Monday Morning 7/30/2012

Are you a doubter? Do you doubt others? Are you unconvinced and unbelieving when someone does something? Are you suspicious? Are you a God-doubter? Does God not come up to the expectations you have of Him. How about you come up to His expectations? Ah…..that’s different you say? We can never come up to God’s expectations so just how is God going to be able to do what He says He will do.

Have you ever considered what it is that God wants for this world, your community, your church, or you? Now, not just a passing thought, but have you ever sat and meditated on it. We say that God wants the best for us and yet, do we believe it, do we live like it?

God asked this very question of Moses in the presence of the entire nation of Israel. In Numbers 13:11 God asks, “How long will these people treat me with disrespect? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?" This is the difference between doubt and faith. God is saying to the nation of Israel and to us as well, “When?” When are we going to stop trying to get God to match our expectations and start paying attention to what He expects of us?”

Everything, good and bad, must go before God before it happens to us. Everything, good and bad, goes before God and is therefore for our benefit. A blessing can be good and bad. Many people, if they were in Moses' shoes that day would have said, “Lord you’re right. I’m tired of these people too, and they certainly don’t deserve you".

Twelve men from the nation went into the Promised Land. They all traveled the same roads, met the same people, pretty much saw the same thing. Ten came back with a report that would crush the hopes and dreams of the people. In plain language they said that Canaan is a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there. All the people we saw there are giants (They can’t ALL be giants), they’re huge (They ALL can’t be that big), and boy are we small when we compare ourselves to them. We are merely grasshoppers in their eyes.

Caleb and Joshua traveled the same road, walked the same path and they saw the same things as the other ten. But their response and recommendation was completely different. Caleb said "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" "Do not be afraid of the people of the land for we will swallow them up." What caused Caleb and Joshua to bring back such a positive report? There is really only one reason that caused Caleb and Joshua to look at the Promised Land and see a guaranteed victory.

It is because they had faith in God.

Caleb and Joshua had not forgotten that it wasn’t that long since they were slaves in Egypt making bricks for Pharaoh. They had not forgotten how God had displayed his divine power against the mighty Egyptian empire, bringing the proud Pharaoh to his knees. They had not forgotten the awesome sight of God’s mighty hand dividing the Red Sea and of the Egyptian army being swallowed up.

Who will believe?

Things have not really changed that much over the years since the twelve went into the Promised Land.  As God’s people we are called to get out of church and do God’s Work. We are commanded to teach others to strive to walk the Christian walk and claim the promises of God. And like the Israelites in the wilderness we too many times believe the reports of doubt, fear and intimidation.

Sure it’s a good idea, it’s a noble purpose, sure it would be nice, BUT, BUT the job is too big, the road is too long, the hill is too steep, so we might as well turn back.

Many for example, when they consider the challenge of sharing the gospel with a friend, neighbor, co-worker or relative listen to the report that says, "It’s a great idea, and yes they certainly need the Lord, BUT we are too weak, we won’t know what to say, they’ll never listen to us, and they may even laugh at us or think we are strange. We can’t do it. It’s not worth the risk. We need to turn back.” And we forget the promise of God that says that He is with us wherever we go as we take his Gospel into the world.

Remember the commercial for Wendy’s in the 80’s with the old lady screaming, “Where’s the beef?” Well God’s trying to get our attention by saying, “Where’s the faith?” He says, “I’ve given you everything, shown you everything, proved my power over and over and over. How long will you not believe?”

We let ourselves be frightened and panic stricken by what we feel we cannot do and then we take our eyes off God. And when we do, we find ourselves standing all alone and as we look at ourselves we say, "There is no way I can do this, I’m just not good enough, I’m not strong enough."

If we had a list of all the churches throughout the years who failed in their work for the kingdom because they allowed nerves to stop them dead in their tracks, I am sure the list would be staggering and very sobering.

There would be:

Communities that were not reached

Buildings that were not built

Lessons that were not taught

Visits that were not made

Fellowship that was not shared

And souls that were not saved

Friends we need to have a faith like Joshua’s and Caleb’s. We need to keep our eyes on the Lord, and we need to keep our faith firmly planted in His power. If the work we want to do, if the goal we want to achieve is for the advancement of the work of the kingdom, we must remember that we are not alone and that God is with us, and that it is He who will give us the victory.

Is the cost too high? “We can’t do it” – God said you not only can, you will and Caleb said, “We must.”

Monday Morning 7/23/2012

There is an old song that goes:

“Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam
where the deer and the antelope play
where seldom is heard a discouraging word
and the skies are not cloudy all day.”

Sounds great doesn’t it? Well….get over it. The Bible says, “No man can control the tongue.”  (James 3:8)

There are two types of criticism, good and bad, positive and negative, constructive and destructive. One builds up and the other destroys. Moses’ own sister and brother let their lips get loose and before you know it they were saying things they would later regret.

