reach a plateau, have you not climbed and journeyed a long way? Don't you have the right to set up camp and rest? Of course you do -- God wants you to rest and renew, to contemplate and to prepare for the journey ahead.

Sometimes God needs for us to get a spot where it seems like it is flat and the earth holds no adventure, before He directs us to a path to begin the next stage of the journey. Put it in to perspective from a wilderness point of view: do you think that the best guide in the world started out on the most advanced paths? Of course not. They started scaling a hill, than a foothill, then a cliff face and then a mountain. Step by step. Little by little. In the beginning, they took frequent rests and learned how to pace themselves. We need to do the same. Use the plateau. Pace yourself. The journey is long, the valleys are deep and the mountains can be treacherous. You'll need the energy that God gives you on those plateaus -- and you can be sure that He will tell you when it is time to move forward:

Deuteronomy 1:6-8: "The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them."

He knows the best path off those plateaus -- but we need to trust that He will direct us in HIS time, not in our own.

Friends, thank you for continuing to pray for me during this time. It means more than you know. I must say that as much as I have written above about plateaus, I find it tough some days and frankly I just wish I didn't have 80% days. I know how hard you all are praying for me and how, with every prayer, God pours out more of His strength and direction on me and my wife. Thank you. We praise God for each of you whenever we think of you.

Today is a day for me when the plateau sucks and when I can feel the rocks -- but I know that God wants me to rest for a time in this spot until my weariness is gone and I am ready to move forward.

Keep praying. Because I can see the sun rising from my vantage point on the plateau... and I am longing to move forward into its light.

Childlike innocence

2009-02-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Mark 10:15: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Yesterday I received the above picture in an email from my wife and it triggered a thought in me: how often do we, like the little girl in the picture, go to God with the innocence of a child? How often do we allow ourselves to truly let our guard down and approach Him as He truly is - our Father.

In my case I know, even during this season I am going through, I sometimes struggle to come before God with a truly open, innocent, heart. I hold back, I say verbally what I think He wants me to say and I find myself repeating things because I don't know what else to say. But I have yet to master that one thing a child has that I seem to lack: the ability to sit quietly in my Father's lap and listen to His voice.

I remember when my sister was a baby and we would be visiting my grandparents. When she was tired of playing or running around or just needed some downtime, she would grab her blanket (her "bap") and crawl into my Grandpa's lap for - what he called - her recharge. That's an image that sticks in my head - my Grandpa on a chair cuddling my little sister, her sucking her thumb while holding tight to her little blanket. Sometimes sleeping, sometimes awake, but always reveling in the warmth, the comfort and the protection of being held by Grandpa.

Isn't it time we did just that? How often do we truly clamor onto our Father's lap and enjoy the comfort, the protection and the wisdom that comes from being still like a child?

Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Be still and know that I am God". But do we really do it? I know I sure don't -- I know that I seldom go to God with a listening ear. I'm more the chatty type and while I know He loves when I speak to Him, I'm pretty sure that sometimes He wants to get in a word or two himself. I've found during this season that some of the times God has spoken the loudest to me have been when I have been sleeping or on my way to bed -- how similar is that to our earthly Father and Mother? We, as children, tucked safe into our bed, quiet after a heavy day, and with an open heart, quiet mouth and listening ears sit as our parents tell us a story or pray with us before we go to sleep. I think, sometimes, God does just the same thing. Sits with us on the edge of the bed and gives us His thoughts, His guidance and His love as we are lulled to sleep. It's our time to rest but His time to talk.

God wants us to be as innocent as children when we come to Him -- because innocence is at the heart of faith. When we go to our Father with hearts that are truly open to Him, we will truly receive Him. Children may question their mom or dad, but they ultimately will obey because they know that Mom and Dad always know what's best. How often do we do that? Do we accept the direction, the plan and the guidance God gives to us? Or do we opt to pout for a time and then decide to go our own way? I think we do both to some degree. It's probably something that we never completely grow out of -- afterall, we are always children in the eyes of an ageless God. And children are alot of things - loving, full of joy and innocence... but they can also be willful. Oh, how they can be willful. I'm sure that God knows that better than any of us do -- even the parents.

I think that picture reminds me of a need to come back to God as a child would -- inquiring, obedient, innocent and believing in a God that can do ANYTHING! Isn't that what we think when we're little? That our Mom or Dad can move mountains? Well, our Heavenly Father REALLY can! How's that for amazing! As adults we allow ourselves to become jaded and to forget that as much as we delight in the wide eyes of a child on Christmas morning or the amazement of a child when they see something that truly makes them smile, so too does God delight in every sigh, every smile, every giggle and every moment of joy in our life. And when we fall down and hurt ourselves, He cries with us and then lifts us up, dusts us off and urges us to go on... just like we would do for our own kids. There is something necessary about having the faith of a child in our faith with God - it allows us to go deeper because we aren't burdening ourselves with the cynicism of an imperfect world.

I am reminded of that old song from Sunday School:

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world

Isn't it time we embraced that pure love completely and totally by going to our Father with the trust and faith of children? We may find that alot of things will be revealed to us when we approach him like that little girl and her dolls kneeling by the side of her bed:

Luke 10:21: At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

Finding the Real Treasure

2009-02-17T15:49:00.001-08:00

Exodus 20:17: "You shall not covet... anything that belongs to your neighbour".

Matthew 6:20: "... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven".

As I was leafing through a newspaper today I saw a picture of someone I used to go to school with, someone I knew through his work on campus and his reputation. This person was being featured as a strategist for a political party which I used to work for -- and just seeing his name didn't conjure about an attitude of grace and goodwill. I didn't see him and think: "Why, isn't that great, he is working as a strategist for this political party! Good for him!! I hope he does well!" Instead, the thought I had was: "Pft, this guy is a strategist?! What's he ever done in life beyond schmooze? What about me?"

"What about me?" - the fact that I thought that made me cringe... but think it, I did. It's not the first time I have thought something like that, and it is probably not the last. Looking at my own life through the measurement of world achievement is not good -- and it is certainly contrary to God.

You see I struggle with always wanting more -- the sin of coveting. I also struggle with thinking that the world owes me more than it does. The world owes me nothing. God owes me even less. Yet, despite that He continues to provide for me -- in spite of my less than stellar attitude some of the time. He sacrificed His Son for me. On a Cross. And he continues to provide for me today:

Philippians 4:19: "My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need".

As I look around me tonight I see the following - a loving, gorgeous and God-centered wife, a beautiful house, two cars, a good job, a family that loves me, friends that surround me, nice furniture, food and good health. What more do I need? Well today, I wanted fame -- and God must have shook His head in disappointment while I scoffed at someone else's success.

But how often do we all do that to some extent -- measure our own worth by what somebody else is driving, doing or wearing? And how often do we realize -- like the title of the book reminds me -- that regardless of how much we obtain in this world, at the end of our life "It All Goes Back In The Box". Indeed, it sure does. And what's ultimately left? Relationships with people. Our work on behalf of God and His Kingdom. That's it. That is what we need to remind ourselves to measure ourselves against -- not some smiling face in a newspaper offering their opinion on politics. Yet, it's a struggle, isn't it?

I am reminded of the story of the Rich Young Ruler who, when he approached Christ to ask how best he could serve Him, was told by Jesus that if this man wanted to truly serve the Kingdom of God, he had to give up his worldly possessions and follow Christ. One might think that being asked by the Son of God to follow Him would cause this young man to drop everything for the promise of something more... but, sadly, we see a far different truth unfold... the rejection of Christ and the embracing of the world:

Mark 10:22: "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth".

The man left sad because he could not bear to part with his money, his fame, his worldly worth. He measured himself by the laws he kept, not by the relationship he needed or required. Obedience was not in his heart -- it couldn't be... because the love of money, of power, of status overpowered everything else.

How sad for him -- and how sad for me if I were to opt instead not to look around at the blessings I enjoy because of HIS hand, and rejoice and be glad! Here I sit writing this and yet not four days ago I wrote a post thanking God for blessings and I meant it. Yet, at the first sign of seeing something that was pretty cool on a surface level, I forgot everything else and - for a moment - felt completely dejected.

Sad, isn't it -- but how much better is the lasting promise of treasures in heaven...:

Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".

Old habits - as I mentioned yesterday - are hard to break on our own. Simply put, we can't do it. But God can. God can - and will - take this covetous heart from me and turn it into one that is not only grateful for what it has, but which is able to bless others each and every day. Gold, silver, money and fame are all nice to think of -- we say in passing at the thought of a lottery win that "if I were rich, things would be alright". Friends, if you have Christ, you've already won the only lottery in this world that really counts... and if you EMBRACE that truth, if you LIVE that promise, if you SHARE that joy, you will reap treasures that will far and away beat anything this world has to offer... and the cherry on top is eternal life with God and His Son Jesus.

For me, this week, I am really going to start praying into Jeremiah 29:11: "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".

If you are like me, desiring more, wanting more from life -- don't try and find your answers in the world, in the successes of others, or the false promise of a Lotto 649 win. Open the Word of the Lord and pray. Pray without ceasing. Ask God to reveal to you the plans HE has for your life. He'll answer and you'll find that what HE has in store for you is ten million times better and more lasting than easy money or fleeting fame.

Let me just add one final thought before I go to bed.

A couple years ago a family friend passed away. I remember thinking to myself that this man had a great life. He had a wonderful family that loved him, a good job, friends and was happy - from the little bit I knew of him - to just be surrounded by those that loved him, and he was a generous, kind man to others. I remember thinking that his life was a measure of having succeeded. If we can go through life enjoying what God has given us by HIS provision and HIS timing, we can truly say that we have succeeded. That's what I want. I don't want the constant pull of measuring myself against temporal things - I want heaven to be my yardstick and Christ to be my coach. I'll jump higher, I'll achieve more and the prize at the end will be infinitely more valuable, lasting and loving than anything here on earth.

So put down that newspaper. Throw out your lottery tickets. Stop looking at your neighbour driving by in a Mercedes while you stumble onto the bus. Embrace what God has given you -- and USE IT TO BLESS HIS KINGDOM. You'll find yourselves blessed. Eternally.

Matthew 6:33: "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well".

Sheep and Goats

2009-02-16T17:58:00.000-08:00

Over the course of this struggle I have been thinking off and on about three verses from Matthew 25:31-33:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left".

I understand that those on God's right hand will be those who are saved, while those on God's left will be the ones who are banished from His presence. But I wonder why one side is categorized by the shepherd as sheep, while those on the left are the goats? What makes them so different that they need to be separated? The obvious answer is the salvation that comes from Christ -- that is completely true. If you are not saved, scripture tells us that heaven can not be attained through good works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Luke 18:18-30). But there has to be more to being a sheep versus a goat that God wants me to take away from those verses.

I did a Wikipedia search on what a goat was -- and came away surprised by the way a goat's behavior is described... surprised because I think it is a pretty good definition of what we as humans resemble without the saving grace of Christ:

"Goats are extremely curious and intelligent. They are easily housebroken and trained to pull carts and walk on leads. They are also known for escaping their pens. Goats will test fences, either intentionally or simply because they are handy to climb on. If any of the fencing can be spread, pushed over or down, or otherwise be overcome, the goats will escape. Being very intelligent, once a weakness in the fence has been exploited, it will be repeatedly exploited until they determine it can no longer be overcome. Goats are very coordinated and can climb and hold their balance in the most precarious places".

Let's leave aside the comment about being easily housebroken (I assume I was easily toilet trained) and focus on what we know about goats:

Extremely curious and intelligent: Isn't that what Adam and Eve demonstrated in the garden? But don't kid (!) yourselves, intelligence and curiosity are two things the enemy loves to exploit among non-Christians... or even among us as Christians... "Oh come on... you've ALWAYS wanted to do it... what's the harm in trying?" or "They don't know what they are talking about... you're smarter than that, just GO for it". Eve was curious -- so was Adam -- they were made that way by God. And the enemy used those very same qualities to get them to betray God (Genesis 3). The enemy lured them into a trap by suggesting that God didn't take their curiosity and intelligence seriously... that He who had created the world had a hidden agenda to deny them knowledge. Funny thing, they listened. And we all bear the scars of that moment of frailty. There is nothing wrong with being intellectually curious and intelligent, but it is when that curiosity and intelligence are lead astray that we have a problem. On our own, those two qualities are a potent combination -- they can lead us to explore things that God never intended for His children to explore... new religions, alcohol, drugs, new groups of people, quick fixes to make money... the list is truly endless.

Goats will test fences: How many barriers in your own life do you test? Do you push the limits of what you know God would not permit versus what the world might permit? I'm certainly guilty of that -- like a little goat I like to push my head against a few loose boards to see how far I can get... and a few times, I have managed to push myself out of the pen and run wild. This has lead to misery and hurt. But thankfully, God has always lead me back to the pen. It doesn't mean I don't keep at those loose boards though -- sometimes I do... but I am certainly trying with God's help to keep myself focused on what I know to be right: staying within the pen and enjoying being cared for and protected under His watchful eye.

Goats repeatedly exploit weak fences: I've done it. We've all done it. Everyone has different fence boards that are weak -- for some it could be pornography, for others maybe it is drugs or alcohol, for others it is sex, for others it is seedy movies, poor company, cursing, lying, gambling, etc. The reality is sometimes those weak fence posts are awfully appealing... and how often do we tell ourselves, figuratively at least, that it doesn't matter if we push the board of the fence right out, we can always put it back? Or to drop the metaphor, how often are we known to say to ourselves that we can stop a bad habit or activity by our own power? Just as though a goat isn't able to put back a fence post once it's been pushed off, so too are we unable to stop those habits -- and to truly be free of them -- that are destructive to us personally, professionally, emotionally and spiritually without God's hand.

Hebrews 9:13 speaks to the cleansing power of God in our lives - the power, if you will, to repair every weak fence post: "The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[a] so that we may serve the living God!" Take it from someone who has pushed against a few of his own weak fence posts... you can not - NOT - break these things on your own. Go to the One who can.

