Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a reward er of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It appears that pleasing the Lord is not as difficult as we would have it be. I often get the sense that he is just waiting for us to take him at his word with the faith of a child.
It may be counter intuitive for anyone who prays to think they are not praying to someone who exists, but I think sometimes we have to ask ourselves that very question.
Are we praying to someone who exists? If this were not an issue why would the verse call out this proposition so clearly? That those who come to the lord must first believe he is and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.
Part of me thinks it's insanely cruel to tell someone seeking assistance that they must do so diligently. From the time we are children, aren't we told Jesus is always with us and that he is just a breath away? Then why are we told he rewards those who diligently seek him? Is there something I have missed? I thought he was the God who always answered whenever and wherever I called.
But here is what I am beginning to understand. The Lord is a loving God, but he is also intensely jealous. He is ever willing to save, but not ever willing to abide with men.
I have never been a party to the belief that says you never know if you are saved or not. I know that I'm saved and that all that come to him, he won't cast out.
But what no one ever talks about is the need to separate oneself unto the Lord; to in fact know he exists and seek after him. You see the lord does answer prayer, but I'm convinced that the only people who fully receive the entire revelation of this are those that move beyond the "poor sinner, saved by grace" mentality and strive headlong into a pursuit of the Lord.
I must be clear, this has nothing to do with the love of the Lord. He loves us all, but really to please the Lord we have to go deeper than where we have been content to stand. We have to pursue him like he is real, not abstract.
Let's be honest with ourselves. How many times when we are praying are we planning for the failure of our prayers, running countless backup plans for when things don't work out. I know that I am not immune to this, but I am tired of it. I'm tired of the constant nagging doubts.
So here we have the issue. When we set our hearts to know him, to peruse him, and above all to trust him. We must diligently seek him. But what is diligence?
Diligence is walking through the trails, facing the doubts, losing loved ones, having prayers fall back at our feet, having prayers answered, facing doubt, feeling pain, and fighting every moment of every day to believe something we can't see or feel.
But here is where we come at the end of our journey. We arrive at "I am." Paul says those that come to the lord must first believe that he is, we really must know that he is the great "I am." and that he is completely other than we are. But that he has embraced us as his own.
I'm not saying any of this to promote doubt or discouragement. What I simply want to say is this: face the fears, ask the questions you have. HE WILL ANSWER, but you have to believe he will. Don't just keep doing things hoping they will work, tell him you are having trouble and ask him to teach you how to know he exists. Ask him to be real to you, he won't turn you away.
And this I do know, that once you know that you know "he is". You will have no doubts that cannot be overcome and no prayers to an open sky. Instead your faith will thrive and most importantly you will please him, which in the end is more satisfying than any other pursuit I can think of.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
A very present help in trouble
Psalm 46
God is Our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though
The earth should change.
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its
swelling pride.
There is a city whose streams make
Glad the city of God.
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her,
She will not be moved:
God will help her when the morning dawns.
The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered:
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns chariots with fire.
"Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I
will be exalted in the earth."
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Tonight I am tired. I have not slept well lately because I let my mind think too much and trust to little. In short I am, like Jacob, a schemer. I keep looking for the ways to score the advantage, to take care of things, and to figure out how to get the blessing.
But guess what? I don't sleep. That doesn't sound or feel very much like peace to me.
So hear is what I must remember and here is what I must do. I must cease my striving and know that when the Lord says, "I am God" He means it. When he says he is an ever present help in trouble, I must take him at his word and trust in his help.
I must do as this psalm says and not fear, even though everything else in my life may be in a state of flux. I must know he is the constant. He is the one who not only causes the storms to be silent, but also makes the wars in my mind and personality to cease.
God is Our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though
The earth should change.
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its
swelling pride.
There is a city whose streams make
Glad the city of God.
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her,
She will not be moved:
God will help her when the morning dawns.
The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered:
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns chariots with fire.
"Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I
will be exalted in the earth."
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Tonight I am tired. I have not slept well lately because I let my mind think too much and trust to little. In short I am, like Jacob, a schemer. I keep looking for the ways to score the advantage, to take care of things, and to figure out how to get the blessing.
But guess what? I don't sleep. That doesn't sound or feel very much like peace to me.
So hear is what I must remember and here is what I must do. I must cease my striving and know that when the Lord says, "I am God" He means it. When he says he is an ever present help in trouble, I must take him at his word and trust in his help.
