God Is Amazing!

Let me just say, God is amazing! I don’t understand it; I don’t have an agenda; I don’t even know what’s up next. But He never fails to bring me back to a central point about our foundations. It’s been in various conversations with completely different people and times over the last couple of weeks. And I know He’s not done with this topic yet because there are deeper truths and revelations that keep coming up.


Take the economy for instance. This country has and still is going through a great transition. From a country that was prosperous from acquiring stuff through debt to seeing the value of those items vanish and the results of that devastating economic transition. With unemployment on the rise, personal net worth dropping, companies struggling to survive and seeking government bailouts and laying off more workers, it’s become a vicious downward cycle. Now I believe we’re in a stage where people are afraid to spend or invest because they don’t know what’s next and they don’t want any more debt or losses. But the very fear of not knowing what is coming next will keep raising unemployment rates and lowering housing prices, it will keep the downward cycle going until we realize things are going to be ok.


Now, I’m not suggesting we should go spend frivolously or incur any debt. But the very thing we are afraid of will happen unless something changes the cycle. It says in Job 3:25, “What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.” I believe there are many people that have taken it to extremes - people that have jobs, have reserve funds, and have provision for their daily needs but are hoarding cash because of the tremendous fear in the world. I’ve heard from several that have said they’ve stopped taking the family out to dinner; they’ve stopped going on trips or to the movies; they’ve stopped giving to those in need. They’ve stopped doing the things they enjoy or doing for others; they’ve stopped living. I know it’s contrary to what the world says about building your savings, and unemployment is at 7.2% and likely will rise further. Look at it another way, that means that 92.8% are employed! The majority of the nation is at work and by eliminating extra spending this will continue to eliminate jobs. You might say, what difference can one person make and you’re right to an extent. Households make up 75% of our national economy and it would take many households to change the direction.


The point is this, what is it that rules our decisions? What’s the foundation that we are standing on? Are we living in fear of the future or hope for a better tomorrow, regardless of who the President is? This is a perspective I believe God has given me to challenge my thinking. By no means should you do anything different without seeking God’s direction. For me though, I’ve been a saver really for all of my life. He’s shown me that when I choose to buy something, someone else just might be able to keep their job. And that the resources He’s blessed me with should remain in motion so that other people are blessed also. He’s challenged me with the story of Ruth and Boaz, leaving remnants of the harvest so that Ruth could collect and feed herself and Naomi (Ruth 2). He’s shown me the value of observing the seasons as Joseph did and store up in the plentiful times to have enough for the lean years (Gen. 41-45). But now in my walk, I believe He’s challenging me to “give to others so that He can give back to you.”


- “Fear is faith contaminated”

- “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself”

- “Fear and faith cannot coexist”

- “Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real”

- “Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber

A Time for Change

We are embarking on a season of change. That has been the mantra for quite some time now. We the people (though not me specifically) voted into the office of the President of the United States, a man who proclaimed he will bring about change. Of course, anytime there is a new Administration, there is change – it sort of goes with the territory.


I hope and pray that the change that comes with Barack Obama will be mostly for good, though I’m not overly optimistic that will happen. He and I appear to see certain things very differently, so I am a bit skeptical. But hey, I would love to be proven wrong. There are many people though who are putting their trust, their faith, and their hope in him. They are looking to him for guidance and direction to get them through this dark time. And he will offer it, because that’s what a President does.


Like others though, I won’t be looking to him. Yes, he will generally be considered to be the most powerful man in the world, but he is still just a man. These are difficult times that we are in, with war, terrorism, the economy, unemployment, etc. but in these times, God is doing something.


God is in control. And I believe with all my heart, that He has not turned His back on America. So things may not be as comfortable as we are accustomed too, so what? Does that mean we are doomed? Of course not! God is still on the throne and He can still make a way where there is no way. He can turn things around, He can take care of His children and He can bring about change.


We are all going through the storm right now, one way or another. But our storm doesn’t scare God, and we should stop making the storm to be more powerful than God. We don’t know what is coming next, but He does. If we know God, know His character, then we need not fear. We can, and should, put all our trust in Him.


Even when things don’t make sense to us, we can trust Him because He does things that don’t make sense to us (forgiveness, walking on water, raising the dead, etc). Our understanding comes from what we see and what we know, both of which is limited. But God sees and knows everything, so His understanding is infinitely greater than ours.


The time we are in is crucial to the Kingdom of God. Will we give Him our prayers, our worship, and our words? Will we give Him the honor and glory He deserves? Will we point others to Him, to help them find salvation? If we do, He will not disappoint us. Though the journey may be uncertain and maybe even a little dark, He will guide us along our path. We may stumble and even fall off the path, but He will hold us up or pick us up and will continue leading us always, patiently and lovingly.


