Sunday, September 30, 2012

Resistance in the Wilderness

About a month ago my mentor gave me a book to read during my wilderness journey. When he gave it to me he said that I could probably just read his underlines and get the message of the book. Initially that was my plan. It's a book that I actually have on my to buy list and I like to mark up the books I read. So I was thinking I would get a general overview of it, then read it all when it was my own copy to mark in.

But as it turns out the first several pages didn't have that much underlined. In the first chapter he had one thing circled. I didn't touch the book for a the next few weeks, but yesterday my wife had a four hour shift at work so I decided to go with her and so I grabbed the book to keep me company.

It's called Waking the Dead by John Eldredge (any surprise that it was on my to read list?). I've only read the first chapter, but just based on those pages this book is for me at this stage of life. And as I read I was reminded that we are at war. We live behind enemy lines, and are surrounded by danger and and the target of attack all the time. And so as we have looked at the blessings that are to be found in the wilderness, we cannot neglect the reality that there is also great resistance waiting for us there.

If we look at each of the Biblical men who were blessed in their wilderness experience we have to take note of the fact that almost all of them ended up in the wilderness because someone wanted to kill them. Elijah ran from Jezebel, David fled from Saul, Moses bolted from Pharaoh, Paul escaped the Jews, and I read that John the Baptist was taken there by his mother to save his life from Herod's mass murder of infants. With the exception of Jesus the choice was wilderness or death.

But just because Jesus wasn't there to save His life, it doesn't mean His time in the wilderness was trouble free. In fact of all the accounts His gives the most detail of the resistance that is faced in the wilderness. Matthew 4 records this account of Jesus' temptation, in verses 1-11:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Jesus has just been baptized, and we saw that when He came out of the water the God spoke words of confirmation as the Spirit descended upon Him. After fasting for forty days alone in the wilderness Jesus is hungry, and at this point, when He is physically weak, Satan comes to Him and begins the attack.

The first thing that is targeted is Jesus' identity. The first two temptations begin with Satan saying, "IF you are the Son of God." Before any thing else Satan tries to raise doubt in who Jesus is. But right before this forty day wilderness experience began God not only said that Jesus was His Son, but His beloved Son, and that He is well pleased with Him.

The first thing Satan goes after is Jesus identity. If Jesus doubts who He is there will be the need to prove Himself. If he can make it seem like there is a division between Jesus and God then Jesus will be vulnerable to attack. And so Satan begins the attack by trying to plant the seed of doubt. But because of the affirmation at His baptism Jesus knows who He is. He knows whose He is, and He overcomes this resistance.

Secondly, Satan works to get Jesus to doubt His power. Satan tries to get Him to use His power for His own gain, to meet His own need. But again, Jesus knows who He is. He knows why He came. And He knows that His power is not to make His life easier, but to bring eternal life. And so this resistance is also overcome.

Third, Satan tries to discourage Jesus' trust in God. He challenges it, this time inviting Jesus to prove not only to Himself, but to the Jews, that He is the Son of God. But Jesus again, knowing His identity, knowing that there is a time and a place for God to display His power, refuses to give in. And because He knows God He trusts in Him. He relies on God's plan and timing, and this resistance is overcome.

Finally, Satan tires to bring depression to Jesus. He shows Him all the Kingdoms of the world, the world that Jesus has come to save. Perhaps this is an attempt to show the impossibility of one man's death to make any difference. But more than that it's an attempt to get Jesus to think there might be a way around the cross. Satan says "These are mine, and I am willing to give them to You. You can then save them or do whatever You like with them. All you have to do is bow down to me for a second and they are yours. Worship me for a moment, and avoid the agony of the cross."

But Jesus knows that He has a mission that must be done a certain way. He knows that sin demands death as payment. He knows that He cannot compromise and become like the world if He wants to save it. He must face the cross, with it's pain and humiliation, because that is the only way to really save the world. He refuses, again knowing that God has a plan and knowing that God will be victorious, and this final resistance is overcome.

We see that the devil leaves Him, and then angels come and minister to Him. There is rest and comfort after the battle. But we must be prepared for resistance in the wilderness. In the wilderness God wants to pour out blessings upon us, and after the wilderness comes great victories for the Kingdom, and Satan wants none of that. He does not want us to be blessed by God. He does not want us to help expand the borders of the Kingdom, and so he will do all that is within his power to prevent that. And where better to strike than in the wilderness? The times when we feel alone, abandoned, weak, and worn out.

A while ago on the blog I wrote about four weapons of the enemy, I've mentioned them here: division, doubt, discouragement, and depression. It's when we are in the wilderness that we face each of these. We feel alone, like no one cares. We believe that we are useless and don't matter. We get down and don't believe that things will change. We lose hope. But let me encourage you, these are lies of the enemy. We are at war, and he is trying to take you out because God wants to use you. You are a threat to what he is doing because you are a servant of God. That is why you are a target, that is why you face resistance.

When you look at it that way, the resistance really is a blessing as well. It confirms that we are on the right path, that we are making an impact for God. The fact that we're being targeted and attempts are made to take us out means that we are a threat the enemy has taken notice of. Be encouraged, and know that you are not standing alone.

Today in church we sang a song that said how the blood of Christ stands in our defense. We are God's beloved children. We will go through times in the wilderness, and we will face resistance from the enemy, but we belong to God, and He always wins. So be encouraged and find the blessings of the wilderness.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Remember

Part of the reason, actually most of the reason, I've been doing this series on the blessings of the wilderness, is because currently I find myself there. It hasn't been an easy couple of months. I've dealt with depression, discouragement, and doubt. As I've written about the wilderness my hope has been that if I spent enough time on the positives it would start to sink in.

In some ways it has. I feel more rested, but right now it's at the point of restlessness. I'm ready for what is next, and just wanting for God to open the door. I also feel that my wife and I have regrouped. In this we've felt very alone, but in that we've grown closer together. We've been amazed at how much we've learned.

As far as receiving goes, we've seen God provide. My wife got a raise, moved to full time, and was able to pick up benefits at work. I've been doing some side work for my uncle which covers the gas to drive up there and gives us few dollars, but more than that it gets me out of the house. My call in life has been refocused during this time as well. For a long time I thought I was supposed to be a lead pastor, and after this last experience I wasn't sure I really wanted to go that route anymore. But in this time I saw a job post that is focused specifically on my gifts, skills, and passions. I sent a resume and don't know if that door is going to open, but at the very least it's shown me where God is leading me at some point in the future.

