Seeking Solitude

“Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place…So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Luke 4:42, 5:16

One of the most important principles that the life and walk of Jesus exemplified is the necessity of rest, renewal and determined solitude with God.  Throughout the New Testament are snapshots of when Jesus quietly and intentionally separated Himself from the noises and demands of His work.  He was very intentional in teaching the Word and committed to the purpose in which God created Him.  But He also understood that the strength and power required to carry out God’s plan was given by God and through God.  In order to receive what He was to give to others He must first receive what God would give to Him.  Without His determined times of solitude with God, He would have experienced burn out and burden just as we will without rest and prayer.

I can’t help but to wonder how many of us today are facing circumstances that in our own power and wisdom will not be resolved.  I’m wondering how many of us shot out of bed, pulled out our to-do’s and rushed past our time with the Father.  Even if we get good rest through the night, that doesn’t mean that we will have spiritual rest during the day.  ‘When we acknowledge spiritual rest as an important detail that Jesus refused to neglect, our capacity to emulate His love for the world will increase…Know your limits…know that your time won’t look like someone else’s limits…Remember, carving out space for spiritual renewal helps us to listen to God’s voice with clarity, deepen our intimacy with Him, determine His will for our lives, and find strength to obey it.’ Determined, Heather M Dixon, p. 49.

We can only give to others what we have already received from God.  The more solitude spent with the Source will increase our capacity to love and serve those who God has placed in our lives. 

‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and these things will be given to you.” Matthew 6:33.

Stopped in our Tracks

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Last weekend my son Michael spent a few nights with us and had us almost in tears from laughing at a story he told. One of our grand pups is Lucy who is an adorable French Bulldog that looks like a little sausage but has a kind little spirit. Luna is another grand pup who is only a little over a year and full of puppy energy mixed with a little rebellion. Luna had gotten out and was running free and fierce away from the home. Michael ran out of the door chasing her and was closing in on her when Lucy bolted from behind, clipping Michael’s legs out from beneath him sending him to the ground. That little dog shot like a bullet from a gun and stopped Michael in his tracks. Every time I pictured that event I began laughing again.

Seriously though that snapshot reminds me of how God clipped my legs from under me as I was chasing the things of the world…image…acceptance…approval. Scripture tells us that every single one of us was created in Christ to accomplish things on behalf of God before we ever breathed our first breath. We were born in love and purpose and we are to live in love and purpose. It wasn’t until Feb. 2006 that God intervened in my chase of worldly things and put me on a new path…His path…His work…His walk. I still fall short in accomplishing the purposes that He lay before me, but that is the beauty of being His workmanship. ‘God isn’t looking for perfect people who know how to do everything right. He’s looking for people who are willing to choose habits of faithfulness. He will direct that outpouring of our time spent with Him to spill over where it needs to.” Determined, Heather M. Dixon, p. 40.

Each day we awaken to another day that God has ordained for us and the good work that He has purposed for us. How will we know what good is to be accomplished for others by the work of our hands without giving the ‘first fruits’ of our day to God? It is through worship, Scripture, prayer and obedience that will put us on the path that God has planned for us. And when we are chasing the things of God, we will be less likely to end up on the ground.

Navigating Landmines

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.” Luke 4:1-2

I am really enjoying this Bible study called Determined by Heather M Dixon that centers around the walk of Jesus, and His determined choices to obey God all the way to death on the cross. It is a concentrated look into a time period when the Son of God took on human flesh to both save us and exemplify the walk for us. This morning I was taken into the wilderness to watch the exchange between pure evil and pure Jesus. Our passage gives us an overarching theme to which we all should pay very close attention: when we are at our lowest Satan tries his hardest. Satan had harassed and tempted Jesus every day from the moment the feet of Jesus hit the wilderness. The Son of God had eaten absolutely nothing the entire time He was there. Satan waited until the end of forty days to crank up the toughest temptation, knowing that would be when temptation would be the most difficult to fight. Jesus was lonely, hungry and most like exhausted. But Jesus showed us how to combat with the devil and his tempting ways. Each time Satan presented an opportunity for sin, Jesus spoke the words of God in response to being lured into the schemes of the devil. But what I noticed for the first time this morning is the actions of the devil are just as important as the actions of Jesus.