I must do as this psalm says and not fear, even though everything else in my life may be in a state of flux. I must know he is the constant. He is the one who not only causes the storms to be silent, but also makes the wars in my mind and personality to cease.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
He is a Shield
Psalm 18:30-
As for God, His way is blameless:
The word of the Lord is tried:
He is a shield to all who take refuge
In Him.
For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God,
The God Who girds me with strength,
And makes my way blameless?
He Makes my feet like hinds feet,
and sets me upon my high places.
He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy Salvation
And Thy right hand upholds me,
And Thy gentleness has made me great.
Thou dost enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.
The Lord is our shield. We must realize this. We must know that he is our covering. That he is our God, our protector, our covering!
He doesn't save us and then throw us out there. David says "You train my hands for battle." That doesn't sound like David knew what he was doing, does it? But here is the other thing we must remeber, once we have learned we need to use what we learn. He trained David's hands so he could use them.
But the Lord is our Shield. The shield of faith quenches the fiery darts of the enemy! Trust that he is covering you as he shows you how to join the fight! Whether it's med schools or car payments, he will take care of you while he teaches you how to use his word and how to walk in his ways. But make no mistake, once you know how to fight, once your hands are trained, you will have to use them, in fact I bet you will want to!
So take heart and rest. Rest in the fact that the word of the Lord is tried and he is a sheild to all them that trust in him. If you don't know what to do, if you feel guilt and shame, if you think yourself into a corner, let him be your sheild. Take refuge from all these distractions in Him: and he will show you while he protects you what you need to do. He will never send you into the fray without teaching you how to win the victory!
As for God, His way is blameless:
The word of the Lord is tried:
He is a shield to all who take refuge
In Him.
For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God,
The God Who girds me with strength,
And makes my way blameless?
He Makes my feet like hinds feet,
and sets me upon my high places.
He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy Salvation
And Thy right hand upholds me,
And Thy gentleness has made me great.
Thou dost enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.
The Lord is our shield. We must realize this. We must know that he is our covering. That he is our God, our protector, our covering!
He doesn't save us and then throw us out there. David says "You train my hands for battle." That doesn't sound like David knew what he was doing, does it? But here is the other thing we must remeber, once we have learned we need to use what we learn. He trained David's hands so he could use them.
But the Lord is our Shield. The shield of faith quenches the fiery darts of the enemy! Trust that he is covering you as he shows you how to join the fight! Whether it's med schools or car payments, he will take care of you while he teaches you how to use his word and how to walk in his ways. But make no mistake, once you know how to fight, once your hands are trained, you will have to use them, in fact I bet you will want to!
So take heart and rest. Rest in the fact that the word of the Lord is tried and he is a sheild to all them that trust in him. If you don't know what to do, if you feel guilt and shame, if you think yourself into a corner, let him be your sheild. Take refuge from all these distractions in Him: and he will show you while he protects you what you need to do. He will never send you into the fray without teaching you how to win the victory!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Psalm 107b
10 Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
When I read this my mind automatically recalls the verse from Isiaih 60, "Arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you."
The first part of this psalm lays out the case condeming many of us. We have neglected the word of God. We have tried it out own way. We despisd the counsel of the one who wants to set us free and we've forged our own chains.
I can't help but sit here and relate to the metaphor given, "some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, prisoners suffereing in iron chains." We suffer, when we fail to abide in his word, when we reject his gentle leading, when we go our way, we suffer.
But when we cry out, when we cry out everything changes. The psalm says when they cried out to the lord he led them out of the gloom and darkness and broke away their chains.
We must remember that Christ came to set the captives free! to give sight to the blind! and to destroy the works of the devil.
"Arise shine for the light is come! and the glory of the lord is risen upon you!"
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
When I read this my mind automatically recalls the verse from Isiaih 60, "Arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you."
The first part of this psalm lays out the case condeming many of us. We have neglected the word of God. We have tried it out own way. We despisd the counsel of the one who wants to set us free and we've forged our own chains.
I can't help but sit here and relate to the metaphor given, "some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, prisoners suffereing in iron chains." We suffer, when we fail to abide in his word, when we reject his gentle leading, when we go our way, we suffer.
But when we cry out, when we cry out everything changes. The psalm says when they cried out to the lord he led them out of the gloom and darkness and broke away their chains.
