Connecting the Dots…

Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to conquerors, because from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the Lord. When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them.” (Jeremiah 8:10–13)

Consequences. If I do this, what will happen? When the news reports the latest decisions by political or business decision makers, it seems far too many of them guess what will happen next based on their hopes rather than historical evidence or popular thinking. While ‘time while tell’ no one can predict the future.

The OT people who read this warning from God must not have believed Him concerning this as well as concerning obedience. Think of a child whose parent threatens punishment for misbehaving but the child simple keeps on doing what they are doing, or refusing to do what they should be doing. This child is not only willful but does not see the rationale or love in the commandment. “Don’t touch the stove” is heard as “Touch the stove” because of that immature and selfish attitude of “I want what I want when I want it.” 

Not only that, some will connect the consequences to something other than their own actions. The stove was hot because mother left it on, or no one informed them about burns and pain. Multiply this simple example by the complexity of life and no wonder so many folks are surprised and upset with what is happening in our world and in their lives.

Personally, I cannot be responsible for much of it. Even my own live demands decisions with unknown results. What can I do to have assurance the results will be okay? This comes to mind:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

A small example. Last night we were invited to the home of friends. We had not eaten and thought to grab a hamburger on the way. My hubby decided the Lord was telling him not to do that but stay for a short visit and perhaps eat on the way home. When we arrived, our hostess had prepared a fantastic meal for us — which we would have missed if we had followed our original plan. 

Jesus, if I don’t listen to You, the results may not show up right away. I’ve learned that the hard way. Keep me tuned in to You, trusting You for consequences that are a blessing, or at least a strong lesson in Your power to use my obedience for Your glory.

Becoming my best self?

Libraries and book stores have large sections of ‘self-help’ books, mostly about how to look out for me, how to make things happen, and how to be my very best self. After being a Christian for more than fifty years, and even after making many decisions to improve myself, I am totally aware that my best self is totally inadequate. 

Aside from sin (which the Bible defines as ‘going my own way’), living a self-directed life doesn’t work anyway. Most people struggle with their yearly resolutions, plus I have enough ADHD combined with a bit of autism to make focusing a challenge. I’m easily distracted, and no matter how hard I try, sticking to even a short to-do list is tough. I also crave simplicity and struggle with interruptions.

Piper says this about the biblical reality of being my best self:  

True selfhood flourishes in covenant faithfulness. By “true” I mean the self that has been created in Christ Jesus and is being transformed into his likeness. For example, Paul says in Colossians 3:9–10, “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self.” 

He refers this to keeping promises, making resolutions, and trying to stay on track. In myself, I cannot do it. In Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit that governs that new nature, I can — but only then. My true self does not emerge or flourish in a life governed by self-gratification. It only flourishes when I have yielded to the Spirit and do what He tells me. This is true covenant keeping, a life under the guidance of God rather than life run by whatever strikes me as important.

Thinking about this today, I have several household chores, dozens of quilts either in progress or on my to-do list, plus a long list of undone stuff like hang a few pictures, purge the storage room, harvest more lettuce from my backyard planter, and go across the street for a few groceries. When I walk into my study, I see books unread and a host of other things on the go, or waiting to get to the start line. Add a touchy Achilles tendon that hampers walking and the desire to pray and exercise. Then there is that soup cooling on the counter that needs to be strained and put in the fridge, never mind the bathrooms need attention along with four loads of laundry. 

Sometimes I use a priority chart and after numbering chores, I just start at the top — and get the last one checked off — if nothing distracts me, like a phone call or a visit from a neighbor. The positive in all this is the realization that self-effort is useless. Without the Holy Spirit, I would sit in front of the TV, or read, or have a nap, or not do anything.

Is it only those with youthful energy and no attention-deficit issues that can live an orderly life without relying on God? I know age nor human inabilities are not the issue. It is always sin: “I want what I want” or “I will do it my way.” Trusting God and listening for His leading requires yielding to Him. Knowing and trusting His promises is vital. Otherwise, I’d stay in bed in the morning. I cannot live and prosper without Him. 