I don't know that the revival part has happened yet. Yes I have had some good thoughts that have been shared here, (some haven't come out as well as they've been in my head), and God has really helped me to be so much for focused on simply building the Kingdom in whatever is next. And I've done some reflecting. Reflected on what I've experienced in this last assignment, reflected on a lot of the things that people have told me to affirm me over the years.

But for me the biggest thing that I've had to focus on is the wilderness as a place to remember. As I said I've been dealing with depression, discouragement, and doubt. I've wondered what the heck is wrong with me? Why do I keep getting stuck in these situations where I'm forced out due to a lack of finances? Why is God making it so hard for me to do what He's called me to do? It's rough at night sometimes, and other times it doesn't get any better when the sun comes up.

The last Sunday of August we were at the church my mentor pastors. His sister-in-law had passed away that week and he shared about being in the valley, something I can easily relate to at the moment. But the thing he said that has really stuck with me is this, "It is in the valley that our witness is the strongest. It is in the hard times that people see Jesus in us the clearest." It hasn't been easy, I haven't done the best job all the time, but I'm trying to trust Him. I want people to see my life and know that God provided, that God brought us through this.

And as I've journeyed in the wilderness these last several weeks, God has been trying to remind me who I am. There is a song I've been listening to a lot by Jason Gray.

When I lose my way,
And I forget my name,
Remind me who I am.
In the mirror all I see,
Is who I don't wanna be,
Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places,
When I can't remember what grace is.

Tell me once again who I am to You,
Who I am to You.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You.
To You.

When my heart is like a stone,
And I'm running far from home,
Remind me who I am.
When I can't receive Your love,
Afraid I'll never be enough,
Remind me who I am.
If I'm Your beloved,
Can You help me believe it.

Tell me once again who I am to You,
Who I am to You, whoa.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You.
That I belong to You.
To You.

I'm the one you love,
I'm the one you love,
That will be enough,
I'm the one you love.

Tell me once again who I am to You.
Who I am to You.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You, oh.

Tell me once again who I am to You.
Who I am to You.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You.
To You.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKyY8zfjBMQ)

No matter where I am, I am God's beloved. No matter what I go through in life, I belong to Him. Sometimes He has to take us to the wilderness for us to remember that. Sometimes He has to take us to the place where He is all we have for us to realized He is all we really need. The wilderness is a place to remember.

I know that I'm not the only one here. And I know that there are many who are dealing with doubt, battling depressions, and facing constant discouragement. Remember, YOU belong to Him. You are His beloved. Remember.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Friday, September 28, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Reflect

In my post yesterday I mentioned a three day solo backpacking trip I'd like to some day be able to take each year. And in all reality this trip would provide almost all of the blessings of the wilderness (it's a bit hard to regroup on your own). I have thought about going with a friend but intentionally spending most of the day apart, in which case all of them would be obtained.

And while rest, regrouping, receiving, refocusing, and revival are important, part of getting to all of them is reflection. Part of life is reflection. And the wilderness provides a great time and place for reflection. There, alone with your thoughts, the results, and God, is time to simply take it all in. There in the wilderness, with no cell phones, no internet, no one else, is time of silence to focus on what has taken place and what is to come. And as we look at the Bible, I think Jesus is the one we look to for this.

At age thirty Jesus left the carpenter's shop, headed to the Jordan River, was baptized by his cousin, John, affirmed by God the Father, and then led by the Spirit into the wilderness. We know very little about it, but the facts we do have can be found in the Synoptic Gospels. We are told that Jesus was led and filled by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness. We are told that He fasted for forty days, and at the end of them became hungry. And we know that during His time in the wilderness He was tempted by the devil.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Satan came to Him after his forty day fast. What happened up to that point? I think there was a lot of reflection. Jesus has just been baptized, and Matthew 3.16-17 tells us, "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'"

This is the first recorded time that God the Father speaks audibly to Jesus. This statement is a confirmation of who Jesus is, His identity. We see that the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, Luke's Gospel says that Jesus is full of the Spirit. He is empowered to do what God has sent Him to do. And with that He is led into the wilderness, I think in part for reflection.

When He leaves the wilderness Jesus will begin His final three years on earth, His most intense three years on earth. During this time He's going to face His greatest trials and adversity, He's going to fight His biggest battle, and win His greatest victory. But in preparation for that there is some time of reflection.

I think, (key word think, this isn't found in the Bible and I'm not saying this is fact), there alone in the wilderness Jesus reflected on the words He heard directly from the Father. His identity as God's beloved Son is what is going to get Him through the hardships that are waiting for Him.

I think, there in the solitude of the Judean desert, Jesus reflected on the power that was in His hands. John tells us that it is through Jesus, The Word, that all things were created. And it is that power that is about to begin recreating. He will open the eyes of the blind, make the lame walk, raise the dead, but most importantly live a perfect life, pay for sin, and pave the road back to God for all to walk upon.

Jesus has a mission, an identity to endure the resistance that will try to prevent it, and the power to overcome the obstacles that will stand in His way. I think there, alone in the wilderness, Jesus reflected on all that was in store. On the role He would play in the turning point of History and the redemption of creation. It would be a hard road, a costly road, but it would all be worth it.

He, the Son of God, would do all that was necessary. It was for this that He came to earth. It was for this that all of creation had been waiting. The moment was fast approaching. There in the wilderness Jesus reflected, and He emerged ready for all that was ahead.

The wilderness is a place for reflection. It is time to discover who we are, what we are called to do, and prepare for all that is in store.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Revive

I've often found that the times when I have the strongest desire to load up my backpack and go are the times when I'm feeling totally drained. It's during those times that I long for nature and the solitude of the woods.

In one of my favorite books, The Way of the Wild Heart, author John Eldredge talks about how every year he takes a three day wilderness retreat. I read it for the second time about a year ago, and since then I've been trying to figure out when, where, and how to go about doing something like that. That time to be really alone with God is something that I crave.

It's this time of personal revival that I really haven't been able to fully get. The short hikes at the Ledges help, but it isn't the same as a three days alone in the wilderness. And the reason that personal revival is so important is because it impacts our entire life. It empowers us to do what we are called to do, in emboldens us to say what must be said. And I think during this time of revival in the wilderness we are often given a message that we need to proclaim.

Enter John the Baptist, the man with one of the most important messages anyone has been entrusted to share.

Matthew 3.1-3, "Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Make ready the way of the Lord,make His paths straight!"’"

Mark 1.4-5, "John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins."

John is the messenger sent ahead of Jesus to prepare the people for the coming Messiah. John lived in the wilderness. The Bible tells us that he ate locusts and wild honey, and that his clothing was made of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist. And it was in the wilderness that God prepare him for his mission.