We must remember that Christ came to set the captives free! to give sight to the blind! and to destroy the works of the devil.
"Arise shine for the light is come! and the glory of the lord is risen upon you!"
Psalm 107a
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south. [a]
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things
Tongiht I tell myself to hold fast to this promise. I tell myself to make this psalm my confession.
I must not allow myself to forget to give thanks to the lord, that his love really does endure forever, no matter how I feel or what my mind is telling me.
Right now I feel like those wandering in the desert. I feel like I'm wandering because I have tried so many paths and none of them have led me to a city of habitation. I'm hungry and I'm thirsty, and when I look around I see my life, my youth and my ambition slipping away.
But now I have to cry out. I have to cry out to the Lord in my trouble. I must not remain silent, quiet, brooding. I have to throw it all at his feet, confess my wanderings, confess my shortcomings. I must seek his face.
I must cry out to him because he is my deliverer. The scripture says the cried out to him and he delivered them from their distress.The led them by a straight way toa a city where they could settle.
I must believe. I must believe that he is faithful and I must give thanks for his unfailing love. I must settle it within me that when I cry out he will lead me to the places I need to be in my life. That he will put me in a place where I can make my habitation and that he will deliver me from all my distresses.
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south. [a]
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things
Tongiht I tell myself to hold fast to this promise. I tell myself to make this psalm my confession.
I must not allow myself to forget to give thanks to the lord, that his love really does endure forever, no matter how I feel or what my mind is telling me.
Right now I feel like those wandering in the desert. I feel like I'm wandering because I have tried so many paths and none of them have led me to a city of habitation. I'm hungry and I'm thirsty, and when I look around I see my life, my youth and my ambition slipping away.
But now I have to cry out. I have to cry out to the Lord in my trouble. I must not remain silent, quiet, brooding. I have to throw it all at his feet, confess my wanderings, confess my shortcomings. I must seek his face.
I must cry out to him because he is my deliverer. The scripture says the cried out to him and he delivered them from their distress.The led them by a straight way toa a city where they could settle.
I must believe. I must believe that he is faithful and I must give thanks for his unfailing love. I must settle it within me that when I cry out he will lead me to the places I need to be in my life. That he will put me in a place where I can make my habitation and that he will deliver me from all my distresses.
Psalm 42
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My [c] soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
I have found here lately that the closer one pushes into God the further others get pushed away. It seems our God is a holy god and a jealous God. He won't share our affection.
The psalmist say his soul pants for the lord. I can see no other way. When the Lord becomes the burning desire of the heart nothing else will satisfy and all else will become artificial and cheap.
But the lord is a jealous God, he won't share our affections. If we want Him we have to forsake all others. WE must climb to the cross and share his burden, his heart and his desires.
At this point I wish I could say all was joy, but honestly I can't. My head subscrbies to the idea, but my heart only feels the loneliness of being between to places.
When I read this Psalm I see David crying out for the satisfaction he longs for. He says he remebers the times he lead teh people in shouts of joy to the lord, but now he only knows the taste of ihs tears and those same peoples taunts.
It seems many people are willing to sing, dance and praise when you are learning about God. But when you are like David, demanding to know the heart of God, not just about him, those same people don't know how to seek him.
It seems that the more one desires to know the lord, the more unsatisfied one must become adn the further away from joy they march at least until they find what the are looking for.
The Lord is a jealous God and if we ask to know him, it appears he will not let us know any substitutions.
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My [c] soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
I have found here lately that the closer one pushes into God the further others get pushed away. It seems our God is a holy god and a jealous God. He won't share our affection.
The psalmist say his soul pants for the lord. I can see no other way. When the Lord becomes the burning desire of the heart nothing else will satisfy and all else will become artificial and cheap.
But the lord is a jealous God, he won't share our affections. If we want Him we have to forsake all others. WE must climb to the cross and share his burden, his heart and his desires.
At this point I wish I could say all was joy, but honestly I can't. My head subscrbies to the idea, but my heart only feels the loneliness of being between to places.
When I read this Psalm I see David crying out for the satisfaction he longs for. He says he remebers the times he lead teh people in shouts of joy to the lord, but now he only knows the taste of ihs tears and those same peoples taunts.
It seems many people are willing to sing, dance and praise when you are learning about God. But when you are like David, demanding to know the heart of God, not just about him, those same people don't know how to seek him.
