“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us…”Ephesians 3:20
Yesterday when I was taking Bruce to the airport, I was telling him about my last conversation with Daddy the Sunday before he was taken home. Bruce encouraged me to apply this story to our relationship with God. As many of you are very aware, Daddy and I shared a passion for the Duke Blue Devils. (Please don’t quit reading Tar Heels!) The Sunday before his passing, we watched the ACC Tournament as we had many years before. Duke won the title that day but I received so much more. As I prepared to leave Daddy realizing he only had a day or two I reached down and kissed him, telling him I loved him. He was very weak and he smiled, grabbed my hand and shook his head. At that moment I became the five year old little girl who needed to hear from her father the words ‘I love you.’ I whispered in Daddy’s hear that I needed to hear it and with every ounce of strength he whispered the words back to me. As I was about to turn and leave he squeezed my hand and said it a second time. This exchange breathes life into the above verse as I relate to my heavenly Father.
We come to our Father with our most intimate needs and ask as if there may be a chance we wouldn’t receive everything we need. We approach Him with such a limited scope of what He can provide. There have been so many times in my own life when He has given so much more than I asked. There have times when my worry and fretful thoughts discounted the peace I could have found in the truth of His power. ‘in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead…’ Eph. 1:19-20. The strength and power that is available for me is the same strength and power that penetrated into that lifeless earthly body of our sweet Savior and rose Him to His beautiful spiritual body. The power is ours for the taking if we will pursue God through Christ will all of our passion and zeal.
Ask Him to tell you He loves you and see how many times you are told.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Into Him
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” John 14:21
A few years ago a movie came out entitled He’s Just Not That Into You! I never saw this movie but have heard lines out of it over the years. It is the secret heart message that we as Christians sometimes feel when we think God is silent. We see Him working in the lives of others and witness His activity in their circumstances. In some of our circumstances, we secretly feel that we are not loved as much as we need to be by our Father, and that His wisdom is sparingly dispersed. We subconsciously feel that He is just not really into us!
This lack of belief in a God who is love is contrary to the beautiful promise above. We each qualify for this agape love from both the Father and Son. In order to have His commands we must get to know how He feels about everything through pursuing Him. Through knowing Him, we experience this love creating a passion to obey. Christ is our love proxy to God who loves us freely through His Son.
There are certain things we must settle up front or our faith will falter when the tough times come. 1) God always operates from a standpoint of love. That is His nature and He cannot be anything apart from love. Any emotion towards God that ‘feels’ contrary to love comes from Satan. 2) God is all-knowing. He arranges our present situations based on our future needs. 3) God will equip us with everything we need if we stick close to Him.
‘Suppose you had to cross a field full of land mines and a person who knew exactly where each one was buried offered to take you through it…I would stay as close to that person as I could. I certainly would not wander off. His directions to me would preserve my life. He would say, “Don’t go that way, because that way will kill you. Go this way and you will live.” That is the purpose of God’s commands. He wants you to receive life and have it abundantly. When the Lord gives you a command, He is trying to protect and preserve the best He has for you…When God gives a command, He is not restricting you. He is freeing you.’ Experiencing God – Knowing and Doing the Will of God, p.76.
He really is into you!
A few years ago a movie came out entitled He’s Just Not That Into You! I never saw this movie but have heard lines out of it over the years. It is the secret heart message that we as Christians sometimes feel when we think God is silent. We see Him working in the lives of others and witness His activity in their circumstances. In some of our circumstances, we secretly feel that we are not loved as much as we need to be by our Father, and that His wisdom is sparingly dispersed. We subconsciously feel that He is just not really into us!
This lack of belief in a God who is love is contrary to the beautiful promise above. We each qualify for this agape love from both the Father and Son. In order to have His commands we must get to know how He feels about everything through pursuing Him. Through knowing Him, we experience this love creating a passion to obey. Christ is our love proxy to God who loves us freely through His Son.
There are certain things we must settle up front or our faith will falter when the tough times come. 1) God always operates from a standpoint of love. That is His nature and He cannot be anything apart from love. Any emotion towards God that ‘feels’ contrary to love comes from Satan. 2) God is all-knowing. He arranges our present situations based on our future needs. 3) God will equip us with everything we need if we stick close to Him.
