Category: solutions

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What do you trust in?

Ezekiel 4 to 6 unchangeable

Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. [Psa 20:7]

There were no newspapers, no Instagram, no Facebook, no cellphones— only miles and miles of desert sand. Ezekiel’s fellow captives had some serious questions.

Why are we here? What is happening in Jerusalem 900 miles away? 

God used Ezekiel to dramatize the news as He revealed it. God in his mercy wanted them to know how He saw their lives. He wanted them to repent. Over and over Ezekiel spoke these words in their ears: “I the Lord have spoken” or “then they will know that I am the Lord.” and more importantly: I have not forgotten you.

He wanted them to trust Him—even if they didn’t understand. Back in Jerusalem, they had worshiped idols on the mountain tops and yes even in the homes and the temple. Because He loved them He sent them prophets to warn them: do not trust in these idols, they will fail you—but the words fell on deaf ears. Now in the plains outside Babylon, Ezekiel asks:

Where are your idols now? Did they save you? Do you have them now?

Idols rust and decay, but this one truth remains; God loves yesterday as He does today and will tomorrow. He will use whatever means He considers best so that we might return to Him and repent.

The question remains: Do you trust in chariots (idols) or in Him?

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It isn’t rocket science!

Jeremiah 6 Heeding Instructions

jeremiah 6b choos= the right path.2a

Ezekiel was told to pay attention, watch closely, and listen carefully and Jeremiah echoed those words! He reminded them that they were standing at the crossroads and must decide; God’s way or the world’s way. He also reminded them that the ways of their forefathers who chose the ‘good way’ or the ‘right way,’ they were now calling old fashioned. Like many even today the glitz and glamor outweigh the prudent and wise ways of God.

The nation was standing at the crossroads of life. They must consider their path—there is the narrow way that leads to God or the wide path that leads to destruction. A funny but true story of a prophet teaches that principle.

Balaam refused to listen to his donkey that had been empowered by God to speak. Balaam was both deaf and blind to the wisdom of the donkey until the angel opened his eyes when the donkey was in a narrow place with nowhere to turn. This story illustrates that if we fail to follow God’s way we may too find ourselves in a narrow place with nowhere to turn. Jeremiah is saying to his people and to us: Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it.

Smart advice: Don’t be stubborn like the prophet but choose God’s way.  Remember the words of Proverbs: The one who wanders from the way of wisdom will end up in the company of the departed.

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Another Backstory…

Psalm 60  Taking time to just read and meditate unearths many questions. Why is David writing this? Who is against him? Where did this happen? Why is Edom mentioned? To unearth all of this we need to backtrack to 2Samuel 8. It is here that we read: Perhaps while Israel was at war with the Arameans, the Edomites seized the opportunity to invade Israel and proceeded toward Israel as far as the Valley of Salt (a.k.a. the Dead Sea.) There is a lesson here for us; when we are busy doing God’s work, the enemy seizes the opportunity to surreptitiously enter our space.

Evidently, David feels like God has rejected them but he isn’t sure why. He begs for restoration! He begs for the land to be repaired! He begs God to deliver them by His power so that they might be safe! It is as if we are reading today’s headlines for there are many who are begging for help and restoration; perhaps even you.

ps 60 warrior God2a

Abruptly in the middle, God speaks. I will be the conqueror over Israel’s enemies, not you. This is another lesson for us; when we face enemies God will restore, repair and deliver because He is the triumphant warrior for His children.  And that my friend is why “rabbit trailing” through the scriptures encourages us to hang in there when life is tough and questions abound. God is the answer! He is our triumphant warrior!

 

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God was right after all….

Job 25-27 Chapter 25 is a very short summary of what Bildad has discerned and it is this: he has no personal relationship with the God Job believes in. He uses the word “might” to show us his uncertainty in all of life both present and future. There is nothing to base life on if you have no God. Life is futile and without substance. You believe you were conceived, lived and died; end of discussion. That in itself is more than tragic. Job comes back to him saying you don’t realize who God is and then proceeds to extol the attributes of God. He, in essence, says what Paul said in Romans 1:20

“For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.”

And Job says these are only a few of the ways God is God and why people who deny Him are without hope. Yet I serve the living God and I know that my Redeemer lives. I will never ever set aside my integrity and I will maintain my righteousness in my suffering to my very last breath.

job 27 god right after all2

Are you more like a Bildad living without hope? Or are you more like Job who will stand firm until the very end no matter what comes your way?

And now we see why God called Job his blameless man.

Let’s talk about this if you are a Bildad. Send me a note or comment below.

 

 

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Seeing Beyond

Facing Death in the face is hard for the person facing it and the person beholding it. No matter what, it is harder than hard. We do not want to lose our loved ones or our most precious friends but the author of Hebrews reminds us, death is certain. In those difficult moments, we want to be sensitive, not harsh. Unfortunately, there are the Bildads and Zophars who think they know what we should do to prepare. Ever met them or experienced them? Or worse—-are you one of them? 