Right now, everyone is clamoring for change. Right now, everyone is looking forward to a savior. But how many are missing the Savior? This is the time to be let His light shine through us to push back the darkness. After all, He is the only one who can really change and correct whatever difficulties we are going through.


“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust In God

Saturday, I was playing with my daughter. She was laughing and smiling, having a good ole time! As we were playing, I was thinking about life from her perspective. She eats, sleeps, plays, explores and learns new things like a sponge. It’s amazing what she picks up! In all her days, she doesn’t have a single worry about where her next meal comes from or what it will be, she just knows that when she gets hungry, she’ll get to eat until she’s full. And when she’s tired, she’ll have a warm, safe place to sleep. And the rest of the day, she’ll have a place to play and her mom and dad will be there to comfort her and play with her when she needs it. Yes, she is blessed as all children should be, unfortunately there are many that aren’t as blessed.


Somewhere as we grow up though, we tend to wander from this state. We go through school, maybe college, get married and transition into a new season of life full of hopes, dreams and responsibilities. Seemingly, somewhere we lose sight of that childlike faith and peace. That sense that all of our needs will be supplied, that everything works out ok in the end. It may not be as we are going through it, but in time, all things work out for our good.


God tells us in Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. We often don’t know the end from the beginning. In fact, we truly only know what has happened. At times, God may give us glimpses of the future, but even those aren’t enough to know all that is to come. It’s never like His full, all knowing, all seeing perspective.


So the question is, not really knowing anything that will happen next, do we really trust Him over our thoughts, opinions and experiences? Do we acknowledge Him in all that we do and praise Him regardless of the circumstances? Can we wipe the slate of our minds clear and accept His Word as our compass and trust that the direction it’s pointing will yield the great life God intended us to live? None of these are easy questions nor do I live them they way I believe He desires for me to. I fall short and ask for his mercy knowing that life is a journey not a destination. But hopefully the depths of these questions illustrate the depth of trust that God desires of us.


Reading more of Proverbs 3 from The Message Bible broadens the illustration of what is being asked of us.

Don't Assume You Know It All (The Message – Proverbs 3:1-12)

1-2 Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well.

3-4 Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.

Trusting in Him

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6


Sometimes we can read a Scripture verse and like it or love it. We might highlight it or underline it, and maybe, if we really love it, we might even memorize it. And that can be a good thing. But isn’t it also true that familiarity breeds contempt? I mean we can find it quickly and recall it quickly and sound really super spiritual about it, but aren’t we also then in danger of it losing the very thing that made it so special?


There are many verses that I love, that have really impacted me, given me wisdom, or brought me comfort. The above Scripture is one of them (In fact Proverbs is probably my favorite book of the Bible). It has been coming to mind a lot lately, for multiple situations. It has been awhile though, since I’ve really taken the time and effort to meditate on it. Read it again with me. Go ahead, I’ll wait.


Trust in the LORD with all your heart. ~ Really Lord, with all my heart? All my heart? That’s a lot of trust. That is believing with everything within me, that He loves me and will take care of me no matter what. That is understanding I can come to Him with all of my thoughts, all of my emotions and all of my concerns, the good, the bad and the ugly. That is knowing He will always be available to pick me up and clean me up when I fall. That is having all confidence that His mercies are new every day, His judgments are just and that His promises really are for me.


And lean not on your own understanding. ~ But Lord, my own understanding is what I know! How can I lean on something else, understand something I don’t know? I see my situation, my circumstance, my storm; I know what common sense and my knowledge would dictate. But He is God and I am not. He is omniscient and I am not. He is omnipotent and I am not. He is omnipresent and I am not. I see with my natural eyes, He sees with spiritual eyes. He knows everything, and I know enough to know that I don’t know very much. He is everywhere, all the time, and I am only in my own little and limited world. His understanding is infinitely vast and complete, while mine is exceedingly narrow and lacking.


In all your ways acknowledge Him. ~ Do You really mean all my ways? When I’m strong and weak? When I succeed and fail? When I am confident and fearful? When I am going in the right direction and when I am lost? Yes. No matter what state I am in, He never changes. If I seek to know Him and do His will, He will always meet me. Whatever my situation I can, and should, come boldly before Him. And give glory to Him.


And He shall direct your paths. ~ But Lord, but what if I can’t see the path? He will direct my paths. I may misstep, get confused or turned around, but He will set me right. I may even fall and fail, but He is bigger than that and He can hold my hand, lift me up and give me a fresh start. A do-over. His plans for me are for good and the path He sets before me will lead me to those plans. While on the path, I may run into a highwayman, a thief who would come only to kill and to steal and to destroy. But I need not fear this enemy because he is a defeated foe.


