Until Now the Lord has Helped Us

I walk past the TV. The kids are watching a movie. The story is at a point where almost all are in despair because of the profoundly dark circumstances. As I walk past, one character says to the other, (the other being the rightful king who is walking in the world as rejected, but is leading a faithful few in their mission), "You have led us through this far, it was wrong of me to lose hope, forgive me".

Well, that caught me unprepared. I wasn't expecting to hear such a valid quote line from walking past while a movie was playing. I have to remind myself daily: Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Since He doesn't change, He's not going to stop either. Almost daily, something dark and unconquerable presents itself. It's certainly wrong of me to lose hope. It's a sin.

Enclosing God

"You can't put God in a box."

I've heard that ever since going to a Christian college in the early 80's. Yet, we do that quite often. How often do we think, or hear someone say, "God can't use that, it's the wrong kind of _____ or it's associated with ______, so it won't further His glory or His Gospel."

But - He does. You find out later that someone came to the Lord for salvation because of it. Yes, it's ugly, weak even to us and certainly worse than "filthy rags" to Him; but He makes all things new. He gives beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Some of us, (maybe it's a "guy" thing), love to repair and restore things. It's tremendously satisfying. Just think what a master repairman and restorer God is, when you see what He has to work with. This is one of those mind-boggling things that we will better understand when we are re-made like Christ.

Time to Cling

"Jesus said to her, Do not cling to Me [do not hold Me], for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brethren and tell them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." John 20:17

Jesus HAS ascended to the Father. So IT IS TIME to cling to Him.

Why Wouldn't He?

A believer was marvelling over the lovingkindness of God. She was understandably feeling the difference between herself and a righteous, holy God that would still stoop so low to pick her up, create a clean heart in her and present her before Himself; faultless. She asked,
Why would He...?" She was really saying, "Look not upon me, because I am black..." SS 1:6

Why wouldn't He? He says this about her, (and all of us who believe): "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." SS 4:7

To those who don't believe in Him, He greatly desires to say it to you too.

Hard Work

"Hard work will always pay off," they say. That's probably a reaction to the tendency for people to generally be slackers. While it's somewhat true, the saying falls short of the application that it is intended to improve.

Over many years, I've noticed that my attempts at hard-work-through-self-effort rarely pay off. The big successes in my job have "dropped into my lap" as gifts from God. I have had to pick up the gift and be responsible with it while depending on Him. The compliments come in, "good job Steve, we appreciate your hard work." I say, "It was the Lord helping me." They say, "You have to give yourself more credit."

"There's no returning to a life of ease
Life in a world that brings you to your knees
Wielding a weapon with a mighty hand
Draped in the banner of another land"

It's the ceaseless hard work for the Lord that pays off. He directs the hard work. We might have to encourage ourselves in Him so that our hands don't hang down and our knees grow feeble. The work that results in a paycheck for us is entirely in His hands. He gives success because He is good and we need to not only feed our family, but give to others and to Him.

Lyrics above by K. Livgren, (Brother Kerry Livgren suffered a stroke last month. Pray for a swift sure recovery for the glory of Christ and salvation of more souls).

The Big Event

Revelation 11:15 is about as exciting to the heart of the Bride of Christ as any verse in the Bible can possibly be: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."

The One who wandered this world as one rejected was the true King of Kings. All of us who love Him and His appearing, and grow tired of the continual treachery of the world, get a good dose of excitement from this verse. We will be with Him and reign with Him. He will set everything straight. He will sing over us with joy. We will be in His presence forever.

Ta-Dah!

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7

The cure for anxiety is in the Old Testament and is repeated in the New Testament in case you missed it. It doesn't matter if your burden is from uncontrollable surrounding circumstances, internal circumstances or just plain self-generated; the cure still applies 100%.

Ta-Dah! for us who can live it, Tuh-Duh! for some of us who can't get it through our heads and into our hearts on a daily basis.

Setting up Distinctions

In the last days (in the end time) there will be scoffers [who seek to gratify their own unholy desires], following after their own ungodly passions. It is these who are [agitators] setting up distinctions and causing divisions--merely sensual [creatures, carnal, worldly-minded people], devoid of the [Holy] Spirit and destitute of any higher spiritual life.

It doesn't take a scoffer to "set up distinctions". They, also most accurately called agitators in the Amplified Version above, influence us and cause us to do the same. This verse really jumped out at me after hearing a sister-in-the-Lord come to the conclusion that her brothers and sisters in Christ are against her because she is of a different skin color. She has set up distinctions to her own misery.

