Surrender Control

August 26th 2016
Scripture Matthew 26:39 (NIV)

Surrender Control

"Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'”

 

I don’t know about you but I like to be in control. I am very happy when things turn out very closely or exactly how I planned. But in the ideal world I have an unlimited amount of energy and strength. This however is not the ideal world… We have hick ups, we make mistakes, we cling towards being self absorbed and when things don’t go our way, we come to the stone hard truth that we aren’t in control.

I really love the superhero Superman. Not only is his character solid, doing good, expecting no reward, but I love that he is SUPER. He has super speed, he has super strength, he has super hearing, he can fly into outer space. He practically has no limits. What can’t he do? Right?

But there is one problem... I’m not superman, and there are things that no amount of "will power" can overcome… They say, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” I don’t necessarily think that is true in every case. In some cases no matter how much you "will" something and try to make it happen, it doesn’t… because some things are simply out of your control.

For me when I face things that I can’t control, I react in one of two ways. I have anxiety and try to hyper-control my surroundings trying to force my will to feel like I have control of something. OR I get discouraged and give up and I invite myself to a party…my pity party. You can come too, but let me tell you, no one ever has fun at a pity party. Neither of these ways are a good way to deal with the things you cannot control.

But Jesus gave us a third option, which is better than the other two, by far: Surrender.

when Jesus is in the garden right before his crucifixion praying his heart out to God. He was so troubled that He sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:44). This guy was distressed. He prayed that God would take the cup that He was to bear away, asking for any other way… But then He says a phrase that is remarkable. "Yet, not as I will, but as You will." Jesus let the Father know His human preference, but was still willing to surrender His will for the Lord's will, which are one and the same.

So my question is "Who is really in The Chair of your life?" Does God's will and plan for your life trump your own? I came across this book titled “God’s my co-pilot” You know what I have to say to that? "Buddy, if to you God is really just a co-pilot you need to switch seats. Because there can only be one person in control, it’s either you, or its Jesus."

 God has given me control over one person; Me, Myself, and I. I am in control of my actions and my attitudes. So all I really should do is Try my best, and Trust God with the Rest. Because I can't control those things anyways. 

"Lord Jesus, I know that You have a great plan for my life with a purpose. Help me to let go of the things I cannot change and trust that You will work all things for the good of those who love You. I give it over to You to do as You will. I trust Your judgement over mine. Amen."

An Unexpected Journey

July 17 2016
Scripture: Romans 8:28 (NIV)

An Unexpected Journey

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for me. I have moved to a new location, taken on a new Youth Ministry position, started renting my first apartment, and on top of it all I wound up finding myself in the hospital. The doctors discovered that I have a form of epilepsy and I have been having blank-out seizures that make my brain "reboot" so to speak. So for the safety of myself and those around me, my drivers license was revoked, until I have been 6 months seizure-free. I was supposed to drive the teens of my new youth group to Youth Camp, but now am unable to even attend to make sure things will be alright with me. But in the midst of all this there was something I didn't know.

During the hospital visit, I was supposed to preach at my first night of youth group as the new Youth Pastor. I was going to talk about how we need to be found trustworthy with the little given to us, before we can be trusted with more. Little did I know that God wanted me to preach that to myself as I sat in my hospital bed, groaning over the loss of my license. The senior pastor covered me and did a great job leading the teens. 

Meanwhile my father and mother both were prompted by the Holy Spirit with the verse Romans 8:28, and my dad emailed my senior pastor about it. He was also thinking about preaching on this passage, and after opening the email, it was confirmed... "In all things God works for the good of those who love him." ... Even the bad things. Even when I don't see how He may be able to use it. The only thing I can do is trust that God will bring me through this and that somehow He will use it to bring good. God will never leave nor forsake me. 

"Lord Jesus, I know that You can work all things this life throws at me for Your good, and for mine. I trust you and I know that you love me. Help me to see the truth in the midst of the fog. Let Your light shine bright through this situation to help encourage others in their walk as well. Amen."