Goats can hold their balance in the most precarious of places... sometimes, but only for a time...: I added that last bit myself - because no matter how good of a balance a goat thinks he/she may have, eventually they will lose that balance. Likewise, we can balance ourselves on a pin of living absent of our God for a time -- I've done it and claimed to be happy. But there comes a tipping point where a strong wind blows and everything you have built comes crashing down... because, as it says in Matthew 7:26-27, a man who builds his house on sand (that is, absent from God) will find it all very temporal and destructible at the first blush of a heavy rain.

So we know that in the context of scripture, just looking at a basic definition of what makes up a goat, we see that it is somewhat like we are when we are living for ourselves: willful, selfish, disobedient, curious, disrespectful of boundaries. Godless. Not, you would agree, something that we should strive to model.

But, you may be saying to yourself, why would God use an example of sheep to His right as something we would want to emulate? For that answer, I went back to Wikipedia for a quick idea about the typical behavior of sheep:

"Sheep are... animals with a strong gregarious instinct... natural inclination to follow a leader to new pastures .... All sheep have a tendency to congregate close to other members of a flock...."

Sheep have a natural inclination to follow a leader to new pastures: God is the ultimate leader - Scripture refers to Him as a shepherd numerous times. And, as the definition states -- and as we appreciate with God -- when we are truly FOLLOWING HIM, we WILL be lead to new pastures... pastures that are more abundant, safer and nourishing then where we currently reside:

Isaiah 40:11: "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young".

Numbers 27:17: "... so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd".

Psalm 23:1 (through to 6): "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want".

The point being is this: Shepherds protect their sheep. God protects HIS sheep. He scares away the bandit and the enemies, He always is watching out for them, leading them and caring for them. While goats are pushing against weak fence posts, sheep find themselves comforted and cared for in a pasture that is green with quiet waters (Psalm 23:2). As Christians, when we entrust our care and worries to the Great Shepherd, we will find all our needs met. There is something profoundly gratifying about that -- but most of us still have that billy goat instinct to try it our own way first.

Sheep are animals who are gregarious and tend to congregate together: This idea brings to mind the necessity of the Body of Christ. God's Body of Christ is an extension of Himself and something that we as Christians need to draw close to not only for comfort but for support, for fellowship and for direction. (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

Think about the example of the Disciples AFTER Jesus died - they didn't stop what they were doing because they lacked a leader (a Shepherd). Rather, they rallied together - in prayer - to carry on His work... just as their Shepherd would have wanted. (Acts 1:12-14). Or think about the example of Thomas who didn't believe that Christ had rose again because he had not seen it with his own eyes. Instead of leaving the fold altogether, Thomas continued his fellowship with the disciples... fellowship that may have saved him from becoming a goat (John 20:24-28).

The key point I am making here is this: while God is our shepherd and the one who leads us and guides us, we have an obligation to stay in community to ensure we are appropriately supported and guided in our faith and walk with God. There are too many worldly pressures and dangers for a sheep (read: Christian) to walk alone... the lion prowls afterall... best to stay in the fold under the eye of the shepherd, together with your community of believers.

While this last one is not mentioned specifically in the definition, I want to put it out there: sheep - when in community - care for one another. We see it by the way ewes feed lambs, by the way rams defend their families, by the way a mother sheep will charge anybody coming near their babies. The reality is that sheep care about each other. Taken to our context as Christians, Christ calls us to "feed his lambs" (John 21:15). In fact, in John when He is talking to Peter, Christ stresses on three separate occasions the need for Peter -- and indeed, all of us -- to stop living for ourselves and start living for ALL those sheep who require help getting to the pasture.

Hurt and lost sheep are everywhere, aren't they? They are standing on street corners, they are lying in the gutter of despair and heartache... it's the broken family, the pregnant teenager, the spaced-out addict, the angry lady next door, the homeless guy you ignore on your walk home from work... they are all there, and we see these lambs every day... we see them wandering around aimlessly but we choose - CHOOSE - to not see them. Isn't it time that we started to make sure these very sheep are fed, clothed and given something to drink?

We have a choice that we can make in our lifetime -- we can either choose to be a goat, to go about things the way the world wants us to go about it... to be curious and selfish, stubborn and proud, and we can live a life consistently pushing against fence posts. Or, we can choose the comfort of being a sheep, with a Shepherd whose rod and staff are comforting (Psalm 23), who calls us to unite in community and bring other lost lambs into His pasture.

But the choice is ours.

Choose to be a sheep, not a goat. You'll not only enjoy a pasture of abundant love and comfort, but you may find a lot of goats you know being transformed into lambs because of your example, and because of the endless love and sacrifice of the One True Shepherd who will never abandon His flock.

Thank You Lord

2009-02-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

Today is a pretty special day for my wife and I -- we closed on our new house and we move in tomorrow. We are surrounded with boxes, packing paper and last minute laundry to do... but I wanted to take a few minutes to stop and give praise to God.

A new home is pretty momentous -- and something made possible, not because of my work or my wife's work, but because of God's provision. We have been reminded again and again over the last six weeks just how much God longs to bless his children:

Philippians 4:19: "My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need".

Psalm 107:9: "He satisfies the thirsty and fills up the hungry".

Psalm 23:1,5,6: "The Lord is my sheperd, I have everything I need... You pour oil of blessing on my head, you fill my cup to overflowing... Surely your goodness and love will be with me, all my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord, forever".

Today I wanted to share an open prayer from my heart to God - a prayer of thanksgiving for all He has done for me, my wife and our family - we are truly blessed. Sometimes it's good to remember that. We can get so busy that we can overlook just how much God gives from his storehouse -- the Lord is, as I was reminded in prayer a few weeks ago, truly great in His storehouse:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for our new home. Thank you Lord that it is a place of rest, of joy, a place where you can dwell and where the fellowship you desire to have with us and with others can be made possible. Thank you Lord for every piece of workmanship and material that has gone into building this home -- the materials were made by you, and you blessed the workmen with the talents and skills necessary to bring this home to completion.

Father, we know that all we have comes from your hands. We acknowledge that you have blessed us more than we deserve but that you love to bless us because you love to demonstrate your enduring love and commitment to your children.

We pray that our home will be a place of laughter, a place of celebration, a place of refuge from every storm. Let it be a place where family and friends feel like the weight of the world is lifted off their shoulders -- a place where there is warmth and a special glow... a glow that comes from your Holy Spirit shining through us as keepers of this home.

Lord we have given to you - at your request - a prayer room at the top of the stairs. Let this place be one of reflection, a place where you dwell and where we can go when we need to close out everything else and just celebrate and study all that you are. Let it be a place where all who enter feel blessed -- a place of continual fellowship and harmony.

Father, may our home do your work - may it shelter those who need shelter, may it feed those who need food, may it bless all those in our neighborhood. May we be known among those on our street as children of God -- and let YOUR light shine from us, brightly, every day.

Lord, we know we are in a season right now that you are bringing us through. We know that that season will end at a time of your choosing, and we pray that you will continue to give us the love, the strength, the perseverance and the faith necessary to get us through this time. We pray for an influx of YOUR thoughts, your Holy Spirit and your joy into our hearts and lives. Let us embrace with all that we are - in mind, body, heart and soul - the words of 2 Timothy 1:7 which remind us that you have given us power, love and soundness of mind. Let us live what we know to be true: that greater are YOU Lord in us, then he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We thank you for the jobs that we have when so many are struggling and we are sorry for the times when we have seemed ungrateful for the jobs we have. Sometimes, Lord, we fail to realize just how truly blessed we are because we get too caught up in the ongoing stresses of every day life -- but you call us to rise above that (Romans 12:2) and to be inspired by a new way of thinking. Let that be so Father. Let that be so.

Lord, we thank you for how you have blessed us with transportation -- Lord, those are your cars as well. Let us always be willing to use them to further your kingdom and to help those who need help.

We are grateful for all that we have because it ALL comes from you. We thank you for the way you cradle us in your hands, the way you smile down at us every day, the way your Son walks within and beside us, and the way you commission your heavenly angels to stand guard over us.

We are blessed to call you Father - let us, Lord, do your will in our new home, and every day of our lives.

Thank you Abba.

Amen.

Accepting Grace

2009-02-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

I have a problem accepting the idea of grace - I can't imagine that God forgives me as readily as He says He does in His Word.

I'm one of those people who constantly feels like any slip of the tongue, any misdeed, any moment where I let my guard down and sin, is an offense against God that I must atone for immediately. That's a tough position to be in -- always feeling like I have to flog myself for any misdeed, begging my Heavenly Father to forgive me when He already has. It is also a position that is patently false.

Scripture tells me that the ultimate price for my sins was paid by Christ on the Cross, yet still this idea of a grace is so foreign to me, that I struggle with how to accept it. How do I accept His grace and live in this grace when I am still so flawed? How can I move forward in grace when I can not even move past my own misdeeds, my own mistakes, my own fears and my own guilt? I guess the question is: at what point do I truly accept the grace God has offered me by allowing myself to move forward from the past into the brightness of His future.

It's truly a battle and one that He needs to help me win.

Scripture reminds us in Psalm 103:12 that: "... as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us".

That's a pretty bold statement as to where He tosses our sins -- He scatters them such that they can never meet again, nor will He ever see them again. Pick up some sand in a windstorm and toss it into the air -- as the sand scatters and the grains go in completely opposite directions, never to be found again, so too is the same with what God does with our sins.

God also reminds us in His Word that Christ - when He died on the Cross - did so in order that we would be reconciled with our Heavenly Father:

2 Corinthians 5:18-19: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation".

1 John 4:10: "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins".

That is a pretty amazing display of grace by a God that could have opted to just let us all burn -- but because His love for us was so deep, He extended a hand of love versus a fist of destruction.

Yet, still, I struggle because I expect the fist. I beat myself up so that God doesn't have to... even though God makes it clear that He has no plans to do so now that I have accepted His Son as my Savior:

Isaiah 43:25: ""I, I am the One who erases all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins"

That is an interesting thing He adds in there: "... for my sake....". He adds that in as a bit of an affirmation to demonstrate that the forgiveness of our sins is not only a gift that hugely benefits US, but one that benefits HIM. Such is His desire to live in eternity with us that He allowed His Son to be sacrificed. Ponder that act of grace and then look at us as humans -- the idea of grace of that magnitude is one that is just hard to grasp. Maybe that is why I struggle so much with the idea of being forgiven. I know that I am -- but perhaps the bigger issue here is me forgiving myself, of not letting my past and mistakes I make on a daily basis, be how I measure my fitness for His Kingdom.

Philippians 3:13-14: "Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above".

God wants us to forget the past (heck, He wants us to forget the present and stop worrying about the future as well (Matthew 6:34) and focus our eyes on the end result: His shining Kingdom and our great reward. That said, the enemy for his part wants us to wallow in the mud of guilt -- coat ourselves in it, stink ourselves up and beat ourselves up as unlovable, unworthy and indecent so that we don't approach the Throne of God with the fullness and expectation of heart that we should as children. But we can not allow the enemy to lie to us about grace or give us false ideas as to what God is like. The enemy would have us believe that God is scornful of us as children, that He disapproves of our every move. That he is the Mr. Wilson to our Dennis the Menace. Movies, TV shows, music, books have all jumped on that idea of God, helping to paint warped views of Him who saves as some forgetful, jovial old man on the one side or some angry, brow-beating father-figure out to hurt mankind by forcing him to atone for every wrong and denying them the happiness the world has to offer. If we look at God that way - or if we look at ourselves in that same way - it becomes much easier to understand how the concept of grace seems completely out of the realm of understanding for us. God is not someone we can conceptualize the way we can others. By that I mean, His very image - His very being - is love. Pure love. Pure grace. Pure glory. Those are hard to find in such a jaded world.

While I was writing this blog today, I happened to find a verse from Joel that I thought was really relevant and spoke to what I do to myself by refusing to understand the depth of His grace:

Joel 2:13: "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity".

"Rend your heart and NOT YOUR GARMENTS" - how apt is that? How much am I measuring my faithfulness in Him by what I am outwardly displaying versus what my heart is doing? By begging for forgiveness, am I not figuratively "rending my garments"? Beating myself up, not accepting grace... these are all ways I am rending my garments. While my clothes are not outwardly torn, I would submit that the cloth of my soul is torn when it doesn't need to be. Grace IS the cloth that covers our heart - we make ourselves right with God when we embrace His love, His Son, His Salvation and live by His word. That verse from Joel doesn't go on to say that God will maybe consider your request of forgiveness or your cry for help if He happens to be in a mood for it. Rather, that verse affirms what God wants us to know about Him: "... gracious and compassionate... slow to anger... abounding in love... relents..."

Those are terms that describe a God of endless compassion - one that just picks us up, dusts us off, gives us a hug and encourages us to keep walking. To be a little cartoonish: God loves us so much that in this verse it almost makes Him seem like an owner with a new puppy... it's cute and charming when we piddle on the rug or dig up the flower beds... he'll gently scold us, spare us the newspaper spanking and teach us how to follow... and we will, once we get our nose out of the dirt. But the entire time, God watches with pride as we stumble through life, crying with us, laughing with us and ultimately enjoying the show -- a show made possible by grace that came when His son died on a blood-spattered cross.

God's grace means we don't have to rend our garments; Christ's sacrifice gave us that cover... the cover of salvation. This doesn't mean that we will automatically be perfect, but it does mean that God sees in us the perfection that allows us to come in to His Kingdom. It means that to walk with Him does not require a conscience of guilt, but an obedience and desire to love the way He loves and to serve the way He serves:

Micah 6:8: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God".

I know that salvation belongs to our God, that it was given to us as a gift and that that salvation is an eternal demonstration of grace that can never be surpassed. I'm not sure how long it will take me to understand His grace -- I think every day is a bit of learning in that respect. However, I know that His grace has saved me but now I need to understand that His grace allows me to move forward and forgive myself.

Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do.

Colossians 1:22: "But now God has made you his friends again. He did this through Christ's death in the body so that he might bring you into God's presence as people who are holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty".

Our Hiding Place

2009-02-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

Last night I had a bad dream -- one that frightened me but one that has a message.