We marginalize the agitators, (racial and otherwise), because they are so intellectually, morally and spiritually bankrupt, but their influence, as it turns out, is not marginal. They don't just play with the emotions of the weak-minded. They corrupt everyone within earshot. Not even members of the Body of Christ are exempt since they obviously have an evil influence on us.

Building the Tower of Destruction

The tower of destruction can be described as follows:

At the top there is a turret to propel verbal destruction in all directions: Insults or comments that belittle, discouraging words, impatient passionate statements that come out as anger and various other targeting comments that are either misunderstood or considered punitive.

The structure underneath the turret contains the stairs on which you climb to get to the top and the protective walls. This structure is built out of the desire to change whatever is wrong with our brethren immediately; because we are "right", and can't handle the corruption, (perceived or otherwise), in them anymore. As we lose patience and continue to push for results, we climb the stairs quickly and reach the top where strife, divisions, distinctions, misunderstandings and destruction start taking place as a direct result of firing destruction from the turret.

The foundation is pure pride and it goes deep into the ground to give the tower solid footing. When the pride is replaced with humility, the tower crumbles along with all of the foul material that made it; material lacking the grace and love of Christ.

High Honor

A high form of encouragement, compliment, honor or one of the kindest things you can say about someone is that they are revealing Christ to others.

Just think how many times someone has lifted your heart to where it needs to be with some unprompted expression of love or kindness. Some give a small or mind-boggling amount of money at just the right time to just the right need and others don't even have to do anything except show up. Yet both, (and others "in-between"), are revealing Christ. I'll never forget a young couple with small children showing up 1/2 hour late for a one-hour meeting. My thinking would have been, "why not just stay home if you are going to be that late?" What courage in HIM and what desire to be with HIM when He said He would be in the midst! They revealed Christ to everyone who was encouraged to see them walk in the door.

So, if you don't have any resources to give, if you don't even have the practical, physical or mental resources inside to encourage with a gift, a helping hand or fitly spoken word, just show up. Busy yourself with revealing Christ to your audience of thousands.

"In the arena with an audience of thousands
Clad in the armor of an army yet unseen
Raging a battle in the emptiness of night
with all your might (til' it's done)"

Poetry excerpt from K. Livgren

Murphy's Law

The dog in the picture is Murphy. Just before he moved, Hannah got a picture of him.

When spring came and that little tree sprouted leaves, Murphy suddenly became obsessed about it. All summer long, he'd go to the tree, bark, jump, hold on with his teeth and drop from it till he was limping and parched. We made fun of him and talked about how his mind just wasn't right.

There never was anything in the tree. We picked him up so he could see from a higher point of view, and it didn't make any difference. You could say he was getting good exercise, but the truth was, he was just wearing his body out while wearing the bark off the tree and the grass off of the ground. Self-destructive behavior.

We do that. Our minds aren't right. We keep thinking there's something that the world has for us and keep grasping for it. When we do, we're just wearing ourselves out, wearing out those around us and being self-destructive.

Christ Revealed

I've been struggling with the words to express the ways of some very dear brethren for a while: Even wanting to give thanks for one of them publicly to the Lord, (because one of them is leaving*), but not knowing how to express it without getting tangled up in words.

You see, there are those that are very dear to us, yet not part of our biological family. There is a closeness there that is difficult to explain. Then, I realize that the closeness has to do with a practical working out of these verses:

"Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another." Eph. 4:2 Amp.

"And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you." Eph. 4:32 Amp.

(Isn't that cool - how Ephesians 4 is "bookended" by those two verses?)

"Bear (endure, carry) one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]." Galatians 6:2 Amp.

The practical working out of these verses comes from the ability of these dear ones to show forth the love of Christ to others, (me in particular). I have gained a very special and deeper first-hand knowledge of the love of Christ because it has been so vividly portrayed in a very practical way by these brethren. What an encouragement! There's no substitute for the Lord. There's no substitute for the Lord's people.

How do you say all of that clearly and briefly - without rambling on, like I have been doing above? There it was, last night, in a hymn: "...Christ revealed in saints below."

*Für Elise

Waste-NOT-ness is Next to Godliness

I've seen others being beat over the head with this, (see Title), and I have taken some heat for it as well: "Wanton waste brings woeful want, why are you intentially wasting the _____ ?" Or; "I never spent a dime on _____, but look at brother _____! He doesn't even have a job and has to depend on others for his finances. Look at him blow money on _____!"