Not only are we shown how we are to navigate through tough circumstances like Jesus did, but this story also shows us what we are to expect from the tempter. Satan cannot steal our salvation once we have been indwelled with the Holy Spirit since we are sealed. The next best thing that he goes for is our relationship with God. He will always tempt us to doubt that God will provide for us in our hungry times whether our hunger is physical, emotional, financial or spiritual (Luke 4:3). Satan will always discourage us from believing God has complete authority, power and control over all circumstances (Luke 4:6-7). He will always try to convince us that we can save ourselves and others, not needing Jesus (Luke 4:10). Satan is just as determined to wreck our relationship with God as Jesus was to show the way to have a relationship with God. And we live in the tension between the two. But we know the end of the story and Satan loses and loses big!

Just like Jesus our focus while on earth should be how to navigate the landmines of sin and temptation that Satan places before us. We must recognize how Satan works in our individual lives. If we have a propensity to lie, he will tempt us to lie. If we have behavior that we do in private, he will attack us in our isolation. When we are at our weakest Satan works his hardest so we must be ready for the take down by arming our minds and hearts with the words of God. God’s commands and our obedience to them are our weapons and will protect us and guide us through our darkest days.

When Heaven Opens

“…and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.  And the Holy Spirit descended…upon Him…and a voice came from heaven… ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:21-22.

This scene is one of the most beautiful scenes in the Bible.  I wish I could have been in that crowd to fully appreciate what happened.  On that day, the region surrounding the Jordan River was crowded with people from all walks of life, and different ethnic groups.  They had all come to be baptized in the river by John the Baptist.  These people came looking for relief and hope during a time in their culture that was filled with chaos and political corruption.  ‘John began his ministry during a time of political fracturing in Israel.  While priests and procurators vied for power, the people desperately longed for a leader.’ Charles Swindoll, Insights on Luke: Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL:  Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017), 83.  I can just see the people taking their turn to be baptized, and suddenly one stranger’s experience also coming out of the water is much different.  As Jesus breaks through the water and stands up, heaven opens up and God’s voice thunders over the region.  The Father speaks where all can hear identifying that Jesus is His Son, with whom He is so pleased and loved.  It would be the first time God spoke since the time of Malachi…400 years before.  And as if those circumstances weren’t amazing enough, the Holy Spirit descended from out of heaven and indwelled upon Jesus in full view.  That is quite an image to behold in my imagination. 

And yet, it is the very thing that happens daily when we open our hearts to heaven. Because of Christ we have the same authority to call on God’s presence.  Because Christ descended and died, we have the invitation to rise up out of the living waters and connect with God’s Spirit.  Because Christ died for us, we have the position of co-heir with Him as God’s children.  The event in our passage was when Jesus began His life in ministry, while there is another event of heaven opening up after prayer as Stephen was ending His life in ministry, ‘He looked toward heaven, where he saw our glorious God and Jesus standing on his right side.  Then Stephen said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!’  As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, please welcome me!’…Then he died.’” Acts 7:55-56, 59.

Whether we are at the beginning of our lives as Christians, in the middle of our spiritual walk or at the end of our lives, prayer moves heaven and beckons our Father to commune with us. We have all lost precious family members and there is no doubt in my mind that as we saw their lives ebbing away, they saw heaven opening just like Stephen. As we committed our loved ones to the Father saying our goodbyes, they were hearing the Father say, ‘ Welcome home my beloved child with whom I am pleased.’ We can never underestimate the unseen communion between God and His children at any given moment. But we know this...God is with us always in life, in sickness and in our transistion from earth to heaven.  

‘Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.’ 1 Co 13:12

Unopened Bibles...Unopened Minds

“Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” Luke 2:46-47

It is so tempting to rush pass this passage documenting a day in the life of Jesus as a twelve-year-old. When I think about Jesus at this age, I consider my grandson when he was twelve. He spent most of his time pursing new video games, practicing for football and running around the neighborhood with other boys his age. It is difficult to fathom Jesus at that age already challenging the teachers in the temple on their understanding of the Old Testament. But it also says that He listened to the teachers who were affluent in the Scripture. Our verse records that ALL who heard Him were astonished at His knowledge and answers regarding the Bible and what the law stated. Jesus grew up under Jewish customs which meant He was drenched in the words of God. Although Jesus was the Word made flesh, His life shows us the way to receive wisdom and understanding. It is through listening to those who have God’s wisdom and knowledge about the things of God. It is by being drenched in the Word, being in communion with the Father and being obedient in God’s purpose for life. Without daily engagement with His word we will miss His message.

We have all been given the path to wisdom and understanding and in my Bible, it begins on page 3, 'In the beginning...' Ge 1:1. We must understand where God started when recording His story with mankind to understand where we will finish our story. Trying to apply His will to our lives without involving Scripture is like trying to build a home with a blueprint. The home we construct without direction and guidance will be built upon a crumbling foundation. But when we open the front page of that beautiful Book where God still breathes His way, His will and His promises we will gain wisdom and application for our lives. God doesn’t leave us alone to understand the message of the Word but faithfully reveals the beauty and mystery of the message that was written just for us.