Here's a run-down:

I was part of a high school or some sort of educational institute and I was a student, I think. At some point in the dream it became quite clear to me and to other students and people in the dream that there was an extremely bad man who was after us and wanted to kill us. All of us agreed in the dream that we needed to find a hiding place -- a GREAT one -- where we would not be found by this guy. We concocted a variety of plans -- one involved (and this is a bit of humor) all of us throwing a great big play or music show replete with (wait for it...) dancing Vegas girls, balloons and alot of music. But ultimately, we thought hiding was the best option. However, none of the hiding places were good -- they were either too easy to find, too obvious, not hidden enough or liable to break open and expose us.

Then I woke up -- and was frightened. I got the feelings in my hand of burning that I sometimes get (but haven't gotten) for about 10 days now. This feeling in my hand usually coincides with fear and anxiety.

So as I lay there thinking about this dream, feeling afraid, instantly I felt God make me aware of two things that were the meaning of that dream:

1) That the man in the dream was the enemy -- and he was pursuing me and others in that dream. He was intent on destruction and while we looked for somewhere to hide, no place would be good enough. Why is that? Because NONE of the hiding places in that dream were God -- not once in that dream did anybody say: "Wait - we need to pray!" or "We need God to help us out". Nada. Nothing. Just a bunch of people running around in fear because we couldn't find a hiding place.

2) That God is the ultimate hiding place -- I felt Him say "I am your hiding place -- the Lord is your hiding place".

It was when He said the second part about Him being my hiding place that I felt instantly comforted and enveloped by His love.

Scripture reminds us that God IS our eternal refuge... a place to seek out in all circumstances:

Psalm 32:7: "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance".

God IS the ultimate hiding place -- the only place of strength and rest in a world of anxiety and fear. Yet how often do we, like in the dream, run around unsure of what to do -- yet guidance and certainty is only one sigh in God's direction?

In that verse from Psalm, God does not say... "I am your hiding place but you still might be hit by trouble". If it said that that would be an admission of a pretty poor hiding place... in fact, what would be the point of having a place to hide if someone knew where you were? There wouldn't be a point, which is why God says just the opposite: He not only says that in HIM is the best place to reside, to rest, to renew and to hide but that HE WILL PROTECT US. This isn't some hansy-pansy line, thrown in our direction in the hopes of making us feel better. It is a real PROMISE - something we can hold Him to - because His promises are always kept and NOTHING will hurt us under His wing.

I love how the next line of that Psalm (verse 8) outlines what else He will do for you as He protects and shelters you: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

In that verse we see part of the promise of His hiding place -- it is not just a place to stop and wait for troubles to go by. It is a continual place of direction -- protected direction -- that He will use to point us along the right path. We can find rest there but at the same time His hiding place has a map (His Word (2 timothy 3:16), His Holy Spirit (John 14:26, Romans 8:26), His Son (John 3:16, John 8:12)) by which He will lead us to the next place that we are to go, still sheltered, still protected, still in His care. But first - FIRST - we need to seek out that cave of rest, that shadow of His wings, where He is. We have to tell Him we need it... we can't just run around and hope to find it on our own. His hiding place is open, but we need to ask Him to put us there:

Isaiah 4:5-6: "Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain".

In this context from Isaiah the hiding place of God doesn't seem as easy to find as we could expect -- Mount Zion is, afterall, a pretty high spot to get to on our own. But if we ASK, if we SEEK, if we call to our Abba Father, He will let us crawl onto his palm and He WILL raise us up to that high place where we will be sheltered from the heat of life and the storms of fear, the enemy and anxiety. Praise God for that -- and Praise God that His Hand is big enough to carry us and all our worries to a place that is not only one of rest and hiding ourselves, but one of renewal, redemption and further direction!

In the book, "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom, we read the story of a Dutch family with strong faith in Christ, who are taken to Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War and locked away there for hiding members of the Jewish community in a specially built bookshelf in Corrie's room at the top of the stairs. The family is thrown in prison but those who found rest in that bookshelf are saved from the Nazis.

How true is that in our own life? How apt is that description for what God has done for us through His Son? He allowed His Son to be NAILED TO A CROSS, to descend into hell, while we were hidden behind a bookshelf of redemption and renewal at the top of the stairs. God - like the Ten Boom's - took a punishment that was not deserved to save a people that needed salvation and renewal. God will bless the Ten Boom family - they will wear His Crown of Glory - because not only were they faithful, but because they hid the chosen people of God. Praise God for them and the Jewish people -- and praise God that He still hides us behind a bookshelf so that we don't face a horrific punishment.

I relayed last night's dream to my Mom this afternoon and I wanted to share with you the interpretation she gave:

- The school/educational facility is akin to the education I am getting at this stage in my life by the Holy Spirit;
- The idea of the Vegas show could be construed as in a time of adversity, our tendency to flail about with the ways of the world -- trying to find those easy answers that will distract us for just a little while but which are ultimately contrary to God; and,
- The realization that we can find no hiding place except in God is absolutely the right one -- we can and are pursued by the enemy in our lives, and we face many challenges and opportunities as well... in all of these things, the best place to reside is with God in a place of rest and renewal.

This dream, though scary at some points, was a good one to have -- and I loved experiencing the the ultimate sweet relief when I heard His voice remind me that "I am your hiding place. The Lord is your hiding place". For me that was the best part of the dream: God's promise of being right there with me.

Find your hiding place today in Him. He's there and he's anxious to let you rest in his security.

Just like a little bookshelf in a room at the top of the stairs.

Low Percents are Heaven Sent

2009-02-09T10:25:00.001-08:00

Philippians 3:20-21: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body".

The other day I wrote an update to a couple people who were wondering how things were going right now in this struggle. I said to them that some days I feel 80% or 90% how I used to feel -- that is, I feel like I can function pretty well, the enemy is at bay because I am leaning heavily on God, and I go through my day doing what I am supposed to do: living for God.

It's just the other 10% to 30% that I am struggling with -- because I want to feel 100% of how I used to feel. I would love to get through a day without having to take thoughts captive, without feeling like I can't be close to my wife and other loved ones, and when I feel like I am lonely and afraid. As someone who is a feeler -- a person who regurgitates and clings onto every joy, every sadness, every single moment of life -- I find that some days that deficit percentage is what I start to focus on... I dwell in the ashes and the soot, even though the flames have subsided a bit.

Last night as my wife and I lay in bed (it was a 70% day), I said to her that some days I honestly wished that God would hurry up and rapture me out of here so that I did not have to face another day of dealing with this crap. That while I understood the need for a thorn and that I was glad for the work God was doing in me, that I wished for heaven because it would be so much EASIER and more glorious than being mired in the struggle I am in right now.

But then, I realized -- as I do whenever I think that -- that I can not use heaven as an escape hatch. Heaven is a REWARD for those who live in HIS glory, who accept the gift of HIS son, who embrace Jesus - the Prince of Peace - as their Lord and Savior. I'm sure that God would gently scold me and say: "Love my kingdom yes, but I have not put you in this battle so that you can just beg off from life by trying to hasten a day that may be soon or far away! Take refuge, my son, in ME!"

And that's the crux of it isn't it: learning how to take refuge in God even on those 10% days or those 90% days or even on those 100% days when the birds sing, the sun shines and you haven't a care in the world?

One of my favorite passages that I found over the last 6 weeks is from Psalms 17:7-9:

"Your love is wonderful. By your power you save those who trust you from their enemies. Protect me as you would protect your own eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings. Keep me from the wicked who attack me, from my enemies who surround me".

I love that verse because when we have those low percentage days we know that God isn't far away... that we can crawl underneath His wing, where we will find warmth, comfort and a secure place to shed our tears and unload our fears. I remember a story once where it talked about a man driving in a rain storm, the wind was high and the water was pelting down as he drove - very slowly. He saw a bird at the side of the road with one of her wings expanded, and under her little wing was her baby... hiding... taking shelter... secure in the knowledge that Mom was right there in the storm, and that no harm would come his way.

How much truer is that for our Heavenly Father? And how much BIGGER are HIS wings? Big enough for your deepest fears. Your wildest anxieties. Your every hope. Your every dream. Your every challenge. Your every opportunity. Your lowest percentage. All can be guarded under His wing... if we will only take refuge.

So on those low percentage days, that is where I need to make more of an effort to find myself -- underneath the safest place of God. Right near His heart... because, when He expands that wing and you crawl under, you dwell right there -- next to His heart, where he cradles and protects you. And you feel the warmth of a heart infinitely more powerful and loving than what you know today. A heart that beats at a percentage level we can not even fathom.

It is not to say that we can't look to heaven for relief -- we can -- but we need to look to the man on the throne and His Son at His right hand... not to the mansions He has promised us! We need to guard against asking God to relieve us of our current circumstances by coming back early. That isn't only contrary to His plan for the world, but one would assume, His plan for me:

Hebrews 6:9-12: "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised".

Even Abraham - after being promised a son - had to wait until he was 100 years old BEFORE that son arrived (Genesis 17:17)! How much truer than, and how much more patience, do I need to have if I am to reap the reward of heaven? Heaven is not just a merit badge given because I ask God to stop the race early! No, heaven is a badge earned through salvation, but a place of REWARD that you get AFTER YOU HAVE RUN THE FULL RACE!

And the race God has me on right now is nowhere near being done!

1 Corinthians 9:24-27: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize".

Hebrews 12:1: "...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us".

Here I am, not even half way around the track -- heck, barely out of the starting gate -- and I am asking God to hurry up and wave the flag and take me up to heaven because my legs and body are getting tired?!

Good grief.

But such is the nature of those low percentage days that hope seems to be low, when I should be rejoicing in what I know to be the truth: that even on those 0% days, God has already WON 100% of the victory. And that when I have a day that is less than 100%, I can lean on God to make up the difference! Because if I am truly relying on Him for strength, and not myself, than it doesn't matter if I am at 95% or -50%... He has what it takes, under those wings, to help me rise above and soar to the highest of heights on the lowest of days!

2 Samuel 22:30-34: "With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD ? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights".

Isaiah 40:31: "... but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint".

I believe that God wants us to keep our sight on Him and His Son -- and if that means trying to envision living free of problems and fears in His Kingdom, than that's fine. It is when we try and will God to do something OUR way that we fall into a dangerous pattern -- God is many things, but He isn't one to be rushed (Matthew 24:36, Romans 5:35). Unlike our earthly families, He won't just dole out a reward if we stamp our feet loud enough. Infinite comfort and direction, yes. Victory and glory in Him, absolutely. Rewarding whining and selfishness? No. Not our God. Not after the sacrifice HE made by giving us HIS Son!

We can long for heaven - but, as Scripture reminds us, NOT at the expense of doing His work:

2 Corinthians 5:1-10: "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad".

Heaven is a wonderful place for the righteous. But we don't get heaven as a trade-off because we face difficulties in this life.

So this advice I give you as much as I give it for myself: embrace both your low and high percentage days. Don't allow yourself to be crippled by the enemy's arrows coming to land in your camp -- they won't hit you, you're under the shield of faith... God's OWN shield... HIS wing. On your lowest percentage days, envision heaven, assuredly, but don't let it keep you from doing what HE needs you to do: sowing so that HE can reap. Do the same, and moreso, on your highest of days. But seize EVERY day for what they are: days given us BY God -- days to seize His strength and to SERVE His will so that our crown of glory will shine as bright as the sun.

1 Peter 5:4: "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away".

But first we have to persevere - through every low percentage day and every high one.

The reward is a heaven where every day is 100% - and more!

Cleaning the temple

2009-02-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

Last night as I was praying through some areas of deep-rooted sin in my life, I was struck by the idea of Jesus in the temple:

Mark 11:15-17: " On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers..."

The idea of Jesus in the temple is one I feel that the Holy Spirit has again given to me. As I have said previously, I believe part of the reason why I am going through this season is so that God can restore me to the glory He knows I can attain. But I must be cleansed -- no matter how much it may pain me.

I have allowed, over the course of many years of disobedience, my life to be dictated by the pleasures of the world and not by the will of God. That is a dangerous thing... especially because Scripture reminds us that when we ask God in to our hearts, our bodies cease to be our own:

1 Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body".

My body is a living temple for Christ, and yet for a long time I flung open the doors to sin in order to make myself feel better. Doors of the world that corrupt the mind, the heart, the soul and the body.

Drinking. Sex. Trying drugs. Racy movies. Pornography. Over indulgence of food. Lack of exercise/laziness. Questionable t.v. shows. Abusing alcohol. Ignoring God. Seeking the approval of my peers versus the approval of my God. These are all areas I have struggled with -- and they are areas that open doors into our lives that the enemy seeks to - and often, successfully - exploit.

I am certain that God does not approve of how I lived my life -- afterall, what Father likes to consciously watch as their child ruins themselves and their lives just because they can.

Indeed, as Habakkuk 1:13 reminds us: "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong".

God can not tolerate wrong -- He will NOT tolerate it, nor will He even entertain it enough to look at it. It offends Him. Just as it offended Jesus to see His temple turned into a den of thievery and debauchery.

But how often are we doing the same things in our bodies... in His living temple? I dare say, more often than we would like to admit. And as Jesus came into His temple and overturned the tables and set the doves loose, driving out merchants and sinners, so too is God -- in this season -- doing that in my OWN body in some respect. He is cleansing it. He is purifying it. He is transforming my body - HIS TEMPLE - from a "den of thieves" into one that more accurately mirrors His glory.

It isn't easy. I don't think it is meant to be easy. But then, it wasn't God that put me in the situation I was in in terms of sin - I did that myself, with a little coaching from an enemy that likes to see us fail... an enemy that twists words and situations to make them seem good at the time, but which are far from good.

God has convicted me of my past. He has convicted me of areas I need to address and which I am in the process of addressing. At the same time, while I am addressing them, He has convicted me to avoid the corruption of the world. I don't say this to be holier than thou, but rather because I think that God is right to have me avoid things that are not of Him especially in a time of cleansing when He is in the process of stripping me down from the inside, making me vulnerable and more susceptible to impression and innuendo from the world. Frankly, right now I would find things of the world comforting but, as the Bible reminds us, those comforts are fleeting and ALERTNESS is what is needed -- not just during a time of trial but ALWAYS:

1 Thessalonians 5:6-9: "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"

1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour".