It seems that the more one desires to know the lord, the more unsatisfied one must become adn the further away from joy they march at least until they find what the are looking for.
The Lord is a jealous God and if we ask to know him, it appears he will not let us know any substitutions.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Intimacy
PSALM 65
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
PRAISE is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the vow shall be performed.
Psa 65:2 O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.
Psa 65:3 Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will provide atonement for them.
Psa 65:4 Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.
Psa 65:5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;
Psa 65:6 Who established the mountains by His strength,
Being clothed with power;
Psa 65:7 You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
Psa 65:8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.
Psa 65:9 You visit the earth and water it,
You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
Psa 65:10 You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.
Psa 65:11 You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
Psa 65:12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.
Psa 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks;
The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.
So what happens when we give up running? When we let our hearts and minds be still?
It's very simple we begin to praise. We begin to love. We set ourselves apart and draw close to the one who seeks us out.
The Psalmist says "Praise is awaiting You." When your heart is free you can't help but let it praise. When you know what you have, what has been done, and what will be you can't help it!
I love how he says, "iniquities prevailed against me; as for our trangressions, you will provide an atonement." We know, we know when their is a separation. No one needs to tell us when we grow cold, when we doubt, when depression sneaks up on us. But here he tells us, he provides a way back to Himself. Even though everything comes crashing in on us, he delivers. He answers prayer so that all men will come to him. The point is God provided a way to have intimacy. He makes a way to keep us company, to be in relationship with us.
When you trust someone, when you love someone, you are true to them. You will do anything to keep that trust. You will stop hanging out with other friends, you will put the rest of your life on hold just to keep that intimacy. Well here is the Lord, he made a way, he does everything he can to have intimacy with us. He sacrificed himself to bring us to him. He laid down his all just so we would come to Him,
Do you see now why David can say blessed is the man you choose and cause to appraoch you, that he may dwell in Your courts? WE have to realize this, the Lord has called each and every one of us to abide with him. He's calling us out of our lonely places, out of our confusion and unto himself.
But He also knows how we are prone to doubt, so in this Psalm he lays out his case for us. He shows us the evidence. But more importantly he shows us the benefit of living intimately with him. You can read this whole psalm and one thing stands out, the lord nourishes. He provides for those he loves and those that draw near to him. All they have to do is call to him!
So intimacy, intimacy is not being holy, it is not living in cave so you don't sin or have the opportunity to. Intimacy is drawing near to the Lord, calling on him and he causes you to appraoch him, dwelling in his courts rather than trying to pitch your own tents.
I'm always reminded by one phrase in Psalm 27 and it really has become etched on my heart "Seek my face." The Lord never asks us to climb the mountains, or make ourselves holy, he has provided the way. But He is continually crying out draw near. And when we draw near, we know exactly what will happen, just read psalm 65 and see.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
PRAISE is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the vow shall be performed.
Psa 65:2 O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.
Psa 65:3 Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will provide atonement for them.
Psa 65:4 Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.
Psa 65:5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;
Psa 65:6 Who established the mountains by His strength,
Being clothed with power;
Psa 65:7 You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
Psa 65:8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.
Psa 65:9 You visit the earth and water it,
You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
Psa 65:10 You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.
Psa 65:11 You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
Psa 65:12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.
Psa 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks;
The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.
So what happens when we give up running? When we let our hearts and minds be still?
It's very simple we begin to praise. We begin to love. We set ourselves apart and draw close to the one who seeks us out.
The Psalmist says "Praise is awaiting You." When your heart is free you can't help but let it praise. When you know what you have, what has been done, and what will be you can't help it!
I love how he says, "iniquities prevailed against me; as for our trangressions, you will provide an atonement." We know, we know when their is a separation. No one needs to tell us when we grow cold, when we doubt, when depression sneaks up on us. But here he tells us, he provides a way back to Himself. Even though everything comes crashing in on us, he delivers. He answers prayer so that all men will come to him. The point is God provided a way to have intimacy. He makes a way to keep us company, to be in relationship with us.
