Month: May 2019

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Eternal Destiny

Do you find it hard to talk about death? Why is it that we avoid that topic–especially if we are believers? Is it fear? Is the lack of trust? It wasn’t that way for Job or Peter or Paul or Jesus.

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Job is a man who continues to remain strong in the midst of his three friends’ conclusions of why he is in this ‘mess.’ He is aware of his destiny but isn’t sure of what happens after death. Sadly, there are many today around in our world that also lacks the peace of knowing. They have not heard the words of our Savior nor have they seen the marvelous work that the Holy Spirit does when He comes to indwell the believer. James reminds us that we best not take life for granted. It could be snuffed out at any moment.

Eliphaz will have none of this! He is correct in saying that God judges all corrupt sinners. However, in his analysis he cannot see into the future nor can he see what Job’s destiny book shows. Although Job has reminded all three so-called comforters of this fact, Eliphaz pursues this train of thought without missing a beat. Again he calls Job a windbag of sorts and it is because of him that meditation before a holy God is certain to die.

So how do we face such harsh criticism?  Job gives us a clue when he says; I would try to comfort you. My advocate is in heaven, My intercessor is my friend. My eyes will continue to pour forth my tears to God. I will not give up.

How about you? Are you certain that if death came knocking you would be ready?

 

 

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Don’t Play God!

Job 11-13  We all would do well to not presume to know the Heart of God.

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How often do you presume, and I do as well, about what you think is true. We lather our condemnation on like shaving cream. Our theology, is the right answer and so the other person stands condemned; no trial, only conjecture. Our impatience comes across in spades as we play God; what fools we are! Job’s so-called friend, Zophar, like us, fails to consider not only the cause but the heart of the person who is suffering. Like him, we just want the main character to accept our conclusion so this can be over and done with.

So between the three friends we see that all decide to share their conclusions about Job’s suffering. Eliphaz concluded that all people suffer but good people always win and bad people always lose; therefore Job must be “bad.” Job doesn’t buy that conclusion. Bildad believed God’s mercy would be revealed if and only if Job spent time confessing his sin. Again Job denies that conclusion because inwardly he knew he was innocent. Now Zophar, who in reality is harsher than the other two, derides Job and concludes that his talk is idle and mocking.

Job’s conclusion is that all are presumptuous! They are all self-described experts but fail to consider the pain he is in. Their words don’t square with the God he knows and their harsh spirit is driving him to despair.

In the midst of this Job teaches us what to do when the Zophar’s come to visit. Follow his example and take time to extol the attributes of God. Remind your harsh critics that even if God decides to slay us, He is sovereign and even though we don’t understand the circumstances, we have determined that we will remain faithful to Him. Deut 29:29 fits in here: “the secret things belong to God;” He alone knows the end from the beginning.

When a friend is in deep despair the last thing they need to hear is God is against them. We are reminded by James that God is gracious even in testing and we should stop and look in the mirror before we point fingers.

 

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What I am learning from Job

I/we have had quite a week. It started off fine but then we hit Job in our morning devotions. If you have read Job you know how hard it is to understand. Then God decided a lesson was in store for me, the less than empathic me. So He used a situation, a not so fun situation to teach me about sympathy and empathy. I am still in the re-learn stage. I should have learned long ago but like the Israelites of long ago, I had to do another lap around the wilderness, may this be my last. Hopefully, I will learn the tricks of the trade through the characters in Job. For example, if you want to learn how to handle stress take the example of Bildad and Job’s conversations

job 1 omniscient God ann taylor2a

In chapter 8, the impertinence of Bildad is a quick reminder of our own impatience when we are frustrated. We take our cues from another’s words. Bildad seems to think that Job is his own worst enemy and he needs to come to terms that all of this is because of the sin he and his families have experienced. Nowhere do we see Bildad crying out to God for answers and a sympathetic heart. There is a lesson there for you and I. When another is in deep distress we need to be patient, listen more than speak and quietly sit and talk to God. We need to ask God for eyes to see, ears to hear but mostly a heart to understand.

Now as to Job, he is so frustrated! He cannot fathom why this is all happening. Like us when disaster happens we ask “why.” So we can relate to Job in this instance. We too want answers. Sometimes heaven is quiet and we wish God would just open the windows of heaven and explain to us the answer but He is sternly quiet. The reality is this: we may never know until eternity the why.

So I posed a question to myself;  What if I was just quiet and waited on the Holy Spirit to speak? Might I learn something of value as to how I am to respond and act towards another who is in distress?

What about you? 

 

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Who is God to you?

When was the last time you just sat and pondered God and His character? What thoughts went through your mind?  Read Neh 9; Ask yourself: “Who is God?”

 

The wall of Jerusalem is completed, the enemies were unsuccessful, the gates are in place and it is time to “party!” Well, no not exactly; it is time to stop and thank God! It is time to listen to His Word! neh 9 17 god isa In fact, as the people listened to Ezra read the word there was no party mentality.  They began to mourn and weep because they realized how they had failed God in the past. Ezekiel reminded his listeners that would be exactly what their future family members would do when they returned to Jerusalem! Ezekiel wrote: “you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent because of your disgrace when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.” And today as we read in chapter 9 of Nehemiah we see that many, many years later that they knew this truth: “You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. It is we who have been in the wrong!”

We quickly forget how gracious God is and sometimes it takes a rude awakening to help us see that truth! Who is He? The people said: “you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love.”

That is the God I serve, obey and love…at least that is what I hope is true in your life today.

