Perseverance

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March 8

Wednesday, March 8th, 2023

Perhaps you have heard the story of the distraught, sad man who went looking for help. He found a local pastor who was willing to sit down and listen. His sadness and pain was obvious as he unloaded his sadness. The pastor just listened. After some time he realized this man needed a good dose of laughter. So he told the man, “You need to laugh and relax. I hear there is a well-known comedian in town who is really great at making people laugh. I suggest you go hear him.”

After a moment of silence, the man said, “I am that comedian.”

I’ve heard that story several ways, I suspect you may have. Comedian. Clown. Entertainer. Any way you shake it, it says the same thing.

But here is a greater truth: Happiness does not equal joy. They are two separate entities, totally devoid of each other in reality. Happiness is dependent on circumstances; joy is in spite of your circumstances. If things are going well-financially, socially, family, job-happiness abounds. But have a glitch in one of them and happiness is like a bird let out of a cage.

Joy? It’s different. All chaos can be breaking out around us. Loss of job. Financial downturn. Wayward child. Fickle friends. But at the core is joy. It’s not because you are happy those things are happening to you. Joy comes-and is determined by-what is at the core of your being. Perhaps a better word is not what but WHOM. The person who follows Christ may not like what is happening; may struggle with pain to nth degree; but that person knows WHO controls it all. That brings joy in spite of the circumstances, amidst the pain.  That is why James can write: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…” (1:2) (ESV)

Seek joy not happiness. Happiness is fleeting; joy is permanent.

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March 6

Monday, March 6th, 2023

This past Saturday afternoon Jo and I went with some friends to see Jesus Revolution. It has surprised many pundits at the box office, taking in more than they ever predicted or maybe even dreamed of. My purpose here is not to give a review but to make a point about one of the characters.

The movie is about the early “story” of Pastor Greg Laurie’s search for meaning and hope in a world gone mad (some things never change do they?). It was a lesson though that Pastor Greg learned many years later-far removed from those Jesus Movement days-that  sticks with me. On July 25, 2008, Greg’s son, Christopher, died in a car accident he was responsible for. As you can imagine, Greg was devastated beyond words. I have 2 daughters and I simply cannot imagine the grief and pain I would feel if they were taken from this life.

But through his pain, Greg received some great words of wisdom from his mentor, Pastor Chuck Smith. Smith said,

“Don’t ever trade what you know for what you don’t know.”

With that in mind, what do I know?

  • I know that God loves me.
  • I know that God wants what is best for me (even though I can’t see it).
  • I know God has a plan for my life and knows the end of my days.
  • I know God has promised to never leave me or forsake me.
  • I also know God doesn’t always give me what I want and sometimes I have to wait for His answer.

Sometimes God doesn’t answer prayers as quickly as I want or would like Him to. But He will not let me down. Delays are not necessarily denials.  Sometimes we have those dark nights of the soul.

So…the next time you or I feel abandoned; the next time you or I feel alone; the next time you or I feel God is not listening “Don’t ever trade what you know for what you don’t know.” 

I heard it said recently: “Feelings are a great check engine light, but a terrible GPS.” Don’t trust your feelings. Trust the ONE whom you know.

 

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February 16

Thursday, February 16th, 2023

“Come to Jesus and everything will be okay.”

“Come to Jesus and you will have everything you need.”

“Come to Jesus and you won’t have any problems.”

There is a teaching in today’s “Christian” world that is false. Some swear by it; some swear at it. Some say it is misleading; some say it will lead you to new heights. I think a correct word for it would be Heresy.

That teaching? God wants you healthy and wealthy and if you just “speak it with positive confession” good will come (aka “name it/claim it”). One of the side trails this heresy takes is in saying, “Everything will be okay; you will have everything you need; and you won’t suffer.”

I heard recently that Kenneth Copeland, one of the biggest purveyors of this garbage, once told his daughter-when she came home from school saying she was sick-“No you aren’t. We don’t talk like that in this house. Speak health.” He tried to pull that off with his cardiologist. He now wears a pacemaker. Another one’s wife just died of cancer.  Another one’s baby was not raised from the dead and after 9 days they finally decided to bury her.

In Mark 4 there is a story of Jesus and His disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. A storm comes up, and it is so strong these sea-hardened fishermen are scared to death. So they wake up Jesus who is asleep in the boat and He calms the storm.

So many thoughts float through my mind as I think of that story.

  • Why were they so afraid? A: This had to be one doozy of a storm!
  • “Did Jesus know the storm would come? A: Yes. This whole scenario was part of His plan of teaching them more. He had taught about the parable of the sower; what it means to be a light; the importance of planting seed. This is going to be one big lesson!

Perhaps the most important lesson of all-and it applies to us as well- is what we see in Mark 4:35-“Let’s go across to the other side.” (ESV) Key words: other.side. There was no ifs, ands, or buts about it.  There was no “If we get through the storm which is about to come we will get to the other side” or “Guys, no problem. Smooth sailing ahead because I’m in the boat.”