How does one keep from making a mess with one’s mouth?

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you look to criticize someone.

Are my comments against the person, or against something the person is doing or saying? Is it against the person or the situation? There is nothing at all wrong with trying to help our leaders or anyone else see things about themselves that need improving. But the "why" and the "way" in which we carry out our mission are really important. When Miriam and Aaron went after their little brother it was personal.

Does my criticism mask the real reason for my verbal attack? The attack on Moses’ character was simply a cover-up to draw attention away from the real reason Miriam and Aaron were upset with him. They were upset that all of the attention and all of the speaking opportunities were going to Moses. Our motive is always central when we talk to or about others. Put plainly, Miriam and Aaron suffered from envy and jealousy.

Aaron was the only man on the planet who could enter the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement. What a position of great magnitude and honor! Moses could have been jealous of Aaron but he wasn’t.

Miriam had been the one who had cleverly saved Moses’ life as a baby. Hers was a place of great honor in the camp of the Israelites. She prophesied and led the Israelites in worship and praise to God at the Red Sea at a time when female prophets were rare. But Moses wasn’t critical of her. He was not jealous.

If you find yourself tempted criticize someone take some time to reconsider the opportunities God has given you. Take a look in the mirror!

I asked several people to tell me what they think is the difference between criticizing and complaining. Sandy Tisdale said something very true: “Feeling sorry for myself is complaining. To criticize is to focus on someone else. (Sometimes, it's something we don't like in them because we see it in ourselves, but won't admit it.)” What we need to do is not to focus on the doors of opportunity God has opened for others. God calls us to focus on the opportunities He puts before us that will honor and glorify HIM.

Have I cleared my criticism with God? The Bible says, that, when Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses, "the Lord heard it." Uh-oh. Of course God hears everything. That’s something we need to seriously consider in all of our conversation. We need to practice the presence of God in our communication - especially in our criticisms. Look at it this way: If you don’t mind God hearing what you say, and how you say it, then it’s okay to speak.

Am I helping or hurting by what I am saying? It’s not enough that something is true. It must be necessary and helpful for us to tell another person. Ephesians 4:29 - "Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

The comments made by Miriam and Aaron had to hurt. They hurt God. They hurt Moses. They hurt the family of God. They even hurt Miriam and Aaron. Love is constant, but our attitudes are always changing. We need to choose an attitude of love over an attitude of criticism. Attitudes have one thing in common: They are a choice. We chose to be critical or we choose to love. Most times criticism is not called for, but love is always the best way to go.

Monday Morning 7/16/2012

Mostly everyone connects greed and selfishness with money. Greed is defined as a strong desire for profit, praise and perfection. Selfishness is defined as being focused on your own interests, benefit and happiness with no concern for anyone else.

Most of us would say we are not greedy or selfish. If one would ask our friends, our family, maybe even our church, what would they say? But suppose we were to ask God. What would God say? Would God say you are greedy or selfish? I am not talking about money, investments, or retirement accounts. I am talking about using those gifts and skills God has given us to use for Him and not for ourselves.

Do you really think God wants us to be “perfect” during our time here on earth? I don’t. Because it is through our human struggle, our human “experience,” our rebellious attitude toward God that He shows His power and Majesty.

For example, suppose I declare, “I have Jesus as my Savior. He is mine and you cannot have Him.” I’m a better person, He loves me, and I am perfect. That is greed. Why? It makes me look good to other people. A selfish attitude goes further and says, “I don’t care whether you find Jesus or not.” Can you see the attitude come through? That is our way of judging people and having them act in a specific way we expect them to act. And if they fail to come up to the expectations that we set up for them instead of what God set up, there will be NO satisfaction. We will want more from people that maybe they cannot give. We want people to see us in a certain way that maybe we don’t want them to see us.

Money motivates people to do good and bad. Paul does not say that money itself is the cause of evil. He says it is the LOVE of money that causes people to backslide. This same thing can be said about how Greed can also happen with attention and affection. Attention and affection in themselves are fine and have their place. Profit and praise even have their place on earth. But when the LOVE of these things takes control of our thoughts and actions, we actually lose control of our thoughts and actions.

Nowhere in His Word does God want us to be “perfect.” He wants us to mature. He wants us to act like His children in His kingdom. He wants us to use common sense and do the right thing no matter how hard it might be. In fact, here’s what He says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) But nowhere is He looking for perfection. So let’s stop expecting others to be “perfect.”

Think about it. If we keep trying to act perfect here on earth, God gets no praise and there is no profit in Jesus dying on the Cross. Perfection and righteousness are reserved for God alone. We don’t BECOME perfect or righteous. We are MADE perfect and righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ poured out at the Cross.  Jesus said on the Cross, “It is finished.” In that one statement He said what was doing is enough for us to carry on. Don’t focus on what you do for each other. Don’t even focus on what he does for us. Focus more on how God uses you to reach and influence other people FOR HIM and HIS GLORY.

