No Withholding

Sacrifice.  Webster’s dictionary defines it as an act of something to a deity something precious.  About the middle of Genesis, God asks Abraham to sacrifice someone near and dear to his heart, his son Isaac.  Abraham had waited many years for his boy and God had told Abraham He would make Abraham a great nation through Isaac.

Genesis 22:9-12

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”  12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Now, let’s go back to one of the other vocabulary lessons we had where I gave the Biblical definition of “fear.”  That’s right, it means to revere or hold in reverence.  Now my question is do you hold God in such reverence that you would sacrifice the most precious thing in the world to you?  Would you trust God enough to honor that sacrifice?  Last question, do you realize He holds you in that much reverence?

Now if you recall, there was a moment in history where Someone else sacrificed their only Son because He loved us so much.  He didn’t have to, no one asked Him to do it, but He did.  That’s how much God loves us.  He didn’t withhold the best from us and leave us in our sins.  So now let’s flip that and look at ourselves.  What do you hold back from Him?

In life, there are going to be times where God asks you to give something up.  His reasons for doing so are His own and we may never understand the why’s of it.  Abraham is known as one of the fathers of faith, and this section of Scripture is one of the reasons why.  He was willing to give up anything because God had instructed Him to do so.  As difficult as it may be and as much as we may not necessarily want to, we need to be willing to sacrifice what God is telling us to give up.  He always has and always will honor that sacrifice.

Go Where He Takes You

Ever since I rededicated myself to the Lord, I have wanted to be the type of person when He asks for someone to do something, I step up.  Been doing alright with it thus far, and I say that not out of conceit, but because I always feel I could be doing more for Him.

Isaiah 6:7-8

7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”  8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”  Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

These verses are a pivotal moment for the prophet Isaiah.  It is at this moment he is called to be a prophet.  And he steps up.  Notice how it happens though, first his sin had to be purged, then he was allowed to be a prophet.

But once that was done, he jumped up the minute the Lord called for volunteers.  As believers that is what we need to be doing.  The first step was already completed when we accepted Christ.  Our sin past, present and future has now been purged.  Now it’s time, when He starts asking for volunteers, for us to be like Isaiah and say “Here am I! Send me.”

There is a great song by Matthew West called “Do Something.”  The first verse goes:

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”

When we become believers, we can no longer sit on our rears and complain about things we see in the world.  If the Lord puts it on our hearts to handle something, then we need to step up and do something about it.  We can be upset or outraged to be sure, but unless we are going to put feet to our faith, to coin a phrase, then we cannot complain about it.  Let’s all take the first step in doing something, let’s say to the Lord, “Here am I. Send me.”

A Particular Set of Skills

Hello to all those who follow this blog.  Please forgive me for being neglectful the last two days.  To make amends, I will be doing a triple entry today to account for Friday, Saturday and get us up to date.  I hope you are blessed by at least one of the entries.

Starting from Friday, the reading came from Psalm 62.  This Psalm was written by King David during Absalom’s rebellion, which is covered in 2 Samuel 15-18.  During this time period, David had enemies all around him, but was waiting on the Lord to deliver him.

Psalm 62:9-10

9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor.  10 Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them.

I remember nine years ago, just after I graduated from St. John’s University with my degree in paralegal studies, essentially the pre-law program at SJU.  I became quite full of myself.  I was going to demand from my boss the pay I deserved, doing the duties I knew I had the skills for or I was going to walk.  My pay did not increase, nor my duties and so I found a new job…which I was subsequently released from around Thanksgiving of that same year.

Now let’s move to last year.  Similar situation, except this time I was in a completely different field, I was with the company for three and a half years without a pay increase for two out of the three.  In addition, I had been asked to work overtime on multiple occasions, travel between two offices and my duties were more suited to my skills.

Did I mention the most important thing?  By the time of the second paragraph, I had rededicated my life to the Lord, prayed and then waited on Him before I did anything.  I didn’t trust in my skill set, my resume, nor in anything I could do.  And by waiting on Him and trusting His leading, I am better off for it.