Again, I say it: other. side. That was the promise.  What was not promised was smooth sailing, even with Jesus in the boat. But therein lies the lesson: we will get to the other side-trouble or no trouble-because Jesus is in the boat with us.

Let me close with this: Expect trouble. But also know that Jesus is in the boat with you and will bring you through the storm. You can anchor your life on that.

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January 12

Thursday, January 12th, 2023

Look around. It is easy to get discouraged.

-A 6 year old shoots his teacher. He got a hold of his mother’s gun and took it to class.

-4 college students in Idaho are murdered.

-Healthy, fit athletes have “medical events” and collapse, some die.

-My retirement (such as it was) took a huge hit in 2022.

-Eggs are $6 a dozen. $6!!!

-Overdoses and suicides are reaching alarming heights.

-Loss of a loved one. Loss of a job. Wayward child. Loss of faith. The list is endless.

So is discouragement. David experienced it. “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” (Read the rest in Psalm 42:11)

Moses was so downcast at one point about the Israelites that he asked God to take his life. Elijah, after his victory against the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, ran and hid out from the wrath of Jezebel. He wanted to die. Jeremiah. Even Paul was overwhelmed from time to time.

Discouragement is a normal reaction. Life is hard and all we see are mountains, rocky paths, and never-ending obstacles.

But we have a promise from God that He is faithful. His love never ends and His presence never disappears. His steadfastness never wavers and His faithfulness never changes.

I don’t always know what is coming. No one does. I don’t always know where it will end up. No one does. I just know wherever that is, God will be there to meet me.

Even when I can’t “see” Him, I can trust Him. As I read recently: “We can trust His heart, even when we can’t see His path.”

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January 11

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

Several years ago-well over 20-I did a personal Bible study, then led several groups through the study as well. The study included a story of D.L. Moody. The story goes that someone approached Moody and said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with and through and in a man who is wholly committed to Him.” Moody was reported to have said, “Then I will be that man.” What I have read of Moody is that was his life’s goal.

That is an intriguing story…and an intriguing challenge.

For someone to issue that challenge with one simple statement to a man of Moody’s spiritual stature is pretty bold. (Then again, perhaps that is why Moody became the man of God he was). I sort of wonder what precluded him saying that to Moody and why.

But the greater impact was Moody’s willingness to say, “Here I am.”

That reminds me of Daniel who refused to be silenced for fear of a lion’s den.

That reminds of Shadrach, Meschah, and Abednego who refused to bow for fear of a furnace.

That reminds me of Jeremiah who found himself locked up because he would not stay quiet about Israel’s degradation.

That reminds me of Peter and John who were unafraid of the religious leaders and the consequences of continuing to talk about Jesus. “It is far better for us to listen to God than to man.”

That reminds me of Polycarp, the pastor of Smyrna, who refused to denounce his faith in the “One True King” in order to avoid being burned to death.

That reminds me of the early reformers who refused to be quiet about the Roman Church for fear of being burned alive at the stake.

That reminds me of persecuted Christians in China, North Korea, Iran, etc who face the loss of everything for converting to Christ.

That also reminds me to ask myself, “What about you Bill? Will you take that challenge to be the man willing to see what God can do with and through and in a man who is wholly committed to Him?”

And what about you?

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January 9

Monday, January 9th, 2023

One of my favorite songs is by the Christian rock group, DeGarmo & Key. I began listening to them in the mid to late 70s and continued listening to them until they disbanded in the 90s to pursue other ventures. Dana Kay has since gone to be with Jesus and I’m sure heard a “Well done, good and faithful servant.” My favorite song by them was called Long Distance Runner. (You can listen here).

That song is about running the Christian life. Using the motif of a runner, it speaks of the Christian life as not being a sprint but a long distance run.

Would you please think with me about that comparison for a moment? We are told in 2 cor. 5:7 to “walk by faith, not by sight.”  Curious language, but true.  It does not say, “Sprint by faith.”

Why?

Simple. The Christian life is a walk. We speak about “the Christian walk.” We never say anything close to “the Christian sprint.” We might talk about the life of a follower of Jesus being a long distance run (because it is), but never a sprint. I don’t know about you but my legs don’t run anymore. There are days I feel strong walking.  My legs and knees feel strong. No pain. No discomfort. But there are those days-days like yesterday in fact-when it seems like every move, every step is agony. The knee that will someday need replaced balked at every step and seemed to mock me saying, “How long will this go on?” 🙂

Sounds like life, doesn’t it? Days of exhilaration co-mingled with days of pain. If I do happen to run (spiritually, that is), it isn’t very long at all. I wasn’t made for sprinting. I was made for slow and steady.

Take a moment and stop to read Colossians 2:6-7 and get a further glimpse into my thinking. And then remember: it is not a sprint; it is a long distance walk/run.