I certainly understand that point of view, (except when it's directed at me - of course). After all, I'm not independently wealthy, and don't know how I'd make it without finding some spending shortcuts. But, I keep seeing the Lord take care of things like this without shaking his finger in someone's face, or talking behind their back. He usually just takes care of the needed supply regardless of someone's "lack of responsibility". Years go by and there is no change in the behavior and no "hard lessons" from the Lord. Could it be that we have the wrong point of view yet again? Could it be that our thoughts are not His thoughts?

Isn't it noble not to waste resources and pinch pennies as much as possible; especially when it comes to the Lord's things? Well, all things ARE the Lord's things. Yes, if we waste, there is a price to pay. But emphasis on pinching pennies might just result in something else to be proud of.

We all have a good dose of ignorance. Could we, or someone else be ignorant of some of the best money-saving schemes? Wouldn't God provide anyway if we are?

Then, there's raising kids:

• Lights left on all night
• Studying the refrigerator contents for long periods of time with no result
• Leaving the milk out of the 'fridge all day
• Leaving the water hose on
• Breaking things etc.

I've never heard the kids talk down other kids for wasting something, and they waste a lot. Maybe they remember that they do the same thing, or maybe they have faith that God will help them regardless, because He is good. Maybe that is what is missing here.

Burning the Works

What will it be like at the Judgement Seat of Christ? Our works will be presented and tested with fire. I can't help but believe that each of us will stand individually with the presentation of our works. Part of the structure of our works will look good and some will look suspiciously flammable. Someone will set fire to it and all of it will flame up rather dramatically, including the stuff that looked good. What a bonfire it will be! Truly disappointing. After the fire dies down and we stand there looking out from under our singed eyebrows, creased with disappointment, we'll probably see a beautiful, golden inner structure; still standing. We'll say, "I didn't do THAT!" and we will be right. We will stand there in open-mouthed astonishment at what the Lord was able to accomplish through us in ways that we were not even aware of.

Romance

We watched "The Passion of the Christ" by Mel Gibson. This movie has come under criticism for adding some extra drama, under-representing the hours of darkness when Christ underwent the agony of becoming sin for us, and several other complaints. One of the biggest complaints I heard is the explicit depiction of the physical abuse and torment that He submitted Himself to. Yes, it was brutal and seemed to be too much. However, as the weeks go by, I realize that I was, and continue to be, touched very deeply. It was, after all, a very powerful tool to bring more understanding of the reality of why He came in the form of man; as well as man's, (our), natural brutality toward Him. The reality of the following devotional really came alive because I watched the movie. In fact, it completes whatever the movie left unfinished:

"I am married unto you." — Jeremiah 3:14

"Christ Jesus is joined unto His people in marriage-union. In love He espoused His Church as a chaste virgin, long before she fell under the yoke of bondage. Full of burning affection He toiled, like Jacob for Rachel, until the whole of her purchase-money had been paid, and now, having sought her by His Spirit, and brought her to know and love Him, He awaits the glorious hour when their mutual bliss shall be consummated at the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Not yet hath the glorious Bridegroom presented His betrothed, perfected and complete, before the Majesty of heaven; not yet hath she actually entered upon the enjoyment of her dignities as His wife and queen: she is as yet a wanderer in a world of woe, a dweller in the tents of Kedar; but she is even now the bride, the spouse of Jesus, dear to His heart, precious in His sight, written on His hands, and united with His person. On earth He exercises towards her all the affectionate offices of Husband. He makes rich provision for her wants, pays all her debts, allows her to assume His name, and to share in all His wealth. Nor will He ever act otherwise to her. The word divorce He will never mention, for "He hateth putting away." Death must sever the conjugal tie between the most loving mortals, but it cannot divide the links of this immortal marriage. In heaven they marry not, but are as the angels of God; yet there is this one marvellous exception to the rule, for in Heaven Christ and His Church shall celebrate their joyous nuptials. This affinity as it is more lasting, so is it more near than earthly wedlock. Let the love of husband be never so pure and fervent, it is but a faint picture of the flame which burns in the heart of Jesus. Passing all human union is that mystical cleaving unto the Church, for which Christ left His Father, and became one flesh with her."

Charles Spurgeon, Morning Reading, (July 22)

Bug Splatter

While I thought to myself one day, God proved Himself to me, (again).

I was driving on a relatively fun, curvy country road. A bug hit the windshield. I thought to myself, "you know God surely doesn't really track the whereabouts of an insignificant bug that could so easily meet it's end on a windshield. Why would He really care?"