How do we stay alert? I think it varies depending on the person, but here are a few areas that I have felt laid on my heart:

Digging - deep - into His word. (Psalm 119:9-11):

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek you with all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against you".

I am digging deep and praying because that is not only where I find my comfort, but my sense of direction, strength and purpose. It took a long time for me to realize this, but when all else around you seems crazy and uncertain, having God as the unchanging touchstone, is powerfully reassuring.

Avoiding things that can lead us into temptation:

Ephesians 5:18: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit".

God has told me to stay away from alcohol. Not because I have ever struggled with drinking, but because I think God wants me to ensure my mind is sharp at all times to do HIS will and that I have not allowed myself to be compromised by wine. I want to be alert because I feel that when I am NOT alert, I am weak. And that doesn't serve me well, and it certainly doesn't serve God well.

I always remember years ago when I worked in retail being at a bar with colleagues from work, drinking and dancing the night away. At one point in the night I was standing against a table and for a few seconds I think God let me see the situation the way He saw it... through the smokey haze, I saw people stumbling about, dancing and acting provocatively, anger and sadness all over their faces. It was the very moment that I started to hate bars -- and since then, it has remained that way. I can't get the image out of my head of that night a long time ago - and I am grateful that God let me see, for even the briefest of moments, what He must see when we behave that way. It was troubling. And very sad.

(Please know that I am not trying to suggest everyone avoid alcohol. That is NOT my intention, nor is it my place to suggest that. I am completely fine if others want to drink -- that is their right. I am simply sharing what God has laid on MY heart. God will give to each direction as they require it).

Avoiding the corruption of the world:

2 Peter 1:3-5: "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires".

Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things".

Romans 12:2: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will".

This is a tough one for me -- I love movies (except horror films) and I love TV. Absolutely and totally love it. I love reading current affairs stories. I love getting the latest scoop about what Celebrity A is doing versus what Celebrity B isn't doing. I love the idea of making money, getting rich and just living the good life.

Wrong, wrong and wrong.

God has told me that during this season I am to turn off my TV, avoid the movies, and avoid the crap the world tells you is important. Instead, I have been opening His Word and finding something very interesting, that my desire for the things of the world is quickly falling behind a desire to do what is right and true in HIS Kingdom. To measure myself and my actions against what His Word says is true.

Were I to try and continue to allow God to work through me and in me during this time, while I was filling my brain with crap on the TV or movies where people are having random sex, drinking alot, doing drugs, committing crimes or engaging in violence, I would be allowing myself to be corrupted. This is not to say that God will not, at some point, allow me to go back to enjoying a good movie and getting back into my 80s TV sitcoms (Hello, Mama's Family!), it just means that right now God is causing me to think twice about putting into my head the things that are not of Him.

To put it more bluntly: if I was in the process of vacuuming a carpet, would I then pour red wine on it so that my job would be more difficult? Of course not. In the same way, I feel God is saying: "Let me clean out MY temple, let me restore it and let it be used for MY purpose".

After 30 years of living my own way, I think -- I know -- I owe Him that.

Every temple needs to be cleaned - no matter how much it hurts to have the graffiti scraped off the walls and the tables overturned.

Nobody likes to change the way they live their lives -- but when OUR way of living soils HIS temple and HIS plans, then our Father has an obligation to step in and deal with it. Consider it discipline -- discipline built in love:

Hebrews 12:10-11: "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it".

Every day is a bit easier in this struggle -- the temple gets a bit cleaner, and I move a step forward. But I'm not there yet -- I'm not sure when this cleansing will stop - and when the enemy will stop throwing muck at me, trying to muddy God's clean floors -- but I do know when God is finished, I will sparkle with His righteousness and glory.

God's Snowplow

2009-02-05T11:58:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of trouble driving at night. I find that my eyes don't adjust very well to the dark and that with bright headlights coming at me, I can not focus properly. Subsequently, I often prefer to drive with as much light as possible. Daytime is my preference.

Two weeks ago I was driving home with my wife from Toronto, and in between Belleville and Ottawa (a distance of about 2.5 hours) we got caught in a fairly bad snowstorm. Combined with the fact that it was dark outside, and the swirling snow, driving was perilous. A couple times I contemplated pulling over for the night to avoid the storm.

But a funny thing happened on that drive home -- on two separate and lengthy occasions, we found ourselves caught behind snowplows. Traffic became very slow as the plows in front of us rumbled down the dark highway, clearing snow out of the way and making our path clear. What would normally be a 4.5 hour drive stretched to a 7 hour drive and the snowplows bore a good part of the blame.

I will admit to being slightly irritated by the hassle at some points during the trip, but on more than one occasion I also ended my gripe against the plows by saying "But I guess in a storm, there is no safer place to be then behind the snow plow".

How true is that. In our life's storms, as I talked about yesterday, how often do we truly thank God for being the snowplow in front of us... clearing our way in spite of our haste to get ahead. Making our path straight... forcing us to follow because it is not only the right thing to do, but it will get us to our destination - HIS destination - in safety.

God IS our snowplow. He is sometimes booming and loud (Psalm 29:3, Job 40:9). He is sometimes bright and flashing like the siren atop the plow (Exodus 3). He is sometimes quiet (Psalm 83:1). But He always clears the way -- and like a snowplow, He doesn't leave when the job is half done... He stays until it's complete: Proverbs 3:5-6 says"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight". As humans we are simply not able to plow the path to righteousness and good living on our own.

We certainly aren't capable of finding the true way in our own lives -- that is where God comes in. He works - in all seasons - to clear roads, debris and hurt in our lives so that we can embrace the joy His salvation brings.

It is - and always is - God who leads our way. Sometimes we may not like the pace at which He moves, but we know that is to a greater glory:

Proverbs 4:11: "I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths".

In a society where everything is temporal, where quick fixes and easy answers are too often the norm, and where God is marginalized by a culture intent on "me" versus "He", there is something profoundly reassuring about being able to look ahead and see that bright light atop God's plow -- the light of the Cross of Calvary -- and know that He is ALWAYS there. That no matter how bad the storm gets, God is right there making our paths clear. And that He - unlike so many other things - is lasting. He won't run out of gas. He won't veer off the road. He won't go anywhere. Not as long as you drive that road.

Deuteronomy 31:6: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Romans 8:38: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".

No matter how severe the storm, no matter how dirty and messy it looks, keep your eyes focused AHEAD. God is right there, taking on the dirt, pushing away the debris and getting you exactly to where HE wants you to be. Don't pull over. Don't try and alter your route. He is there... whether you see Him or not... and when you stay focused on Him and on the path He is making for you, you'll not only be safe, your mind will be at rest.

Remember the song - and sing it while the God clears your path:

"God will make a way, where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me. He will be my guide. Hold me closely to His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way. He will make a way".

In this storm I am in, I'm glad that I am right behind the snowplow and I am content to stay behind that plow for as long as the snow swirls and the night lasts.

It's the only sure way to reach His destination.

Necessary Storm

2009-02-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago our city suffered a bad snowstorm -- the kind where the roads are coated in thick dirty snow, the snowflakes are more like giant slush balls and the wind whips around causing whiteouts and very poor visibility.

As I drove to work during this mess, I found myself staring intently at the road, driving very slowly and making sure every action that I took was carefully considered so as to avoid an accident. For the most part, I hate snowstorms. I hate the way everything grinds to a halt and how difficult it is to follow through on the plans you may have -- snowstorms make life just a bit too difficult, which is probably why they only happen sporadically during the year. Mostly during winter, or as we saw a couple years ago, sometimes in spring. Whatever the case may be, they are not a regular occurrence -- and it is probably a good thing. With a lot of snowstorms, people would be bound inside, things would freeze up and life would not be very enjoyable.

But as I turned onto the road leading to my office that snowy morning three weeks ago, the Holy Spirit gave me a thought -- "Once the snowstorm passes, and the snow melts, the earth will be renewed". Because that is ultimately what happens after a snowstorm... over time, the warming effects of the sun melt the ice and snow and wash away the dirt and debris. The moisture from the melting snow goes into lakes, rivers, fields, trees, flowers and gardens providing life-sustaining nutrients as spring dawns. Spring follows winter. Or you may say, renewal follows every storm.

The storm I am in right now is just that -- a blanket of snow that must fall before renewal comes. It's not pleasant: sometimes it is hard to see through, the snow is deep and I trudge along, but ultimately I know that the Son will melt all the ice around me and renew my soul.

Snow falls only after the clouds build up -- they fill up and up and up before there is a trigger and things start to fall.

In my own life, it was sin and a continued inability to put God and His precepts FIRST that I think lead to this snowstorm. At some point God needs to give us a wake-up call -- and though it may be loud and harsh, it is sometimes a necessary thing to get us out of our slumber.

Scripture does support snow being an example of renewal... consider this metaphor from Isaiah 1:18:

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool"

Is your life scarlet right now? What areas does God need to cleanse? For me, the cleansing began afresh on January 3 as God decided that it was a good time for a snowstorm to hit my life. And blizzards are no fun: the snow blows around, your extremities freeze and you just desire to be bundled up against the harshness of the cold. But bundling ourselves up against the harshness is AGAINST the whole purpose of renewal, isn't it? God sometimes needs to take us outside of our comfort zone -- away from that cozy fireplace and thick down comforter - and toss us outside among the wind and the ice in order to set things right again. In order to make the scarlet areas glow with the whiteness - the purity - of HIS glory.

Psalm 51:10-13 is a familiar Psalm -- familiar because we have heard it sang in church, and because if you are anything like me, you have likely prayed it before... perhaps absently, but you have prayed it: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you".

How can we -- how could I -- expect God to create a pure heart in me if I continued to stumble along as I had -- conscious Sunday of a great sermon, but living contrary to His Word and will every other day? Creation, renewal and restoration can ONLY happen when the ground is pure, the earth has been tilled... when the bad stuff is stripped away and we as Christians stand before our God without pride and baggage. Or to continue the nature theme, if our soil is dry to God... if it is sandy and dead of nutrients, doesn't God have an obligation to send a storm our way?!

I like the way verse 13 says "... THEN I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you!". We like to brag when we live through a major storm... "I was there when the 1998 ice storm hit!" or "I managed to make it home through that massive blizzard"... but in this case, God is giving us something else to brag about: surviving a spiritual storm of renewal... and THEN we will have the ability to brag about it... and who does that bring glory to? God:

Philippians 1:29: "God gave you the honor not only of believing in Christ but also of suffering for him, both of which bring glory to Christ".

Colossians 1:29: "To do this, I work and struggle, using Christ's great strength that works so powerfully in me".

When we make it through the storms in our lives with Christ by our side, we are more likely to testify to HIS greatness. And as WE testify, Christ and God are glorified -- and made powerfully real and relevant to those who do not believe. If people see us being tested and us emerging STRONGER after those tests BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH in God through Christ, there is an opening to introduce them to God, and for Him to do a renewal in THEIR lives.

But first, we have to get through the storm... and shed the garbage of our own lives in the process.

James 3:10-12: "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water".

How true is that verse -- I was trying to live a scarlet life Monday to Saturday and a snowy white one on Sunday morning! During my week, dirt and debris came out of my mouth and on Sunday I had the gall to stand before God and sing praise -- praise, yet my life was anything but a praise to the Lord! Hence, the need for snow, the freeze and the coming springtime of renewal.

I found this verse in Isaiah 55:10-11 that I thought fit very well this idea of a new spring -- a new season in my life:

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

This snowstorm will pass. The pain will go away. And I will be renewed -- I will be left in a better position to "bud and flourish" as God intended. Nothing that He allows to happen to us will be bad for us... ultimately, it will ALWAYS lead to good. We know this because that is what the Word says -- Romans 8:28 reminds us that "We know that in ALL things God works for the GOOD of those who love Him". Perhaps we have forgotten that we need to actively love Him. That it isn't just some passive expression that we mutter every Sunday as we drag ourselves into a house of worship. Sunday Christianity and Weekday Worldliness are not conducive. Rather it is akin to an early frost... it coats the earth -- our hearts, our minds and our souls -- and renders us useless to what God needs us to do. Which is why He sometimes allows us to be caught in a storm -- it's not only good for us, but for Him!

For in the midst of a storm, where are our eyes turned: to God.

Think about the example of the disciples stuck in the storm while Christ slept in the bow of the boat... they were overwhelmed with fear at the storm, but Christ SLEPT soundly. How often during this time have I ran away with fear in my heart? Fear in my soul? Anxious that the storm would pass me by so that I was not overwhelmed with water (or snow)... alot... an awful lot. Yet, as I was reminded during a sermon by Max Lucado and by my pastor, storms may seem scary to us but they are a necessary step to building faith. And Christ - God's SON - is never afraid. Ever. He sleeps soundly while we run around:

Luke 8:22-25: "One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

Sometimes it takes a storm for us to find our faith again -- and after we find it, God will allow things to be calmed once again. Afterall, we bud and flourish in springtime.

So does His Kingdom.

I'll get through the storm -- it is just a season, afterall. And I can always look up in the midst of the snow and squall, and I'll see the Son poking through -- even if some days the storm clouds may hide it. The Son will bring renewal and a heart that is more attune to His will for me.

I can't wait until spring.

Choose to feel

2009-02-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

As a child, I was always extremely sensitive. I wore my heart on my sleeves. I always knew how I was feeling, why I was feeling it and I was never shy about expressing what was on my mind. At the same time though, I also had an uncanny ability to plug into what others were feeling as well. My Mom tells the story of me answering the phone in our house when I was little and handing it to her – always telling her how I thought the person on the other end was feeling… “Mommy, it’s so-and-so… and she sounds very sad”. Mom said that more often then not, I would prove to be right.

While some may chalk this up as just a little boy being able to correctly read the voice of someone on the other end of the line, I have come to think – instead – that it is a special gift from God. Oh, it’s true that I have tried to hide it from time to time under a crusty exterior, but a sad movie or event, or a moment of pure injustice is pretty much enough to reduce me to a slobbering mess on the edge of my chair. In many ways, I am still that little child -- sensitive and always conscious of my feelings and wondering how others are feeling as well.