‘Suppose you had to cross a field full of land mines and a person who knew exactly where each one was buried offered to take you through it…I would stay as close to that person as I could. I certainly would not wander off. His directions to me would preserve my life. He would say, “Don’t go that way, because that way will kill you. Go this way and you will live.” That is the purpose of God’s commands. He wants you to receive life and have it abundantly. When the Lord gives you a command, He is trying to protect and preserve the best He has for you…When God gives a command, He is not restricting you. He is freeing you.’ Experiencing God – Knowing and Doing the Will of God, p.76.
He really is into you!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Naming God
“Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?’ God responded, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Ex. 3:14)
In the Bible God created experiences and fellowship with His children so He could accomplish important purposes in His work. God revealed Himself to those who stood at their crucibles resulting many times in them renaming Him or a place where He interceded. These names represented their own personal testimonies in their own personal sufferings. You will be blessed if you read the following stories to anchor this practice.
Moses – The LORD is my Banner (A banner is the standard that goes in front of an army to indicate whom it represents.) Ex. 17:8-15
Hagar – The well of Beer Lahai Roi (the well of the Living One who sees me)
Gen. 21:1-20
Abraham – The place of ‘The LORD will provide.’ (the mountain where God intervened and provided the ram in the bush for sacrifice in place of Abraham’s son) Gen. 22:1-19
Our experiences create our own list of names for God. He takes on many names during both times of pain and the deliverance from pain. These names are unique and personal and are based on our perception of God. If we approach our trials with love and trust in God our names for Him will match His character. If we lack trust and faith in His love our names for Him may be distorted. (The God who didn’t save, The God who didn’t hear, The God who didn’t care)
In my own life my pain distorted who God really was in my life. The closer I became to God the more aligned my given names for Him were consistent with His character. A few of my names for our LORD are as follows:
The Restorer of Life – As my daughter lay on the hospital floor flat lining from a heroin overdose He physically saved her life. But the real life He restored that day was the spiritual and emotional life as she decided to become clean and live a life reconciled to Him.
The One who Touched – When my youngest daughter, Caroline lost her boyfriend in an accident she pushed me away. She said the pain was too great to share with anyone. I felt rejected and alone. As tears streamed down my face I actually felt the hand of God touch my cheek and wipe my tears. I was completely transformed that morning.
Remover of Stones – With the deaths of my sister and dad, the darkness of their tombs was replaced with the stones removed. Their precious resurrections from this earth were replaced with glorious life in the eternal.
What are your names for God based on your own sufferings and do they match His character?
In the Bible God created experiences and fellowship with His children so He could accomplish important purposes in His work. God revealed Himself to those who stood at their crucibles resulting many times in them renaming Him or a place where He interceded. These names represented their own personal testimonies in their own personal sufferings. You will be blessed if you read the following stories to anchor this practice.
Moses – The LORD is my Banner (A banner is the standard that goes in front of an army to indicate whom it represents.) Ex. 17:8-15
Hagar – The well of Beer Lahai Roi (the well of the Living One who sees me)
Gen. 21:1-20
Abraham – The place of ‘The LORD will provide.’ (the mountain where God intervened and provided the ram in the bush for sacrifice in place of Abraham’s son) Gen. 22:1-19
Our experiences create our own list of names for God. He takes on many names during both times of pain and the deliverance from pain. These names are unique and personal and are based on our perception of God. If we approach our trials with love and trust in God our names for Him will match His character. If we lack trust and faith in His love our names for Him may be distorted. (The God who didn’t save, The God who didn’t hear, The God who didn’t care)
In my own life my pain distorted who God really was in my life. The closer I became to God the more aligned my given names for Him were consistent with His character. A few of my names for our LORD are as follows:
The Restorer of Life – As my daughter lay on the hospital floor flat lining from a heroin overdose He physically saved her life. But the real life He restored that day was the spiritual and emotional life as she decided to become clean and live a life reconciled to Him.
The One who Touched – When my youngest daughter, Caroline lost her boyfriend in an accident she pushed me away. She said the pain was too great to share with anyone. I felt rejected and alone. As tears streamed down my face I actually felt the hand of God touch my cheek and wipe my tears. I was completely transformed that morning.
Remover of Stones – With the deaths of my sister and dad, the darkness of their tombs was replaced with the stones removed. Their precious resurrections from this earth were replaced with glorious life in the eternal.
