"Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Ps 73:1-3
To this day, many are concerned with "keeping up with the Joneses." We look at their lives, the possessions they own, the jobs they have and the things they are able to do. We also take note that often, they are not members of the body of Christ. Whether the "Joneses" are luminaries like the Gates' and Oprah, or the guy with the biggest house and the nicest neighborhood, we some how feel that it is all so unfair.
Beloved, we must be careful about thoughts like this. To the Christian, life should not be about the material. Jesus said, that we are not to concern ourselves with earthly possessions, but to store up our treasures in heaven.
Though the wicked may seem to prosper for a time, it is not worth losing our inheritance to do what they did to get what they got. There is a consequence for unrighteousness, be it prosperous or not. The Psalmist further relates, "When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my mind until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!" Ps 73:16-19
Let us maintain our footing in the Lord.
In Revival,
Lee
Monday, October 18, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
He Hears-DD 10/15/2010
"Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you."
2 Kings 20:4
Many of us struggle in our prayer life. We sometimes wonder if our prayers make it beyond the ceiling. We sometimes wonder if God is home or if He cares at all. It may be that we feel this way because we don't always get what we want. Make no mistake, it is understood that some of the things we want are entirely and sometimes urgently needful. We pray out of pain, fear, concern for another, worry, imminent danger and other things we consider critical. We are subject to becoming despondent and shaken in our faith if we feel God does not look at things the way that we do.
Beloved, it is our faith that should carry us through the times when it seems that God is missing in action. It is our trust in Him that should remind us that all things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose, even and especially when things seem that they are at their worst. We need to remember the agony suffered by God's only begotten in the garden of Gethsemane. Remember that God did not allow that cup to pass. Remember that if He had, there would be no salvation for you and I today. Remember that despite Christ's great suffering at our hands and on our behalf, he is even now at the right hand of the Father advocating for us. We can only hope that the times that God may say "no" would accomplish an end so noble and beneficial. Lastly, remember that God is never absent. He is everywhere at all times knowing all things with every ability. That said, he also has the ability to be silent.
Let us also not forget the times when we have prayed and received an immediate response. Many of us cite those times as proof of His existence in our own minds. Whatever it is that you think, understand that His ways are as high above ours as the heavens are above the earth. God knows exactly what He is doing. We must know that fact too.
2 Kings 20:4
Many of us struggle in our prayer life. We sometimes wonder if our prayers make it beyond the ceiling. We sometimes wonder if God is home or if He cares at all. It may be that we feel this way because we don't always get what we want. Make no mistake, it is understood that some of the things we want are entirely and sometimes urgently needful. We pray out of pain, fear, concern for another, worry, imminent danger and other things we consider critical. We are subject to becoming despondent and shaken in our faith if we feel God does not look at things the way that we do.
Beloved, it is our faith that should carry us through the times when it seems that God is missing in action. It is our trust in Him that should remind us that all things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose, even and especially when things seem that they are at their worst. We need to remember the agony suffered by God's only begotten in the garden of Gethsemane. Remember that God did not allow that cup to pass. Remember that if He had, there would be no salvation for you and I today. Remember that despite Christ's great suffering at our hands and on our behalf, he is even now at the right hand of the Father advocating for us. We can only hope that the times that God may say "no" would accomplish an end so noble and beneficial. Lastly, remember that God is never absent. He is everywhere at all times knowing all things with every ability. That said, he also has the ability to be silent.
Let us also not forget the times when we have prayed and received an immediate response. Many of us cite those times as proof of His existence in our own minds. Whatever it is that you think, understand that His ways are as high above ours as the heavens are above the earth. God knows exactly what He is doing. We must know that fact too.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Thank Without Ceasing-DD 10/14/2010
"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess 5:18
Have you ever allowed someone to get in front of you in traffic and gotten annoyed at the fact that they did not acknowledge your kindness with a simple waive of the hand? Have you ever held the door for someone who walked through and kept on going without a word?
Beloved, how often to we treat the Lord this way? He who supplies all of our needs so often goes without the gratitude that rightfully belongs to Him. We should thank Him for everything. It is with and because of thanks that we have all things from Him: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Phil 4:6
It is the most basic courtesy, one taught from the earliest ages, to simply say "thank you" for that which we have received.
In Revival,
Lee
Have you ever allowed someone to get in front of you in traffic and gotten annoyed at the fact that they did not acknowledge your kindness with a simple waive of the hand? Have you ever held the door for someone who walked through and kept on going without a word?