In the wilderness John, filled and led by the Spirit of God, brings about revival. People are repenting and being baptized. They are being cleansed in preparation of the coming Messiah.

Because of the work of God in John's life he recognizes Jesus as the Lamb of God, and declares it publicly. Because of the work of God, John knows his place as the messenger and not as the Messiah. And it is only in the humility of a life that has experienced revival that a man can say, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

In the wilderness, with no distractions, and no one to depend on except for God, the Spirit can do great things. He can bring revival, and revival is contagious. When God is at work people are drawn to it, and we see that people flocked to John. It is in the wilderness that the greatest revival can take place, because it is then that we are most desperate for God.

John's life was a life marked by revival, and it was something that spread to the people. God was at work and was transforming people's lives as they prepared to receive their long awaited Messiah. And John's life is a model for us to follow.

Our lives are about the glory of God and exaltation of Christ. God brings about revival in our lives so that we are cleansed and empowered to do those things. And often it is when we are in the wilderness that He is able to bring about the greatest revival. When we are most desperate for God, God shows up. And when revival sets in it spreads.

Revival changes us and those around us. Revival comes from God and is used by God. Are you desperately seeking revival? The wilderness is a place for God to revive us.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Refocus

Sometimes life forces us into the wilderness. This is what we've seen in the first three cases. Elijah was sent there by God to survive the drought, and then forced there to save his life from Jezebel. David had to flee to the wilderness in order to save his life from King Saul. Moses was forced to flee to the wilderness after killing an Egyptian. These men had no choice it was the wilderness or death. But as we've seen the wilderness really wasn't a bad trade off.

We have times in our lives where we are forced into the wilderness as well. Sometimes things don't go as planned. Sometimes finances fall through. Sometimes people let us down. For one reason or another we find ourselves unexpectedly in the wilderness because of circumstances out of our control.

But at other times in life we make a choice to enter the wilderness. Sometimes we intentionally go there, as is the case with the next three men we'll look at, and we'll see the blessings they received from the time they spent in the wilderness.

In my life, when things don't go as I thought I often retreat to the wilderness. Recently my spot of choice has been the Overlook at the Ledges in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I've gone there with my wife, my dog, and alone. I've gone there to listen and simply to think. It's a peaceful spot, I'm able to sit and lean against a rock formation as I look out into the forest.

I've longed to pack my backpack and head off somewhere for a few days, but my wife doesn't have the time and at the moment we don't have the money for me to be able to go. So for now the Overlook will have to do.

Due to recent events in life I've been asking a lot of questions. With so much up in the air, not just with me but with the Church, there has been a lot of searching. And in this I've seen that the wilderness is a place to refocus. The wilderness provides time to rest, time to regroup, and an opportunity to receive, and I think all of that comes together to help us refocus. And when I look at the Bible I see a man who went to the wilderness to refocus.

In Galatians 1 the Apostle Paul shares about some time that he spent in the wilderness which refocused his life and ministry. Paul, by his own admission, was a Hebrew of Hebrews (Philippians 3). He was a Pharisee who persecuted the Church because he believed they were opposed to God. But while on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians he has an encounter with Jesus, his life is transformed and one of the Churches biggest opponents becomes one of its most passionate servants.

At first his ministry is to the Jews, but that isn't God's plan for Paul. Shortly after his encounter with Christ, God reveals to Ananias that Paul is His chosen man to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. During his encounter with Jesus Paul is struck with blindness. Ananias is sent to him to lay hands on him to restore his sight.

When his sight is restored he begins to preach to the Jews in Damascus. There is a plot to murder Paul that is discovered and the disciples lower him in a basket in an opening in the wall. He goes to Jerusalem where again there is a plot to kill him, and he is sent to Tarsus. At this point he is absent for a few years. But later in one of his letters Paul shares about his absence.

"For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus." (Galatians 1.11-17)

At the end of this time Barnabas searches for Paul and finds him in Tarsus. After at least a year they set out on their first missionary journey to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Paul spent time in the wilderness of Arabia and in that time His ministry was refocused. His ministry initially was to the Jews, his own people, but it was God's plan to save the whole world, and to use Paul as an initial instrument in that cause. Paul's wilderness time with God, and the refocusing of his ministry resulted in the furtherance of the Gospel, two-thirds of the New Testament, and countless believers in Christ.

The wilderness is a time for God to refocus our lives onto His plan. It might be when we come to the end our our rope and end up in the wilderness by force that God helps us to see His plan and will for our lives. But we don't have to be forced into the wilderness, we can choose to go there and allow God to refocus us, as my mentor has said, "God open our eyes to what you are already doing."

In the wilderness God can refocus us onto His plan. And being refocused onto God's plan results in being greatly used by God for the expansion of the Kingdom.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Monday, September 24, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Receive

I initially didn't plan for every blog post in this wilderness study to have a backpacking tie in. But since the idea has shown up in the previous two posts and I that it'll be in a few later posts I'm going to work it into all of them. The idea of backpacking is to load everything into a large backpack (unless you're into the ultra light thing) in order to hike and camp in the wilderness. So in many ways it really does fit.

I've only been on one backpacking trip so far in my life. Back in July 2010 one of my brothers and I went up to Sleeping Bear Dunes in the north west corner of Michigan's lower peninsula. We had planned to have three full days up there and to hike the 36 mile lake shore between two bays. We got up there a little later than we planned and then had to change our hiking plan because the only way from the end point back to the car was to walk, which we didn't have time for.

We actually ended up being there only a day and a half. We packed heavy since it was a short trip, but by the end of the second day we were both beat and ready to go home. The trip didn't go at all like we planned. The we had an idea about how we would spend three days, and nothing went according to plan.

And as I think about that trip my mind goes to the third Biblical man who was blessed during the time he spent in the wilderness, Moses. I don't think Moses ever planned to spend any time in the wilderness. In every movie I've seen Moses is portrayed as a pampered prince of Egypt. Scripture doesn't give us any details about Moses' time in the palace, but I imagine that he never expected what happened in his life.

After killing an Egyptian he is forced to flee to the wilderness where he spends the next forty years of his life. He is taken in by the people of Midian, marries a girl, settles down and has a family. My guess is that he planned to spend the rest of his life there. And then one day something catches his eye.

Up on the mountain there is a bush that is on fire, but not burning up. He turns aside to investigate this wonder, and then the voice of God begins to speak to him. He is told that he is God's chosen man to lead Israel out of slavery and into the Promised Land. He tries to talk God out of it, and God continues to equip Moses for the task, giving him signs to perform and sending his brother Aaron with him.