What are your names for God based on your own sufferings and do they match His character?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sweet Dreams
“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you...’ ‘So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong…’ The LORD was pleased…So God said to him… ‘I will give you a wise and discerning heart…Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for – both riches and honor…’ 1 Kings 3:5-10
This exchange between God and King Solomon is full of examples of a heart bent towards God. I love how this exchange began through the night as God appeared to Solomon in the darkness. God was present when Solomon was sleeping and came to him with a request for blessings. Solomon was only 20 years old when he became king to the throne and knew his limitations. When asked what he desired from God his response was the blueprint for our desires. He first acknowledged that God was his master and he was God’s servant. Secondly, what he desired for himself was for God to equip him in the manner for which he could be highly effective and righteous in his service to God. He thought not of what the worldly treasures could hold, rather what was good for God’s work. The last principle that I love in this passage is that if we are asking for the things relating to God’s work He will give us so much more.
In my own life I have seen this principle in action. I asked God to heal my daughter’s drug addiction – I received three grandchildren in addition to His healing. I asked God to help me edit and finish my grandmother’s book – I received my own writing ministry. I asked for God to heal my heart after my first marriage – I received a wonderful life partner with whom I share a Christ-centered marriage. The common denominator for all of these blessings has been a ‘Christ-first pursuit’.
God desires to bestow wonderful and amazing blessings on each of His children just as we enjoy giving our children the best we have. If we will approach Him with a heart of servitude and love, trust His will and provisions for the purposes for which we have been called, our desires will align more closely with His agenda for our lives. He will give us so much more than what we could ever imagine.
Pursue Him and enjoy sweet dreams!
This exchange between God and King Solomon is full of examples of a heart bent towards God. I love how this exchange began through the night as God appeared to Solomon in the darkness. God was present when Solomon was sleeping and came to him with a request for blessings. Solomon was only 20 years old when he became king to the throne and knew his limitations. When asked what he desired from God his response was the blueprint for our desires. He first acknowledged that God was his master and he was God’s servant. Secondly, what he desired for himself was for God to equip him in the manner for which he could be highly effective and righteous in his service to God. He thought not of what the worldly treasures could hold, rather what was good for God’s work. The last principle that I love in this passage is that if we are asking for the things relating to God’s work He will give us so much more.
In my own life I have seen this principle in action. I asked God to heal my daughter’s drug addiction – I received three grandchildren in addition to His healing. I asked God to help me edit and finish my grandmother’s book – I received my own writing ministry. I asked for God to heal my heart after my first marriage – I received a wonderful life partner with whom I share a Christ-centered marriage. The common denominator for all of these blessings has been a ‘Christ-first pursuit’.
God desires to bestow wonderful and amazing blessings on each of His children just as we enjoy giving our children the best we have. If we will approach Him with a heart of servitude and love, trust His will and provisions for the purposes for which we have been called, our desires will align more closely with His agenda for our lives. He will give us so much more than what we could ever imagine.
Pursue Him and enjoy sweet dreams!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
He Changes Seasons...
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and disposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 2:19-21
It seems I am always proclaiming my favorite book of the Bible only to change my mind based on my circumstances. I consistently seem to vacillate between my favorite books based upon the revelations and applications revealed. Through Scripture, I receive certain truths in my circumstances providing wisdom for that particular season. One of the absolute truths that I have adopted in my spiritual arsenal is the promise of seasons being temporary. I have been in a five year season of intense medical family issues requiring patience, endurance and heartbreak. This has seemed less like a season and more like a lifetime.
This passage is good news for me this morning as it reveals essential truths providing present hope and sustaining faith. It affirms that I am to praise God first apart from my circumstances, acknowledging His ultimate control with sovereign wisdom and power. It follows up with the comfort that time does not stand still and our seasons are temporary. Scripture continues with the truth that God is the authority over all authority. He decides both political and spiritual leadership and the length of time they will serve on our behalf. (This is great news after yesterday’s election with balance brought back in alignment.) This passage ends on the promise that we can be privy to His wisdom and knowledge by being wise and discerning through our pursuit of God.
This book denotes one ordinary man acting in extraordinary ways to further the message of his Savior. His Savior of yesterday is our Savior of today and the Savior for my grandchildren. ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.’ Hebrews 13:8.
