Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Ah! You're Just Seeing Things!

And Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha - 2 Kings 6:17

Everyone who knows me knows I am a huge fan of all things baseball. One of my two favorite all-time baseball movies is the movie Field of Dreams. Kevin Costner plays the part of an Iowa farmer that had a vision to build a baseball field in the middle of his cornfield.

Part of the romance and mystery is this: he did not know why.

What he did know was that he was to do it. Much to the chagrin of his neighbors and extended family, he built the baseball diamond in the farm community. As the story continues, one night some players showed up. The man realized these were no ordinary players, but were actually the great players from the past. When the skeptical family came to view this phenomenon, they were unable to see what the farm owner could see. This made it even worse for him. Now he was really a lunatic in their eyes; having plowed under valuable farm land he needed to pay the bills and feed his family.

This fictitious story has a spiritual application for you and I. First, if God tells us to "build a ball field," we should do it. It is not for us to determine the reason we are instructed to do it. Once we are obedient, God steps us through obedience, one foot at a time in front of the next. Because He is a personal God He will allow us to see what others cannot see. It is His personal vision for each of us who names Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It's also a kind of rite of passage for those willing to risk their reputation for God's purposes. As our walk and trust levels rise in our faith my dear friends and family God increases the spiritual senses to levels we never knew before. If you continue to walk in faith those around you will observe this. You will become a spiritual beacon in ways you had not considered. As in the movie mentioned above, "They will come" to you for wisdom, truth, and a touch from God.

Do you want to see what others cannot see? Let me put it another way: do you wish to see more for what God would do in and through your life? If so, it will require a level of obedience that will go beyond human reason. This last week I read an article that showed the path from agnosticism to faith to world-wide power with God for over a dozen men (Wilberforce, Tolkien, T.S. Eliot, and C. S. Lewis to name a few). These men all claimed they got there because Christianity was the only reasonable explanation for the world, their lives and the future. Each however proclaimed it was a step of faith that caused them to realize just how personal and loving God was.

Your faith and God's personal command to you may require risk and ridicule from others. But you will see what others cannot see and it will be an eternal adventure! I remain...

InHISgrip,
~J~

Friday, October 23, 2009

The years taught me most of the world's richest people began their journey to wealth with the habit of tithing-Robert Kioysaki

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Trying to reconcile your failures with God's love and His leading in your life? Check out my latest blog - http://ping.fm/r7EDi

Being Lead to Fail - What's That All About?

The Lord said to Moses, 'When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.' - Exodus 4:21

Recently I took on some work where I became an employee. It didn't last long. In part it was frustrating because I believed I was being hired to do something I had done successfully in previous work only to find my new boss stymie my efforts at every turn. He said I'd be responsible for this but in truth it was not at all that way. Perhaps you've had a similar experience. You believe you know what to do but as you are in the doing of it your superior is thwarting your efforts, making it impossible to succeed.

Moses must have felt this way after God told him to go to Pharaoh and tell him to release the people of Israel. God had told Moses, I am going to give you the power to release the children of Israel by the miracles I will do through you." But that was not the whole story. He also told Moses that Israel would not be released by Pharaoh because God was going to put a hard heart in Pharaoh.

Now, what is THAT all about?

A relationship with Jesus Christ that is growing and maturing also means we become more aware of God's purposes and plans with our personal lives. I have had this experience. As a matter of fact, one way I test my walk with the Lord is to determine if I have a sense of His working with and in me as He had instructed me. I also know that I can expect roadblocks to God's plans for my life.

Rule #1 - It is NOT a straight line - It is NOT from God's mouth to my ears...

It took years of plodding along before the light came on as to why there was such a distance between what God called me to do and the manifestation of that calling. A few weeks ago I talked about David and how he was anointed as a young man (12-16) but it was years before that calling was actualized in his life. For David, this was in part because of God's unfolding plans in the lives of others (It is NOT all about you or all about me) as well as David's own lapses in faithlessness.

Rule #2 - God always has a bigger picture He wishes to unveil


The story of God and His relationship with the Children of Israel must last for thousands of years. That was a purpose Moses would not quite have a vision for and yet God did. God wanted greater glory from the situation. God also wanted to deal with Egypt by sending specific plagues. He wanted a deep and abiding lesson in righteousness and the consequences when it was not present.

Rule #3 - God will always keep His promise but do it in the course of a process.

In this case, for Moses, the process built character in him and tested the old guy to see if he would stay the course.

