GOD, WHERE ARE YOU?

“In all their distress he too was distressed,” (Isaiah 63:9 NIV).

When bad things happen we may never understand the why. God tells us, ‘’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Dr. James Dobson said: “Trying to analyze His [God’s] omnipotence is like an amoeba attempting to comprehend the behavior of man.”  It’s simply not possible. But there is one thing we can be sure of. “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful,” (Psalm 25:10) whether we understand them or not.

When we encounter difficulties, it is easy to jump to conclusions. We may think God is mad at us or He is punishing us. We wonder if God is not blessing us because we’ve disappointed Him in some way. But all through the Bible we see that some of God’s closest friends experienced the darkest nights.

Joseph suffered. David suffered. The disciples suffered. Elizabeth suffered. Mary suffered. Martha suffered. Mary (Jesus’ mother) suffered. Paul suffered. Jesus suffered. And each one of these men and women were smack dab in the middle of God’s will. The ordinary pabulum of popular religion, of health and prosperity, just doesn’t line up with the suffering we see among some of the most godly men and women in Scripture. The abundant life that Jesus came to give does not come without struggle any more than a butterfly can soar without a struggle from its cocoon. We would never slice open a cocoon and expect to find a butterfly ready to fly. Without the struggle, the butterfly could not grow strong enough to take flight.

Jesus warned us that we would have struggles in this life, and yet struggles always seem to catch me by surprise. “Consider it all joy,” James said, “when you encounter various trials…” (James 1:2, NASB). Notice James said when and not if. Honestly, I wish there were some other way.

Come to think of it, Jesus wished the same. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will,” (Matthew 26:39). The cross. There was no other way.

Take a look at the names given to the Holy Spirit: Intercessor, Helper, Counselor, and Comforter. The very nature of those names lets us know that we are going to have difficulties this side of heaven, and thankfully God did not leave us to struggle alone. Jesus wept. The Holy Spirit groans. And God’s heart aches. In one beautiful sentence, we catch a glimpse into the heart of God as we go through tough times: “In all their distress he too was distressed,” (Isaiah 63:9). We may not see God’s face during the difficult days of pain, but you can be sure He is there, and many times His face is streaked with tears.

Sometimes life is tough. As we practice Acts 17:28, In Him we live and move and have our being, it does not mean that we will walk down a path void of treacherous twists and turns. It does mean that no matter where the road may lead, we are not alone.

So many times I’ve cried out with King David, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” only to discover that He was right there with me all the time. None of us knows what the future holds. Sometimes we just need to put our hand in God’s and walk around the next corner with Him—even when we don’t understand. In that journey of the unknown, we’re apt to experience moments of sudden glory in well-placed nuggets of gold.

 

 

 

GETTING REAL WITH GOD

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I

have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness,” (Lamentations 3:19-24 NIV).


Are we brave enough to be real and honest with God? We might as well be; He knows our hearts inside and out anyway. A. W. Tozer, in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, wrote:

How unutterably sweet is the knowledge that our Heavenly Father knows us completely.  No talebearer can inform on us; or enemy can make an accusation stick; no forgotten skeleton can come tumbling out of some hidden closet to abash us and expose our past; no unsuspected weakness in our characters can come to light to turn God away from us, since He knew us utterly before we knew Him and called us to Himself in the full knowledge of everything that was against us.

God knew the real me before I even knew myself. David wrote, “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD” (Psalm 139:4 NIV). Knowing what He knew and knows, it is a wonder that He even gives me the time of day. And to think, He gives us the time of our lives!

Jeremiah was a mighty man of God who was not afraid to be real before His maker. He wrote, “I am the man who has seen affliction because of the rod of His wrath. He has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light. Surely against me He has turned His hand repeatedly all the day. He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away. He has broken my bones. He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship. In dark places He has made me dwell, like those who have long been dead” (Lamentations 3:1-6 NASB).