God doesn’t give the same gifts out to everybody – he doesn’t tell everyone that they will all receive the gifts of tongues, just like he doesn’t tell everybody that they will receive a gift of discernment. All people have been given something different that they bring to the Kingdom of God, because it is in those differences that the perfection of Christ is made known.

1 Corinthians 12:28-31: “…And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way”.

All of us have been created and gifted differently, yet all of us have been created in the image of God. We all bear His mark, and as His children, we all exhibit bits and pieces of His personality:

Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them”.

My ability to feel is directly given to me by God. I know that. The same compassion that healed the ruler’s daughter (Matthew 9:18), the same God that cried when Lazarus died (John 11:35), the God described by Paul as the “Father of Compassion” (2 Corinthians 1:3) has given to me a bit of himself – the ability to feel and to love to a capacity that I believe is deeper than most. Some of us are gifted in music. Others are gifted in mechanics. Some are gifted in speaking. I am fortunate to have the gift of compassion.

However, over the course of the last few weeks it is just this capacity to feel that I have been struggling with in a major way – because my capacity to feel has proven a welcome tactic for the enemy to exploit so that I feel guilty, afraid and unsure of how to move forward.

As I have said in other posts, I have been inundated with thoughts of pure garbage and evil for the last month. Praise the Lord, it is much better than it was 3.5 weeks ago, but it remains a struggle. Part of the reason why I think it remains a struggle is in part because of my ability to feel – it is both a blessing and a disadvantage at time of like this.

You see if the enemy can put the garbage he has in my head and then leave me to fester over it, his work is done. What’s more, if I can then regurgitate those thoughts over and over again in my head without any sort of prompting, then not only is he winning – but I am losing, and in the process losing sight of the very real gift God has given me: the ability to feel and the ability to use those good feelings to do the good works of His Kingdom: to help the helpless and to reach out to the broken-hearted.

During this time of struggle, I have allowed the enemy – and indeed myself – to pollute this sense of feeling with dread and guilt:

- How could I have ever thought these things?
- What kind of a person am I?
- I am a truly hateful individual!
- This garbage is going to come back into my head
- How am I going to be able to go on like this?
- I can’t focus on anything else except this one problem

Each and every one of those above statements are things I have thought – indeed, felt – these last few weeks. Yet every last one of them is poison put into my head by an enemy who loves to play on the fact that as a feeler, I am more likely than most to allow these things to spread like choke-weed through my brain, my soul, my heart. The enemy plants the seeds, then my feelings of dread and fear take over and fertilize them until my mind’s garden is a mess of overgrown emotions – and joy, praise and optimism are not among the growth.

That’s the thing about this time of trial: I have allowed not only these thoughts to consume me in worry and dread, but I have done the opposite of what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:10: “…That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong”.

I have not delighted once in this time – I have known it was a good thing to have been given a thorn in my side, but I have carried myself under the weight of tremendous agony when we are commanded NOT to carry struggle like this is a burden – but rather as a service and demonstration of faith to God:

James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”.

Pure joy is not something I have willingly experienced these last few weeks – in part because this is a time of immense struggle but in part because as someone who is so conscious of just what and how I am feeling, I allow myself to be kneecapped – and I even kneecap myself – by focusing on the pain instead of putting my focus entirely on God.

Yet, one thing I know that I have not focused on as much as I should is that God is still in the midst. His light is STILL shining. It is STILL present and it has NEVER gone out. Not once during this entire time. He has talked to me. He has comforted me. He has calmed my anxiety and quelled my fears. He has strengthened me and anointed me a warrior. He has provided me with a great Body of Christ on which to lean and to reap the benefits of their – HIS – compassion. In short, the joy of the Lord could be my strength during this time… but instead I have chosen to go about with long face, dealing with difficulties as though overwhelmed by the challenge of confronting these emotions and thoughts.

But the reality is that being overwhelmed is NOT of God – God does not allow us to get overwhelmed. In every storm, He only demands that we have faith and He will quell the waters for us (Matthew 8:23-27). That alone is reason enough to rejoice. But sometimes, even during the darkest of days, we need to consciously remind ourselves to seek the light of God… because without it, we can and we will continue to sit around and mourn like those who are lost.

The enemy does not want me to realize the limitless potential of this gift of compassion. Compassion is the bane of the enemy – it is ugly to him. He views it as not only a weakness to exploit but a potential strength in his adversaries that he must destroy. It is why when you get a tinge of sadness when you see the loneliness of a homeless man or woman and think about speaking to them, the next thought that comes into mind is wondering what people might think if they saw you. It is why when we think about helping out a neighbour or friend with a project in one moment, we then in the next think to ourselves that we are just too busy with our own lives to do anything for someone else. It is why when we see a colleague at work, as I did yesterday, who has been downcast and sad for the better part of the last 10 days that we consider giving them an encouraging word, and then beg off because we aren’t sure of what to say or how to say it. Compassion. It exists. But the enemy likes to give it a good hard kick in the hopes it can be bruised and abused into submission. For those of us who have been specially gifted with compassion or feeling, we feel those bruises and he knows it – he kicks us harder, because he knows that it not only will knock the wind out of us, but we will focus on the injury – thereby making it harder to focus on anything else.

But God is the Father of Compassion. He is the Father of Joy. He is the Father of Christ. If we allow ourselves to be caught up in the whirlwind that is doubt, despair and fear than we will never move beyond the spot we are in right now. And frankly, we owe God a lot better than that – we owe Him our best. And right now, I am not giving Him my best if I am allowing myself to be cowed by the one who was thrown out of heaven. Giants, as I said a few days ago, don’t get to win. They lose because we have the biggest giant our side: Jehovah Jireh!

Last night while I was praying – and then again this morning – I declared David’s battle cry that while the enemy was trying to take away my sense of joy, my loves in life and was trying to do so with “swords, spears and javelin”, that I stood on the side of a righteous and loving God who not only has great plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11) but also because the joy of the Lord is NOT a weakness – it is a strength (Nehemiah 8:10). It is something to hold onto – the knowledge that what makes us feel, are the things to celebrate.

The enemy has no right to turn our gifts against ourselves. In fact, he has no right to do anything. He has no victory. He has nothing.

It is time to embrace the gifts that God gave us for what they truly are: blessings to take us through adversity, to enhance our joy and to guide us to glory in Him

Galatians 5:22-23 talks about the fruits of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law”.

If I am concentrating on this trial and only the trial – and not the joys that this trial is supposed to bring me – then I am not exuding my gift, and I am certainly not exuding the fruits of the spirit.

I think it’s time to do a little more joy and a lot less guilt.

God doesn’t do guilt – He does joy. In abundance. If we let Him. But how often do we do that?

Friends, if you are a feeler like me, then let’s do something a bit different today – let’s allow yourselves to feel, even during adversity and trial. Let’s not allow ourselves to hide the light God has given us because we are too wrapped up in worry or focused inwards on ourselves. When we do that, nobody wins – not us, not others and certainly not God. Remember, if the enemy kicks you, he’s just trying to bruise you. But remember: while bruises can hurt, it doesn’t always mean that something is broken. It just means you can feel that a tender part of yourself is a little bit more exposed to feeling. And that’s a good thing.

In any struggle don’t lose your capacity to feel. Cry with God. Rejoice with God. Give the gift of your joy and love to others. God did NOT give you a spirit of fear – He gave you one of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Embrace that. It’s true.

Feelings last. Bruises don’t.

The Pain of a Thorn

2009-02-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gotten caught in a thorn bush – the pricks and pokes of the thorns are grating, they hurt and if they dig into your skin, it can be hard to remove them. And those are just the little ones. Have you ever grabbed onto the stem of a rose with those giant thorns and have one gash into your hand? They hurt – a sharp, wincing pain that leaves your finger throbbing and you not wanting to handle the rose for the foreseeable future. Not only that, but for the next little while afterwards – depending on how deep it went – you are still nursing a sensitive finger, doing your best to baby it and get it back to health as quickly as possible.

I have a thorn right now – and it hurts. It hurts in my heart, my mind, my body and my soul. It makes me feel sad, alone, worried and anxious. It tugs at the edges of my heart – you know the place right in the middle of your chest, just under your ribcage. That’s the spot. It aches and feels empty. Except for the thorn. Thorns are no fun – they are hard to remove and sometimes no matter how hard you dig, the tweezers just won’t go deep enough for you to get it out on your own. That’s when you need a doctor or a skilled professional to remove it for you.

Last night I was reading from Cast of Characters, as I have been doing the last couple weeks, and was struck by the story of Paul. To be truthful, I have been struck by the story of Paul since my friend – Paul – spoke about him to my wife and I a couple weeks ago.

We all know Paul (a.k.a. New Testament Saul) as the pious guarder of religious wisdom, the hero of Pharisees who went about the land forcing the Jewish people into obedience of the Law of Moses, and getting them to reject the teachings of Christ or face certain death and destruction. Religion Paul may have been peddling, but grace and mercy were not part of that offer. That is, however, until he was confronted on the road to Damascus himself by Christ – who, in one fell swoop, changed the way Paul approached life and what he taught his fellow man (Acts 22:3-11):

“… Then Paul said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?' " 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. " 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. "'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked. "'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.' My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me”.

Paul had been a prideful, nasty man – convinced that his way to eternal glory was through the approval of his fellow man and through the works he did on earth… holding tight to piety versus grace and mercy as given by Christ.

After his Damascus conversion, however, Paul begins a life of service to the Lord. Indeed, his service and the messages he preaches on behalf of God frame much of the New Testament (Acts, Romans, the Timothys, etc). However, the interesting thing about Paul is that he served the Lord WITH A THORN IN HIS SIDE. A painful thorn. One that was clearly grating on him, one that caused him discomfort, and one that was designed – as he indicates – to keep himself from building up the pride at which he had gone about his life before being born again (1 Corinthians 12:7-10):

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong”.

Paul’s thorn hurt – it hurt so much that he asked – BEGGED – God to take it away from him. And God said “No – trust me, lean on me, I will make you strong. You are weak but when you lean on me you are strong”. Was that what Paul wanted to hear? Clearly not. He asked another two times after that. I imagine that even after those three official asks he would probably wonder sometimes if maybe, just maybe, the thorn might be gone when he woke up in the morning. But it never seems to be removed. What was the thorn? That’s a good question. Some have suggested it was physical. Some have suggested it was emotional. Some have suggested it was mental. While I may not be a biblical scholar, perhaps I can offer you my opinion based on just a hunch – I think it was all three.

Paul says that his thorn in the flesh was a “… messenger of Satan, to torment me (him)” (verse 7). It would be fitting to think that that meant, literally, something was stuck in him physically, impeding his mobility or causing him pain or anguish. As someone who is battling a thorn of his own right now, I think a thorn in the flesh can be just as painful to us physically, if it is a spiritual, emotional or mental thorn. During this time of struggle, I have quite literally been shaking in my bed, doubled over in pain, my limbs burning and my chest heavy. I have felt the muscles in my shoulders be so tight that it is hard to move my neck. I have felt my neck tighten to the point that turning my head was agony. I have had head aches. I have been so rundown that my bones hurt. I have had cold sores. In short: I have hurt. I do hurt. Is there something, physically, sticking out of me? Not to the visible eye. But certainly there is a thorn in there somewhere causing stress.

Like Paul I have begged – and continue to beg – the Lord to release me from this. Some days, are amazing – I feel like my old self. Others, however – like today – I wake up sad and afraid. I am stalked by the thorn. Is that how Paul felt? I bet it is. Do I think that God will remove the thorn from me? Yes. But in His time, not mine. All I know is that no matter how much I dig at it with my own tweezers, it just won’t come out. So I am forced then to put mine down, crawl under my prayer shawl and ask the great healer to remove the thorn from me or if He won’t do it right away, then to put some salve on it so I can get through each day:

(Psalm 6:2): “Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony”.

It is hard, I think, for people to understand the pain of a thorn. We ask people to pray but in a society where we expect immediacy in everything, we forget that the timing of the Lord has no bounds. Sometimes thorns aren’t removed right away – sometimes they need to fester so that all the stuff on the inside can come up… so that when the thorn is removed, the doctor can wipe away all the pus and bacteria.

That’s what I think God is doing with me right now. I think about when my sister was little and she had a sliver in her head – right at the top. She said that it hurt but it was hard to see what exactly was causing pain… there was just a little scratch at the top of her head. All she knew was her head was sore. All we saw was that there was a scratch. It wasn’t until my Mom took her to the doctor and until the doctor poked around with a tool that he removed a piece of wood about half an inch thick from her scalp… and with it, a large amount of pus and dirt that had been begging to be released. After it was out, the pain went away – and healing began.

But it only took the skilled hands and vision of a doctor to remove it. Sometimes even Mom can’t help us – that’s where there is a need for higher assistance. In my case, that’s where there is a need for the One who saves, who refreshes, who comforts, who strengthens, who loves and who guides.

Isaiah 57:15-19: “For this is what the high and lofty One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me—the breath of man that I have created. I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them."

“I. Will. Heal. Them”. It is a promise I can cling to on days like today – when I feel vulnerable, when the thorn hurts and my soul aches.

Like Paul there is always the tendency to rely on ourselves – that’s certainly what I did for the better part of the last 30 years of my life. Remember how Paul says in Philippians that if ANYBODY could look at his/her life and think that works and self-reliance alone would be their saving grace and comfort, it would be him (Paul)?:

Philippians 3:3-11: “…We do not put trust in ourselves or anything we can do, although I might be able to put trust in myself. If anyone thinks he has a reason to trust in himself, he should know that I have greater reason for trusting in myself. I was circumcised eight days after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews. I had a strict view of the law, which is why I became a Pharisee. I was so enthusiastic I tried to hurt the church. No one could find fault with the way I obeyed the law of Moses. Those things were important to me, but now I think they are worth nothing because of Christ. Not only those things, but I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ and to belong to him. Now I am right with God, not because I followed the law, but because I believed in Christ. God uses my faith to make me right with him. I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death. Then I have hope that I myself will be raised from the dead”.