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October 26

Wednesday, October 26th, 2022

Several times over the past week I have had the occasion to speak to someone about the “I plant; you water; God gives the increase” idea of sharing our faith.

You know how that goes. “I have prayed and prayed. I have tried sharing my faith kindly when the opportunity arise, but still, no response.”

Or “I pray daily for my child to come to Christ or to recommit his/her life to Jesus, but it seems like my prayers go unanswered.”

Those are tough to hear. They are tough to witness in one’s life. They are tough ones not to give Christian platitudes to. But the words which could be said (and are) are not mere pablum or empty words.

When I have those times in my life, I cling to Paul’s words in I Cor. 3:6- “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” (NLT) 

It is not my responsibility to convert anyone. That is God’s. My responsibility is to share the message…to pray…to love. Most often, any change, any conversion, any re-commitment is the work of many. No one person has the right to say, “I did it.” It was a team effort.

The other principle is that we are called to be faithful. Plant the seed. Nurture the seed. That’s it. Be available. Don’t stress or fret over the results. A farmer know the crop will come in due time.

In God’s time.

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October 13

Thursday, October 13th, 2022

Hey everyone! Short devotion today.

Have you ever noticed how some start well, strong, even like a ball of fire? Then they just sort of peter out. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the person who falls hard for Jesus and there is no turning back. Pastor Greg Laurie is one of them (for example). But I’m sure we all know someone who is sold out to Jesus and has been for a long time.

What we all need to keep in mind is that God is in it for the long haul. Take a moment and read Philippians 1:6- “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.”

God never gives up on us nor leaves us. He is in it for the distance. We need to trust Him and say we are too.

Jo, Tami and I are leaving early this morning for Ohio. It will be Tami’s only chance to see Braden play football this year and it will be our last chance. Prayers for safe travel will be appreciated. See you here Monday!

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September 15

Thursday, September 15th, 2022

After a day when we contemplated an issue that tested our willingness to trust and surrender (Thanks Ryan S.), let’s move on…to more of the same. 🙂

I think one of the hardest times for many of us is because we may not, or don’t, see the clear path, we have trouble moving forward. Sometimes we act paralyzed. Sometimes we simply hesitate following.

Let me revert to an illustration from the book. Many firefighters survive because they know a key truth: a meadow, brush, or even trees, can only burn one time. Many of them will run to the burn. It seems weird, but it is true. Many firefighters have been saved because they ran to the burn.

That brings up an important point. There is a positive side to adversity. Let’s be honest: most of us would like to avoid adversity. Avoid it like a plague would not be too far off. We see adversity as incongruous to a loving God and that said loving God would place adversity in front of us, let alone have us go through it. We do all we can to avoid it! We are far more interested in what will make us happy; God is far more interested in what will make us holy.

Instead of our natural aversion to pain and adversity, maybe we ought to embrace it. Instead of looking for a way around it, let’s stop trying to avoid it. Suffering can actually give us a greater platform for sharing the truth of God’s love.  Instead of running away, maybe God is saying, “Follow Me into the burn. You may not understand. In fact, you probably won’t. But follow Me anyway and I will lead you to safety. You will get to see what I can do.”

Truth: He does not want us to run ahead of Him; He wants us to follow Him. Even if that following has us meeting adversity.

And for your encouragement this morning, stop and read Psalm 86: 11-13. You’ll be glad you did.

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September 1

Thursday, September 1st, 2022

First, an aside. Can you believe it is already September 1?

Let’s continue with our discussion of Principle #4: God’s signature on events is timing.

In Eccl. 3:1a Solomon uses two Hebrew words that have a deeper meaning than our English words convey.  The words used for “season” means “an appointed time or hour.” They are used a lot in Hebrew wisdom lit to represent God’s appointed times in His plans or intentions.

Another word is the one used for “activity” or events in 1b. Strangely, this word conveys the idea of delight. There is a delight or a blessing in discerning the timing of God.

Would you agree with me that the statement/questions I asked at the beginning of yesterday’s devotion might be true? “I think the #1 answer would have to do with timing. Why wait? Why so long? Why didn’t God answer sooner?” We find ourselves fighting God, questioning His wisdom AND MOST DEFINITELY questioning His timing rather than submitting our hearts and minds to the quietness and peace of surrender.

I like the quote Gail used in her response to yesterday’s devotion: “Time doesn’t heal; God heals, in time.”

To end the devotion today and to conclude Principle #4, there are four words which show up big in our discussion: trust, relationship, intimacy, and timing.

There is a section from the book that plays into this ending: “You asked for guidance and God led you to a wilderness. You anticipated insight in your life, and God gave you the truth about your life. The timing of it surprises you, but God’s never surprised by timing. It’s His signature on events.” (p.84)

“Father, all four of those words are important in my need desire to find Your will.”

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