Today’s reading spoke to me about not counting on what I can do, my degree or people.  We all just have to trust in Him, bring our worries, concerns or requests to Him and do what He tells us to do.  Once you do that, don’t be surprised at what He does.

Praise Him for Making us Tools

A good contractor will always make sure his tools are in good condition and well kept so they always work on whatever job he is on.  Do you realize you are a tool in God’s toolbox?  While He is the one doing the fixing, you may be the one He uses.  But when you are done, do you praise Him for that.

When you talk about the things God has done in your life, how do you do it?  In other words are you doing it with a humble, thankful heart or are you bragging?  To go a step further…are you doing it with your whole heart?

Psalm 9:1-2

1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.  2 I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

According to the notes in my study Bible, this entire Psalm was likely written by David after a victory over the Philistines.  The first two lines of this Psalm gives the how and the why of praising our Heavenly Father.  Praising God involves two things; wholeheartedness and sharing what He has done for you.

So let’s examine ourselves based upon that criteria?  When we praise Him, in private or in public, how much your heart is actually in it?  Are the things you are saying about what God has done for you genuine?  Or are you sharing in a manner that brings more attention to you than to Him?  That’s called boasting.  Secondly, and this ties into the first, are you telling of His works and what He did.  Remember, regardless of your part in anything, God is the one who did the work, you were just a tool.  You should consider it an honor that He would use you for whatever purpose, but make no mistake, He’s the one who did the work.

I have borne witness to many Christians who have made a show of worshiping and praising God so they could appear more righteous.  It’s not a judgment, it’s a fact, because we are all guilty of it.  We all get a little full of ourselves sometimes and start to think, “See how good I am that God would use me to do this.”  In our humanness we tend to forget He is the one doing the work, He is the one that deserves the credit.  It’s not take away from what He’s done in us, for us or through us, but He is the one doing the work.  We are nothing but tools in His hands.

Bit, Bridle and Discipline

For the ones that know and love me, they know I am the type of person who says what I want, when I want.  I will speak the ruthless and uncensored truth, and it won’t matter how much it hurts a person’s feelings.  For those who are cheering that idea, it’s really not a good thing.  Why?  Well if we are looking to win people to Christ, then our behavior has to reflect His.  So over the years, I have had to learn to be more careful with my words and behavior.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27

26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

You gotta love Paul the Apostle.  The most awesome letters about Christian behavior coming from a guy who used to murder Christians.  He actually held the coats of the people who went to stone the first martyr, Stephen.   You can read about that in the book of Acts.  Anyway, Paul really understood what it meant to turn yourself around from your old ways and start living for Christ and winning others for Christ.  That’s why he was able to say in his letter he was running the race with certainty and fighting with connecting blows (when you fight the air you are either shadow boxing or missing).  But here is the more important part, he also walked with discipline.

There are things we may want to do and say to people that, while true, will cause more harm than good.  In my case, when someone comes at my family or those I care for with hostility, I want to go in guns blazing ready for a physical altercation.  Or if someone says something to offend me or hurt them, I want to tear them down with their own actions with my words.  This is undisciplined behavior and again, sometimes quite harmful.

In riding horses, a bridle is used to direct the horse.  There are bridles with a bit and bridles without.  The point of all this is that a bridle, bitless or not, maintains discipline for the animal to stay on the path directed by the rider.  Personally, I can be both.  I can go without a bit because I can hold my tongue when it comes to certain situations, but then there are days when I need to have that bit in, because everything I say will be ruthless and hurtful.  I don’t want to push anyone away from the Lord or through my behavior misrepresent Him, so having the bit and bridle on, is not a bad thing.  So here is the question, where it comes to your behavior in Christ, what kind of a horse are you?

Precisely When He Means to

There is a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring which states, “A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to. “  Ever think about that with God?  Here you are, in the deep waters of a desperate situation, needing prayers answered, not sure what you are going to do about it and then boom…He shows up, right on time.  Guess what, He planned it that way for a reason.