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37:5)

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. (Isaiah 64:4)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

Piper writes about keeping our part of the covenant we have with God, yet I know this cannot be done in my own strength. Piper does too. He says:

God is exalted in our honesty when we look to him and not to our schemes. And when God is exalted in our lives, we discover what we were created to be. No pursuit of self-enhancement without this exaltation of God will succeed. But if we humble ourselves with confidence in God’s future grace, and by this faith submit to his command for promise-keeping integrity, then he will exalt us in due time: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

 PRAY: Jesus, You are most honored when I admit I cannot, and that I need You for all things. Long lists or short, hard days or easy ones, without Your promises, no matter how hard I try, I cannot improve myself. I need You. May You be glorified today and every day. 

Choices and consequences…

A radio preacher tells of a conversation with a person who thought she was neutral about faith in Christ. He tried to explain that if we have a choice, we are already in one of the choices. That is, she was saying NO to Jesus during the time she was not saying YES. She didn’t get that and insisted she would make a choice later. Finally the preacher said to her, “You can choose whatever you wish, but you cannot choose the consequences.”

How true. The OT is filled with examples. I read yesterday how Solomon began to serve as Israel’s king with faith and wisdom. However, he later chose many women outside of the people of God. Then, as God warned him, they led him from his faith and he began to worship idols. 

Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. . . .  Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. (1 Kings 11:6-11)

This man had been warned but he wanted what he wanted and lost all blessings from the Lord. As Piper says, doing our own thing can feel good in the process. Had Solomon experienced pain or sorrow, he would not have strayed. His story, and much of the OT is filled with reasons for remaining true to God. 

if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. (Leviticus 26:15–16)

God’s OT people were repeatedly warned, yet they continually forgot God and did their own thing. What about the NT? Does the sacrifice of Christ for sin free me to do what I please? Some think so, but the truth is, even though God's forgiveness and grace keep us in His forever family, we still face the consequences of our choices.

The main thing sin does is mess with my relationship with God to the point that I’m not talking to Him or relying on Him. I miss out on the benefits that go with being close to Him and able to rely on His help. This is not God pulling away from me, but me pulling away from God. 

Another consequence is shame. It may not visit me right away, but guilt does that. It also puts me under another task-master…

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:15–16)

Trusting Christ sets me free from sin. It seems senseless to go back to it. However, the human heart is deceitful. So are the lies of Satan and the lures of the world. The NT says repeatedly that my old nature is dead to God and must be treated that way, put off, ignored. If the danger was not there, God would not keep warning His people.

As for the consequences, this is an ‘if-then’ thing. My actions bring results, some in this life that bring blessing or sorrow, guilt, and unwanted events. Some are dealt later when God evaluates me at His judgment seat, not for faith but for the quality of my deeds. 

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12–15)

If I live for self, all such ‘works’ will be lost. Just as we say about money and possessions, ‘you cannot take it with you.’ The consequences of running my own life is having all of that burn up because it is rejected by the Lord. Only what is done in obedience will remain. 

PRAY: Jesus, this is both a relief and a warning. All my days are filled with choices. Following Your lead is important, not only for this life but for what will survive purging at the “Bema” seat where consequences are sorted out. Give me wisdom for each day. Your Word says if I “Trust in the Lord with all my heart, and do not lean on my own understanding, and in all my ways acknowledge You, that You will make straight my paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6) This is a great assurance that good consequences will follow.

A willing heart?

 

Last night I finished reading “Born for Battle” a book bought and read years ago but then I was not ready to hear it. Now I hear God telling me what is next — a deeper surrender to His will knowing that those who do this will find themselves in a battle with the liar and enemy who thinks that his best defense is destruction.

Of course I’ve no idea what will happen. I just know that all I’ve read last night and these verses from today are vital to walking in the will of God with a willing heart.

First, I need to seek it. Walking in truth can only happen if I know the truth, the way He wants me to go, and that I am totally willing to do what He says.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)

This first chapter of Psalms is well known to me, both in memory and in experience. When I’ve strayed from what it says, I’ve suffered. When God blesses me with His Spirit to obey it, I am blessed and what I do is fruitful and alive:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:1–6)

God keeps His promises. If I follow His will, no matter how strange or difficult it may seem, He uses my obedience to fulfill His purposes. He set that pattern when He became a man. That is, in Jesus I can see His choice to link His purposes to the obedience of His Son, the Son of Man. That link involved the prayer life of Jesus and His willingness to do only what the Father wanted, even when it meant His own death.

Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:9–11)

In my own life, I’ve seen this amazing God use even my mistakes for His purposes… “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) How can I not totally trust a God who can do that?

PRAY: Jesus, You tell me to: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6) That I do not doubt. The trouble I am having with doing Your will is realizing I too will learn obedience through suffering… and I am not too keen on that. “Born for Battle” calls what You ask of me: “disciple accepted” and the consequences are scary. Remove my fears and grant me the courage needed to accept whatever You use to transform my life.

Fear is not from God

Some who consider themselves Christian are in constant turmoil about matters of faith. For example, the author of “God is Enough: Inspiring Words of Christian Affirmation for Every Day of the Year” assumes that all Christians struggle to believe God and are not “comfortable” in their religious life. After some research and a great deal of Bible study, I’ve come to the conclusion that if that is true, then the most important ingredient missing is relationship. Jesus said:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Whether Jesus is speaking or not, they are not listening to Him and therefore not experiencing the life that comes from His lips to their hearts.

I cannot know what others are hearing. I only know that God reveals to me, through His Word, the thoughts and intents of my heart. Sometimes this revelation is instant, before any choice is made. Sometimes I make the wrong choice and hear Him speak after that to show me my error and need to confess the sin of paying attention to the world, the flesh, and/or the devil. Either way, the revealing comes from Him. It might be through reading the Word, hearing it preached, or the Holy Spirit bringing it to my memory. Again, either way brings forgiveness and cleansing… and the freedom of knowing what He told me is true. It may have been “don’t do that” or “you did that - agree with Me and repent” but He does His saving work through His Word.

This week I was told of someone who believes in Jesus but is in constant anxiety and fear. This flies in the face of how many times “do not fear” is repeated in Scripture. It might as well say “do not sin” because the NT says: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Since fear is not from God, it is not for me or any of His people to accept. Instead, His power, love and spiritual self-control are ours when we confess we have that sin of fear and He cleanses us. (1 John 1:9)

I’ve no idea what makes others anxious but I get that way when I think I have to do something that is too difficult (fear of failure), or when I look at things I can see — which may or may not reflect what God is doing (lack of faith). The Bible lists a few more sources of fear and some hints for a solution as well as the need to confess it as sin.

Fear of Exposure: And (Adam) said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10)
Lacking Love: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
Death: Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14–15)
Trusting Self over God: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)
Failure: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Lacking Faith: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

God promises to take care of me. Not believing He will and letting fear dominate flies in the face of this promise and is an insult to His Word, the very Word that gives me life. It is better to say: “I am fearful and need help” than to think that my fear is so great that even God cannot remove it.

PRAY: Healthy fear? Maybe an approaching lion or another danger to avoid, but it grieves me to see fear govern lives instead of the promises You make and the power of Your presence. Fill me with Your peace and set free anyone who is in bondage to fear, regardless of the cause — for You are the cure!

When the Bible is silent…

 
The Bible is the Word of God, not a book of disjointed slogans or random sayings. The standard illustration of misuse is the person who looks for advice, flips open the Bible and randomly points to a verse that says, “Judas went out and hanged himself.” Not impressed, that person goes on and does it again only to read, “Go thou and do likewise.”

As amusing as that is, people have used isolated texts to sanction things that are totally opposed to the principles of Scripture. This can lead to fanaticism if an isolated text pressures obedience no matter what wrong thing it may lead to. How sad that God's principles are violated by using the excuse of obedience to what His Word says.

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)

However, life is filled with decisions and choices on topics the Bible does not address. What then? Yesterday’s post gave three other options. God speaks through creation, circumstances, and His children. Creation tells me He is orderly in randomness. He rarely plants trees in a straight line, yet His work has beauty and is pleasing. Will my decision reflect that?

