During the Wednesday night service, Pastor Randy made this statement and I can’t get it out of my head.
“Watch my life and see how I trust Him.”
As he began his message on faith, he explained that he wasn’t going to be teaching us anything new or telling us something we didn’t already know. But as I listened, I was so encouraged to believe God. It’s not that I’ve been disbelieving Him, but I think there is a level of trusting God that I have never experienced. And this is the life that causes people to take note that there is something different.
When I can learn to REALLY cast my care upon the Lord and to leave it there – they will see how I trust Him.
When I no longer complain about things that are not fair – they will see how I trust Him.
When I can truly experience His peace that passes understanding in the midst of the most difficult trials – they will see how I trust Him.
“My faith in God is not just about me, but it is a testimony to others of His goodness and faithfulness.”
I want to be able to endure in faith and obedience, trusting God completely even when the situations I am trusting Him in haven’t changed.
Israel continued to march about Jericho even though the walls never showed any sign of weakening.
The priests stepped into the overflowing waters of the Jordan although the water had not receded.
Rahab hid the spies, believing that Jericho was given to Israel even before they had crossed the Jordan and while the walls of the city were still strong.
There was no evidence to prompt their obedience. But there was faith. So believing God, they were obedient, and in one moment God changed everything.
As the apostle Paul was aboard a ship on his way to Rome, in the midst of the tempest as the storm beat violently against the ship and all hope was lost that they would reach safety, he speaks these words:
“For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.” Acts 27:23-25
The storm rages, the men were hopeless, and yet he says “I believe God.”
When I look back on my life (not to mention in the word of God) there is ample evidence of His faithfulness and trustworthiness. It is scandalous that I should not trust Him always.
I long for a radical faith that just trusts God like crazy in everything. What would be the outcome if I could really live like this?
Maybe they could watch my life and see how I trust Him.
“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh you rescue the souls of men
Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way
Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way
You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne
1 Kings 12:28 “Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
Jeroboam knew he had no hereditary entitlement to the throne of Israel. And because he was insecure in his position as king over the 10 tribes of Israel, he feared that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship at the temple that they would turn back to following Rehoboam. The solution? Give the people something more convenient to worship and convince them that there is no need to do such a hard thing as travel to Jerusalem. Why go to all that bother when you can worship right here at home?
Listen to his words to the people: “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.” Even though the temple in Jerusalem is where God said “I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” (I Kings 9:3)
Jeroboam gave them a convenient alternative to real worship. And the people bought it and were led into idolatry which continued well beyond Jeroboam’s reign and eventually brought the judgment of God upon the nation.
I fear that we have not learned the lesson intended by this story. Still today there are those who preach a very convenient “Christianity”. There is no cross, there is no dying to self, there is no holiness, there is no Jesus.
Are we doomed to repeat the failures of the past? May God have mercy upon us and restore the real gospel of Jesus Christ to our churches. What a beautiful thing it would be to see altars flooded with those broken and repentant ones who will cry out, “Oh, that I may know Him!”
Please God, don’t let us be content to bow down to something convenient. Rescue us from the idolatry of our day.
“Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.” Philippians 2:28
As I read through Philippians 2:25-30, at first glance there didn’t seem to be much to discover in this passage. But as I reread it a few times, a familiar theme in Philippians began to surface – connectedness.
Epaphroditus has been sent by the Philippians to minister to Paul. Their love for him is so great that they send one of their own to bring aid and comfort to him during his imprisonment. Yet, while he is gone, Epaphroditus becomes sick, almost dying. The Philippians hear this news and they are so sorrowful, so concerned for their brother. And Epaphroditus himself is longing for his brothers and sisters at Philippi because he knows they are worried about him. Paul cannot bear to leave the Philippians sorrowing any longer and sends Epaphroditus back to them.
These people really love each other. Their lives are bound up together, their hearts joined to one another because of the love of Christ.
My heart aches sometimes because I do not consistently see this kind of love and connectedness in the Church today. And I don’t see it in myself either. There are reasons…..our culture is different, our society is more fast paced, etc…..
Reasons, but not excuses.
Jesus commanded us to love one another. And we have not obeyed. We may say that we love each other, but where’s the fruit? We are not involved in one another’s lives. We do not mourn with those who mourn. We do not rejoice to ‘spend and be spent’ for other believers. We disobey Jesus in this and justify it with our excuses.
Every Saturday morning we have prayer at my church. Although it is a large church, relatively few people show up for Saturday morning prayer. It is usually the same people each week. I am accustomed to the familiar faces.
Today there was a new face. As soon as he walked in he stood out. He was a bit disheveled in appearance. He didn’t bring a Bible, but had a newspaper in his hand. Several times during the prayer service, he walked uncomfortably close to the platform where our worship leader was sitting. It was disconcerting. I was not the only one that noticed.
I stayed around for a few minutes after the prayer meeting. Others had gone into a pastoral ministry training session. As I walked out to my car I noticed that the man had gone out to his vehicle and was coming back into the church. I passed by him on my way out.
As I drove home, I wondered what this man’s story was. He seemed so out of place. Why was he at our church that morning? Did he know Jesus? And I will never know because I didn’t bother to find out. My scheduled religious activity had been completed and I had other things to attend to. This man and his needs did not make it to the top of my list of priorities. To be honest, he didn’t make it onto the list at all.
I drove home completely ashamed, aware that sharing only a few minutes of my time with this man may have made an eternal difference. I can only pray someone else this morning reached out to the man. But I fear that they may have been too busy receiving training on how to care for people.
He is my Delight 