Trials

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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.

 

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.

February 9

Thursday, February 9th, 2023

I’m not much of a science person, or a math person, or a “this mathematical principle if used here will solve this problem” kind of person. I got left in the dark when science and math genes were handed out. 🙂 It seems strange then, I guess, that my favorite TV show of all time is MacGyver. I know it was just television, but his ability to solve things with his mind-and seemingly at the drop of a hat-astounded me. The later version was even more math/problem oriented than the original (and yes, I liked that one also till it got a little “weird”). Anyway, I can remember him using or stating a principle that even I can remember hearing when I was taking the class: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

My intention in this devotion is not to delve into that statements truth or untruth…as if. For the record: it is true (so they tell me).

I want to apply it to prayer. We often say, “God will answer your payer-in His way, for His glory, and in His time.” That doesn’t make waiting any easier, but it does leave us something to think about.

If God has perfect timing (and He does), why do we get so bent out of shape when we have to wait? Let’s think about this. If every action has an equal and opposite reaction, what would happen if God does answer our prayer according to our time table? Who knows what domino effect could take place if it was?  Maybe, just maybe, God overruled something that could have messed up the space time continuum. 🙂 Seriously, what if God answered how we wanted and when we wanted and all chaos broke loose in our lives?

Some prayers are answered right away.  But some prayers-because of the sovereignty and omniscience of God-are not. And that turns out to be a good thing because the ONE who knows us best loves us the most.

January 31

Tuesday, January 31st, 2023

One of the heresies today of so many false teachers is what is called the “health/wealth” gospel or the “name-it-claim-it” teaching.  I’m guessing many of you know exactly what that aberrant teaching is: God wants you healthy and wealthy. It is your divine right to expect it. All you have to do is “name it and claim it.” Speak it out loud. Claim that whatever it is you want is yours and you get it.

I cannot begin to tell you how that turns my stomach. They twist Scripture to have it say what they mean. “Ask and it will given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened” is just one of the Scriptures they butcher. It is used a proof-text for their false thoughts.

They tell people to speak cancer away. Speak poverty away. Want that car? Claim it. Again, I cannot tell you how much that makes me cringe. Meanwhile, they get richer and richer; live in multi-million dollar mansions; wear designer clothes and $1500 tennis shoes on stage. Say what?

All while followers of Jesus die in droves in third world countries from ill health. All while followers of Jesus live under the sword of a pagan dictator or under the threat of rogue bands of vigilantes coming after them due to their faith. All while followers of Jesus are dying from cancer, or live under the specter of Alzheimers, or Parkinsons, or MS, or a wheelchair for life.

Trials, hardships, sickness, prolonged illnesses, even death are all part of living on this planet. It is the result of sin and the last I looked, the statistics for that were 1/1 have that disease. It follows that death has that same stat.

We may have trouble seeing it, but trials and difficulties can serve as a catalyst, a springboard, to new growth and a season of immense blessing from God. “Count it all joy” is what James said (Js. 1:2). The next time something happens that wants to knock you flat or even succeeds in doing that, let’s praise Him for His presence and strength to bear up under it.

And yes, I’m preaching to the choir.

December 29

Thursday, December 29th, 2022

Welcome to what will probably be the last post on “Shadow” for 2022. There will be a lot of reflecting over the next few days about 2022. The highs and lows. The victories and defeats. What I will call the woulda, shoulda, coulda’s.

But along with reflecting on 2022 (the past), there will also be some pondering about 2023. No one could have guessed what all 2022 would bring, nor can we guess what 2023 will bring. I won’t lie-I do wonder. Will my health hold up? Will that knee they say needs replaced “someday” find its “someday” in 2023? Will I be able to erase even more debt in 2023 (I only owe on 2 things at the moment-my house and truck)? Will the church thrive? Will Jo and I be able to celebrate our 50th in June? So many questions…not one answer…

Except…

I don’t have to know. God does. And since he has never failed me yet, I’m pretty confident He won’t in 2023.

I read about a lady named Charlotte Elliott. She suffered a physical disability for years and on the night before she was to participate in a fund-raiser for higher education, she was a mess. She tossed and turned all night with doubts and worries. She felt inadequate. The next morning she went to her desk and penned these well-known words: “Just as I am, without one plea/ But that they blood was shed for…”

Take note of Genesis 17:1. It says, “I am God Almighty (El Shaddai); walk before Me.” The Hebrew term, El Shaddai, can mean “God who is sufficient.”