Guys, there is a time for everything. If God has called you to some endeavor and you are frustrated that it has not manifested or it continues to be beset by setback after problem know that times of preparation and simmering are required before the vision can be achieved. All of the above three things will be in play. Seldom does God call and manifest or deliver the promise simultaneously. You got your preparation and you got your God testing. Most of all is this, you will always have your relationship building between you and God that must take place. Once the Father is satisfied you will see the vision materialize.

So, today with me, let us seek God's face to know who He is so He can reveal to us who we are and the vision for our lives can be made clear to us...so we can get on the road.

I remain...

InHISgrip,
~J~

Sunday, October 18, 2009

A Sin That Destroys A Life's Purpose

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. - Romans 12:15

There is an Old Testament character whose name was Saul. Saul was the King of Israel prior to the reign of King David. As my little tale unfolds, David was in Saul's army and beginning to build a reputation as a great warrior. One day when David came back from a battle, the women danced and sang: " 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands' " - 1 Sam. 18:7.

Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom? - 1 Samuel 18:8

This statement caused something to snap in King Saul. Some insecurity that had been a part of Saul's personality met with a realization within Saul that no one could hinder him from acting it out in the most heinous way. After all, Saul was King! Who could defy the King, his wishes, his desires and his obvious accurate view of the present.

From this point on, Saul was never the leader God intended him to be. He allowed insecurity to drive his every decision. What we learn from Saul's life is that one negative aspect of the sin of insecurity is that insecurity often leads to the need to control people and circumstances so that our desire to be seen in the best way possible is always present.

We can't get in contact with reality. For, if we could we would realize we simply can't control everyone and everything around us. The need to control leads to anger once we realize we are unable to control the circumstance.

David became amazingly successful as a general. King Saul could not accept, much less rejoice, over David's success. And, because of this, David's life would never be the same. Saul sought to kill David every chance he had. Saul had a choice; he could have seen David as an up-and-coming general in his army who could have become an important part of his team and made the kingdom of Israel even stronger. Instead, he looked at him as a threat.

When you hear good news about family members succeeding, fellow workers or associates receiving promotions, accolades and monetary increases, do you rejoice with them? If you find yourself comparing your life's circumstances to others and don't feel you measure up, or, if you are feeling that they are receiving benefits that you deserved recognize that this is one of satan's greatest ploys to destroy you. If he can destroy your ability to enjoy others success and recognition he can get the focus of your life off of doing good and caring for others.

Here is a tip: Christ has given you all things for LIFE & GODLINESS (look it up...it's true) in Him. He has a unique plan for you that cannot be compared to another. He will take whatever path He realizes is best for you.

He alone is your security.

Trust in the purposes He has for your life. And remember, My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus - Phil. 4:19.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

What I Do & What I Do To Value Me

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it - Genesis 2:15

This subject is bigger than one blog. So today's title is really faux. I'm only going to focus on one aspect of it.

According to the best of our sociologists man was created with seven foundational needs.

1. We have the need to be treated with dignity.

2. We expect authority to operate within our lives and to be authoritative at some level.

3. For what we do we anticipate compensation (blessing?) and provision.

4. We strive to acquire security.

5. We are built and pursue purpose and meaning.

6. Likewise we reach out for a sense of freedom and feel uncomfortable if we find it and have no boundaries (think of them as two sides of the same coin.)

7. We were made to experience intimate love and companionship.

Thus, one of the things we need to get hold of is that, having made us this way, God provides to us the means to receive and experience them. Part of our problem has been that we have redefined them to relate to the world around us and not back to the one who imbued us with these needs and desires!

As we understand the scriptures we know we were created for a certain purpose (or purposes) and God shapes our days in such a way that we can pursue these with His blessing in HIS WAY; recognizing ultimately we need to understand HIS definitions for each of them. When we go outside God's provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble. When we put our own definitions to them we lose communication rights with God the Father. (Think on that one for a moment!)

Every individual has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from their efforts. Many of our basic feelings of satisfaction are derived from our task-focused time. As we see by the verse we derive our teaching from today it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden. He gave a man responsibility. That responsibility was to care for his own homeland.

God created us to be productive. My sense is that this is part of God's own character. He needed to gain satisfaction from his time spent.

But there is a danger in this. It occurs when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. Unfortunately, we are provided many signals as we develop from children, to teens, to young adults that can burn this skewed message into our brains and hearts. This leads to a performance-based life where something earthly, not godly dictates our value. Generally speaking a performance-based life says, "As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others."