Being satisfied that Christ is enough for us has replaced the greed and selfishness of focusing on ourselves.

It’s time for a return to humility. It’s time for us to do the right thing and lead the way. It’s time for us to humbly serve God! It’s what Christ expects of us.

Monday Morning 7/9/2012

Okay, admit it. We all like to complain. I am going to show my true age here. I remember going to the Hudson’s department store with my mom. When she had to return something or something was wrong she would go to the “Complaint Department.” Wow, an entire staff dedicated to complaints! Have you ever noticed how the culture has changed? The “Complaint Department” has been replaced with “Customer Service.”

What in the past, was considered to be dealing with something that is wrong, has now become an opportunity for making something right.

A complaint is an expression that we are not happy with something, it’s telling someone else about something that hurts or is bothering us. It's an opportunity to find fault with something, or to make a claim that something is wrong.

But what if something is right? Why are we so ready to tell others when something is wrong, but keep quiet when things may be right. How does one express when we are happy with something? Why don’t we tell others when things are going well, or when one who has been going the wrong direction in life has returned to the right path?

God has a purpose for our life. If that weren't true, He'd have taken us home to heaven at the moment of salvation. Do you ever wonder why He left us here? Some might complain that God does not have the right plan for them and everything is wrong with God’s action. Others might say, “Thank you Lord for the opportunity to serve.”

All of us who know Christ personally would say that He has radically changed our lives. But we often limit these changes to what Christ is doing IN us without allowing Him to work THROUGH us. To belong to Christ, to be truly adopted into His family is to begin to care about what HE cares about, to move outside ourselves and change the complaint into thanks, to change what’s wrong into an opportunity for service.

Some people say they are saved, they know Jesus as Savior, and they live a godly life. But look closely. Sometimes what we say and what we do are not matching.

God wants us to influence others, not to satisfy our complaints, but to give Him glory and honor. Our purpose is to be the person through whom Christ overflows to others--touching those who hurt and desperately need a Savior.

Once we are saved, Scripture teaches, our involvement is threefold. First, we love others. Jesus clearly stated that this was one of the two greatest commandments. Second, we share the good news of salvation. Some travel across the world to spread the gospel, while others teach neighbors across the street. The Holy Spirit will direct us to the right people if we are willing to obey. Third, we serve in a variety of ways, like helping those in need, sharing our resources, and lifting others in prayer.

 Jesus is our perfect example of all three. His entire life was marked by caring for people--both those who loved Him and those who did not. In fact, the Bible teaches that He humbled Himself and became like us, willing to give up His life for our redemption. There is no greater love; there is no greater act of service.

Scripture clearly defines the believer's purpose. God wants us to understand His plan for us.  He wants us loving others, witnessing, and serving, not so we look good, but because it is proof of HIS place of honor in our life. It proof of HIS character. It is the opportunity for service. It is our chance to tell others about what he’s done, FOR us, IN us, and THROUGH us.

In fact, we're still on earth not merely to hear more teaching but to act on it and share with others what we learn. So in which department are you? Are you in the complaint department, or are you in customer service?

Monday Morning 7/2/2012

Believe it or not, we all need a heart transplant: Our sinful, rebellious heart, for the heart of Jesus Christ. It is not something Obama-care will cover. It is only paid for in full by the blood of the Savior. Our sin, our rebellion has been replaced by God’s grace. It’s a gift we do not deserve and it’s a gift God gives not because He must, but because He wants to.

Grace has replaced sin. Outside of love, the word most commonly associated with Christianity may be "grace." But like love, grace is harder to define than it is to recognize when we see it in action.

Grace has often been described as God's Riches At Christ's Expense, and that is true. Within those riches, the Bible identifies favor, kindness, and good will as examples of grace, especially when it is not deserved by whoever receives the gift. In that sense, grace can be described as God's gift of something that isn't deserved, in contrast to mercy which is God NOT giving us something we deserve: His judgment.

God doesn't hand us grace as we would hand an apple to a child--a business deal that is quick and complete. Yes, it is a gift, but it’s not once-and-done. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. It never runs out and it will never be used as a weapon. Rather, grace is something we grow in. Because grace represents the character of God and His infinite love and resources, His grace is never exhausted.

Grace is fully present the day a new Christian first understands it, but that person's appreciation and depth of understanding will be radically different decades later.

Peter said, “¹⁸ Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18) This is a command not a suggestion. Growing in grace and knowledge is the beginning of the heart transplant God desires for all of us.

How do we know we are going through the replacement of our heart?
1. We will have an increasing desire to know Jesus more personally.
2. We will have a desire to obey God that overpowers you need to fulfill personal desires.
3. We will have a growing passion to for Christ, this is what drives us to worship.
4. We will grow in our loving acceptance of God’s plan for our life.

Ask God today to open your eyes to the depth of His gift of grace that you might grow more in it.