Jeremiah was mad and he was mad at God. As far as he was concerned, God was the cause of all his problems. He felt trapped and afraid. He continued, “He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry out and call for help, He shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked. He is to me like a bear lying in wait like a lion in secret places. He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate…So I say, ‘My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord’” (vv.7-11,18 NASB).

Jeremiah was in a bad situation…mostly because he had a wrong perception of God. God did not make him to walk in darkness, cause his flesh to waste away, or break his bones. God had not encompassed him with bitterness or hardship. But Jeremiah had allowed his perception to be skewed by his circumstances.

Even though what Jeremiah had to say was incorrect and certainly painted a bad picture of God, he was able to be real about what he was feeling. Jeremiah did not feel the need to put on a holy mask before an all-knowing God. And you know what? God didn’t strike him dead for being real and saying what was on his heart.

Before we leave poor Jeremiah, let’s notice what happens at the end of his lament. He begins to remember all the times that God had been faithful. “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s loving kindnesses… are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I have hope in Him’” (vv. 21-22 NASB).

Jeremiah cleaned the clutter out of his emotional closet and rediscovered the treasures he had forgotten were there. His circumstances didn’t change. God didn’t change. But his attitude and perception of God changed and his emotions followed close behind.

We can learn two lessons from Jeremiah in this passage.

Number 1: We don’t need to be afraid to be real with God.

Number 2: When we’re disappointed with our circumstances, we need to remember all the times God has been faithful, and practice praise, gratitude and thanksgiving to get us out of our hissy fit.

ON OUR WAY HOME

       

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).                                                 

Have you noticed how hard "re-entry" is? 
One of my favorite movies is “Apollo 13” in which we first heard those famous words, “Houston, we have a problem,” an understatement if there ever was one. The astronauts faced seemingly impossible odds of getting back to earth, but they refused to give up the fight until they finally and safely splashed down in the waters of home.
Life is much the same. We are often thrust into a daily life of foreign and often frightening worlds, shaky circumstances, and impossible trials with no obvious way of escape. It seems like we will never get home and our world will never be right again. 
I have discovered a truth that surfaces in my heart on a continual basis. We all come into this world with a sense of being lost. Tucked into the corner of our souls is a feeling of restlessness ... a longing for home, for something eternal. That longing will never be satisfied outside of a relationship with God. He holds each today and every tomorrow in His hands. Nobody and nothing can fill the “God-shaped” hole in our heart. 
I have come to cherish that desperate heart cry that drives me to my knees and into the arms of my Father. Each and every time I come to Him, He whispers, "It will be all right. You are not home - yet." 
I do not want this broken and torn world to be my final home, but merely a place I am passing through. While I am here, I have a God-sized job to do, an extraordinary mission to complete and a wonderful purpose to fulfill. Is that awesome or what? Absolutely! But it is only the beginning of the eternity for which I was created. And the same is true for you. It doesn't get any better than that. 
So as you dive into your hectic schedule, remember that one day, we will be home - with Him - but until then, let's celebrate here! Guard your heart and mind by filling them with God’s Word. Hold fast to the true meaning of a purpose driven life, and don’t let go! Look for ways to share the Good News that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. Share the message of the manger, embracing that longing for home as a sweet reminder that one day we will celebrate His birth in Heaven. What a day that will be! 
And remember - we are on our way home!
 