Just then, (a curve or two in the road later), another bug hit the verysame spot on the windshield. Those were the only two bug strikes. What are the odds? I got the convincing message that God tracks my thoughts, cares about them, and wishes to make sure that my mind is wrapped around the knowledge that there is not a movement of a single molecule that He not only knows about, but is in exact accordance with the execution of His plan.  He is, after all, unlimited.

So much for random movement and coincidence.

How to Cling

Clinging to Him seems to be about the most important thing we need to do. While our relationship with God baffles us because of the lack of need for self effort, an effort is required on our part to cling to the One who can continually deliver us, (mostly from ourselves).
So, how do you cling?

• Abandon dependence on yourself.


• Have confidence in the fact that every split second of your life is in His capable hands.


• As continuously as possible, practice intercessory prayer for others; thereby moving you away from self-centeredness.


• Esteem others more highly than yourself.


• Stop being anxious about - well - anything; because not only is your life in His capable hands, but so is everyone else's.


• Expose yourself to His Word daily.


• Stop thinking thoughts of regret, "If I would have..." His perfect plan includes your shortcomings, which are, quite possibly, an imagination borne by misplaced guilt, or placed on you by Him so that you will learn dependence on Him.


• Give up feelings of guilt by confessing to Him. Christ did not suffer so we could continue to coddle our self-destructive feelings.


• When pride or wrong thoughts pop up, worship Him by pleading to Him for help.
  

Witch Doctor Mentality

Newspaper Headline Today: CLIMATE CHANGE GOAL: NO MORE THAN 2 DEGREES BY 2020

We might as well be an isolated tribe, living in fear, darkness and treachery in Africa. We've been looking for a witch doctor that is bold enough to claim he has power to change the climate because the gods are angry with our behavior. According to the paper, and the plans that our world leaders are making, we've found the witch doctor that will do the right dance and incantations for us.

As it turns out, we are not being deceived by our fear as much as by our own arrogance. We actually think that we are big enough to change the weather in this world that God has made. If we cannot change the weather in the next few minutes, why do we think we can change it in 10 years? God would not be God if He would allow His creation to be manipulated by man's normal activities. We destroyed all that we could thousands of years ago.

The leaders don't care whether climate change is real or not. They are using our arrogance for their own gain while we wring our hands. We think we are such a sophisticated, advanced, evolved society and we are upside down from what we think.

"The arrogance of your heart has deceived you" Obadiah 1:3

Anger Management

It is said by experts, "Anger is the result of unmet expectations."

We expect:

• Someone to be experienced enough to know better
• Someone to know that they don't treat my kids that way
• Someone to know that I don't think the same, (silly), way that they think
• Someone to remember that I've told them dozens of times already
• Someone should be able to execute a certain duty by now
• Someone should be able to think like me or see what it's like to be me
• Someone should be encouraged when I "exhort" them
• Someone, being a believer, wouldn't act that way
  
  Yes, unmet expectations are certainly one big step in the direction of anger. However, the experts missed Step #1: Pride

The Furnace

"Variety of temper, different measures of attainment, the quality of the light and the form of the kingdom in us, if I may so express it, will occasion collision and trial, even where there is nothing morally wrong. But from whatever cause it be so is it still, and so has it been from the days of Job and his friends, that we form a great part of each other's trial. The Lord sits over it all, refining His silver and purifying His gold, but still so it is, that we help to heat each other's furnace for the trial of faith."

J. G. Bellett, "The Patriarchs," (Job)

Thankfulness

A lady works at a local retirement home.
A man works at a local retirement home.

The lady has had a hard, rough life.
The man has had a hard, rough life.

The lady is thought highly of because of the way she executes her job.
The man is thought highly of because of the results of his work.

----------------------

The man treats those that he works with roughly and gets stressed and angry easily.
The lady works at jobs that are beyond what she agreed to do and is still pleasant and happy.

The man has other employees talking about him and wishing him to be fired.
The lady has residents and fellow employees speaking in glowing terms about her continually.

The man has a bitter heart.
The lady is thankful.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." Col. 3:15

Criticism or Exhortation

"It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood."

I suppose we all get caught up in a situation where we think we are exhorting someone, (urging, advising, cautioning), when we are really criticizing. We really step into the criticism when we accuse someone else of doing something that we have been guilty of doing ourselves while anger, frustration and/or zeal have shoved aside the love we have for that person.

"I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God."

The love for another should drive us to wait until we are able to find out the factors that are driving a brother or sister to act in a certain way. Typically, there is a simple explanation or background phenomenon that would deliver us from a critical reaction and drive us toward private prayer or loving advocacy for that individual instead.