John 11:1-6

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

Now for those who skipped Sunday school that day, spoiler alert.  Lazarus did die, Jesus arrived four days after He’d been dead, and Jesus brought him back.  But today’s entry isn’t about that nor is it about, given Memorial Day, Jesus was willing to risk His life to go and resurrect His beloved friend.  It’s about time.

Re-read the Scripture verses from today’s reading.  If you look at the time table, Jesus showed up exactly when He intended to, but not for any other reason than to make sure people saw God, not the situation.  Jesus knew He’d be bringing Lazarus back and timed everything accordingly.  He hasn’t changed anything since that moment.

When you think God is taking too long or moving too fast, there’s a reason for it.  It’s His intent to deliberately slow you down or get you moving.  In both cases, He is the One not only setting the pace, but also giving you the strength to get through it.  He provides the means of dealing with whatever it is you are dealing with and shows up exactly when He is planning to make sure of one thing to quote the apostle Paul, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

What Do You Need?

How much do you need to survive in this world?  Do you need a new car every single time the latest model comes out?  How about a new cell phone every time a new one comes out?  There are people out there who would say they need these things.  I don’t count myself among them.  But the one Person that is constant that I need, is the Lord.  Without Him, I couldn’t write another word, couldn’t make another meal and I couldn’t walk another step.

Psalm 40:16-17

16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” 17 But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

While those in this world who are not believers definitively need the Lord to save them and it’s our job to let them know about Jesus and what He’s done for their sins, the need for the Lord does not stop there.  Once one starts believing, the need continues or increases.

The enemy dislikes believers.  That’s a fact.  I’d go so far as to say he hates believers at the very minimum.  So there are going to be times where he throws everything at us including the kitchen sink in order to get us off the path of needing and seeking God.  Satan will give us everything we want so we stop depending on God and start relying on ourselves.  He’ll slowly drive a wedge between us and our heavenly Father using our own pride against us.  We luck out in the fact that God is always there waiting for us to come back, but it shouldn’t even go that far.  We need to recognize Satan when he comes to tempt us and realize it’s in those moments, we need to rely on God the most.

I’ve said it in a previous entry, Jesus was just like us at one point in time.  Human and subject to all the frailties, vulnerabilities and temptations as we are on a daily basis.  What did He do?  Relied on God.  And that is what we need to do in those moments where we feel out of control.  We need to rely on Him.  God won’t always supply our wants, but He will definitely meet all of our needs.  We just have to bring them to Him in prayer and humility and then watch what He does.

A Clear Message

When you switch stations on the radio, do you ever get static?  It’s possible to feel like that with God too you know.  You pray and pray and you think you get an answer, but as it turns out…oops, you were wrong.  It happens to all of us at one time or another, so don’t stress it.  God’s Word gives us some clear advice on this situation in two different ways.

Isaiah 52:6, 52:12

6 Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day

That I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.’ ”

12 For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Are you getting the signal from these loud and clear?  If you aren’t, then let’s adjust the dial a little.

First, prayer is always the best way to know what God wants you to do.  Everything from relationships, to where you live, to whether or not you should have that third cup of coffee (pretty sure the answer is always “Yes” on that third one).  I digress, I am not telling you anything I haven’t said before.  Here is the second part of things, making sure you are hearing God clearly.

Before making the call on what you are going to do, make sure the decision you are making lines up with Scripture.  If it is a decision that doesn’t need to be made in the immediate, spend time with Him in the Word; as much as you can.  He’ll let you know what to do.  If it is a situation where a quick choice needs to be made, clear your mind and listen.  I cannot tell you how many times it’s happened to me that I’ve needed to make a quick decision and the Holy Spirit has immediately brought a Scripture to mind that has led me to the right choice.