I AM CHRISTIAN

I am the salt of the earth. Matthew 5:13

I am the light of the world. Matthews 5:14
I am valuable to God. Matthew 6:26
I am indwelled by Christ.  His Spirit lives in me. John 14:20
I am a branch of the True Vine. John 15:15
I am Christ’s friend. John 15:15
I am chosen and appointed by Christ to go and bear fruit. John 15:16
I am justified by Christ’s blood. Romans 5:9
I am reconciled to God through Christ’s death and saved through Christ’s
life. Romans 5:10
I am set free from sin and a slave of righteousness. Romans 6:18
I am free from condemnation. Romans 8:1
I am free in Christ. Romans 8:2
I am a child of God and a co-heir with Christ. Romans 8:17
I am more than a conqueror through Christ. Romans 8:37
I am accepted by Christ. Romans 15:7
I have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians2:16
I am a temple of God.  His Spirit lives in me. I Corinthians 3:16
I am washed, justified, and sanctified through Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:11
I am a temple of God. 1 Corinthians 6:19
I am part of Christ’s body. I Corinthians 12:27
I am the fragrance of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15
I am a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am righteous in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21
I am an ambassador for Christ and a minister of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:20
I am redeemed from the curse of the law. Galatians 3:13
I am a child of God and an heir of God. Galatians 4:7
I am a saint. Ephesians1:1
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3
I am adopted into God’s family. Ephesians 1:5
I am redeemed and forgiven through Christ’s blood. Ephesians 1:7
I am chosen by God. Ephesians 1:11
I am sealed by God with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13
I am now alive with Christ. Ephesians 2:5
I am God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in
advance for me to do.  Ephesians 2:10
I am a fellow citizen with God’s people and a member of God’s household. Ephesians 2:19
I am able to do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
I am a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20
I am complete in Christ. (NASB) Colossians 2:10
I am rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of light.
Colossians 1:13
I am holy in God’s sight, without blemish and free of accusation. Colossians1:22
I am chosen by God, holy, and dearly loved. Colossians 3:12
I am hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
I am of a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God to declare
the praises of him who called me out of darkness into his wonderful light. I Peter 2:9,10
I am an alien and stranger in this world. I Peter 2:11
I am an enemy of the devil. I Peter 5:8
I am forgiven of my sins. 1 John 1:9
I am now a child of God. I John 3:1, 2
I am born of God and the evil one (the devil) cannot harm me. I John 5:18
I am the bride of Christ Revelation 21:9
 
 

 

     

BE KIND

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35, NIV).

When bad things happen, we cry out in desperation for someone to care. More people come to Christ during a crisis than at any other time. Kindness is simply compassion at work and love in action.

We need to constantly refocus our success-targeted eyes, crucify each self-promoting heart motive, and look for the needs around us. I often wonder just how amazed we will be when we get to Heaven and find the unlikely and unknown but devoted servants of God rewarded for their quiet and often unseen acts of kindness.

A preacher once described his mother as a woman of great compassion. One day he came home from school to find her sitting at the table with an elderly, homeless man. Apparently, she had gone shopping, met the man on the way, and invited him home for a warm meal. During their conversation, the visitor said, “I wish there were more people in the world like you.” The woman said quickly, “Oh there are! You just have to look for them!” The old man simply shook his head and smiled, “But lady, I didn’t need to look for you. You looked for me!”

Needs constantly parade before us day every day, but we don’t see them. We are too busy to notice the broken lambs the Good Shepherd sends our way. We view them as intrusions or annoying interruptions in our very important schedule. These uninvited and unscheduled guests may very well be divine appointments sent by God.

The warning of Hebrews 13:2 is a haunting one. “Remember to welcome strangers, because some who have done this have welcomed angels without knowing it.” How many angels have we missed because we were too busy? Or maybe the problem is simply that we don’t care enough.

A mother sent her young daughter on an errand. The little girl was gone far too long, so when she returned, her mother demanded an explanation. The child said that on her way to the store, she met a friend who was crying because she had broken her doll. “Oh,” said the mother, “then you stopped to help her fix her doll?” “Oh, no!” replied the little girl. “I stopped to help her cry!”

Jesus says that if we really love God, we will really love each other. We are never more like our Father than when we choose to weather relationship storms with kindness and love. Kindness and compassion are directly related to the health of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:20 “If people say, ‘I love God,’ but hate their brothers or sisters, they are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen.”

We can be very religious and not care enough. Kindness does not look for reasons. Compassion doesn’t ask for limitations. It searches for opportunity.

 

THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

Therefore, since we are

receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Hebrews 12:28

Recommened Reading Psalm 46

The world and the people around us change every day. Just as Christ foretold, we are hearing about wars and rumors of wars; but we do not need to be afraid.