Bildad offers his take on wickedness in hopes that Job will see himself in that light. He seems to know that the “king of terrors,” a.k.a. Satan is behind all of this and if Job doesn’t change he will go the way of all wicked men. All of his descriptions are true and graphic. We should stop and wonder why Bildad is so sure that Job fits this category?  How often do we act like Bildad when we can’t get our friend to face “facts?”

Job responds that yes he understands the ways of the wicked and yes he understands that the Almighty weighs in and yes that is the way all of this happens…BUT… you fear the sword—I do not. I know this that even in my deepest moment of crisis, God is my Redeemer and I will see Him face to face one day.

You remain in your fear; I will trust Him who holds my destiny in His hand.

job 18 to 20 destiny is surea

When a dear friend is suffering and they are asking “why,” and you think that death is imminent employ love, not fear.  Don’t assume you know the plan God has for them. Instead, help them cross the great divide by having them look to the Redeemer not the “king of terrors.”  If you aren’t sure of how to do this, take the letter from the Redeemer himself and read it:

He is life, He knows the beginning from the end. He is the resurrection and the life. He has crossed the great divide and He has the answers.

Even in this darkest of times, Job sees the light; he is sure of his vindication but not the when or how.

Send me a note if you don’t know who the Redeemer is; let’s talk. 

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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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The Next Generation Needs YOU!

2Kings 15 to 17  & Prov 1:4 “Fathers Listen Up”

2kings 15 to 17 and prov 1 pay attention2aA godly family does not just happen; it takes work. If we look back we see the failures of fathers like Eli, Samuel-a prophet yet had ungodly sons; David who did not confront sin and Solomon as wise but did not practice application.  Now in this set of chapters we see men who were given the privilege of raising sons and future kings yet failed miserably. It is heartbreaking as you read king after king fails to raise godly leaders of their homes; the nation and the church. It is into that heartbreaking scene we read these words “they did not pay attention.” And again they worshiped the Lord “AND” at the same time served idols.

So the question before us is how can that cycle be broken?  Men, (women too) here’s our challenge straight from Proverbs. If a man (or woman too) wants to know how to raise godly children who will be leaders, you must start at the foundational level. The book of Proverbs is given to impart shrewdness to the morally naïve; a discerning plan to the young person. Shrewdness is that quality that means you are sagacious; having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment. Discernment is the ability to judge well especially with a view of obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.

How does one accomplish this? By reading, meditating and practicing what the Word of God says. It is not too late. We must be training up the next generation and it starts with us.

May it not be said of us that we “didn’t pay attention.”

 

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Every Thought….

Genesis 10-11 “Every thought….”

gen 10-11 same thinking same results

What goes around comes around so the saying goes because unless we change our thinking we will get the same results. Case in point:  before the flood men’s hearts were evil; after the flood, nothing changed. Men’s hearts were still deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked and the story of the Tower of Babel in the plain of Shinar men’s hearts are revealed. The people sought to build a tower that would reach heaven for one purpose; to make a name for themselves.  Fast forward to today and the entire world continues to strive to make their mark from dictators to movie stars. We see in the obituaries those who lived a life minus God. Their legacy is as the rich man of Luke 16. He calls out to have someone tell his brothers to not come where he is before it is too late. Abraham reminded him that unless their heart changes their legacy remains as they speak from the world’s perspective and the world listens to them. [1John 4:5]

Yet, God in His omniscience will not allow his plans to be thwarted.  Even though the evil intents of the heart are still before us, He will use all things for His good purposes. Do not waver, do not lose heart; God is sovereign and He is in control of all. He will accomplish His purposes as He has been doing since Genesis 11 to scatter men so that His gospel message may be proclaimed far and wide.

Are you like the men of the tower of Babel, seeking to make a name for yourself or do you seek to glorify Him by sharing the good news?

Photo courtesy of Dreamstime

 

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Are We Walking in “No-Man’s Land?”

be the solution2aWe have heard it said over and over and over: you are judging. Now to be sure there are times when we are to judge and to judge righteously when we discern doctrinal error. However, in this chapter, Paul over and over and over is trying to get our attention that when we judge or criticize another’s spiritual walk we have crossed the no-man’s zone of hypocrisy.

Paul asks “who are you to judge the servant of another?” and “why do you judge your brother?” And in the context of this discussion, Paul is referring to three non-essentials of food, days and drink. Some insist we must follow the Feasts of Israel and another says no. One says it is OK for me to drink wine but another comes alongside and says no you shouldn’t do that. Another says I celebrate Christmas and another says that is a pagan holiday and you shouldn’t celebrate it.

Beloved, NOT one of these will keep us from heaven’s door but alone or together our attitude and our words may cause a brother/sister to stumble in their walk with Jesus. The problem is us not them. We have this urge to change others rather than accepting them as they are. Instead of a gentle quiet spirit, we become a gonging cymbal as we beat our drum of “no, no, no” all the while forgetting two essentials:

  1. We all will stand before God to give an accounting
  2. We will give an account of every idle word we have spoken

What we need to remember is that God looks not on the outward man as we do but on the heart. Let’s let God do the judging regarding these areas. We are not to be a stumbling block but a solution lest we scar hearts God has already healed.

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