When you trust someone, when you love someone, you are true to them. You will do anything to keep that trust. You will stop hanging out with other friends, you will put the rest of your life on hold just to keep that intimacy. Well here is the Lord, he made a way, he does everything he can to have intimacy with us. He sacrificed himself to bring us to him. He laid down his all just so we would come to Him,
Do you see now why David can say blessed is the man you choose and cause to appraoch you, that he may dwell in Your courts? WE have to realize this, the Lord has called each and every one of us to abide with him. He's calling us out of our lonely places, out of our confusion and unto himself.
But He also knows how we are prone to doubt, so in this Psalm he lays out his case for us. He shows us the evidence. But more importantly he shows us the benefit of living intimately with him. You can read this whole psalm and one thing stands out, the lord nourishes. He provides for those he loves and those that draw near to him. All they have to do is call to him!
So intimacy, intimacy is not being holy, it is not living in cave so you don't sin or have the opportunity to. Intimacy is drawing near to the Lord, calling on him and he causes you to appraoch him, dwelling in his courts rather than trying to pitch your own tents.
I'm always reminded by one phrase in Psalm 27 and it really has become etched on my heart "Seek my face." The Lord never asks us to climb the mountains, or make ourselves holy, he has provided the way. But He is continually crying out draw near. And when we draw near, we know exactly what will happen, just read psalm 65 and see.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Loneliness
1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Mar 6:30 ¶ And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Mar 6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
I don't believe there is anything more acidic than the fear of being alone.
We try to be self sufficient, many of us succeed. But still there is the intense desire to know, that somehow we don't have to do it all alone.
But the fear of being alone is an acid. It permeates every portion of our being and if left unchecked begins to dramatically effect not only our behaviors, but our firmest beliefs.
I have often wandered why so many of the people I know are wiling to stay in a relationship or situation while the ship is on fire and filled with gasoline. But it isn't love that keeps them there; love is pure, enduring, not suicidal.
I was reading in Mark this morning and saw this:
Mar 6:30 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
What stood out to me was this. Here Jesus had sent his disciples out with real power and when they get back to tell him how well it went the first thing he does is say, "Let's get by ourselves to a lonely place." I suppose I was expected to see him give them a pat on the back.
These men had just experience more power and likely more people flocking to them than they had ever known. Can you imagine the crowds that must have followed them? even the man who brought his son that they were unable to cast the demon out. But Jesus tells them to come and be alone. He tells them to come and be alone so they can rest.
Here is my suggestion. If the fear of loneliness is a very real thing to you. Realize that being alone is not the issue because we have been assured that he will never leave us nor forsake us. WE ARE NOT ALONE. But confront the fear, meet it head on, and call it for what it is.
We must realize that "fear brings torment, but perfect love casts out fear." Many times when we feel lonely we allow our own minds and our own emotions to torment us. But why are we letting ourselves do this? I personally think it might be due to our own retardation. And if you are thinking this might be an issue of faith it is not.
This is an issue of acceptance and submission. If we believe the word of God is true. If we believe he is faithful and just, than we need to submit our mind to the understanding he has not left us alone. Then we need to accept and allow his love to cast out the fear, not just of being alone, but of anything.
So if you find yourself feeling lonely, wanting desperately for company, checking your email, your myspace, and your facebook twenty times a day just see if someone knows you are alive, and thinking you will die alone, stop it! Stop it!Stop it! If you want to make camp on that mountain go ahead, but you will never find rest on a steep slope.
Instead plant yourself in the word, discover just how not alone you are. How many promises of intimacy the Lord gives for those who seek him.
David says in the Psalms on more than one occasion that the only thing he wants is to be in the holy of holies with the lord. Do you realize this is the one place on earth where one "sinless" man could go one time a year! and if anyone tried to come in otherwise they died!!! That my friends is a lonely place, but it is also the place nearest God's heart.
Jesus told his disciples not to relish in their new power and new crowds, but to come apart. He says to David "Seek my face." Why? because is seeking his face and being apart you can find true rest, true peace, true company.I can think of only one place that is truly alone and that is separated from God.
If you find yourself lonely, brokenhearted, confused, and tired. I would ask you to do this seek after his face, set yourself apart in a place with the word, because the word is life. Just like Jesus took the disciples aside to let them regain their strength, he'll take you and me.
Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Mar 6:30 ¶ And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Mar 6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
I don't believe there is anything more acidic than the fear of being alone.
We try to be self sufficient, many of us succeed. But still there is the intense desire to know, that somehow we don't have to do it all alone.