Did I tell you that Daniel is my favorite Book of the Bible?
It seems I am always proclaiming my favorite book of the Bible only to change my mind based on my circumstances. I consistently seem to vacillate between my favorite books based upon the revelations and applications revealed. Through Scripture, I receive certain truths in my circumstances providing wisdom for that particular season. One of the absolute truths that I have adopted in my spiritual arsenal is the promise of seasons being temporary. I have been in a five year season of intense medical family issues requiring patience, endurance and heartbreak. This has seemed less like a season and more like a lifetime.
This passage is good news for me this morning as it reveals essential truths providing present hope and sustaining faith. It affirms that I am to praise God first apart from my circumstances, acknowledging His ultimate control with sovereign wisdom and power. It follows up with the comfort that time does not stand still and our seasons are temporary. Scripture continues with the truth that God is the authority over all authority. He decides both political and spiritual leadership and the length of time they will serve on our behalf. (This is great news after yesterday’s election with balance brought back in alignment.) This passage ends on the promise that we can be privy to His wisdom and knowledge by being wise and discerning through our pursuit of God.
This book denotes one ordinary man acting in extraordinary ways to further the message of his Savior. His Savior of yesterday is our Savior of today and the Savior for my grandchildren. ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.’ Hebrews 13:8.
Did I tell you that Daniel is my favorite Book of the Bible?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
All These Things...
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:3
When my daughter Caroline was 8 years old she gave me this plastic water bottle for Mother’s Day one year. Taped to the front of the bottle is a crudely made strip of paper that reads, 100 Ways I Love You! She had 100 strips of paper that she had written of ways for which we have experienced our love. To not share a few of the funny ones would do a disservice to her. (Spellcheck is having a field day!)
You married a brilyant man. (Notice, it didn’t say I am brilliant!)
You like to keep it clean. (Not sure what?)
Your face was the first face I saw.
Your very not rude.
Your very, very understandable.
Youre got good attitued.
You were my first friend.
You don’t speed.
Your clean and fresh.
Your not noisey.
As parents, our children’s response to our love is based on the invitation we extend to them. We take the initiative to develop an on-going relationship through fellowship, shared experiences and memories. The same is with our Father. He will always take the initiative to pursue a relationship with us. We must accept that initiative, enter into intimacy with Him and build a relationship based on our shared experiences.
I found in Caroline’s bottle this morning other things on her heart that morning long ago which I will repeat as I prepare my own list of ways I love God and know that He loves me.
You gave me life.
Our resemblance. (on-going pursuit!)
My heart is your heart.
The feelings in me for you.
How I can talk to you about anything.
Your comfort to me.
You are very forgiving.
You love all.
The stories we share.
The way you treat me.
You made all of us Christians.
The way you give hugs and kisses.
How you make me enjoy my life.
Our special times.
You always know what to say.
Your smile is big.
You’re loving.
You gave me family.
You know best.
You can keep secrets.
You’re generous.
You’re promising.
Caroline would have missed out on all these things if she wouldn’t have entered into this relationship with consistency, passion and complete child-like faith. She was able to grow up in this intimacy. God our Father has so much for us to experience with Him but we must seek Him first in order to fellowship.
What does your little bottle of blessings say to your Father?
When my daughter Caroline was 8 years old she gave me this plastic water bottle for Mother’s Day one year. Taped to the front of the bottle is a crudely made strip of paper that reads, 100 Ways I Love You! She had 100 strips of paper that she had written of ways for which we have experienced our love. To not share a few of the funny ones would do a disservice to her. (Spellcheck is having a field day!)
You married a brilyant man. (Notice, it didn’t say I am brilliant!)
You like to keep it clean. (Not sure what?)
Your face was the first face I saw.
Your very not rude.
Your very, very understandable.
Youre got good attitued.
You were my first friend.
You don’t speed.
Your clean and fresh.
Your not noisey.
As parents, our children’s response to our love is based on the invitation we extend to them. We take the initiative to develop an on-going relationship through fellowship, shared experiences and memories. The same is with our Father. He will always take the initiative to pursue a relationship with us. We must accept that initiative, enter into intimacy with Him and build a relationship based on our shared experiences.