Moses then returns to Egypt, confronts Pharaoh, warns about the ten plagues, and finally leads the people out of Egypt, back into the desert he has spent four decades in. During this second forty years in the wilderness God works through him to part the Red Sea, provide water for the people, and deliver the Law to them. Moses speaks with God face to face, and is even allowed to see God's back. In the story of Moses we see that the wilderness is a place to receive.

Moses received a wife and sons in the wilderness. Moses received his call from God while in the wilderness. Moses received power to fulfill the mission God gave him while in the wilderness. Moses received blessing after blessing from God as he lead the people through the wilderness. The wilderness is a place to receive.

I think it is during time in the wilderness that the call on each of our lives is clarified. During the wilderness we have the opportunity to learn skills that will help us lead others in the wilderness later in life. During the wilderness we can receive a deeper intimacy with God than ever before.

What is God trying to give you? What do you need to receive during your time in the wilderness? Take advantage of the time that you have there, and use it to prepare for what is to come. When he left the wilderness Moses faced one of, if not the at the time, most powerful men in the world. He lead millions of people through the wilderness for four decades, and helped them learn how to trust and worship God.

God is trying to equip and focus you during your wilderness time. See it as the blessing, and receive all that He is trying to give you.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Regroup

One of the things I love most about backpacking is being with a friend. It's time just together, no distractions, no interruptions. It's a time to get closer together, to build memories and see some incredible places, that many people won't put the effort into getting to. It's a time of strengthening bonds, and preparing for the trials that are coming in life.

The wilderness is a time to regroup. When I think about regrouping my mind goes to battle and war. To soldiers reorganizing for another attack. And if we look at Biblical men of war, David is one of the first that I think of. And David spent time in the wilderness.

After being anointed King over Israel David has many victories in life. But all of his success and the favor he has with the people causes the first king, Saul, to become jealous of David, and eventually Saul tries to kill David. After being warned by Saul's son, Jonathan, David flees. The last several chapters of 1 Samuel we find David living in the wilderness.

We read in the Psalms that David had some of his lowest moments during this time. He was on the run from Saul who was trying to kill him. He was unable to assume the throne that God had promised him and instead lived in caves and among foreign enemies of Israel. He is refused help after freely giving aid, and even after sparing Saul's life, the mas still came after him again. The wilderness was full of hardships for David. But the wilderness also brought a blessing.

In the wilderness David was able to regroup. He gathered his forces, "Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him." (1 Samuel 22.2)

Together they fought battles. They delivered cities and saved innocent people. And during the time in the wilderness their loyalty to him deepened. They risked their lives as they followed David, but we see that David led them as God directed. Before attacking the Philistines he seeks God.

The wilderness is a time to regroup. People who are in similar situations come together to work together and survive. The wilderness is a place for us to draw closer to each other. It is a place for us to unite as we prepare to take on the enemy. It is a place for us to encourage one another.

Once David left the wilderness to assume the throne there were still battles to fight, and David's men were with Him. They helped him become king over all of Israel, and stood by him as he ruled.

As we saw with Elijah, battles follow our time in the wilderness, but because of our time in the wilderness, God brings victory. It is in the wilderness that Elijah rested, and in the wilderness David regrouped.

If you are in the wilderness, don't isolate yourself. Instead take this time and draw closer to the people who are with you. It is through the hardships of the wilderness that your friendship will be solidified in a way that only going through trials together can do. Take this time and regroup, the people who are by your side now will stand with you through all of the trials to come. Those who walk in the wilderness with you are the ones who will be with you through everything life brings.

It is in the wilderness that relationships are proven. In the wilderness fair-weather friends are separated from those who stick closer than a brother. Regroup, and get ready for what is coming.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Friday, September 21, 2012

Blessing of the Wilderness, Rest

I apologize that it is now Friday and this is the first post I've gotten around to writing. It has been a very rough week for my wife and I. Monday to Wednesday we were sick, my wife thinks it was bronchitis. For two days I didn't really move other than bed to couch. Wednesday we were taking it easy, oh I should mention that my wife is so much tougher than I am, she went into work Tuesday.

Yesterday we were both feeling better, but today I woke up with a tickle in my throat, and I'll probably be coughing most of the day. There is a lot going on in my life right now, so much uncertainty, and this has been one of the roughest weeks of my life, actually one of the roughest months.

But as I'm in the wilderness right now I'm trying to see it for the blessing that it is. Too often we see the wilderness only as a place of the cursed and rejected, a place of uncertain wandering. But I want to look at the lives of seven men, and see the blessings that have come from there time in the wilderness.

In my last post I gave a list of six things, but said some might be added or removed, so far I've added one. And while all seven of the men we'll look at could be listed under each one of these posts I'm going to focus on one at a time. To begin let's look at the wilderness as a place of rest.

One of the things I love to do is backpack. One of my best friends got me hooked in college. I tell him all the time that he's cost me a couple thousand dollars in equipment. But honestly, I'm grateful. I've only been able to take one backpacking trip so far, partly due to time and partly due to not having all of the equipment, but I just won a really nice tent from LL Bean so the most expensive piece of equipment I now have, and hopefully next spring my wife and I will get out into the wilderness.

I love backpacking because you get out in the middle of no where. Every ounce matters so you don't have a computer of cell phone, they wouldn't work even if you did carry them. It's time away from the rest of the world. Time to shut out all of the noise and chaos of life, and simply take in the beauty of creation. It's a time to rest.

In the wilderness we have time away from all of the distractions in life. We have time alone with God. Let's look at Elijah. The Bible tells us of two separate times in Elijah's life that he spent in the wilderness. The first is in 1 Kings 17. God sends Elijah to the king, Ahab, and tells him to warn the king about the drought. After this God says to him, "'Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.' So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook."

Eventually the brook dries up from the lack of rain, but for however long he is there, Elijah is able to rest and be alone with God. And this time of rest is crucial because following this time in the wilderness Elijah is going to face one of his biggest battles.

In 1 Kings 18 Elijah goes to Mount Carmel and confronts 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. Two altars are constructed, two sacrifices are prepared, and God must answer with fire. Elijah is out numbered 850 to 1, but he is prepared for this fight and God answers his prayer. Afterwards Elijah has the false prophets killed, which brings about His second wilderness experience.

Jezebel, the queen, is enraged and vows to kill Elijah. He heads south, falls asleep under a juniper tree, twice an angel wakes him up provides food and water, and then Elijah heads to Mount Horeb. And it is here that God speaks to Elijah in the still small voice. It is here that God tells him to anoint two kings and Elijah's successor.