I don’t know what 2023 holds. None of us do. What I DO KNOW is El-Shaddai, God Almighty, is sufficient to enable me to weather any storm.

“Father, may I trust You no matter what, as the One who is sufficient.”

December 12

Monday, December 12th, 2022

One of the seemingly strangest Christmas songs we sing is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” The history of that song is mind-blowing. The relevancy to today is uncanny.

The poem was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He was a child prodigy. He started school at age 3 and was reading classical literature and writing stories by age 6.  At 19 the college graduate (my note: yes you read that right), became a professor at Bowdoin College. He married in 1831 but several years later his first wife became ill and died. It took seven years before he recovered enough from his loss to remarry.  He soon found fame and fortune as a result of renewed vigor. He fathered five children as well as writing classics like The Song of Hiawatha and The Courtship of Miles Standish. However, at the height of his fame and wealth and status, tragedy struck again. His wife died while lighting a match that caught her dress on fire.  And then the Civil War hit and his oldest son went to fight for the Union Army. On December 1, 1863 he received word that his son has been severely wounded and may be paralyzed for the rest of his life. He hated the war and what it did to his family and how it divided the country.  On December 25, 1863 he sat down and wrote the words to the poem which John Baptiste Calkin put to music ten years later.  {Source: “Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas”-Ace Collins-pp. 81-85} (edited by me to fit)

I suspect many of us could have written that poem. The loss of a spouse or a child. The dissolution of a marriage you had poured your heart and soul into. The despair from a seemingly endless war. Loss of a job and income. Long-term health crisis. The drift of a child or a loved one into an immoral lifestyle or an addiction. The list of “sorrow-makers” is endless.

Despair is knocking on the door, but those who are Christ-followers do not have to give in to despair. One of the poem’s final stanzas says, “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, goodwill to men.” {Ibid-p.83}

That is a promise from His Word. If you feel despair rearing up its ugly head and kicking you around, don’t give in.  God is there. Ask Him to come alongside you in a very real way (He is already there in the Person of the Holy Spirit). He has promised His comfort any time you need it.

May you know His peace and presence this Christmas season.

November 16

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Have you ever had those times when you were “satisfied”? I’m not speaking about “being content” as Paul talks about in Phil. 4:11-12.

In my mind this morning is the thought that there is a difference between being satisfied and being content. I’m not sure how well I can explain it, but let me try.

“Being content” is an attitude of the heart, a settledness with situations, circumstances, and the nuances of life. A resting in the soft arms of a Mighty God who give us all things. I see this in followers of Jesus who may not have much of what the world considers a “must have,” and yet there is a quiet contentedness that invades the spirit and exudes to others.

I hope that explains that.

Meanwhile, “being satisfied” has another flavor. I see that as meaning something different (at least in my other mind) in the sense of “all is good and going well.” For example, you realize one morning that all has been going well and smooth-job, home, relationships, health-and you rest, not in the strong arms of a Mighty God, but in your “peaceful” situation. Maybe not as drastic as the man Jesus talked about of “Eat, drink, and be merry” fame, but there is an uneasy sense of calm.

Why do I say this? I was thinking this morning how easy it is to get lulled into a lack of alertness, into complacency. We let our guard down. At this point, we become fodder-a target- for the enemy. There is a big zero on our forehead and centered in our heart. Are we not  warned of this in I Peter 5:8? He writes, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (NASB2020)

Simply put: being unaware, being “relaxed,” places us in great danger of the enemy. It puts us directly in his sights. Once we let our guard down we are fair game.

It is okay to be content. Be careful of being satisfied.

October 3

Monday, October 3rd, 2022

The relaxing weekend is over.  Not having an agenda was nice. We had a leisurely Friday (which is normally my day off); on Saturday we attended a football game at noon and a baseball game in the late afternoon some of our youth were involved in; and Sunday attended church with Ryan and Amanda, our longtime friends.  Afterwards we ate wings (except Jo…she had a burger), then headed home for a relaxing evening. In between all this mayhem I worked on a 1000 piece puzzle I am getting close to finishing.

But its back to the old grind…I mean…agenda/schedule.