But the fear of being alone is an acid. It permeates every portion of our being and if left unchecked begins to dramatically effect not only our behaviors, but our firmest beliefs.
I have often wandered why so many of the people I know are wiling to stay in a relationship or situation while the ship is on fire and filled with gasoline. But it isn't love that keeps them there; love is pure, enduring, not suicidal.
I was reading in Mark this morning and saw this:
Mar 6:30 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
What stood out to me was this. Here Jesus had sent his disciples out with real power and when they get back to tell him how well it went the first thing he does is say, "Let's get by ourselves to a lonely place." I suppose I was expected to see him give them a pat on the back.
These men had just experience more power and likely more people flocking to them than they had ever known. Can you imagine the crowds that must have followed them? even the man who brought his son that they were unable to cast the demon out. But Jesus tells them to come and be alone. He tells them to come and be alone so they can rest.
Here is my suggestion. If the fear of loneliness is a very real thing to you. Realize that being alone is not the issue because we have been assured that he will never leave us nor forsake us. WE ARE NOT ALONE. But confront the fear, meet it head on, and call it for what it is.
We must realize that "fear brings torment, but perfect love casts out fear." Many times when we feel lonely we allow our own minds and our own emotions to torment us. But why are we letting ourselves do this? I personally think it might be due to our own retardation. And if you are thinking this might be an issue of faith it is not.
This is an issue of acceptance and submission. If we believe the word of God is true. If we believe he is faithful and just, than we need to submit our mind to the understanding he has not left us alone. Then we need to accept and allow his love to cast out the fear, not just of being alone, but of anything.
So if you find yourself feeling lonely, wanting desperately for company, checking your email, your myspace, and your facebook twenty times a day just see if someone knows you are alive, and thinking you will die alone, stop it! Stop it!Stop it! If you want to make camp on that mountain go ahead, but you will never find rest on a steep slope.
Instead plant yourself in the word, discover just how not alone you are. How many promises of intimacy the Lord gives for those who seek him.
David says in the Psalms on more than one occasion that the only thing he wants is to be in the holy of holies with the lord. Do you realize this is the one place on earth where one "sinless" man could go one time a year! and if anyone tried to come in otherwise they died!!! That my friends is a lonely place, but it is also the place nearest God's heart.
Jesus told his disciples not to relish in their new power and new crowds, but to come apart. He says to David "Seek my face." Why? because is seeking his face and being apart you can find true rest, true peace, true company.I can think of only one place that is truly alone and that is separated from God.
If you find yourself lonely, brokenhearted, confused, and tired. I would ask you to do this seek after his face, set yourself apart in a place with the word, because the word is life. Just like Jesus took the disciples aside to let them regain their strength, he'll take you and me.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
He Spoke and I Was Comforted.
Psa 118:4 Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
Psa 118:5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.
Sometimes silence really is deafening. Your heart, your mind, and your body are all crying out for some faint revelation, some small proof that someone up there is listening.
But here is the thing about growing up. You have to learn to listen and control when you speak. When you see a chlid learning to speak they'll say whatever syllables feel comfortable. There doesn't need to be a reason for the words. But as time goes on they grasp when words are to be used; used to ask and used to respond.
When we make the decision to believe, we make the decision to speak. We confess with our mouths unto salvation. But we learn to listen. He says, "My sheep will know my voice." We have to train ourselves to hear his voice.
He says in John 14, "in that day you will know that I am in you, you are in me, and that I am in the Father." We have to take him at his word. We have to study his word to learn his conversation. When we know his conversation, we can easily hear when he speaks and we don't have to doubt him.
Psa 118:5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.
Sometimes silence really is deafening. Your heart, your mind, and your body are all crying out for some faint revelation, some small proof that someone up there is listening.
But here is the thing about growing up. You have to learn to listen and control when you speak. When you see a chlid learning to speak they'll say whatever syllables feel comfortable. There doesn't need to be a reason for the words. But as time goes on they grasp when words are to be used; used to ask and used to respond.
When we make the decision to believe, we make the decision to speak. We confess with our mouths unto salvation. But we learn to listen. He says, "My sheep will know my voice." We have to train ourselves to hear his voice.
He says in John 14, "in that day you will know that I am in you, you are in me, and that I am in the Father." We have to take him at his word. We have to study his word to learn his conversation. When we know his conversation, we can easily hear when he speaks and we don't have to doubt him.
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