The wilderness is a place to rest, and it's important that we do, because as the life of Elijah demonstrates, when we leave the wilderness the world is waiting. Battles are waiting. It is when we emerge from the wilderness that God has work for us to do that will affect more people than we realize.

In the wilderness we escape the demands of the world. In the wilderness we are able to rest. But we aren't meant to stay in the wilderness. The wilderness is temporary, it's momentary, it's time to catch our breath before diving back in.

If you are in the wilderness, take the time and rest. God will provide just like He did for Elijah. Recover your strength and get ready for the battle, and the victory, that is waiting back outside of the wilderness.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Blessings of the Wilderness

As I've thought more about the wilderness a few more thoughts have entered my mind. Over the next few days I'm going to look at different examples from Scripture about the experiences God's people have had in the wilderness. At the moment here is the list I'm going to be working with, some may be added and some may be removed because they are similar.

The wilderness is a place to Rest.

The wilderness is a place to Regroup.

The wilderness is a place to Receive.

The wilderness is a place to Refocus.

The wilderness is a place to Revive.

The wilderness is a place to Reflect.

As I've shared the wilderness is a place of blessing. It's an opportunity to connect with God. But it is also a place where we will meet great Resistance. And that will be looked at as well.

The wilderness is a blessing, but at the same time it is a dangerous place, it begins with the word "wild" after all. While there we must stay alert because it is when we are about to have our most intimate moments the enemy strikes the hardest. But if we are on guard and connected to God, we will stand firm in the battle and emerge with a deeper intimacy with God than when we began to wander. So let's look at the "R"s of the wilderness, and come out looking more like Christ.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Wilderness

Today I had a meeting about a possible coaching opportunity with my high school's club wrestling team. I had some extra time before hand so I went to the Overlook at the Ledges in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There are some incredible rock formations there, so I took some time to just sit and look out into the forest, and tried to just listen to God.

Recently I've been really distracted. It seems like the more time I have the more I put things off. I find some unproductive way to waste time and I end up missing great God time opportunities. But as I've come to see that I'm working to be more intentional about not wasting time.

Right now I'm at an uncertain stage of life. I don't know where the road ahead is leading, and I don't know where the next stop is. It's one of those wilderness times in life. This is the third time, that I'm aware of, that I've experienced the wilderness. However, this time I feel like I'm doing a lot better.

I mentioned earlier this year that for the past few years God has given me a word to focus on for the year. 2010 the word was Christlikeness, 2011 the word was relationships, and this year the word is God. More and more I'm coming to understand that this life is not about me, that nothing is about me. God love me, God will always provide for me, and God cares about my needs and desires, but God does not exist to grant my wishes. Life is about me serving and glorifying God. And it is with that in mind that I journey in the wilderness.

It doesn't necessarily make it easier, but I will save I have more up days than down. Today as I sat on a rock I began to think about the wilderness. I think often times we see it as a bad place, a place where the cursed wander and are cut off from God's blessing. But I don't think that's the case.

Over and over in the Bible men retreat to the wilderness. Moses, David, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul, are the ones who come to mind. For one reason or another each of these men entered the wilderness. Some voluntarily, others were forced there, but in each wilderness experience God is at work.

In the wilderness there are no distractions. There is nothing to keep the seeker from finding God. There is nothing to prevent them from hearing His voice. There is nothing in the wilderness to distract them from God, and it is in the wilderness that these men grew closer to God and came to know God more intimately.

Time in the wilderness allows us to draw closer and connect with God in ways that are impossible in the Promised Land. In the wilderness we must be connected with God in order to survive. In the wilderness we come to see who God really is, and we have opportunity after opportunity to watch Him come through and provide. The wilderness is a time of faith building. It is a time of connecting with God in ways we never knew were possible.

The wilderness is a blessing because it allows us to connect with God. But it is also a blessing because it helps us to appreciate the blessings of God all the more. After wandering in the wilderness for four decades Israel was finally able to enter the Promised Land. After time in the wilderness David was able to take the throne as King of Israel. After time in the wilderness Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul, were able to undertake the ministry that God called them to.

It is in the wilderness that we learn to appreciate to blessings of God in a new way. After time in the wilderness the fresh springs of water and fields full of vegetation are more pleasing to the eye then ever before.

As I journey in the wilderness these are the things I'm trying to keep in mind. I don't want to come out of this journey without being closer to God. I don't want to end this time without looking more like Christ. Through this time I want to come to know God more deeply than I ever have. This time has already given me a greater appreciation for the blessings that will follow. And even with that in mind I've really started to focus on the life that is to come, the life that will never end.

For those who are in their own wilderness I want to offer one piece of equipment that is helping me. To the right under the "Reading Suggestions" heading, the title 66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb is listed. It's a book that examines each book of the Bible and discusses it in a one-on-one conversation with God format. I'm using it as a companion to my study through the Bible searching for the heart of God, and it has helped to guide my thinking as I search for Him.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

God's Problem

Four months from right now my wife and I will be in Tel Aviv, Israel. I have the opportunity to return to the Holy Land to work on another class towards my master's degree, and thanks to the generosity of the people who attended our wedding, my wife will be joining me for a twelve day tour of Israel and Jordan.

The last time I was there I was a senior in college. That summer I had the itinerary for the trip, and my plan was to read up on all of the locations we would be seeing so I knew as much about it as I could. That summer ended up being perhaps the busiest summer of my life. I had two internships, a job, was preparing to be a small group leader, and was spending a lot of time working out with my cousins. Once the school year started those plans were lost in the shuffle of being a senior.

But as I prepare to return, I've got a wife to keep me on task. As preparation for the trip we've been getting up around 6:15 every morning and studying one location a day through Bible dictionaries and the Bible. My professor should be very impressed with the notebook I hand in at the end of the class.

Today we were going to be looking at the city of Sepphoris, a place that is not mentioned in the Bible. It's a city in Galilee near Nazareth, and the traditional home of Mary's parents. It's extremely likely that Joseph and Jesus would have done work in this community. But since there is no Biblical reference to it the information in the Bible dictionaries I have is extremely limited. We got up a little later this morning and since we didn't want to rush the study, we just talked a little and prayed together.

I shared with her how I'm feeling. The future is full of uncertainty for us right now, and over the last few days it's taken a small toll on me. But this morning she said something that made me think, "You have what it takes."