Paul’s pride – as he states above – and his tendency to salute himself and his own achievements are what lead not only to direction intervention by Jesus himself, but I think the allowance of the thorn that plagued his life and ministry. The thorn that allowed him – indeed, forced him – to keep relying on the strength of God to get through the day, lest he fall back into trusting himself. I love his realization that since his conversion, since he accepted Christ and all that goes along with it (the joys and the sorrows) how much he realizes everything else is “… worthless trash” (verse 8).

Paul’s thorn was placed in him sometime after (or perhaps on) the Road to Damascus. My thorn was placed in me on January 3 in the kitchen of my apartment – like Paul I was struck – hard – and like Paul I fell to my knees in agony, in fear but most importantly IN PRAYER. I haven’t let up. Neither has the thorn. The funny thing is that the thorn, as Paul himself indicated, forces that reliance and desire to cling to the strength of the great physician.

While I was no Pharisee, I certainly was many other things:

- I was OF the world and IN the world yet, as Christians, we are called to be just the opposite (Titus 2:12, Romans 12:2).

- I tried to please man, not God (Romans 8:8), and sought out the approval of peers and those of a higher status.

- I got drunk on wine, I did things with my body I am not proud, I allowed myself to become the product of a lost world as opposed to of a known and loving God… in that way, I was like the Prodigal Son, covered in dirt, turning my back on my Father, wallowing with the pigs of self-doubt, worldly gratification, quick fixes and easy answers (Luke 15:11-32).

No wonder, then, that I have been afflicted with a thorn. If you are a Father, do you not have to allow your children to be punished from time to time, in order to set them on the right path again? If you are a child, does it not hurt when your parent has to punish you? Physically? Sometimes. Emotionally? Sometimes. How much greater then, as it tells us in Hebrews, is our Abba Father’s punishment on us when we stray? And how much better is that punishment’s purpose for the renewal and redemption of our life?

Hebrews 12:2-18: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

I think – I know – this thorn is discipline as well as attack. God does allow us to be sifted from time to time, but He does so under the complete understanding that He is giving us only what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). The size of the thorn may hurt, it may cause anguish, it may cause anxiety and fear. But you know, the great physician is in the room, and in His time he will remove it. I have selfishly said that I do not want to be a Paul – I don’t WANT this thorn. Afterall, who wants to hurt. But then, how much greater was the hurt that happened on the Cross? How much greater is the hurt that HE experiences when we turn our back on Him? When we scoff at His sacrifices and chart our own courses!

Thorns, though painful, are sometimes necessary to bring us to a new level of understanding of what to do differently and what to avoid. They are never pleasant – whether they are a quick poke or a deeper wound – it causes us to be startled and to drop whatever we have been holding onto or come into contact with. But the thorn is worth it if it must bring the pus and garbage to the surface so that the doctor can wipe it away and let the healing begin – and so that we know we can only be healed by HIS hand – then it is worth it.

Just as an aside, I had not planned to write this today – I had started to write something else last night that I had hoped to have completed today. It is still not done. It wasn’t time for it to be posted I guess. Just like it isn’t time, yet, for me to have this thorn removed.

Today I felt that God was telling me to talk about the pain of the thorn. That’s the thing with those thorns, sometimes they demand our attention – and His attention.

No matter how painful they can be.

To those still praying, thank you and please – as I know you will – continue to do so. Please know how much it helps to talk about it -- because then our friends, our family -- the Body of Christ -- can understand what we are going through.

Remember, you and I are a blessed because of struggle… even when it hurts.

God Bless You today - may He walk with you, strengthen you and alleviate the pain of your thorns. He's doing it for me. Little by little.

The tweezers are in His Hands.

A Mid-Day Praise

2009-02-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

We are on our way to watch the Superbowl and to cheer on the underdogs (just like David versus Goliath!) but I wanted to share with you all something that happened today. There will be a blog entry up tomorrow that I encourage you to read - but until then I wanted to share with you something that I am praising God for.

Today at church, my friend Hope called me over and said she had read my blog and the entry where I talked about covering myself up with an old afghan that had belonged to my grandparents. She said when she read that she felt God tell her that she had something to give me. And today she opened her bag and pulled out a genuine prayer shawl -- a Tallit - which I can now wear to pray. She had purchased it in Israel and it had found its way from the Holy Land to my hands. All via Hope.

I was speechless. Speechless because I have told my wife and I have told God just how much I have wanted this prayer shawl. And today He delivered it through a faithful servant.

As I was going up in the elevator to our apartment I happened to glance down and see the tag which I had not noticed before... and all it said was:

"The Prayer Shawl You Prayed For... Made in Israel".

Hope is an interesting thing, isn't it? We all need it, we all have it, and today our Hope delivered something from the One who tells us to place our hope and trust in Him.

As Micah 7:7 says:

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me".

My God did hear me. He blessed me. He will deliver me. That much I know and that much I can hold tight to knowing it to be true. He shows it to me in little and big ways every single day.

Today was one of those days.

All of us -- every last one of us -- need a little Hope (and hope) in our life.

Bless you my friend for answering God's call.

The Power of a Slingshot

2009-01-31T07:46:00.000-08:00

Last night I was reading Max Lucado's book "Cast of Characters" -- a book where he takes people in the Bible and uses their story to illustrate the way ordinary men and women can be used by God to His purposes.

I was struck - as I often am - by the story of David versus Goliath.

For those of you who know me, you will know how much of an affinity for David I feel. I see in David elements of myself: leadership, strength, virtue, a heart for God but at the same time a tendency to rely on ourselves, failing to trust God, and going about things in a way contrary to God's will for my life. David is me, I think, only 3,000 years ago.

What struck me yesterday though was the way in which David went about defeating Goliath. Let's review the story briefly: The Israelites are on one hill, Goliath and the Philistines are on the other. A valley separates the two warring factions. What fills the valley, however, are the taunts of a 9 foot 4 inch neanderthal named Goliath, cursing the Israelites and taunting them with promises of certain death if any of their soldiers dare face him.

David, a young boy of about 16, comes to the front lines of the battle to deliver food and supplies to his older brothers who are part of Saul's army. While he is there the taunts of Goliath start to grate on him so much that he asks the Israelites: "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26).

How awesome is that that a boy of 16 asks an entire army -- basically -- what on earth are you people doing, allowing this chump to call you out? In a brief moment we see how much David's sensibilities and faith are offended by a brute from Gath.

As the story progresses, David manages to convince King Saul that HE will deal with Goliath -- since there are no other takers. At first Saul begs off, saying David is too young, but David insists saying: "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God". (1 Samuel 17:34-36)

There is something profound about that line -- David is not saying to Saul that he will defeat Goliath because the giant has offended David alone (he has) but because Goliath had offended God. David is stepping up, stepping forward to deal with the menace with the POWER of God behind him.

While Saul tries to arm David with his own armour, David declines saying it would prove too distracting -- and sets out with five rocks from a nearby creek, a stick, and the power of God behind him.

Goliath sees David and laughs -- a skinny teenager up against one of history's biggest menaces?

But - and this is what really inspired me - David lets loose a battle cry that should serve as an example to all of us who face giants in our own lives:

(1 Samuel 17:45-47) "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

We all know how the battle ends - a rock from David's slingshot hits Goliath in the forehead, killing him. David cuts off his head -- the victory is the Lord's and the Israelites emerge victorious BECAUSE of God -- and because a boy named David demonstrated the faith that could move mountains.

Right now I am battling a giant -- actually, I am battling quite a few:

- Depression

- Fear

- Thoughts that are not of God but are being dumped in their by the enemy

- Sins and regrets of the past

One great big four-headed giant that is confident I will lose and who tries his level best to scare the crap out of me on a daily basis.

But if I learned anything from the David versus Goliath story it is that ANY giant in our lives can be defeated by the grace and power of God. So what if we just have a slingshot and a bit of a faith -- look around you and see all that God provides you with to fight the battle we are in:

- Armies of the Living God -- angels... HIS angels, surrounding you and protecting you: "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11-12). Just because you can't see the angels doesn't mean that they aren't there -- I know they are with me and my wife right now. I've said I think we have more angels guarding us during this time than the US President has Secret Service. Take comfort in that. These angels are not just run of the mill warriors - they are battle-hardened and experienced in fighting against spiritual giants. God has commissioned them over you and me -- and they are some of the best soldiers to have on your side. Think of them as the most elite and strongest military force on earth and then multiply it by a million -- that is how tough these guys are... because they have been trained and empowered by God.

- Saints -- lots of them -- cheering you on: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1). This isn't a joke -- this is biblically true. Jesus, Noah, David, Job, the disciples, Solomon, Esther, Mary... these are just a few of the folks around the throne of God, watching you battle on God's personal pay-per-view. They are cheering you on... big time... they know how tough the battle is, but they also know what God knows... that the home team always plays better when the crowd is behind them all the way. So when you think nobody is there cheering you on... look up... you may be able to hear the Throne Room of God cheering you towards the finish line -- lead by God himself.

- The Body of Christ -- this is your earthly army... and it is tough. For every prayer warrior that says a prayer for you, God gives you just a bit more strength. EVERY prayer reaches his ears. Look at the example of the death of Lazarus... John 11:3 tells us that Mary and Martha "...sent word to Jesus that... someone you (he) loved is sick". Their prayers reached Christ's ears. So to do the prayers of your earthly army - empowered by an all loving and knowing God - reach the very ears of the one who saves.

- The Word of God -- Your slingshot, your sword... whatever you choose to call it, hide it in your heart and use it to pummel rocks at your giant. It WILL defeat ANYTHING. There is power in the Word, my friends... which is why in Ephesians Paul calls the Word "The Sword of the Spirit". Hold fast to it -- no giant can defeat you if you are holding tight to it.

- The Armour of God - One of the things I love most about David is that he doesn't cloak himself in man-made armour. He cloaks himself in the courage and faith that comes from knowing God. Pray it over yourself. Daily. Ephesians 6:10-18. There is nothing stronger than the armour of the living God. Put it on, know you are being guarded, and fling that rock at your giant.

David's battle cry is also amazing -- go read it again and see in there the confidence with which he proclaims victory BEFORE Goliath is even defeated. That is how David was able to win. Not because he was confident in his own abilities, but rather because he was confident in the abilities of the One who had ALREADY won the victory. Would that we were even an ounce as faithful.

I know giants are scary -- they puff themselves up, the toss you about and they threaten to crush you. The reality is that there is an even bigger giant and His Name is Abba, Jehovah Jireh, God, I Am, Yahweh... and no matter how big your own personal giant may be, HE can and WILL defeat it.

So let loose your battle cry, fling that sling shot and be confident that "...

the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down..." (1 Samuel 17:45).

Battles are tough, giants are scary -- but there isn't anything as scary as an angry Lion of Judah and His Armies on the prowl for those who would deign to hurt his children.

Be a David today. There is power in God's slingshot.

Ten Things I Am Learning

2009-01-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

In the midst of a spiritual battle it is very difficult to see the forest for the trees. It is hard when you are stumbling around in the dark to see the very bright hand of God holding fast to you guiding you along a path towards strength, renewal and purpose. But it is real and it is lasting – even if we are tired and weary from the fight.

I wanted to share with you some of the things I am learning during this incredible time of struggle. Grab yourself a coffee, this is a lengthy post:

1) The enemy is not to be taken lightly: Society has done a great job of dulling the effect and seriousness of the enemy. TV shows and movies show the enemy to be little more than a grouchy man, with horns on his head, and a perpetual chip on his shoulder, urging people to just do what they feel like doing. The reality though is far different as 1 Peter 5:8 tells us: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. This is not an enemy of comic books but a living, breathing dragon that wants nothing more than to seek, kill and destroy. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can beat him with your flesh – you can’t. Only the power of Christ can do that and we know that from the Word of God: “So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure” (James 4:7-8). Pay attention to that passage: it doesn’t say, give yourselves completely to your own strength. It says GIVE YOURSELVES COMPLETELY TO GOD because that is the ONLY way you will emerge victorious. It doesn’t mean the battle won’t be tough, but it sure does mean that when the enemy goes to jump on you, the Lion of Judah has your back and will gladly rip him to shreds. Don’t fear the enemy, fear God. Know that your power is IN GOD and that you need to lean on Him to defeat this vicious poison. But don’t underestimate the enemy either – he is wily, he is evil and he seeks to destroy. Lean on God. Hard. And remember, you have ALREADY won the victory in Christ – just visualize it and hold tight to His armour.

2) The Body of Christ is a true support: I had never really appreciated how vital the Body of Christ was and is to us as Christians. Frankly, owing to many hurts from my past and my holding onto bitterness and pain, I used to lump the Body of Christ under the subject heading of “Hypocrites”. What a mistake I made. I was part of the problem, judging others as I had been judged, allowing my idea of the Body of Christ to be held to a standard of my own making. But God is right and true when He says in Matthew 7:5: “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye”. I had – and still have – a big ol’ plank in my eye, so I am certainly in no place to be judging others. Let me tell you what I have learned: we are ALL flawed. All of us fall short of the glory of God, just like it says in the Word (Romans 3:23). Why is that? Because we are only human. We are flawed. Perfection is and only ever was God and His Son Jesus. If we continually try to view Christians – and by extension God – through the lenses of humanity, they will always fall short. That being said, the Body of Christ is there to support us and uplift us – to hold us up in prayer, to fellowship with us, to love us and to encircle us with support. We can choose to say that it is insincere, or we can choose to look at the Body of Christ the way God views the Body: an extension of himself here on earth, even though sometimes it falls short.

The thing is though is that that is what the Body of Christ is supposed to help each other against: falling short. Try and go it alone, see how long you can make it. Just ask Judas how well he did – you’ll find him hanging in a field, gutted literally and figuratively. Then go ask Thomas – you know, doubting Thomas, who even though he had not seen for himself that Christ had risen, he continued to fellowship with the disciples so that when Christ appeared he had been supported and was in a better position to believe.

You know we can pray all we like, and then isolate ourselves in a room because we are too ashamed to share our thoughts or our needs with others who have been through battles… or we can cry out to God and then open our hearts up to His people – those He has placed in trusted positions in our lives – and allow them to minister to us. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are all part of the Body – and one part can’t survive without the other parts.

