Setting Our Table

“They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved.  They spoke against God saying, ‘Can God spread a table in the desert…But can he give us food?  Can he supply meat for his people?’  When the LORD heard them, he was very angry…for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.” Psalm 78:18-22.

I must be honest this morning.  I opened up my Bible Study and realized it was requiring me to read Psalm 78:1-72.  I was hesitant to read this much passage and really had to push myself to agree.  I was blessed with such an experience.  It basically recounts the entire journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan.  Over and over again God promised and provided…the Israelites received and forgot.  In this one Psalm God was angered over and over again because the Israelites were obsessed with the same desire.  It was all they could think about, talk about and worry about.  Even though they had a history of the provisions of God they couldn’t seem to let His wonders anchor their doubts.  But even in their weak flesh of not trusting God for His plan, He still blessed and gave to His children.  He spread a table of food before them.  ‘Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.  Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all of the food they could eat.’ Psalm 78:23-25.

What is it in our lives that we spread a table before God?  What desire do we continuously place before Him as if He doesn’t already know what is in our hearts?  Like the Israelites, we test God when we don’t believe Him for our future or trust Him for the path in getting there.  We complain…we argue… we calculate our own path…set our own table…feed our stomachs with our own plans.

We must believe God for everything in life.  We need to only look behind us to remember how faithful He has been over and over again.  This same faithfulness will anchor our future since God does not change.  ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.’ Hebrews 13:8.

May we all allow God to set His table before us instead of us setting our table before Him.

Spiritual Boxing

“And Jesus said to him, 'If You can?  All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief.’” Mark 9:24

Many of us might judge this father and not understand his statement.  It seems like two opposing thoughts worked their way into words.  At first glance it seems silly for one statement to follow the next but on any given day we find ourselves with competing beliefs…opposite fighters in the spiritual boxing ring.

‘I truly believe that the sun is going to rise, but do I believe that my trying circumstances are really for my good?  I am confident that the moon will reflect but do I really believe that God is handling my children’s problems?  I know beyond knowing that the flowers will bloom again in the spring but do I have faith that all of my needs will be taken care of through the winter?  I emphatically believe God for my eternity, but do I trust Him for my life here?’  Oh Lord, we believe but help our unbelief!

What are you facing this morning that is your I do believe but help my unbelief situation?  What opposing thoughts seem to negate your faith for provisions, peace and promise?  It is only through affirming the abilities and wonders of God that we position ourselves in battling these negative thoughts.  When they creep into our mental boxing ring, we must take hold of them and disable their destruction.

‘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’ 2 Co 10:5.

 

Man Made Curses

“However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you” Deuteronomy 23:5.

If you have never read the story of Balaam and Balak in Numbers 22-24, you have missed out on a wild ride. Balak was the son of the Moab king who had just witnessed the Israelites defeating the Amorites. He sent for Balaam who was a prophet with the power to speak blessings over people which would come true. He also could curse those who God cursed which would come to pass. Balak’s plan was for Balaam to curse the Israelites before they attacked Moab. Balaam’s proclamations on three separate occasions were the same…God’s children would be blessed and the curses would come upon those who intended evil. Balak learned something critical that day in which we as Christians must be confident. ....God will bring blessings upon His children in spite of man's evil intentions.

We have all been there when something in our lives are suddenly threatened. It may be our physical safety, our reputation or our financial position. We try to live a good and Christian life but tough circumstances arise and we feel as if a curse is hanging over us. We must be reminded that God will bless us if we remain faithful and He will handle the curses that life brings against us. We must affirm that we have a wonderful Lord and Savior who delights in blessing His children and relentlessly curses those who have evil intent. ‘“May those who bless you be blessed, and those who curse you be cursed” Numbers 2:9. There are mean situations out there along with mean people who intend to harm us and create situations that discourage us and bring about despair. We must keep our focus on God's abilities and promises when times bring about threat and fear.

‘O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is the man who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us Psalm 118:26-27. So whatever or whomever you face this morning, face it in the name of the LORD and you will be blessed from God.

 

Hosting a Dinner

“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor.  Martha served while Lazarus was …reclining at the table with him…Mary took …expensive perfume…poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair” John 12:2-3.

There have been many books, studies and sermons on this sweet little family from Bethany.  They were dear friends of Jesus and constantly opened their home for him.  It seems that the most ink has been given in determining the opposing characteristics of being a Martha or a Mary.  Which one is best?  Which one is right?  Which one is practical?  This reminds me of the ongoing discussion years ago of which woman made the correct decision – the woman who works outside of the home or the one who stays home with the children.  Both scenarios have generated many heated debates I am sure.  I tend to believe the answer in this story involves all three personalities. 

This dinner was centered around Jesus much like our lives should be centered around His presence.  Martha knew that to honor Jesus was through service to Him.  Lazarus knew the importance of reclining with Jesus…having that one on one time talking and listening to Him.  Mary knew the value in honoring Jesus by using her most valuable resources on His body.  What if we individually lived a life patterned after this family?  What if our actions all centered around serving God, fellowshipping with God and honoring God?  Jesus lived this type of life…He served God with His life…He fellowshipped with God through His prayers…He honored God through His sacrifice.

I know that I can use a few lessons from this family in hosting time with Jesus.  I am confident that through our service to Him and fellowship with Him, we will honor both God and the Body of Christ.  The right way will not be in any one of these areas, but in the beautiful symphony when all of these areas come together.