John Eldredge, my favorite author (if you've followed this at all you probably guessed that by now), has a small booklet with that title which is composed of sections of his book Wild at Heart. In Wild at Heart there is a quote that I've used in a sermon that is very applicable to my life right now.

'Then the Lord intervened' is perhaps the single most common phrase about him in Scripture, in one form or another. Look at the stories he writes. There’s the one where the children of Israel are pinned against the Red Sea, no way out, Pharaoh and his army barreling down on them in murderous fury. Then God shows up. There’s Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who get rescued only after they’re thrown into the fiery furnace. Then God shows up. He lets the mob kill Jesus, bury him…then he shows up. Do you know why God loves writing such incredible stories? Because he loves to come through. He loves to show he has what it takes. It’s not the nature of God to limit his risks and cover his bases. Far from it. Most of the time, he actually lets the odds stack up against him. Against Goliath, a seasoned soldier and a trained killer, he sends…a freckly-faced little shepherd kid with a slingshot. Most commanders going into battle want as many infantry as they can get. God cuts Gideon’s army from thirty-two thousand to three-hundred. Then he equips the ragtag little band that’s left with torches and watering pots. It’s not just a battle or two that God takes his chances with, either. Have you thought about his handling of the gospel? God needs to get a message out to the human race, without which they will perish…forever. What’s the plan? First, he starts with the most unlikely group ever: a couple of prostitutes, a few fishermen with no better than a second-grade education, a tax collector. Then, he passes the ball to us. Unbelievable.

Honestly, some things in life right now feel like a charging Egyptian army. In other ways I feel like I'm in the middle of the furnace. And while I wouldn't say I've been crucified, I will say I've taken a beating. But as my wife reminded me this morning, if it wasn't for those times in life, we wouldn't need trust in God.

Over and over in the Bible, God shares stories just like ours. And over and over He comes through for His people. It usually comes down to the wire, and it's pretty much always when He is the only option. But every time He comes through. He never fails to do that. As it says in Psalm 37.23-26, "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends,and his descendants are a blessing."

God will never forsake the righteous. He has entrusted us with a mission, share the Gospel, the good news, of Jesus Christ. We have been given a message of hope, life, and love to share with the world. My mentor said recently that during adversity Christ can be seen most clearly in us. It is how we act and respond through the hard times that truly show us to be His.

I have what it takes, because I have God. He has called me to be a minister of the Gospel. He will not fail to come through for me. He knows the time line we're on, and He knows the gifts, passions, and calling He has placed on our lives and marriage. So in all reality my problems aren't really my problems, they are God's. It is not my place to worry about the future, it's my place to trust God and watch Him come through. It's my place to focus on being Christ to the people I meet today, and continue to strive after Christlikness during this time of my life.

God will come through, He has for countless people over thousands of years.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Monday, September 10, 2012

Another Lesson from the Garden

I know that the following doesn't come close to the comparison I'm going to make, and the statements I'm about to share will probably make me sound like a freak, but this hit me today.

This is the first year I've ever had my own garden. By garden I mean watermelon patch because that's all I planted. I knew it would take over the area which was perfect because I wanted to grow something, but didn't want to put a whole lot of time into it at the moment. And so I settled on watermelon.

I plated several seeds, and ended up with five healthy plants. I've lost count of how many melons I've seen started, but for one reason or another many didn't make it. But I've picked three so far, am waiting for my father-in-law to pick up a fourth, and have three that are still growing. I'm really satisfied with the work, and I'm looking forward to planting a larger variety of plants in the future when I get some more space.

But here is what I noticed yesterday. Three of the melons I've taken care of, and watched grow are gone. We shared one with my brother and sister-in-law and my niece. We gave one to my parents, and one to my mentor. You can see where they grew, the places on the ground that they once occupied are empty. And it's a strange feeling.

I'm not shedding tears over fruit, and I'm not losing sleep over it either, but it's a strange feeling seeing something you've invested so much time and effort turn into an empty space. For months I'd go out in the morning to water the vines and I'd see the melons, now they are gone. I imagine that this is a very small and weak comparison, (again, probably nothing like it at all), to the experience parent's go through when a child moves out of the house for the first time. You see the empty space that they occupied.

As I type all of this, I'm thinking "Wow, I sound pathetic."

But as I think about the melons I'm reminded that they were grown for a purpose, to be harvested and eaten. If they stayed in the garden forever then they work profited me nothing. The weeding, watering, and cultivating was all pointless if I never enjoy the fruit.

One melon we picked when family was over. We got to watch my niece, who is almost a year old, devour slice after slice of melon, including trying to eat the rind. Two other melons have been given away, and a third soon will be, to family and close friends. They are gifts of thanks for the investments they have poured into our lives. It's a joy to be able to share with them.

And from the melon we had here at the house I was able to collect dozens of seeds for next year. The work that went into this season, will continue to bear fruit for years to come. It will continue to be a blessing to others.

Our Children are like that. I'm not a parent yet, but I know that they day they leave for college will be a hard day. Walking past their empty room, seeing the empty seat at the dinner table, won't be easy. And it will be a lot harder than seeing empty spaces in the garden. But at the same time I'm reminded that they aren't really going to be my children.

They are God's children, His princesses and warriors, that He has loving place in the care of my wife and I for a season. We are blessed with them to raise and train them to serve Him. But we can't keep them in the safety of the garden forever. One day they must be cut from the vine and given away. They must be sent out into the world to make a difference in it. They must be given back to God, fully handed over to His service so that they can fulfill their purpose on earth, and be a blessing to others.

To the parents who aren't yet at the harvest stage, enjoy your children. Soak up every moment you have with them. Realize that your children are a precious gift of God. Invest into them, because if you do they will be a blessing that will carry on for generations.

For those who have experienced what I talked about, thank you for being a parent. Thank you for the time and money you've invested and sacrificed for your child. My encouragement to you is to find new children to invest in. Maybe their is a teen at church that comes from a broken home, or has no home. Maybe you know of families in the community that are struggling. These are new seeds that you can invest it and watch grow. Don't be afraid to start another garden.

John Eldredge talks in The Way of the Wild Heart how the empty nest stage is not the time to run off to Florida, but the time to invest in future leaders, to share the wisdom and experience you've gained with other younger individuals. Take what you've learned as a parent, and pour it into the young couple that's just had their first baby. Be there to offer support and encouragement. Be their to give advice when it is asked for. Be their when they go through the harvest stage.

Above all, remember your children aren't really yours. They are God's, and He has lovingly entrusted them to you. Remember the song, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." And in Matthew 18 Jesus warns about causing little ones to stumble.