As I’ve said before, I’m no great Biblical scholar.  Nor do I have every single verse of the Bible memorized.  In fact, when I have had to make quick decisions, and made them, I’ve often gone back to my research tools to make sure the Scripture I got was first accurate in content, and secondly applied to the situation and I was getting the signal correct.  If I’m wrong, and here is where verse 12 from today’s reading comes in, He lets me know clearly and He also has a watch over my back,  in the aftermath of the wrong decision.  Before making any choice, we should always make sure the decision lines up with His will and if we get the signal wrong, He’s there to be our rear guard in the aftermath.

Just a Rental

You’ve all read that I have been blessed with a new apartment.  It’s an affordable place with two bedrooms, bi-level in a nice quiet neighborhood.  It also has a backyard which is rare in New York state for an apartment to have.  Only one drawback, it needs a paint job.  Most of the rooms are a really gross yellow.  Thankfully, my landlord is allowing me to paint it and painting I am, with the help of Catherine and my adopted parents.

John 14:2-4

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

When I imagine my mansion in heaven, it’s got one room, with a typewriter, a bed, a weight set and a coffee maker.  It also overlooks the ocean.  My mansion is not going to need a paint job, have cracks or holes in the wall or need curtains because Jesus will have already prepared it for me.

That’s what He is doing for all of us spiritually.  He’s cleaning us out out, sealing the cracks, repairing the holes and doing any other repairs in our souls that we need.  Like my new apartment some of us need a paint job, others need to be completely gutted.  This world and its views have us so twisted we really have no idea which way is up, so it requires a complete overhaul.  We just have to let Him work in us and do the work needed to be done.

I’ve been asked why I am investing so much in a place that isn’t exactly mine or some place permanent.  My answer is this, my body is a lot like my apartment, simply a rental.  These bodies and this world are not our permanent residence, but Jesus cares for them the same way He would if this were our permanent home.  He cleans them, makes repairs and prepares them for the next step in our journey with Him.  So that is what I am going to do with the place He has blessed me with here.  What’s the next step?  Heaven of course.  So whether you need a paint job, a patched hole or are move-in ready, let Him work in you so your spirit can be ready and prepared for that mansion in heaven.

 

A Friend of God

This past Sunday, Catherine, my lady and blessing from God, were packing things in preparation for the move to the new apartment.  Whenever an ambulance went by, she would look out the window and watch.  I made a jest in my sarcastic manner, and she explained when she saw them going by, she was praying for the paramedics to be given wisdom to deal with situation and their safety as well as the people they were going to be taking care of.  This brought conviction to my heart, because I had never even considered the idea of doing that.

Colossians 1:3-5

3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

For the students of the Bible out there, the church in Colosse was not founded by the apostle Paul, but by those led by Epaphras from one of Paul’s missionary journeys and was located in the area of Asia Minor.  This letter from Paul was one of his prison letters written around 60 A.D.

To get back to what I mentioned in the first paragraph, my Catherine is always praying.  It’s part of what I love about her.  There are days when I get stressed out at work or from just normal life stuff, like people and I will send her a text.  The next thing I know, a sudden peace comes over me and I know she just prayed for me.  Why does she do this?  Why does she pray for everyone, even those paramedics that she doesn’t know?  I think the answer is obvious.

Prayer is our lifeline to God.  And He controls everything.  Catherine knows this, often times moreso than I do.  And she uses that lifeline every chance she gets to make sure she is not only lining up with God, but those she loves are protected and safe.

As Christians, we often use prayer as a last resort, the “Go To” if you would.  What if we started out in prayer, ran the course in prayer and then ended in prayer.  Does that sound like a tall order?  Even if you are having a brief conversation with God about what’s going on, you are still talking with Him about it, laying it before Him.  Even if there is nothing going on, just have a conversation with God, like you would any other friend you have.

There are many figures in the Bible who were called friends of God.  There’s a list of them in Hebrews and that was before Christ came along.  Thanks to Christ, you, me and every other believer in the world can say we are a friend of God.  Are you the kind of friend that shows up when you need something?  Or are you the friend that is always talking to Him?