When we are walking through the good times and the bad our trust in the Lord should not waiver, because He is faithful and trustworthy. We don’t know what we don’t know, so it is imperative that we don’t lean on what we do. By seeking Him and His will for our lives at all times, we have the opportunity to live the life we were created for. He doesn’t just set us on a path and leave us, but rather He is with us throughout, leading and guiding us like a Good Shepherd. Thank you, Lord!

Foundational Focus

With 2008 now past and 2009 upon us, it’s a natural time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Last year was a year of turmoil for many and a year of abundance for a few. Believe it or not, some people actually had their best year ever financially! Not that finances represents the full measure of abundance but it is one of many pieces. I can’t say I’m in that boat but somehow it gives hope that there is a better tomorrow and that all things are possible for those who believe. But all these ups and downs where we somehow feel victorious or are reconciling with defeat, I believe are truly out of focus. Somehow, we’ve come to accept how we feel about our daily lives as the barometer of our closeness with God.


Isn’t it strange that when we feel things are going well, our prayer life, our selfless giving, our cheerful attitude tends to fade? (What I mean by selfless is the difference between giving out of your need or sacrificially vs. giving out of your excess.) And when things aren’t so well, we seek some sort of relief from God when what God wants all along is a steady and consistent relationship with us? He wants you to know that He will work it out (Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28). Times may be rough for a season, but keep your eyes fixed on Him and you’ll do well (Eccl 3:1-8, Prov 4:25, Psalm 119:133, Jer 29:11).


It reminds me of some friends that went deep sea fishing. They say one of the first things the captain would tell you is to look out at the horizon. By fixing your eyes out in the distance at the horizon, it will help you avoid getting seasick. The same applies to driving. When you look further out ahead, everything seems to slow down around you and you’re more in control of the vehicle.


God’s Word tells us to fix our eyes on Him and to build on the rock, on a solid foundation rather than the sand of the seashore (Luke 6:48). By no means do I feel like I’ve mastered this; it’s just a lesson that God’s been challenging me with for some time. And every time I think I’m getting closer, it seems a bigger wave comes to try and take me out. Nevertheless, I’ve committed my focus to remain on Him for 2009 and beyond.


Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Proverbs 4:25 – Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

Psalm 119:133 – Establish my steps and direct them by [means of] Your word; let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The Old Has Gone, The New Has Come

The thing I love about New Years Day every year is the opportunity it offers us to have a fresh start, a new beginning, a do-over. I’m not really into resolutions, because let’s face it, they rarely last. But I am into reflection, and I try to take the opportunity to reflect on the past year, and my own role in it, and ruminate on the next year. It’s also a great time to review my foundation.


It’s good to take time to focus in on what I’ve done, for good or for bad, and make a determination to try to grow as a person, to ensure that by this time next year I’m further along in my journey. What goals do I want to accomplish (maybe the first is to actually set goals!) and what will I do to accomplish them? What relationships do I want to invest more into? How can I prioritize my time and my money, to ensure that I maximize both of them and minimalize the needless waste of either of them?


With the current state of the world, I think a lot of people were happy to say goodbye to 2008. And there is hope yet for 2009. Many people are placing their hope on January 20th, inauguration day for President-Elect Obama. And I’m not talking about American’s only. I’ve heard on the news recently that many nations are looking to him to solve their problems and save their country. Obviously, there are many problems with this.


There is only one Man who can be a Savior to the world – and it’s not Barack Obama! Jesus is the One who gives us a fresh start, a new beginning, a do-over. When we come to Him with a repentant heart, He forgives us and takes us lovingly into his family. He offers us love when we are unlovable, peace in turbulent times, comfort when we are hurting, and rest when we are weary.


It is impossible to predict what will unfold in 2009. Indicators, economists and even common sense, tell us that there are no quick fixes to the economic storm that is raging right now. And while it is good to be aware of the times and what ‘professionals’ think about it, I don’t put my faith in them. I put my faith in Jesus. After all, He has calmed a storm before, and He can certainly do it again!


The beginning of a new year really is an opportune time to review and the foundation that my life is built upon. Is it strong, firm and unshakeable? Or is it weak, cracked and sinking? If my foundation is firm, if Jesus is within me, then I need not fear the storm. After all, greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4) and through Him we are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37)!


So this year, I resolve to ensure that my foundation grows stronger, not weaker. I resolve to not take my eyes off my Lord and focus on the waves. I resolve to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10). Would you join me?


“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” ~ Matt. 7:24-27