If God has blessed you to be a parent take the responsibility seriously. You must weed out the bad influences that threaten to block the light of truth from them. You must water then with love, and provide nourishing fertilizer so that they can grow strong and healthy. And you must protect them from the birds and squirrels that will try to eat them alive. Watch and care for them as they grow, fill them with the truth of God, and then when they are ready, pick them and send them out to fulfill His will.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Don't Drop Your Guard

About a year ago I heard a quote, "An unguarded strength is a double weakness." It's something that makes a lot of sense, and I think it's something many are guilty of. Our strong areas are the things we probably don't focus on as much. We're confident in those areas of our lives, and so we tend not to worry about them. But I think the tendency is to become over confident.

It's at the point of over confidence that we drop our guard and become vulnerable. Too often we think we're too strong, that we don't have to worry about one aspect or another, and too often that's where we fail. Not where we are weak, but where we feel the strongest and most secure.

The first time I heard that quote it was accompanied with an example. A pastor who was famous for his work on marriage and family studies was asked, "If you were to fail in ministry, where do you think it would be?" His answer, "I don't know, but it would not be in the area of marriage." Some time after that he became involved in an affair. His strength was left unguarded, and he was attacked.

It's crucial that we don't drop our guard. 1 Peter 5.8 reminds us, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

We have a real enemy that seeks to destroy us. Those in ministry voluntarily put a huge target on their backs. Those who are followers of Christ, who have been transformed by Christ and are living like Christ, likewise have a target on their back. It is crucial that we don't drop our guard.

Let's think back to the Olympics in Beijing. Michael Phelps set an incredible record of eight gold medals in a single Olympic games. One of his races was won by .01 seconds. That race was the 100m butterfly, and it was for his seventh gold medal of the games. The butterfly has been a stroke that he's pretty much dominated in for a decade. It's the leg he swam of the men's 4x100m medley relay. But that race was one he couldn't drop his guard in. If he had, he would have had seven gold medals and a silver, an impressive feat, but not as impressive as the eight gold medals he won.

Earlier this week I read an article about another athlete, Oscar Pistorius, a South African sprinter who is a double leg amputee. He competed in London, and also competes in the Paralympics. In one of the events at the Paralympics he finished second by .07 seconds. One journalist commented that he appeared to be surprised to be challenged so late in the race, and was unable to match the kick of his opponent. The announcer said that no one ever gets near him in the last stages of the race.

I don't know if he dropped his guard, but I do know that life is like that. Things sneak up on us and we lose races that we never have before. We cannot afford to drop any guards, even on the areas where we are strongest.

The reason for this post is that this week I have been reminded of the fact that an unguarded strength is a double weakness. I am not going into details, but a friend has talked to me about a situation they can't be believe they ended up in. As we talked I shared this quote as a lesson to take from it. "An unguarded strength is a double weakness."

To all in ministry, take this to heart, even your strongest areas must still be guarded. The enemy would love nothing more than to take a pastor out, don't give him that chance. Don't lower your guard for even a minute. Don't compromise years of Kingdom work, past, present, and future, for anything. Don't sacrifice your family or integrity for momentary gain or pleasure.

Keep your guard up at all times in all areas. We have a real enemy who is just waiting for it to drop so he can strike, don't give him the chance.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Place of Adversity in the Will of God

Clearly my mind has been on this subject for a while now. As I've shared about the River idea of God's will, and discerning His will for our lives based on, ability, desire, and opportunity, my mind has been thinking about a few verses in Romans 8 a lot.

Romans 8.28-30, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."

Everything in life that happens, God causes it to work for those following Him to become more like Christ. Everything that takes place is to mold us and shape us into Christlikeness. God's call on our lives is for us to become like Christ, and everything works out for our good because everything works to that end.

My mentor spoke Sunday about adversity. He used three examples, a carrot, an egg, and coffee beans. The adversity was represented by boiling water.

A carrot is strong and crisp, but when it gets put into boiling water it becomes soft and mussy. It crumbles easily in your hands.

An egg has a hard exterior that protects the life giving substance inside of it. But when it is put in boiling water the inside becomes hard and it no longer needs it's outer shell, because the life is gone.

Both of these examples show the negative responses to adversity. Some crumble, others become callused and bitter. Adversity causes them to fall apart or grow resentful.

But the third example shows what happens if we go through adversity with God, if we keep in mind that all things work to make us more like Christ. Coffee beans, once they are ground and put in boiling water, according to my mentor and countless others, become a divine gift. Boiling water turns coffee beans into a brew that many depend upon to get them through the day. And when we face adversity with God, that's what happens to us.

If we allow God to take us through the adversity and the hardship we face, to grind us, we become like Christ. We become something that is useful and pleasing, something that is delightful and in some ways essential.

All things, including suffering, serve to make those who follow God more like Christ. It isn't always easy, the Bible tells us that there will be hardships, their will be suffering, there will be death, but all of that leads to life (Philippians). God's will and God's plan for your life is ultimately for you to look like Christ, and everything is working towards that goal. And when that goal is achieved it brings the glory of the presence of God.

It is only through becoming like Christ that we can ever reach glorification. Let's go back to the river analogy. All rivers lead to the ocean, but it is only by swimming the river, by going through the rapids, that we are prepared to enter the currents of the ocean. Only the rough waters we face strengthen our arms and legs to be able to swim in the ocean.

God causes all things to work together to mold into the image of His Son. And those who become like His Son will be glorified. That is His will, that is His plan. Everything that happens in your life is to help you become more like Christ. As my mentor said, "A brew that Starbucks would be envious of."

Whatever is going on in your life, know that God loves you, and all of this is happening to help you become more like Christ. Know at the end there will be glorification for the faithful, but only through the hardships can we get there.

As the early Church Father, Tertullian, said, "Do we test the faith by persons or persons by the faith? No one is wise, no one is faithful, no one worthy of honor unless he is a Christian, and no one is a Christian unless he perseveres to the end."

Go through adversity with God. Persevere and become like Christ. Then we will be welcomed into glory.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Knowing the Will of God

After yesterday's blog post I thought that this follow up would be helpful to write. Way back when I was a sophomore in college, my public speaking professor shared something that has stuck with me. Every day he would begin class with a devotional thought and prayer, and one day he talked about knowing the will of God for your life.

He gave three words: Ability, Desire, and Opportunity.

As you seek the will of God, he said, you'll know when you find it because those three things will all be present. As I look back at my own life, I see that to be true.