I would not be getting through this time without the Body of Christ – and every person who is praying is one more person that I am coming into relationship with. And one more person in whom I see another example of the goodness and realism of the Lord our God. God says we are all made in His image… and the Body of Christ is a pretty great reflection when it is working in support of you and His glory!

3) God sometimes asks you to do unexpected things: Three things stick out to me right now that are not entirely bizarre, but certainly something that I will always remember.

One cold morning, while praying, I felt the need to cover myself with a blanket. In part because I was cold, but more because I did not feel like I could approach the Throne of God sitting on the corner of my couch. Down on my knees I went, cloaking myself in an old afghan I had received from my grandparents. Instantly the image I had was of a man – I think it was David – covered in an animal skin in a desert. That’s how I pray now… under a prayer shawl that is in actuality an old afghan. I can’t tell you why, except that if I wasn’t covered I would feel as though I would be doing something contrary to God. I can say though that there is something profoundly comforting in that manner of prayer. And it reminds me of this Psalm 51:1 which says “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed”. It’s comfortable under those wings. Trust me. Warm too!

In the first few weeks of this battle, I have been convicted to wash my hands before I touch the Word of God. Whenever I felt the need to pray, I knew I had to wash my hands. Now, I’m a fairly clean chap… outwardly. But as Isaiah 1:15-16 tells us there may be a good reason for that: “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong!” or as Job 17:9 affirms: “Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger”. How could I handle the Word of God with hands that are dirty? Or put more bluntly, I must allow myself to be clean before I approach the Throne of God… and that comes from true repentance.

Building a prayer room – I’m not sure why that has come to me. But my wife and I are building a new house and we feel lead to build a prayer room. I have felt that God wants us to have a room for HIM in our new home. And it will be done. Jesus himself went to places to pray (Luke 5:16) and while the prayer room we are making in our home will not be a lonely place, it will be a place where we can shut out the world and commune with God. Something we all should be doing from time to time.

4) There is power – comforting power – in prayer: This is something that must seem so obvious – it’s comforting to pray. But, it is! I can not tell you how many times I have crawled underneath my prayer blanket in the last few weeks, filled with dread, fear and shame, and emerged sometime later feeling better, stronger and like I could go on. It doesn’t mean that I wasn’t conscious afterwards about what I was going through, but at least the weight felt like it had been lifted for a time. Colossians 4:2 tells us to “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”. How often do we do this? More specifically, how often during the good times do we do this? I can speak as one that has rarely lifted up thanks and praise to God during times when things are going well. Afterall, when things are going well, we just turn inward to ourselves. That’s wrong and puts us at a disadvantage spiritually when we are weak.

We know we must pray but we seldom do it as much as we should. I’ve said the same excuses… I can’t get into it… I get distracted… I don’t know what to say… blah, blah, blah… the reality is that there is ALWAYS someone or something to pray for; you are NOT strong and perfect in Christ if you are not praying, it’s that simple. If you feel you have nothing to pray about, then open your door and look up – if the sight of a bird flying or the intricacy of a snowflake is not enough to make you praise the Lord, then I do not know what is. Give thanks for everything. Pursue God, in prayer, and He will stand with open arms and hold tight to you when you need Him most.

Don’t just take it from me… take it from scripture:

Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about ANYTHING but in EVERYTHING through prayer and petition with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God”

That doesn’t say, forget me in the good times and give me a shout when things get rough. It says: Pray always.

2 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”.

Pretty straight forward, I think.

5) God doesn’t speak the way you think He will or should: How often have we got into prayer or just said: “God, I need to hear you… please let me hear you?!”. And then promptly gave up talking to Him because you didn’t think He was listening. Guilty as charged – because I know I have done that… I still do that because I am so limited in my scope in terms of how God is speaking to me.

Over the last three weeks though I HAVE heard Him speak to me – not audibly every time but certainly there have been clear incidence of Him speaking:

a. Hymns and songs in my head – endlessly, while I am in prayer. Speaking and encouraging me through certain lyrics of songs… songs that I had long forgotten just popping into my head or that I would start singing out loud in praise. That isn’t just happening because I love music, my friends. That’s happening because – I think – God is letting me into just a small small sample of what the rejoicing must be like around His Throne. How does the song go again? “He works in ways we can not see, He will make a way for me…” Even if that way is a song. Sing it. Listen to what it is saying. You may be surprised.

b. Visions and pictures: From the picture of David in a desert with animal skin over his body, to a picture of being led through a dark forest with a man holding my hand, to a picture of Daniel in the fire, to one of angels standing around my bed, God has give me fleeting glimpses at what He is not only doing in my life, but also what He is bringing us through. Those visions are gifts and they are meant to warm my heart and to make us stand at attention. They are a visual way for God to say: Fear not, I am with you.

c. Scripture jumping out at me or becoming powerfully more relevant. I can testify that the Psalms have never seemed more pertinent to my life than right now. They have been my comfort and have formed the basis for many prayers during this time of struggle. But other parts of the Bible have come alive as well – parts that I would never have considered relevant, probably because I had never bothered to explore the Word before now. The Bible though, as I was reminded last night in life group, is the LIVING Word of God. It is active. It is ongoing. It is endless. It is pure. Meditate on it. Day and night. (Joshua 1:8). It is the one sure thing in a world and a lifetime of struggle and upheaval.

d. Prophetic Word – It comes when you least expect it. But when given to you, take it back to God, see that it is true, then praise His mighty name for that blessing. During this time, I received a prophectic word. To be blunt, I was happily shocked – because I had never had one before. And I was elated. It not only affirmed things I had prayed for quietly and things I had heard in my soul, but it was the encouragement I needed right at that moment and remains so throughout this time. When I first got it, I kept saying: Can you believe it? God just EMAILED me! And he had… and I’m sure glad He did.

6) It is a joy to struggle for God: Yes, this one is a bit hard to believe – trust me, I have said on more than one occasion (and will likely say it again) that it sucks to be in this. But for every time I say it sucks, I am also acutely aware of how much deeper my relationship with God is growing in this time. Not only that, but as strange as it may sound, every struggle is a chance to not only be blessed but to bless the Lord.

Philippians 1:29 reminds us that “…For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him”.

That’s pretty powerful. We not only have the privilege of believing in Christ and the salvation that comes with it, but as we struggle Christ is GLORIFIED! How? Because every victory is won NOT BY US, but BY HIM. With our mouths, we will praise Him and as He delivers us He sets us up to ensure others here how He has delivered us. We are His ongoing examples. Examples that are used as proof of His strength and the greatness of His Kingdom.

We are not struggling in vain – we are struggling towards a purpose. A deeper relationship with Christ and to be a more perfect, comforting, witness when the time comes when we are released from our struggles and are called upon to help others through a time of difficulty.

2 Corinthians 1:4-6: “He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. We share in the many sufferings of Christ. In the same way, much comfort comes to us through Christ. If we have troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation, and if we have comfort, you also have comfort. This helps you to accept patiently the same sufferings we have”

It might seem you are suffering for no reason – but you aren’t. You suffer to become more perfect in Christ and so you can learn to cling to Him, receive His comfort and offer it to others in their times of need.

It is sustaining. Hard, yes… but also sustaining.

7) When you struggle, pray for others – not just yourself: It is comforting to just pray for ourselves in a time of battle. It is also just so much easier as we are so conscious of OUR needs. But you know what also works, as my Mom reminded me? Praying for other people. Your struggles are just that: your struggles. And you should pray that God delivers you through them (which He will!). But as a follower of Christ, do not under any circumstances forget to hold up the very people in the Body of Christ who are undergoing things as well – at the very least pray blessings on them. Just remember to pray. It is not only what we must be doing but can you imagine how much is hocks the enemy off if, while we are under attack, we are down on our knees praying for someone else?

Philemon 1:6 reminds us of the need to share our faith with others: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ”. Nowhere in that verse does it suggest putting our sharing of our faith on hold while we are struggling. To do that would be contrary to what God wants us to do – be ACTIVE in sharing our faith. Turtle up and inwards if you would like but by doing so you cede the ground Christ has claimed in victory for you – the ground that says the BATTLE IS WON, go out there and fight for HIS Kingdom! So, share that faith – lift others up in prayer, offer encouragement and insight when God gives it – be open to being used by HIM during your struggles to the glory of His Kingdom!

Ephesians 6:18 is pretty clear on the need to keep praying for others in the midst of every battle (including your own): “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints”. That doesn’t say… pray when you feel like praying for others. It says “always”. It’s not a request. It’s a command.

So if someone comes up to you on a Sunday and asks for your prayers, don’t fob them off with a “I’ll pray for you” and then forget to do so. Take them aside, then and there, and pray. And then keep praying until they ask you to stop.

8) Fear and shame are not of the Lord: Let me be very clear about this: whenever you are gripped by fear, turn around, point your finger at the enemy and fire off this verse in his direction “God did NOT give you (me) a spirit of fear, but one of POWER, LOVE and a SOUND MIND!” (2 Timothy 1:7).

A battle is fearful – and yes, sometimes the weariness and the intensity of it can make us shake with worry and anxiety. But remember: God is with you. Period. I have found myself so wrought with fear and anxiety during this time that sometimes my limbs have been in pain, my chest has felt like there was a giant weight on it, and my stomach has been seized with butterflies. (I said to some people that I have never been so regular in my life!). However, that is NOT of God. God does not make us physically sick to the point of shaking in a bed. That is the enemy trying to make us cower. And we sometimes give in, don’t we? We sometimes just lay there and forget the POWER WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY GOD! Seize that power – seize that courage! God and His Son Jesus would NEVER be cowed by the enemy. Christ walked for 40 days and 40 nights in a desert and was tempted every day – was he weary. I bet He was! Was it tough? To borrow a phrase from Sarah Palin: You betcha! Did He prevail? YES! How did He do it though? He confronted the enemy with the thing he hates most: the truth. He slapped him around with Scripture, he prayed, he LOVED the Lord! Fear was not something Jesus gave into – He gave into the power and strength that He already knew He had in His Heavenly Father!

Remember this: “…You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One (God) who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Last time I checked God was not fearful – and as His children we need to remember to seize that courage and power that He has already poured out on us.

9) Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose” – That is a topic in and of itself. The verse, however, is clear. God is working – in all things – to better us. Nothing we are going through, no amount of sifting, no amount of pain, is anything over and above that which He has planned for us. And if we do it right, if we lean on Him, we will emerge victorious. Try, even in the most difficult times, to stay focused on that powerful truth: that God knows how good it will turn out. That the battle is won. That your victory lies in Him!

The old saying “everything happens for a reason” is right – but God’s reasoning sometimes is beyond our comprehension. That’s alright though – it just means we have to lean on Him a little harder.

10) Our time frames are not God’s time frames: I have leaned on the scripture “Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24) as a crutch of sorts – I thought when this all began that I just had to ask God to release me from struggle and – POOF – he would. Guess what? He hasn’t. He will, I know that. But He has not chosen to let it end yet! Why is that, you ask? It could do with his timeframe versus my own… 2 Peter 3:8 reminds us that “With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day…” so to Him, my three weeks of battle are pretty much moot. He is watching me. He is guarding me. His angels have charge over me. He is my enduring strength and I am in Him and He is in me. He’ll let it end when HE is confident of my virtue and sincerity, and not before. Great warriors for God are built in struggle – even if that struggle sometimes takes much longer than we wish it would. The time frame is of His choosing and as I lean on Him, the more ground we will cover in this journey together – however long it takes.

So those are my ten things I have learned these past 3 weeks – I am not sure how much longer this battle is going to continue. But I do know one thing: my strength is in Christ. And every single day, I get closer to the moment where He will release me from this… or as I said yesterday, the day the bell will ring and I will stand in the ring with God holding my hands over my head in victory.

Wrestling with God

2009-01-29T12:07:00.001-08:00

Wrestling with God is a concept that I have never been familiar with. The idea of getting tossed around by the God who created the heavens and the earth – in fact, all creation – is just a little bit above my strength scale. I have visions of getting thrown around like a 90 pound weakling up against André the Giant. But wrestling with God serves a higher purpose: it deepens our faith and brings us into a more intimate understanding of our God by forcing us to prove our virtue and strength to the King of Kings.

In Genesis 32:22-32 we read the story about how Jacob – Isaac’s son – wrestles with God, which ultimately leads Jacob into receiving the new name of Israel because he had wrestled God and people and won (Genesis 32:28). But what does it mean? More to the point, what does Jacob struggling in the night with God mean to the current situation I am facing in my own life.

To put Jacob’s situation in a brief context: here was a man whose name (Jacob) literally meant “heel”. Not exactly a resounding character endorsement. He stole his brother Esau’s birthright by tricking a blind Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for his older brother, much to Esau’s chagrin (Genesis 27:1-46). This left Esau in a rage, Jacob scared – yet blessed – and in a perpetual state of fear. Not a good scene.

Before Jacob goes to meet Esau again, years later, he worries that Esau will take revenge on him for what he had done in his youth. He worries and is gripped by fear so much that he goes so far as to split up his family and possessions into two different groups, hiding them, in the hopes that they would survive Esau’s anger.

After hiding his family, he wrestles with God throughout an entire night – and at dawn, after receiving the anointment of the Lord – he encounters Esau and is overjoyed to find that his brother embraces him, loves him… forgives him. Indeed, God tells Jacob after their night-long wrestling match that his new name, Israel, is because: “ … you have wrestled with God and with people, and you have won". (Genesis 32:28). Jacob’s fear vanishes, he is renewed, he is blessed and he is renamed. It’s as though God takes him through his fear and his years of worry and unforgiveness at having stolen his brother’s birthright, and makes it right as God sees the virtue and sincerity in Jacob’s soul. But it was this virtue and sincerity that Jacob had to struggle to prove – how else could one ever expect to be renamed and blessed by God if they come to him insincerely?

I would never have presumed that what I am facing right now would constitute wrestling with God. As I have told people, I believe I am in a spiritual battle with the enemy and that through God’s strength I will emerge victorious. I just didn’t see the correlation with wrestling with God during this process either -- then my Mom felt lead to give me this story during her own devotions the night before last.