Beloved, how often to we treat the Lord this way? He who supplies all of our needs so often goes without the gratitude that rightfully belongs to Him. We should thank Him for everything. It is with and because of thanks that we have all things from Him: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Phil 4:6
It is the most basic courtesy, one taught from the earliest ages, to simply say "thank you" for that which we have received.
In Revival,
Lee
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
About Those In Need-DD 10/13/2010
"Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" James 2:5
Have you ever been in traffic and seen one of those unforunate people who are situated at an intersecection with a sign asking for assistance and wishing you God's blessing? What do you think about such people? Some, I'm sure, think about how sad it is. Others wonder if it is all a scam and if they have a nice car parked around the corner somewhere. Still others have blinders on and have conditioned themselves to not notice such people.
I'm reminded of "the poor, the maimed and the halt" who were the eventual invitees to the King's banquet when the "haves" of the world were too consumed with their riches and their attendant blessings to accept His invitation. I'm also reminded of a rich man who dressed in finery and ate well each day while another lay at his gates begging crumbs, experiencing compassion only from dogs that licked his sores. At the end of life, it was the poor man who found riches and the rich who found poverty.
Beloved, there are two lessons we should learn from these references and from that which life shows us daily. First, there, but for the grace of God go any of us. Particularly in this day and age of recession, a down economy, forcloseures and the like, we could find oursleves out of work and threatened with losing our homes. In that we are constantly asking ourselves what Jesus would do, we should stop asking and actually do what he would do. None of us will miss the dollar we give to a person in need. Never mind their motives or true situation. That is between them and God. Our helping another person (or failure to do so) is between us and God.
Second, let us not be so consumed with the blessings from God in this world that we lose sight of the Provider Himself and the even greater blessings available in the next. Focusing on adjusting the onboard entertainment in our vehicles that cause us to miss a person in need can just as easily and just as surely cause us to miss heaven. If we are too distracted to do the work of God, we are too distracted. We are the reason the righteous should never be forsaken nor their seed begging bread.
In Revival,
Lee
Have you ever been in traffic and seen one of those unforunate people who are situated at an intersecection with a sign asking for assistance and wishing you God's blessing? What do you think about such people? Some, I'm sure, think about how sad it is. Others wonder if it is all a scam and if they have a nice car parked around the corner somewhere. Still others have blinders on and have conditioned themselves to not notice such people.
I'm reminded of "the poor, the maimed and the halt" who were the eventual invitees to the King's banquet when the "haves" of the world were too consumed with their riches and their attendant blessings to accept His invitation. I'm also reminded of a rich man who dressed in finery and ate well each day while another lay at his gates begging crumbs, experiencing compassion only from dogs that licked his sores. At the end of life, it was the poor man who found riches and the rich who found poverty.
Beloved, there are two lessons we should learn from these references and from that which life shows us daily. First, there, but for the grace of God go any of us. Particularly in this day and age of recession, a down economy, forcloseures and the like, we could find oursleves out of work and threatened with losing our homes. In that we are constantly asking ourselves what Jesus would do, we should stop asking and actually do what he would do. None of us will miss the dollar we give to a person in need. Never mind their motives or true situation. That is between them and God. Our helping another person (or failure to do so) is between us and God.
Second, let us not be so consumed with the blessings from God in this world that we lose sight of the Provider Himself and the even greater blessings available in the next. Focusing on adjusting the onboard entertainment in our vehicles that cause us to miss a person in need can just as easily and just as surely cause us to miss heaven. If we are too distracted to do the work of God, we are too distracted. We are the reason the righteous should never be forsaken nor their seed begging bread.
In Revival,
Lee
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
That Which He Supplies-DD 10/12/2010
"Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." Deut 6:10-12
God has given us abundantly more than we could ever dream or ask. Think about your life. Consider your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, your ability to move about freely and not have to worry about from where you next meal comes. We have so much that we take it for granted. We have so much that we now want things we do not need.
That having been said Beloved, God has promised even more. The things we value do not hold a candle to the things of which our God is capable. He supplies that which we can neither conceive or provide for ourselves.
The key, however, is to remember from whom our blessings flow.
In Revival,
Lee
God has given us abundantly more than we could ever dream or ask. Think about your life. Consider your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, your ability to move about freely and not have to worry about from where you next meal comes. We have so much that we take it for granted. We have so much that we now want things we do not need.
That having been said Beloved, God has promised even more. The things we value do not hold a candle to the things of which our God is capable. He supplies that which we can neither conceive or provide for ourselves.
The key, however, is to remember from whom our blessings flow.