When I was little I wanted to be a professional baseball player. I had the desire, and though I'm a decent ball player when it comes to church softball (I realize that might not be saying much depending on your church softball experiences, but I'm a really smart, heads up ball player who knows what he's doing), I never played in league after seventh grade. I never played in high school, and haven't played baseball competitively since I was thirteen. I had the desire but not the ability and so I never got the opportunity.

When I stopped playing baseball I really got into wrestling. My goal was to be a State Champion. I worked harder than everyone because I had the desire to be the best. Because of my hard work I would have had a legitimate shot at it my senior year, but I never got the opportunity to go for it. It probably would have made me really cocky and God didn't want that, so He prevented me from getting my shot at it.

A few years ago I really got interested in the Navy SEALs. My mentality is that when I do something I want to be the very best at it. So logically if I had gone into the military I would have tried for SEAL, and I would have worked to be the best Navy SEAL there is. But I have glasses, to be a SEAL you've got to have 20/20 vision. I realize that if you go into the military doctors will fix your eyes for free, but at this point in my life, I am no longer in good enough shape to do it. Right out of high school as a wrestler in peak physical condition I might have had a shot. Desire is there, but ability isn't.

There are other things, for a while I was really into hunting, and I set these goals of wanting to hunt every big game animal in North America, wanting to hunt all six subspecies of turkey, I don't remember if I had a safari on the list or not. But over time I've slowly lost the desire for hunting. I'm a good shot, and I enjoy being in nature but I'm getting to the point where I'd rather shoot it with my camera instead of my rifle. I'm in no way opposed to hunting and still go when I can, but I don't have the desire to do everything with it that I used to.

All of those things are examples of how I've seen God bring my life to the place where it is, to where it's fully focused on Him.

I'm a pastor. I've been told I'm a great preacher by professors, friends, and colleges, I think I've still got a ways to go on it, but they have confirmed and affirmed the ability. I love to study and share the message of the Bible. My passion is to help the Church fall more in love with Jesus by seeing what God created life and the Church to be. I'm passionate about discipling people, especially men and boys, and helping them see who God created and called them to be. I love the fact that my job is to bring hope and comfort to people. I don't mean for this to sound insensitive but it might, but one of the best things I've experienced to date, has been sitting at the hospital with a wife whose husband of 60+ years might not make it through the night, and with a family who was preparing to say good bye to a husband, father, and grandfather as he entered into the presence of God. Being there, being God's representative to remind them of the hope and promise of life that is in Christ is one of the greatest things I've ever experienced.

Ability is there, desire is there, and God has blessed me with opportunity to do it for a living. That's how I know that this is God's will for my life. I'm not supposed to be a baseball player, elite commando, world class outdoors man or athlete. My calling is to be a minister of the Gospel.

Looking at the river analogy from yesterday, I think God leaves location open. I think He gives options as to where, but as long as I'm doing the task I've been given then I'm in the river. I might be closer to one bank than the other, but I'm still soaking wet, and that's the point.

Now I have to add this clarification. Once when I shared this someone in the group said, "Yeah but that doesn't work because I have the ability, desire and opportunity for sin." It is true, we have the ability to sin. We never lose that until we die and enter eternity where sin is vanquished. Our world presents us with opportunity after opportunity to do what is opposite of God. But the thing is that a person striving to become like Christ has a stronger desire for God than for sin. Our desire is to please God, to do His will, and through the power of the Holy Spirit that desire can prevail. We are empowered to live above sin and be set free from the desire to sin.

Ability, Desire, Opportunity. What is God's will for your life?

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you

Monday, September 3, 2012

The Will of God

Recently I was asked the question, "Do you think God changes His plans for us?" A friend said they remember a couple of years ago being somewhere and "hearing" God tell them one thing, but what was said is not what is now taking place.

The idea of God's will has been something that my thinking has shifted on. At one point in my life I thought God had one specific plan in mind for everyone's life. One option at each crossroad and if you went the wrong way you messed everything up. Looking back at that line of thinking I think it really limits God in two ways. One, it limits his power of redemption. If there is one option and once we've missed that we've messed up our entire future, what does that say about God's power to redeem and bring everything back to the way it was? If God can't restore one life, how can He restore the entire universe?

Second, if there is only one option for our lives, then I think that severely limits the creativity of God. Think about it, the God who thought up the universe and everything in it, is limited to one path for your life, it seems kind of boring. I think with God a lot of it is about the destination. There are many roads that lead there, it's just a question of which one we take.

I am NOT saying that there are many roads to Heaven, or many paths to God, as I will further clarify in a moment. Remember this post is about God's will for our lives. The destination is Christlikeness, and only by being in the will of God, by following the will of God, do we get there.

When it comes to the will of God it's important that we know God and listen to Him clearly. We have to weigh what we "hear" (in quotes because I don't know anyone who has audibly heard God speak) against Scripture because I think at times we can miss hear what God said, by putting our own spin on it. We have to be careful that we don't hear something from God that He never said. We have to be careful not to twist His words to mean something they were never meant to mean.

In order to discern the will of God we must know God. We must know who He is in order to know what He is instructing us to do. So at times it might seem like God has changed His plan for us simply because we "heard" something He never said.

I think other times He says things to test our response and faithfulness. This happened in my own life earlier this year. God asked for something I wasn't crazy about doing, but I really had the sense, and my wife confirmed she had the same sense, that God was asking us to commit to this. We took a deep breath and said "Ok". And after God saw our faithfulness and trust in Him, He delivered us from the situation.

When it comes to the will of God and His plan for us, I don't think it's a set line and anything off of the line isn't His plan. I think a better way to think about God's plan is as a river. Sometimes the river is wide, other times it's narrow. Sometimes there is only one branch, other times it splits into several. Sometimes the water is calm and tranquil, other times there are rapids. But as long as you're in the river, you're in the will of God.

To play off of Finding Nemo, "All rivers lead to the ocean." The Ocean represents the throne of God/Heaven, and as long as you're in the river you'll get there. As we float down the river, we become more like Christ. As we go through the rapids we are strengthened and transformed into the Image of His Son. And as we become like Christ we are able to see God.

I don't think God's plan is always set in stone, exact, one option. I do think that Romans 8.28 is fully correct that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And that purpose is to conformed to the image of His Son, and when we do that there is justification and glorification. When we jump into the river, we enter into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We begin the journey of Christlikeness that leads to the throne of God.

So ultimately, just make sure you're in the river, don't limit God's will to one option, one branch, one little stream. Instead realize that everything that serves to make you more like Christ is part of the will of God. Make sure you spend time with Him. Learn to know His voice, and enjoy the ride down the river. Take the rapids with the calm waters. And just remember, all rivers lead to the ocean.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you