Making Mud

“Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  ‘Go,’ he told him” John 9:6.

We continue considering the story of the blind man who gained his vision at the hands of Jesus.  As the man stood before Him in total darkness, he must have wondered what was going on.  He could only hear the conversation between the disciples and Jesus.  What were they talking about?  Some were insinuating that his blindness was a result of his sins or the sins of his parents.  But the other man was telling them that his blindness was an opportunity for God to display His miracles.  What?  This beggar, shunned and ignored for a long time, was God’s chosen instrument?   How strange that these people were standing around talking about his life and future.  He must have been hanging on every word.  Then suddenly and without notice a cold muddy pact was placed over his eyes with instructions from Jesus.  It must have jolted him when he experienced that messy sensation. What was the man’s response?  He fully believed Jesus for his healing and obeyed His instructions to go… he went…sight was restored…a life was changed…and God was glorified.  Jesus had to make a messy mud covering to usher in healing.

What in your life seems messy right now?  What blind spots are in your future that seem dark and fearful?  You hear the conversations of others talking about you, but you cannot see Jesus.  You wonder if He is engaged and working in this season.  You move closer to the Word to get answers and suddenly the situation seems to get a little muddier and scarier.  But then you remember that Christ came to give sight to the blind and hope to the despaired.  You hear your Savior calling your name and working to clean up the mess of your situation.  For a while you must stay in your mess and display the manner in which God is working in your life.  Then one beautiful day you will get your instruction from the Father who was there all along, working in your life to show others how faithful you have been. 

Friend, if you find yourself in a difficult time it could be so God can display His works in your life.  Be encouraged that when we trust God in the muddy messes and go with Him we will find our future.  We cannot forget however that the blind man still had to walk in darkness for a while to gain his sight.

 

The How and When of our Dreams

“As he went along, he saw a blind man…‘The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes.  He told me to go to Siloam and wash.  So I went and washed, and then I could see’” John 9:11.

We are told in John 9 that this man was blind and was approached by Jesus and his disciples.  The blind beggar (v. 8) had most likely become complacent in his position, as his neighbors referred to him as the man who used to ‘sit and beg.’ But Jesus had a better plan for his life, and determined how, where and when the man would finally see.  I can’t imagine the joy of this man when he saw the beautiful mountains and his reflection of his face in the water for the first time.  Hadn’t this day just started off like a million other days?  How many times had he envisioned the day when he would get his greatest desire?  Would it be next week, next year or ten years?  Had he finally given up his search for that dream, and accepted the timeline of the Savior? Or sadly, maybe he had even resolved himself to the reality that he would never get his heart’s desire.

So these are the questions on the table this morning.  Have we resolved ourselves to the fact that we will never experience our greatest desire?  Have we implemented plans with such narrow ideas on when or how to receive our desire that we might miss out on it?  What if our discomfort is a result of a self-made plan that we are unwilling to surrender?  What if the very timeline of our desires are lengthened due to our unwillingness to embrace God’s timeline even if it is different? What is God asking us to go down to the water and wash off?  What is He asking us to relinquish to Him?

Creation was built upon the directed order of things by God.  His timing was perfect on day 1 when He created heaven, earth, light and darkness.  Day 2 beautifully ushered the waters into being, followed by the land on day 3.  Each day brought forth another creation all working towards its perfect completion by a perfect Creator.  We all have deep desires for our future which keeps us anticipated with hope, purpose and excitement.  We must hold on to these positive encouragements in life, but must hold them loosely.  For whatever is held too tightly usually will be taken away. 

‘In one of God’s greatest ironies, though pain causes sorrow, that sorrow can cause growth if met with open and complete surrender.’ Spirit Hunger, p.192.

Marred to Molded

“So I went down to the potter’s house and I saw him working at the wheel.  But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands.  So the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” Jeremiah 18:2-4.

I have only watched on television the process of shaping and molding clay into something of value.  I would love to see it in person since I love seeing emerging art.  That is exactly what Jeremiah was told to do by the Lord.  He was to enter into the workplace of the potter and witness the process.  It was the opinion of Jeremiah that the pot in the potter’s hands was marred.  The definition of marred is damaged to a certain extent, rendered less perfect, attractive, or useful.  The potter’s work did not change because man esteemed his work marred.  The potter continued to mold and shape because he knew the value of the pot wasn’t in its hard surface, but rather in the purpose it would bring.  The primary importance of the pot was its inner capabilities, whereas its outward beauty was secondary.

Who is feeling marred this morning…unattractive…spiritually distracted…undervalued?  We should notice that the marred pot was in the hands of the potter instead of being thrown aside.  The potter knew that there was still purpose in its future capabilities.  The potter must have known that the previous purposes for the shape had been completed.  He obviously envisioned a new repurposing for the pot’s life, and personally worked with his hands to prepare the pot for its new purpose.  God is that potter and we are that pot. 

Only God knows the worth of what is inside our hearts and the spiritual capabilities we possess.  He works to mold us towards God’s plan for our lives.  Within each pot purpose and value exists and the potter calls the purpose into being.  It is up to us to be submissive and trusting that His gentle hands will reshape and repurpose our lives.  Once one season closes out God is already working on a new vision, one of divine purpose and contribution.  Jeremiah assumed that the potter was reshaping the pot because it was marred.  In reality the pot was being reshaped because purpose had been completed, and a new vision was emerging.

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” Rev. 21:5.