A Steady Advance

  

“My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.”—Psalm 108:1

It's true that God continually cheers us on to go higher and deeper in knowing Him, but it's also good to know that He never holds the bar too high to jump over. And on "those" days (and weeks) when we feel that being steadfast is all we can muster—when we're too fried or distracted to be "feelin' it"—maybe that is what He's looking for anyway.

Because to be unwavering in the storm, firm, settled in Trust, to quietly lean on the One who is “constant in the trial and the change,” and who remains worthy of praise from the inside out, probably takes us higher and deeper in our Walk than any sunny, cruise-control kind of day ever could.

Being There

"Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."—1 Thessalonians 5:11

The guys and their friend on the stretcher (Luke 5:17-26) were commended by Jesus for their faith. Not just the one guy, nor any old definition of faith, but the one-another kind Francis Chan describes as “holding nothing back; it bets everything on the hope of eternity.” Against all odds and obstructions, it believes, it perseveres, it never gives up.

Perhaps in this scene Jesus was already beginning to reveal the blueprint for His Church — one that would make no sense to most people on the outside looking in, and one He knew would surely be filled with imperfection (because, hey, we just walked in the door), but despite all of that, the gates of hell would never have the final say against it.

It's a blueprint not dependent on programs, meetings, org charts, and committees, helpful as those may be. Instead, the One who liked sending disciples out in twos, who surrounded Himself with multiples, who coined the phrase "and where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them," laid out an unexplainable, mysterious, wonderful, supernaturally powerful plan never to be  found in any club or civic organization.

Because at one time or another, we are all the guy on the mat — at the end of our rope and feeling paralyzed to do anything about it. At other times, we are to be the friend(s) who comes alongside and won't let another give up. And when that happens, and when the Hope of eternity is our pursuit, as this story reveals, who knows what miraculous thing might result, and the witness it might fuel before a desperate world, to the glory of God...

"And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

Lord, thank You for the people in our lives who have been there on those days when we've been on that stretcher. And even today, help us to put down our cell phones for one second and be that kind of Church to someone else.

Assurance in the Midst

“The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.”—Deuteronomy 33:27

On most days, the testing of our faith seems to show up in the form of little pop quizzes concerning an issue-of-the-moment—a conversation choice, a motive, a temptation to do/think/say [whatever]. But then there are those unannounced exams that broadside you, and “Hey, You didn’t tell me this was coming!,” when it seems the Teacher has left the room to let you figure it out on your own. They’re unwanted, un-fun, and what Spurgeon has called “depths of affliction where waves of trouble follow each other in quick succession.” 

But it is uniquely here where you begin to understand what blessed assurance looks like, even if you can't define it: 

The reality of the storm may rage on the surface, but something wonderful happens each time we choose to say with the demon-possessed boy's dad, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.” Deep down, far below those waves of trouble, comes a quiet assurance so still, so strong, it almost smiles. You can’t put your finger on it, put it in writing, or explain why or how, but you know that you know that, even if little makes sense at the moment, God’s still got you firmly and lovingly in the grip of His everlasting arms. Just like He promised.

Good to know, since unlike those daily muscle-toning pop quizzes, God seems to lovingly use the "unwanted, un-fun" exams of our lives to push our roots deeper through rock and rubble into the good soil that strengthens faithfulness, and hope, and love, and perseverance—in the end, the only things that will really matter anyway.

 

 

Fill In the Blank

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…”—James 1:1

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James…”—Jude 1:1

These brothers, like Jesus, were borne by Mary.  They all grew up under the same roof and smelled the same wood shavings from Joseph’s shop. If it had been us, wouldn’t we have been dying to make that point in our writings so we could win friends and influence people?

And yet somewhere along the way, through the sibling rivalries, animated dinner conversations, and the years of finding it hard to believe that their brother really was this guy who the prophets of old wrote about—even if He did love going to church—something powerful must have happened that changed everything and sparked these introductory words.  Quite possibly, it was this:

They watched how He lived, and found His actions matched the words on His resume. If this was what life to the full was about, they wanted in.

Sometimes, in skimming over the greetings and introductions of the Gospels and the various letters to the churches so we can get to the “good part” of what the Bible says about us, we miss the good part.

Lord, help us to remember that it is one thing to be known as someone who says all the right Jesus words and is a good church-goer, but that the only resume that really shines through is what flows through our hands and feet in the daily grind—and especially, our attitude toward life and others. Imperfect? No doubt. But since it's Your light doing the shining, and You say 'Go!," we say once more, '________, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.'"

In Everything?

“Thank GOD in everything, no matter what the circumstances may be; be thankful and give thanks, for this is the will of God for you who are in Christ Jesus—the Revealer and Mediator of that will.”—1 Thessalonians 5:18, Amplified

On some days, the idea of being thankful to God in the midst of everything that happens in our lives—especially in our world today—sounds like the power of wishful thinking, or worse, wearing a plastic smiley-face and denying reality. But life in Jesus’ day was also filled with strange diseases, horrific executions, governments gone astray, and most of all, sheep without a shepherd.  The timeless good news is that we have a rock-solid foundation for authentic, thankful living—and it’s this:

“the God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth…” (Acts 17:24)

Being purposely and regularly thankful to God for every answered prayer big and small—or even for simply never leaving or forsaking us while in the midst of a situation that has no obvious good solutions at the moment—sends things like selfishness, doubts, and grumpiness running in the Light of the most trustworthy declaration that’s ever been made in the history of mankind.

Living in thankfulness never sugar-coats what is painful or worrisome, or shuts off the newscast and wishes it all away. Rather it declares in our witness of words, attitudes, and demeanor:

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

Christ alone, the Cornerstone!

"This hope, this confident assurance, we have as an anchor of the soul—it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it—is a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells..."—Hebrews 6:19, Amplified

Hymn for New England

"It makes no difference who you are or where you're from--if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open. The message sent to the children of Israel--that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again--well, He's doing it everywhere, among everyone."--Acts 10:34-36, Message

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing:

This is my Father’s world…

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas

His hand the wonders wrought

I sing the mighty power of God

That made the mountains rise

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee

How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 

I sing the mighty power of God

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze...

He speaks to me everywhere

O worship the King!

And gratefully sing His wonderful Love

Love Divine, all loves excelling

Joy of Heaven to earth come down

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,

Pure, unbounded Love Thou art

Visit us with Thy salvation

Enter every trembling heart

Revive us again

Fill each heart with Thy Love

May each soul be rekindled

With Fire from above

O God, our help in ages past

Our hope for years to come

Our shelter in the stormy blast

And our Eternal home.

Revive us again.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.....

A vital resolution

“I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do a year ago…having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly…let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now.”—2 Corinthians 8:10-11, Living Bible

In the midst of a passage on a lifestyle of giving comes this hurts-so-good-exhortation for follow-through on all of our unfinished projects and good intentions, for resolve in our vows and commitments, for integrity…for putting actions to words.

And in our day, for the people in our lives, nowhere is this more needed than at the many times we say these words…

“I’ll be praying for you.”