Have you noticed how some stories in the Bible never get old? As a child raised in the church, I heard all the stories-David and Goliath, the 3 dudes in the furnace, the angel appearing to Mary, and others.

One of my favorites (besides Jesus) was Daniel and the lion’s den. Still is. David slinging a stone is a cool story. The 3 dudes (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) in the furnace-which actually turned out to be 4 in the furnace-is a wonderful story. But lions-hungry lions-with jaws which could snap a person in half clamped shut all night by angels? WOW! I can see several teaching points in that story. I’ll just settle for one.

The biggest is the lions leaving Daniel alone.  That was totally against their nature. But we don’t read of Daniel worrying about what was going to happen to him. He didn’t stay awake fretting and worrying about how it was going to hurt and maybe it will be quick.  If Daniel stayed awake, it was because he was praying. Not out of worry, but that God would be glorified and Darius’ eyes would be opened (least that is what I think). Read Daniel 6: 25-27 and you can see there is not only validity in what I just wrote, but it also happened.  I’m going to say that Daniel slept like a baby and those lions were like stuffed animals.

We can learn from this story. Daniel’s eyes were not on the den, the lions, or how wrong and unfair it was that he was there. His eyes and his faith were firmly saying, “I trust you” to his God.

Is that a lesson you can learn? I know I can.

September 29

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

If you were to take a random survey of people, especially Christ-followers, of what is there #1 question here on earth, and possibly one they say they will ask God when they get to heaven, I suspect it would be, “Why?” More specifically, “Why all the pain and suffering, especially to little children?”

To be more specific with an example (and there is, of course, not only one), here is one I have been dealing with.  Some folks who are friends of mine, but also part of the church I pastor, have a neighbor/friend who has a 4 year old who has been diagnosed with a glioma, an inoperable, aggressive, and fatal brain tumor.  He has had 3 surgeries so far- one for the tumor originally, and two for complications (bleeding and infection). The question “Why him?” has been asked a lot lately.

I believe we can ask that question and more any time we want. God is not afraid of our questions. But, will we be satisfied with the answer? I don’t know. God, of course, is under no obligation to answer. None. He doesn’t owe me anything.

But I can take heart that Jesus also asked why. Remember on the cross? “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Notice the “why.” But take note of the 4 words which precede it. Even though the grief over separation from His Father was great, Jesus still trusted (“Into Your hands I commit my spirit”). Jesus was forsaken so I might be forgiven. But even in His plain and agony (not physical), Jesus trusted.

We will NEVER understand all that goes on down here on earth. We will NEVER understand all the “whys.” That is not the issue. The issue is “will I trust?”

I don’t know what you or someone you love may be going through right now. In the end, it comes down to trust.

{Side note: I will be taking this Sunday off. I have had one off (and didn’t realize it), since sometime in 2021. This weekend Jo and I are going to chill and Sunday we plan to visit Ryan and Amanda’s home church (he comments on this blog). Your prayers for a “chill time” would be appreciated. Someone has said, “If you don’t come apart, you will come apart.” I prefer to do the former before the latter. Thanks}

May 23

Monday, May 23rd, 2022

I’m back…with more confusion! 🙂  Revelation 16 has me bewildered. But rather than focus on the bowls of wrath and their meaning, let me take another road.

Several times throughout this chapter we are told the people blasphemed God.

  • In verse 9 it says they blasphemed God because He had power over the plagues but evidently didn’t exercise it.
  • In verse 11 they blasphemed because of their pain and sores.
  • In verse 21 they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail.

Let me just say that this chapter sounds a little like the plagues God put upon Egypt in Exodus. (Short side note there).

It has always been interesting to me how God gets the blame when tough times come. It is never because of our own stupidity, of course. It’s always God’s fault. Both followers of Christ and those who aren’t followers are too quick to blame Him for all the bad stuff that hits them. It’s as though we think that we “deserve” not to have this trouble. You know…we “deserve” better treatment. Ironically, in this chapter it is those who despise Him and His people who are doing the blaspheming. In verse 1 I think it is summed up well: “they blasphemed God because of …” It’s all His fault.

One last thought before I go: Verse 15 seems out of place but it is a true statement of hope: “Behold, I am coming like a thief.”

God is in control. There will come a day of reckoning. When that day will be no one knows.

“Father, help me to be ready. Keep my eyes focused on You not on events. And certainly help me not to blame and blaspheme Your Name.”