“And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45.

In That Instant

“Now there was…Anna…a prophetess…who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers day and night.  And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord…” Luke 2:36-38

I’m sure I have heard of this woman before but this morning my Bible Study invited me to come a little closer to fully understand this scene.  At first glance I read about a customary and somewhat routine service that the parents of all firstborn males were instructed to attend when the child was eight days old.  It was the service where the parents presented their son back to the Lord.  But as we soon learn from this story this was no common child and this was anything but routine.  This child was Jesus and His divinity would soon to be revealed.  After Mary had completed her days of purification, she and Joseph handed Jesus over to Simeon who was full of the Spirit.  He took Jesus in his arms, prayed to God in gratitude and declared that Jesus was ‘a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of God’s people of Israel’ (Luke 2:32).  So why did Anna, ‘in that instant’ begin thanking the Lord?  She began thanking the Lord the moment she saw Jesus because she had developed sensitivity to God’s Spirit.  Her days were spent fasting and praying, most likely for…her church…her circle of influence…her community.  The greater the time she spent before the Lord the more sensitive she was to His influence and His revelations.  She began her deep worship of gratitude because of her realization that the child before her would be the Savior to save her and mankind.  And that is the good news that we can take away from the life of a woman who was determined to worship God.

We too can be sensitive to God’s spirit the more we fellowship and worship Him.  We are New Testament believers which means we carry the temple of God within us.  And just like Anna we can pray and fast day and night when we meet God in our hearts.  We too will know things ‘in that instant’ when God gently nudges us through His spirit.  It is why in an instant someone comes to mind for prayer.  It is why in an instant we feel compelled to help a stranger.  It is why in an instant, songs are written, ministries are born, and sinners are saved.  Without worship our responses to the daily events we will experience will likely include irritation, anger, self-focus to name a few because we are not being determined to worship God.  ‘A worshipful heart prepares us for what we may meet in the coming day.’ Determined, Heather M Dixon, p. 18.  We too can be people who ‘do not depart from the temple’ and pursue the spirit of God and offer ongoing worship.  ‘Indeed, God the Father created our bodies, God the Son redeemed them, and God the Holy Spirit indwells them.  This makes our body the very temple of the Holy Spirit of God.’ Got Questions website.

‘Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?’ 1 Co 6:19. 

Well Done

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Rev 21:4

I’ve got to say that I do not know how pastors do what they do. Today will be my 3rd memorial service in 4 days in three separate devastating circumstances. All these families are of great faith and live with God at the center of their lives. The heaviness and deep sorrow that I have seen in their spirit and the family and friends who surround them make me so grateful for one of the reasons God gave us His word. He knew we would need life where death had left its footprint. He knew that our hearts would need to be encouraged that this earth was never meant to be the final destination. He wanted us to glimpse into the very place where our loved ones have entered. And that is what my heart needs at the end of this week. Wanting to focus on Heaven as a deposit of what is ahead for you and for me. Wanting the faces of our departed ones to appear alive again so our hearts can be comforted. As our loved ones closed their eyes here, what was seen in the next second was the kingdom of Heaven.

I’ll bet their eyes were wider than they have ever been as they scanned the great wall made of jasper. What did they think as they approached the city of clear glass with its foundations adorned with precious stones like sapphire, chalcedony, emerald and many more layers of gems? And then as they turned around, they must have been overwhelmed with the beauty of the multiple gates made of pearls with the street of gold at their feet. They finally felt worthy, healthy and completely at peace as they scanned the beauty of home. And then they looked up ahead and they saw the Glories of Heaven…there on that gorgeous throne sat God their Father, and Christ their Savior. And our family who have previously been called home were standing beside the crystal river of life that proceeded from the throne. And all our loved ones could do was drop to their knees and worship the One who knew them before we ever did. And as they tried to take in every ounce of Heaven, they suddenly heard the beautiful words thunder that for now we can only read, ‘Well done, my good and faithful one.’” Matthew 25:21

My heart needs to read this today as a reminder that the Bible houses truth and promise. This is the vision that God allowed John to give us to hold our hearts until we hear those words coming from the throne of God. I pray this will give you a break from any grief that you are presently experiencing whatever the circumstances. This is more than just words... it is the reality of what our loved ones are experiencing. They are walking in the joy of all past challenges and hurts being gone because the former things have passed away. Until then may take comfort as we picture our loved ones hearing these words face to face with God.