He also uses circumstances. My sister tells of driving to another city with the intention of sharing the gospel with our uncle who was in the hospital. She prayed, “Lord, if he is not ready to hear it, turn me around.” At that moment, her car hit a patch of ice, did a one-eighty and she was in the ditch facing the other direction. She went home, but visited our uncle the next day. He was ready and professed faith in Christ. He died two weeks later to join His Savior.

God also gives advice through His people. However, this advice must harmonize. God cannot say in one voice that which He contradicts in another. Therefore, if one person gives a view that another contradicts, it is not safe to proceed.

We once were members of a church that would not move ahead with decisions unless the elders all agreed, and they had more than seventy elders at that time. They told of a plan to build a new education center, but one elder voted against it. The others waited and prayed. It eventually became obvious that for various reasons, the building should not happen. The voting changed and all sided with the one who first heard this warning from God.

When it seems God is telling me to do something, I usually see whether or not it fits Scripture. My difficulty is in my motivation. Is this particular opportunity for my benefit, or from a sense of duty, or one of my wild ideas, or does He want me to go ahead? In some instances, the answer is to wait for clarity, or don’t do this now but later. Sometimes in waiting for an answer, I forget all about it. God isn’t in it or He would keep nudging me. I wanted to call a friend this week and only got through when she was home — and I soon realized that was the right time to call. If not sure, waiting is a good idea.

But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. (Psalm 38:15)

Another friend told me that she knew God told her three times not to do something, but she did it anyway and lost some money. A second person was told to speak to a certain pastor about God’s love for him and she resisted but eventually went — because that idea passed the biblical test. Afterwards she discovered that he needed to hear what she said because it changed his life and ministry.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

PRAY: Jesus, You are so good to verify what You want from me. I know if any of these tests fail, it is not safe to proceed. I must wait in quiet trust until You show me Your will. You do that when I am yielded, not worried or wanting You to hurry. If something is not Your will You know how to give me a red light. If not, I need to wait for clarity. Thank You for giving me a deep hunger to read Your Word and to know Your voice. You are truly my Savior and my Friend.

What am I relying on?

Our adult children have pets that are their “babies” and much loved. They also have collections of things they enjoy. Maybe more than thirty relocations is the reason I don’t have pets or collections, but that is not quite true. As a quilter, I ‘collect’ fabric (called a stash) and am also an ‘information gatherer’ to the point that my PC hard drive is loaded with pictures and documents. To simplify my life, I’m realizing the difficulty of purging my ‘collection’ of files. The fabric is easy as I can make more quilts, but the information is not as easy to sacrifice.

Abraham had a tougher time of it. His faith was strong in God’s promises. However, all of them involved his son Isaac. Even though “he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6) God tested him by asking him to sacrifice his son.

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1–2)

That was a far greater challenge than giving away a mug collection, or purging familiar and often beloved files, or saying goodbye to pets. What did this man of faith do?

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:3–8)

The NT describes it this way:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. (Hebrews 11:17–19)

We know the sad stories of hoarders. One keeps empty boxes, and his house is filled. He says someone might need them someday. Another keeps everything because she loves her stuff. I keep my ‘info’ because I might need it someday? But why then bother with Google? MacArthur says that a willingness to sacrifice precious things is proof of genuine faith. If I needed something, would not God provide it?

Abraham passed the test: he was willing to make the sacrifice. He did as Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

God asks for far more than collections, far more than even our sons and daughters. He says:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

He wants my life, not just my stuff but all that I rely on. When need to know something or find direction; God does not even need Google to supply it. While I may need to keep my family’s favorite recipes because I tend to forget, I don’t need every recipe ever written because God answers prayer for even that need — when it arises. I could write this proverb like this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your collection of information, but In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will supply whatever you need. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

PRAY: Jesus, this is another answer to prayer. My faith should not be in my ability to find information and file it, but trusting You to give me what I need when it is needed. This may seem an insignificant sacrifice to others, but for me, it is as challenging as if You told me to put all my books in a bonfire. I want to simplify my life and plainly You are in agreement with that.

PONDER: Deuteronomy 28 lists the blessings of trusting God. Read it again and realize I do not need anything or anyone else to rely on when needs pop up. God is enough.