God has promised that His kingdom will never be shaken. His words are true. It's hard to imagine a world without conflict and change. Only God can promise us an unshakeable kingdom because He is unshakeable. No one can stand in the way of God. His divine kingdom is unique because it will never be conquered or divided.

Embrace this promise and trust in the One making the promise. He is our refuge and strength. We are secure in Him and will not be moved.

God doesn't make suggestions. He speaks with the full determination to see that what He has said will come to fruition.

IDOLS AND TOOLS

Jesus said to them, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns" (Luke 12:15, ICB). 



We live in a “stuff” driven world where it does not seem to matter how much we have, because it is never enough. We are told the more things we have, the more successful we are. We not only want possessions, we want other people's talents, abilities, circumstances and relationships. Luke warns us to guard against “all kinds of greed.” It is easy for us to covet a better job. We want the power that others seem to have. We are driven to have the best and to be the best, unable to relax and celebrate where we are and what we do have.  Hebrews 13:5 is a powerful and clear warning to “keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said, ’I will never leave you; I will never forget you.’" Now that is a fortune! 

Be hones. How important are your possessions? How do you view them? Howard Hendricks, a great Bible teacher, was having dinner with a very wealthy and prestigious man. Hendricks was amazed at the humility of his host, knowing the man's impressive credentials and the massive wealth he possessed. At the end of the evening, Hendricks asked his friend, "How did you grow up in such wealth and not be consumed by materialism?" With a smile, the man responded, "My parents taught me that everything in our home was either an idol or a tool. The choice was up to me." The truth is that we want whatever we put first in life. I have discovered the more I have to live for, the less I need to live on. Too often, greed and jealousy encourage wrong decisions and foster unhealthy and ungodly attitudes. The fact is that greed and jealousy are fruits of idolatry. Everything in life is either an idol we choose to worship or a tool we choose to use for good or bad. 

Corrie ten Boom was a godly woman who endured great persecution from the Nazis in the World War II concentration camp known as Ravensbruck. During an interview, she once stated she had learned to hold everything "loosely" in her hands. When asked why, Miss ten Boom explained that after being a Christian for many years, she had discovered the truth that when she grasped things tightly, it hurt more when the Lord had to pry her fingers loose. The choice really is ours to make. We need to hold our "stuff" loosely while investing financial resources in eternal things. We need to keep our gaze riveted to God’s plan alone instead of entering the all too familiar and ungodly “competition” that seems to plague so many people.   

To stay away from idols and avoid greed, we need to change our focus from what we want to what we have, and choose to be satisfied with whatever that is. In Luke 12:15, Jesus issues a warning, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns" (ICB). I believe that attaching importance to "things" is sin and will lead to more sin.

I love the story of a wealthy man who prayed, asking for permission to take his earthly wealth with him when he died and went to heaven. An angel appeared to the man and said, "We heard your prayer, but I am sorry. You simply cannot take it with you." The man pleaded so passionately that the angel said, "Let me see what I can do." When the angel returned, he reported, "Good news! God has made an exception for you. You may bring one suitcase with you when it is your time to go." Delighted, the man packed his one suitcase and went on with life. Several years later, he died and appeared at the Pearly Gates where he was met by St. Peter who took one look at the suitcase and said, "I am sorry, sir, but you cannot bring that in with you." The man protested, "But I received special permission." Just then, the angel appeared and said, "Peter, it is true. He has special permission to bring one suitcase in with him." Curious, Peter said, "Do you mind showing me what is in the bag that is so important to you?" With a smile, the man replied, "Not at all" and proceeded to open the suitcase to reveal stacks of gold bricks. Peter's face said it all, "Pavement? You brought pavement with you?"

Many of us are in a never-ending and futile quest to accumulate "pavement" here that is totally worthless there!  Wealth – financial or is all a matter of perspective. We need to understand that our Father wants us to have wealth. We just have to be careful not to settle for earthly money, possessions, human power and prestige instead of the eternal treasures only He can offer.