This is a subtle trap for all of us.

The outcomes of this trap (there are many) are being felt today in our nation as over 11% of the adults workforce has lost its job. A general morose has fallen across the land. On the other side of the coin, to those working it can lead us to become workaholics; in part concerned that we do not lose our purpose (i.e. our jobs) or because it is all we are good at, and all we have to evaluate ourselves.

Guys we must be careful. God did not make us to view life this way; as to seek validation through what we do. I hope this piece wakes you up. Because, obviously, sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.

For believers in Christ our value must be centered in Jesus Christ, not in what we do. If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him. Lack of employment will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes.

Remember?

I wrote that out just a few paragraphs up. In His plan for you even difficult times, empty of career, professional or work have a job to fulfill IN us. Your job in these times, as it is every day in every situation, is to find out what it is that God wants you to embrace. Well? C'mon? What is it? The message is clear. It is a message for you to embrace.

Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your spirit. Who is the king sitting on the throne. What is going to dictate your satisfaction? Have you recounted your blessings? Sit down and write out all that you are "IN CHRIST", not to forget it is much much more than your goofy job.

With me, today, let's get Jesus Christ back on the throne? If you labor long hours, ask yourself why. I remain...

InHISgrip,
~J~

Monday, October 5, 2009

Duking It Out With God

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor - Isaiah 61:3b

The people in my household are used to hearing this kind of chatter from behind the doors of my office, "God, is this the way You treat someone who is faithful to You?"

I have replicated this kind of "dialogue" with God in many scenarios; in my office, the car and I've yelled it out loud on the top of the mountain pines in Pine, Arizona a place 100 miles north of Phoenix where we have a family cabin built by my father-in-law. (I did this thinking no one but God could hear me.)

"I've waited and waited and now this! I despise and loathe You, God! I have had enough!" I have used those words. I've done it and then simply broke down and cried because I was at my wits end.

It was cleansing at one level. It is the relationship I have formed with my Heavenly Father at quite another level.

And so, as I sat there among the trees, in the middle of this scenic spot, listening to the wind through the trees and deciding what else I could say to God, I found myself in a state in which I was not quite accustomed...I was speechless. I was ticked-off. I was confounded by my life. I wondered if He was ever going to listen to me again (I had proof He had in the past - so I was not in a state of God denial). If my God was listening, I was sensing He really wasn't honoring my commitment to Him. Somehow the honor and worship I bestowed on Him was boring Him and my faith and obedience weren't cutting it.

I sat, walked, stood, shouted, stomped and cajoled God for hours wrestling internally with my sense of "aloneness" and lack of direction in this time of trouble.

Finally, without answers and sensing that God wasn't about to blurt out anything, I turned to head back to the cabin. Part of the time I had been sitting on an old scrub oak tree that was broken at the base and laying horizontal (mostly) to the ground. The tree had an arrow tip at one end that pointed toward the base of another huge busted down pine tree. With hands on hips, as I surveyed the scene I was about to leave a quiet whisper of a voice inside my heart of hearts said, "Today you are like this broken oak. You both stood tall and proud once but not now. But, my son, unlike this oak your brokenness is needed so you may become this large oak tree you will see when you turn around."

Now, the area I was at was filled with trees. Most of them pine. A few trees were scrub oak...not very majestic really. However, as I turned and looked eye level from my current position and straight out, there it was, the most majestic of all the trees in the area, almost out of place and standing alone in the center of my line of site a mighty oak tree.

It has been months and even years and my life has passed with many struggles. But God is true to His word. From from that day He began to replace the pain and disappointment with an inner joy that only His grace could provide. It came as wisdom from His word, the Bible and His words into my heart replaced my grasp on a world view of life that measured success comparatively by what friends, family and colleagues had and were doing.

So my loved ones and friends tell me about your struggles with life and the events surrounding you. Are you wrestling? Do you feel, perhaps in part, that God has deserted you? Let me suggest some things to you.

1. Be honest with God! He is the kind of Father who is willing to have those difficult conversations.

2. Realize that He won't always change things that aren't to your liking but His purposes will be accomplished and peace will come if you trust Him.

3. Trust Him this day with those things that are most difficult in your life. For me, it is providing for my family and ensuring that I live a life that is productive in my community and in and around my family. You better, as I had to, find out if those were his priorities or if they are something else.

God can handle a good shouting at - He can handle a good wrestling match - He simply does not wish to handle no reaction at all.

I remain, more tightly than ever...

InHISgrip,
~J~