Add a comment below to answer that question.

 

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Got a problem? Try Nehemiah’s Solution

Nehemiah 4 – 6 With the king’s seal of approval, Nehemiah set off to the city of his ancestors. He quietly took time away from the peering eyes of those who could be the “naysayers” or those who perhaps wore the cloaks of legalese. He took time to scope out the scene. Then he called the leaders together and said “we” have to fix this problem! Amazingly, they agreed. But…just because the majority agreed doesn’t mean that “all” agreed. Satan has his servants both inside and outside. He controls them through fear.

Satan also uses scoffers to deceive with Pharisaical self-righteousness. Maybe you have met them. They are known by their outward piousness. They said Nehemiah is a buffoon to fix a problem that has been with us for over a hundred years!  Remember, scoffers are known by their fruits; they do what they scoff about! They hadn’t fixed the problem and they didn’t want it fixed either! So they scoffed.

Then they sought to distract Nehemiah and his workers through angry words. They even stooped to hire Jews who were more fearful of them than of God. When all those backfired, these enemies hired an insider to get Nehemiah to sin by entering the Temple reserved for those anointed.

Each time Nehemiah went to the Lord in prayer and each time God gave him a discerning spirit.neh 4 prayer2

Remember go to God with your problems and He will give you the answers.

 

 

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Let’s face it; some days are just the pits…

And when those days come around we have only way to handle them and it is in fasting and prayer. Enter Nehemiah and his diary to show us how.

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Nehemiah 1 to 3 “A.C.T.S Prayer”

Nehemiah is a man whose soft heart becomes visible in his reaction to news and in his prayer life. He lived in Babylon serving the king–but his heart was in Jerusalem where his ancestors were buried. He knew the history of the city yet never lived there or even visited there. Had he read the scroll of Ezekiel? Perhaps he read how the false prophets had led the people astray and had not helped to repair the breaches in the wall. But that was then and this is now; 140 yrs. later. The temple is rebuilt but the city remains vulnerable because of these breached walls just as his brother reported to him upon his return from there. What he learned devastated his heart.

When you learn bad news what do you do? Nehemiah did four things: he sat down abruptly, cried and mourned for several days. Then he dried his tears and set about to do just as Paul did; telling God what was on his heart. [Phil 4:6] He praised God and asked that his ear be attentive and his eyes open to hear his prayer. Then he confessed the sins of his people and of himself. Lastly, he asked God to grant his request.  This is the “ACTS” picture of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, and Supplication.

Today you may have received news that breaks your heart. Take a page out of Nehemiah’s diary and do as he did; tell God the whole story, step out in faith and watch God work!

 

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I am in the Race, Are you?

Races are one of our all-time gatherings. People rally around the racers and discuss who will win and why they chose that one person out of the whole crowd. In the church, we call them the “holy huddlers.”  Our favorites give us personalities and they give us something or someone for whom to root. Yet in the midst of this hoopla, there are those who have trained and yet are the last to cross the finish line. We see it in Christianity as well so it is not relegated to sports. So here’s the question:

What sets you back and what keeps you on track, spiritually speaking, in your “race” to be a disciple of Jesus? Do you find yourself crawling out of the slough of despond which is stagnant and murky with algae hiding dangerous critters, a.k.a the wiles of the devil? Truthfully, often it is the lack of hunger and thirst for God’s Word and trusting Him to do His work.  But, not Ezra! He willingly chose to devote himself to the study of God’s Law, then to observe it as commanded, and lastly to teach others to follow his example. [Ezra 7:10] Those are nearly the same words of Paul: “be imitators of me, just as I am also of Christ.” [1Cor 11:1]

Ezra could have despaired and worried that on this long trek they would be a prime target to the bandits hiding in the mountains that often accosted and robbed travelers. Yet, Ezra had already bathed this trek in prayer and he had seen God paving the way by turning the heart of King Artaxerxes. This ruthless king had opened the treasures of the Temple and entrusted them to Ezra.  God has done the same for us. He has opened his treasures and entrusted them to us that we might carry them to the world. What are we waiting for? The world is crying out to hear the gospel and we hold that treasure in our hands.

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Get in the Race! The world is hungering to hear the good news!

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Suppose there was no tomorrow???

Do you realize that there may be no tomorrow…EVER!

How does that grab you?

2Chron 33 God's grace2a

2Chron 33 King Manasseh was evil to the max. God sent his prophets to speak to him but as this chapter reveals, he paid no attention to them. Fast forward; God decided enough is enough so he sent the Assyrians to take him to Babylon. There is nothing like hooks in your nose, bronze chains and extradition to a foreign land where you are faced with a prison cell, cold gruel, day-old bread, and water to awaken your senses and that is what happened to King Manasseh. He then “realized that the Lord is the true God” and repented. Not all prison sentences end the way it did for Manasseh but God in his mercy allowed his release and return. Not only was he released and returned but he was given his kingdom back!

There are some powerful lessons to learn here and it begins with how you pay attention to the Lord and His Word. Not only that but your sin, like his, affects your family and your children as it did with his son Amon who was as evil as Manasseh was in his earlier life.

The Chronicler records these words: the annals record all his sins and unfaithful acts, and identify the sites where he built high places and erected Asherah poles and idols BEFORE he humbled himself. Grab that last phrase: before he humbled himself.

Lesson: You can listen and repent now or you can do it later—but beware because

 God doesn’t guarantee there will be a tomorrow.

 

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