I found in Caroline’s bottle this morning other things on her heart that morning long ago which I will repeat as I prepare my own list of ways I love God and know that He loves me.
You gave me life.
Our resemblance. (on-going pursuit!)
My heart is your heart.
The feelings in me for you.
How I can talk to you about anything.
Your comfort to me.
You are very forgiving.
You love all.
The stories we share.
The way you treat me.
You made all of us Christians.
The way you give hugs and kisses.
How you make me enjoy my life.
Our special times.
You always know what to say.
Your smile is big.
You’re loving.
You gave me family.
You know best.
You can keep secrets.
You’re generous.
You’re promising.
Caroline would have missed out on all these things if she wouldn’t have entered into this relationship with consistency, passion and complete child-like faith. She was able to grow up in this intimacy. God our Father has so much for us to experience with Him but we must seek Him first in order to fellowship.
What does your little bottle of blessings say to your Father?
Monday, November 1, 2010
When Grief Takes Hold
“While you were doing all these things declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you but you did not answer.” Jeremiah 7:13
This verse speaks specifically to the sin that had overcome the region as a community back in the days of Jeremiah the prophet. In reading the verse this morning my Griefshare class came to mind instead of the topic of sin.
Grief is a paradox in itself. It is the very time when we should hold dearest the things of God since He is the only One who can deliver us from our pain. But, grief is such an overwhelming and all surpassing pain that many times it polarizes us from the heart of God. He calls out to us, extends His nail-scarred hand only for us to not respond. He speaks to us through the calm and beauty of nature and precious new memories with remaining family members, yet we seem numb to these blessings.
Instead we wrap the garment of John 11:34 around our shoulders, ‘But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’ We have all worn this garment before and it hangs in each of our closets. This does not anger God nor does it cause Him to turn away from His children. At certain times in the Bible, each member of the Trinity is noted as grief being an emotion they also experience. Since the beginning of time, man’s sins have grieved the heart of God. ‘The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on earth had become…The LORD was grieved…and his heart was full of pain.’ ‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,’ Eph 4:30. ‘When Jesus saw her weeping…he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled…Jesus wept…’ John 11:32.
My Bible commentary states that Jesus groaned with pain over the passing of Lazarus and the pain his death has caused. God gave us the ability to love deeply which means we will experience pain in the loss of that person. It is the person that we grieve for since their love was such an important part of our lives. But God had to send death into the world once sin infiltrated mankind. Only through death on earth can eternal life with God begin.
Grief is experienced through any loss and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Call out to God for comfort and answer Him when He calls. He has been experiencing grief in His heart since the beginning of time. When grief takes hold of our hearts we are experiencing fellowship with every part of the Holy Trinity.
This verse speaks specifically to the sin that had overcome the region as a community back in the days of Jeremiah the prophet. In reading the verse this morning my Griefshare class came to mind instead of the topic of sin.
Grief is a paradox in itself. It is the very time when we should hold dearest the things of God since He is the only One who can deliver us from our pain. But, grief is such an overwhelming and all surpassing pain that many times it polarizes us from the heart of God. He calls out to us, extends His nail-scarred hand only for us to not respond. He speaks to us through the calm and beauty of nature and precious new memories with remaining family members, yet we seem numb to these blessings.
Instead we wrap the garment of John 11:34 around our shoulders, ‘But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’ We have all worn this garment before and it hangs in each of our closets. This does not anger God nor does it cause Him to turn away from His children. At certain times in the Bible, each member of the Trinity is noted as grief being an emotion they also experience. Since the beginning of time, man’s sins have grieved the heart of God. ‘The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on earth had become…The LORD was grieved…and his heart was full of pain.’ ‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,’ Eph 4:30. ‘When Jesus saw her weeping…he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled…Jesus wept…’ John 11:32.
My Bible commentary states that Jesus groaned with pain over the passing of Lazarus and the pain his death has caused. God gave us the ability to love deeply which means we will experience pain in the loss of that person. It is the person that we grieve for since their love was such an important part of our lives. But God had to send death into the world once sin infiltrated mankind. Only through death on earth can eternal life with God begin.
Grief is experienced through any loss and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Call out to God for comfort and answer Him when He calls. He has been experiencing grief in His heart since the beginning of time. When grief takes hold of our hearts we are experiencing fellowship with every part of the Holy Trinity.
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