I think the struggle I am going through – and indeed the fear that comes and goes, gripping me, then releasing me – is part of wrestling with God. God is allowing this fight to come on and for me to tangle with Him. While I beg that this fight end so that I can have HIS blessing on my life, He is not ready yet to end the bout and won’t be until I get up off the mat and prove my worth. He wants me to push back, dig deep into Him, so that He can bless and release me, and anoint me the way He anointed Jacob.

Every wrestling match is different. The competitors are different, their strengths and techniques are varied, and the location is changed. My own personal battle is one of the enemy standing on the sidelines cheering for me to give in because I am too weak and it would just be easier to quit. My wrestling partner – God – is less concerned about winning then he is that I find in HIM the strength and faith that is there and that I rise up and seize it so that I can be anointed the way HE wants me to be anointed.

God is allowing me to be sifted, no question about that. And no matter how much I seem to beg that he removes this from me, God is still calling on me to wrestle with Him. Wrestle through the fear. Wrestle through the attack. Wrestle through the anxiety. Wrestle through the pride and the shame. Wrestle and learn the strength that comes from God. Some days I think I may be doing a bit better in the match, and others – like today – I feel a bit weaker and God is pushing me to find my strength in Him and to prove my virtue.

I wish that God would tell me how many seconds are left until the bell rings but then the question is, would I wrestle with God with the same intensity I am doing right now? Would I be down on my knees, cloaked in a prayer shawl, praying every day? Digging deep into His word? Leaning on Him through the difficult moments and praising Him in the good ones? Probably not… and that is why the match continues.

While I wish it would end in MY time frame (because wrestling is tough), wishing doesn’t win wrestling matches.

Faith does. Strength in God does. Perseverance does. Digging deeper into the Word does. But wishing is just that: hope in nothing.

My hope and source of strength is Christ the Lord – perhaps its time I tried to get off the mat and show the endurance that God knows is in me. Afterall, HE put it there.

Then, at the end of the match, I can hear him say: Well done, my good and faithful servant.

The battle is tough, folks, but the end result: greater strength in HIM, no fear, and a heart, mind and soul that seeks what is RIGHT and PURE are infinitely worth it.

Unity

2009-01-28T10:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday while I was praying I felt the need to pray for the unity of the church. Not the unity of my specific -- or home -- church, but rather the unity of the entire church as a body of believers here in the nation's capital.

As I was kneeling in prayer I just heard the words: Pray for the unity of the church.

Now, this kind of baffled me -- I don't know that I have any special insight into what congregations across our city are doing, nor do I have any prior ministry or work done interfacing with other churches. So the thought that came to me struck me as odd. Then as I continued to pray about my own needs I just felt that I needed to pray for the unity of the church in Ottawa. So, I did. Nothing earth-shattering there, nothing happened persay -- no bells started tolling, there were no news reports after about mass closings of various denominations of Christian churches and a subsequent announcement that the church was going to unite in Ottawa. No, it was just a prayer I felt moved to pray.

As Christians we need to do a better job of coming together in HIS name. We are too quick to label each other as Catholic, Anglican, Non-Denominational, Presbyterian, Pentecostal... the list goes on... and so do the judgments we attach with it. How can we expect the non-believers in our midst to want to follow Christ if those who do follow Christ are all too often caught up in trying to rigidly define who we are in Christ by what our DENOMINATIONS believe? Why can we not define ourselves by what CHRIST calls us to be? Forget the labels. Forget the dismissive way we box some in because of the church building they call home. Let's start to examine how Christ calls us to HIM and go from there!

The Bible tells us that we are not defined by denomination but rather by the unity of the body of Christ -- that is, those who have accepted Christ as their Saviour and are in relationship with Him (2 Corinthians 12:12-31):

"A person's body is one thing, but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body through one Spirit. And we were all made to share in the one Spirit. The human body has many parts. The foot might say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. The ear might say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell. If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them. So then there are many parts, but only one body".

I love that line: "... there are many parts, but only one body". To me that's a great message: whether you take communion in a Catholic church, or raise your hands in a Pentecostal one, or read from the Anglican Liturgical book, we are all one body. And no, it is not - I think - just enough to say "I go to church" or "I believe in God" and leave it at that. The body of Christ is about relationship, not about denomination as we know it. But we get caught up in labels and forget the unity that comes from the Body of Christ.

I need my born-again Catholic brothers and sisters, as much as I need my non-denominational born-again believers, as much as I need my Anglican ones. Unity of the body. It's what God wants but what we as simple men and women forget.

Two weeks ago, I was driving to Toronto with a friend of my wife's who said that she was concerned about the fact that there is just so much "segregation" in Christianity -- or "religion" as she put it. She said she felt that there was just division, disunity and fighting within the body because we are too apt to define what Church A believes versus what Church B doesn't. I agreed with her: how we measure ourselves is not how God measures us.

We are not going to a Catholic heaven, or a Protestant heaven or a Pentecostal heaven. We are going to HIS Kingdom -- and there are no labels there. Sadly, people like my wife's friend I think are all too common: they view Christianity through the lenses of the followers here on earth. And why not? Afterall, we are ambassadors for Christ. But don't we then have a bigger purpose here -- to hold true to what unites us (John 3:16), and work towards feeding His lambs?

We need to stop the divisions because they are not of Christ. God may call us to certain congregations and denominations, but His greater calling his to reap and sow souls for His Kingdom. That is what we have to hold on to.

Let's go forward today holding fast to the unity that Christ called us to in John 17:20-23:

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me"

That prayer was relevant then and remains true today -- let's live out the prayer that reached God's ears. We can't expect to reap what we sow if what we are sowing and reaping is finger pointing and division. Nobody wants to join that Kingdom -- but the TRUE Kingdom of God which is made up of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... underpinned by the selfless sacrifice of Christ? Now that's a more welcoming reality!

Unity in the body. It's not just the right thing to do -- it's God's command for us all.

Crushing Fear

2009-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last night I had an amazing Lifegroup -- a group of married couples, we get together once a week to go over the sermon from Sunday and see how it applies directly to our lives. It's a time of fellowship, renewal, friendship and digging deep into the Word of God.

And yesterday, it was incredible.

The topic of Sunday's sermon was fear -- specifically, the spirit of fear and how it can grip our lives, controlling us and making us afraid to go about our daily lives. We were asked to share with the group what has been a fear for us and how God has delivered us from that fear.

We all started to share and then the Holy Spirit moved in a major way and a few of us started to share something that seems to be happening in our lives right now: a fear that the enemy is attacking the sanctity of our marriages. One couple is struggling and was in tears. I was in tears relaying to the group how I am being attacked by the enemy, bringing horrific pictures into my head about my life and marriage and trying to sow seeds of destruction and disunity.

Prior to coming to the group, I had spoken with my Mom -- named Deborah, by God, like the strong prophetess in Judges 4 and 5 who led the nation of Israel when others were too afraid to do so -- and I relayed to her my shame of what had been coming into my mind lately. And she provided me not only with comfort, prayer and unconditional love, but a verse that I had not even known about and that I shared later that night with the other couple who was struggling as well in their marriage (Ephesians 5:13-14):

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Isn't that the truth -- shine the light of Christ on your fear, on the shame that the enemy is attacking you with, and bring it TO LIGHT. As my Mom said: you saying something to me is the first step of deliverance. You see, the enemy makes us feel that by dumping these lies into our head that WE are the ones who are wrong, that we must hide behind a cloak of shame and hide ourselves from others -- to isolate it, lest we reap the judgment of other people. But God, in His wisdom, says the opposite -- he says that we must come out into the open, confess ourselves before others and allow the goodness, the love and the cleansing power of Christ to descend on us.

Let me tell you, I can appreciate fear. I fear every day during this time. But I also know the truth that 2 Timothy 1:7 tells me: that God did NOT give me a spirit of fear, but one of power and love and a sound mind. Moreover, HE gave me an entire, trusted, body of believers that I can go to with crap the enemy is trying to dump on me, without fear of judgment, and confess it before them. Proverbs 27:17 says: "As iron sharpens iron, so do two people improve each other".

It's to the enemy's benefit to get us so scared to say anything, so coiled up in fear that we avoid contact with the body -- but we need to get strong in God, to pursue the Lord and His strength, and open our mouths and hearts to others so that they know through God how to intervene on our behalf.

So it was last night an evening of doing just that -- an evening of tears, of sharing our fear, of realizing that when you are surrounded by the body and love of Christ, there is no fear, only light.

One of my friends -- he happens to be my prayer and accountability partner -- laid on us a pile of excellent verses to use during this spiritual battle that my wife and I are in, and that this other couple in our life group is in -- these verses are powerful, and are testament to the might and power of God:

Luke 10:19-20: "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"

Romans 12:2: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will"

Matthew 16:19: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things".

1 John 4:4: " My dear children, you belong to God and have defeated them; because God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world"

Ephesians 6:10-18 (The Armour of God): "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil's evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. That is why you need to put on God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing. So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the protection of right living on your chest. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One. Accept God's salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for all God's people"

Isaiah 41:10: "So don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you".

Friends, if you take nothing else from this post, take this: do not allow yourselves to be cowed by the enemy. You are HEIRS TO THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS -- and as a wiser man than I once said, as heirs to the King, we do NOT need to take the garbage the enemy flings our way. Do not rot away in fear. Do not isolate yourself from the body of Christ. There is no shame in opening up and sharing with trusted believers. There is absolutely no shame in getting down on your knees and crying out to your God. Read those verses, make those a prayer, and pray. Hard. Pray long. Pray short. Just pray. Pray for the strength of God. Pray for the protection of His hand and the guarding of His angels. Pray that He will renew you and redeem you. Pray that He will crush the spirit of fear and the attacks of the enemy. And you know what? He will. It may not be in our time frame -- it may not be right that moment, but He will grant you the strength to persevere in His name.

This is a battle and our reliance is on God -- and when we keep our eyes fixed on Him, then our path becomes clear. It doesn't mean it isn't hard. It doesn't mean it isn't painful. But we know that He will protect us under the shadow of His wings and deliver us during this time.

That's what Father's do -- they love us, in spite of our fears, and they help us go on.

Walk in confidence today -- God and His angels are walking with us.

Struggling for God

2009-01-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

"So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you.8 Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure". (James 4:7-8)

I struggle. Every day.

I am in a struggle right now, a wrestling match if you will with the enemy.

And it is tough.

Tougher than I ever thought it would be.

What I want -- what I need -- to know is how it looks when we submit ourselves to God... when we seek God with all our heart, our soul and our mind. It's not enough, as Christians, to just pray. We have to be obedient to these others things as well.

I know God's strength is boundless, and I am grateful for it. But why does the struggling hurt so bad?

In 2 Corinthians, I believe, we hear about how Paul was blessed by God with a thorn in his side... a thorn that forced him to rely on Him. Is it selfish not to want that thorn? To want complete release? Or, if I seek complete release, do I then fall back into not relying on God as I should?

My prayer is this: that my God would strengthen me, that He would strengthen my wife and marriage. That He would - through his great power and protection -- get us through this season we are going through, that He would cloak us in his glory and his righteousness, and surround us with His protection, love and grace. Like David, surveying the battlefield, I know that we have already won the victory. It's the continual battle that is wearying.

But, we praise God for every struggle for in Him, we find our rest and our renewal.

What's your January 2?

2009-01-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

On January 3, 2009, my life changed. Profoundly.

Up until then I had been content to go it alone, to do things the way I wanted to do them, to disregard God and others, and to push forward.

Then God said: time's up. Time's up on the way you have lived your life up until now. Time is up on the way of the world. Of flirting with the things that are temporal. Time is up on you not relying on Me.

Let me give you a bit of background -- I became a Christian when I was eight years old, at a summer camp, during a fireside prayer call. I asked Christ into my heart, though I don't know that I fully understood what that meant, He became my Lord and Saviour.

I was pretty excited in those early days but, overtime, allowed myself to drift away. As I grew up, I hung on to hurts and bitternesses, labelled the entire church community as hypocritical, and viewed God through a limited lenses... a limited lenses, for a boundless God. Pretty bad.

As I grew from my teens into my twenties, I would make soft sounds about being a Christian... before I'd drink, smoke, screw around or do my own thing. If living our faith is a testament to Christ's work in us, I was doing a very dismal job, and proved to be a very bad witness.

Then, 2 years ago, I met my wife. She was kind, she was compassionate, she was beautiful. She was everything I could have ever wanted in a woman. In fact, she was who I had always dreamed of -- and God delivered her to me. Nobody else could have known just how perfect she was for me. But God did. And he brought her, like an angel, to my side.

I went back to church, I started to explore my faith again. But, I still lacked... something... I can't say what it was, exactly, but I knew deep down in my heart of hearts that I was not allowing God to work in me the way HE desired. That's the thing about us humans, we tend to dig in our heels and to taunt God with our continued unwillingness to submit.

Then came January 3 -- it wasn't a car accident or a tragedy as we would define it here on earth -- but it was a sustained attack on me that could only have come from the enemy. And it continues, today, albeit it is less than it was 3 weeks ago. This is thanks to prayer, to petition, to praise and to the strength of God.

How I long, in many ways, for January 2 -- when all was peaceful and serene. When I wasn't engaged in a battle with the enemy, depending on the strength of God (James 4:7-8, Psalm 91), the body of Christ (Romans 12:5) and the Armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), to get me through every day. Yet, at the same time, I wouldn't trade this for anything. Over the past three weeks, I have been blessed by prophetic word, by the comfort of the Holy Spirit, by the strength of God and by a reliance on Him that is something I never would have believed possible. I am seeing God in a new light and leaning on Him -- hard -- to battle through this.

It isn't easy -- nothing worthwhile ever is. But God is my guide. He has anointed me and I will continue to fight for the glory of His Kingdom.

Are you living in January 2? Are you living a life where God is knocking on your door but you are turning up the music, ignoring him, hoping he'll go away? I was doing that too -- and then he broke the door down.

I'm glad He did.