"Jesus did not say to make converts to your way of thinking, but He said to look after His sheep..."

Quotes from Oswald Chambers

Fear

Fear of anything except the reverent fear of God is a sin. Putting it bluntly, I must love to sin because I fear something so often. Early memories of school were full of fearing what might happen. I used to get nauseated in the mornings at school because of it. Now, I catch myself waking up on Monday morning having lost my confidence in Him and finding something to dread. Talk about out-of-control sin! Fear is a sin that we seem to be free to admit to; maybe because almost everyone so easily succumbs to it. However, it is most serious in the eyes of God. The Israelites who feared had to wander 40 years until they died because of it. I'd better be letting Him work it out and trust Him instead of holding on to it!

God remembers that we are but dust, so His Word is full of encouragement for us:

"When you go forth to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you." Deut. 20:1

"You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you...!’ Do not fear or be dismayed...for the LORD is with you.” 2 Chron. 20:17

"For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’" Isaiah 41:13

"The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!" Habbakuk 3:19

I have to say to myself, "position yourself at His side, cling to Him. The battle is always before you and the odds against you are always impossible. How do you think you got this far? Not by your own effort at all. You've lived for 47 years now and he has not allowed you to succumb to disaster yet. Why are you choosing to fear today? Depend on Him, thereby putting on your invincible army and personal bravery."

Discover Your Gift

It has always been troubling to me when someone pushes me, or someone else to identify their "gift". Some go as far as making you feel that you really ought to know your gift at a fairly young age. If you don't know, you are falling short in your Christian existence. It's similar to the feeling you get when someone insinuates that you might not be "saved" unless you know the date that you called out to God to save you. It's oppressive. That's not right.

Some of us don't have a clue what the date was when I was born again. In fact, I remember being scared several times and "making sure."  If my children are an indication of what happened to me, it was several times between the age of 3 1/2 and 5 years old.

However, I got the answer for this "gift" business this weekend. Now I can answer those who ask, "what is your gift?" or "you should know what your gift is by now."

My gift is obedience. God prompts or opens the door for us to do something. We must trust Him first, then follow through and do it. Someone is brought to glory, someone is helped, someone is encouraged and God's glory is furthered as a result. Whatever that was, it is your gift. You still might not be able define something in the way others expect. Others, looking on, might see and know better than you.  Not knowing it would be a protection from God.  One less thing that my pride would push me to boast in.

Betrayal

A neighbor sees another neighbor's children playing outside. He looks at their driveway and sees no car in the driveway. "A one-year-old and six-year-old at home alone", he thinks. "That's terrible, I'm calling 911." The police come. Nobody is at home. They shrug their shoulders and leave. Social Services comes. Nobody is at home. Social Services asks loaded questions of neighbors standing outside that can only lead to answers that are not helpful.

The neighbor comes home with his family to find a paper on his door from Social Services. He is, understandably, immediately upset. He is a Hispanic from LA, whose wife speaks very little English. She was at home earlier, but their car had broken down and they had to operate with one car during the last few days. It looks like she is not home when she really is. When he moved into the neigborhood two years ago, he made it a point to talk to all the neighbors and make it clear that he wanted to be a good neighbor to them; also, offering his services although he was a man of lesser means than them. One of his trusted neighbors, has betrayed him and called the authorities and he now is "on the radar" of an agency of government that operates entirely outside of constitutional restraints. He is now guilty till he proves himself innocent.

"And ye shall love the stranger..." Deuteronomy 10:19

Later, a visiting social worker looks in his refrigerator and sees little if any food. The neighbor has to defend himself, pointing out that he would be out getting food if she was not at his house filling out paperwork and "investigating" at 10 o'clock in the evening.

Why would a true neighbor expose another good neighbor this abuse? "If they were concerned, why didn't they ask my little girl where her parents were before they called 911?", he asked.

Scary stuff. Scary because it could happen to anybody. Scary, because someone else's opinion now governs the lives of your children. We say we live in a free country, but we don't. However, that's not how we are really fooling ourselves. We are fooling ourselves by thinking that someone else needs to take care of our responsibilities. Being a good neighbor would mean taking the risk of checking first before turning a matter over to ungracious authority. How about offering to watch the kids if both parents have to be gone? How about offering one of the extra cars if one is available in time of need?

Instead of throwing a neighbor "under the bus", how about being the good neighbor instead? The government cannot help you with that. Another one of those "only God can help with that" things. Life is full of those things that remind us that we keep forgetting about God and His perspective.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'... 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30