In Revival,
Lee
Monday, October 11, 2010
Doing Our Part-DD 10/11/2010
"The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God." Ps 18:20-21
In this day and age it can be challenging to be a Christian. Take a look at the assault society is levying against morality and faith. Sex sells everything. Loose behavior is glorified in reality television shows with the greatest amount of mis-behavior receiving the greatest amount of reward. It is not uncommon for couples to co-habitate years before they get married. Prayer has long been banished from schools. The lyrics of songs are filled with debauchery and are directed toward kids more often than not. And increasingly, the righteous are seen as weak and ignorant of reality.
Fortunately, there is good news for members of the household of faith. "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor 6:17-18. There is a difference between those who endeavor to lead holy lives and those who do not. There are spiritual blessings and everlasting promises that are the exclusive gift to those who call up on the name of Christ. Though at this time we have no other planet to which we can go, we must separate oursleves in word, thought and deed in order to maintain this status.
Recognizing this Beloved, how great will it be to have a clean conscious toward God? To be sure, we have all sinned, but we should know that "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Rom 8:1 This having been said, it is not our own righteousness that gives us a clean conscious, but that which was imputed to us by our Savior. We must, however, do our part to keep our hands clean, to keep the ways of the Lord and to never depart from him.
In Revival,
Lee
In this day and age it can be challenging to be a Christian. Take a look at the assault society is levying against morality and faith. Sex sells everything. Loose behavior is glorified in reality television shows with the greatest amount of mis-behavior receiving the greatest amount of reward. It is not uncommon for couples to co-habitate years before they get married. Prayer has long been banished from schools. The lyrics of songs are filled with debauchery and are directed toward kids more often than not. And increasingly, the righteous are seen as weak and ignorant of reality.
Fortunately, there is good news for members of the household of faith. "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor 6:17-18. There is a difference between those who endeavor to lead holy lives and those who do not. There are spiritual blessings and everlasting promises that are the exclusive gift to those who call up on the name of Christ. Though at this time we have no other planet to which we can go, we must separate oursleves in word, thought and deed in order to maintain this status.
Recognizing this Beloved, how great will it be to have a clean conscious toward God? To be sure, we have all sinned, but we should know that "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Rom 8:1 This having been said, it is not our own righteousness that gives us a clean conscious, but that which was imputed to us by our Savior. We must, however, do our part to keep our hands clean, to keep the ways of the Lord and to never depart from him.
In Revival,
Lee
Friday, October 8, 2010
Just Say No-DD 10/8/2010
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7
Sometimes it seems that Satan is on our backs. At every turn, there he is, hanging something in front of us that tempts us to deviate from the path. He has an impeccable sense of timing as well. Whenever we are at our lowest and most vulnerable, he seems to be right there.
Beloved, the answer to how to deal with this problem is closer and simpler than you think. The contemporary way to express it is to "just say no." To be sure, this is at times easier said than done, but if you were to think about it, you would see that it comes down to just that. You either allow yourself to be overtaken in a fault or you do not. You give in to temptation or you do not. You do the wrong thing or you do the right thing.
To help us with this problem, God through the Holy Spirit and the pen of James gives two pieces of advice. First, we must submit to God. Submission means primarily to be obedient. It is to replace your will with His. In so doing, you can become equipped. Second, he says to resist. In this context, resisting is the opposite of submission. When Satan shows up, we are not to be swayed by his allurements, but instead, we are to take God's part and leave Satan to be disappointed at not being able to turn our heads. As with most things that are bad for us, the more we resist, the easier it will become. It takes time. It takes discipline. It takes effort, but it can be done.
In Revival,
Lee
Sometimes it seems that Satan is on our backs. At every turn, there he is, hanging something in front of us that tempts us to deviate from the path. He has an impeccable sense of timing as well. Whenever we are at our lowest and most vulnerable, he seems to be right there.
Beloved, the answer to how to deal with this problem is closer and simpler than you think. The contemporary way to express it is to "just say no." To be sure, this is at times easier said than done, but if you were to think about it, you would see that it comes down to just that. You either allow yourself to be overtaken in a fault or you do not. You give in to temptation or you do not. You do the wrong thing or you do the right thing.
To help us with this problem, God through the Holy Spirit and the pen of James gives two pieces of advice. First, we must submit to God. Submission means primarily to be obedient. It is to replace your will with His. In so doing, you can become equipped. Second, he says to resist. In this context, resisting is the opposite of submission. When Satan shows up, we are not to be swayed by his allurements, but instead, we are to take God's part and leave Satan to be disappointed at not being able to turn our heads. As with most things that are bad for us, the more we resist, the easier it will become. It takes time. It takes discipline. It takes effort, but it can be done.
In Revival,
Lee
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