He Never Breaks His Promises

June 10 2016
Scripture: Psalm 89:34-35 (ESV)

He Never Breaks His Promises

"I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David."

The Psalmist points out a key aspect of God's character. He tells of how God found favor with King David and promised to establish his throne forever. This throne extends beyond the earthly one of the nation of Israel, which has been conquered before. But God's promise is still true in the fact that Jesus, a descendant of David, established His throne, a spiritual throne, which remains now and will continue on forever. 

Through this we know that God is not a lier, and once He has said it, He is faithful to make it happen. It may take years, or even lifetimes. Abraham never actually got to see his children become numerous like the stars or the grains of sand, yet it did happen. 

Knowing this truth gives me confidence that even when all seems lost and when I feel that I cannot go on, "He will never leave me or forsake me" (Deut 31:6). The Lord never breaks His promises. If you "come near to God he will come near to you" (James 4:8). The Lord never breaks His promises. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). The Lord never breaks His promises. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us" (1 John 1:9). The Lord never breaks His promises. 

"Lord Jesus, thank You that You never break Your promises. Help me to cling to Your promises when I face the deepest and darkest pits and trials of my life. Your love endures forever. Amen and amen."

Coming to God's Rescue

May 23 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 37:14-15 (ESV)

Coming to God's Rescue

"Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it, and Hezekiah went up to the House of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord."

The King of Assyria had already conquered many nations along with their idols and man-made "gods", and were foolish enough to think that the city of Judah and the Lord would be as easily conquered. King Hezekiah received their letter of intimidation questioning, "We have you surrounded. Where is your God now?" In desperation Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, asking that they would be saved, and all the nations would know that the Lord is the one true God. 

Hezekiah knew that God could do it, or else he would not have asked, and fallen victim to believing that God was powerless to help His people. God granted the request because of Hezekiah's prayer and struck 185,000 soldiers of Assyria dead overnight, and they left. Hezekiah didn't even need to lift a sword.

There are times in my life when people question God's existence saying, "Where is your God now?" I immediately feel as though I have to somehow come to God's rescue, mustering all the answers I can think of that prove His existence. The truth is God doesn't need my help to prove that He is real. God is the true God whether "the King of Assyria" or anybody else believes it or not. 

Then my mind goes to the question, "Why doesn't He reveal Himself the way I ask Him to, like Hezekiah?" This reminds me of when the religious leaders mocked Jesus on the cross, demanding that He come down from the cross if He was truly God. His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). Perhaps, just like why Jesus had to stay on the cross, there is a reason why God would not say "yes" to every request. God doesn't depend on my apologetics to reveal Himself to the world, yet when I pray, not a single word escapes God's ears.

"Lord Jesus, You are the one true God. Help me not to lose sight when the world rejects the truth of who You are. You have a plan; help me to trust it. Amen."

Mighty Men of Courage

May 14 2016
Scripture: 1 Chronicles 19:13 (ESV)

Mighty Men of Courage

"Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to Him."

Joab was the commander of King David's "Mighty Men". These were the elite warriors, which only consisted of the top 300 who proved their valor. When Joab saw the two enemy armies, the Ammonites and the Syrians, closing in around his troops, he made a decision. He told Abishai, his brother, to face the one army, while he would face the other. Even when death was staring these men in the face, they displayed great courage, not letting the desperation of avoiding defeat and death sway their battle plan. They trusted God's will completely, even with their lives. Joab was not certain he would survive this day, but his response to "be strong", and trust that God would do what seemed good to Him, is amazing!

If I want to be one of God's "Mighty Men", I must model my idea of courage after such  men of faith. When I'm surrounded by many things, like my future, or stressful situations, or the constant demands of this life, there is a part of me that wants to go hide in a corner and weep. I bet there was a similar part in Joab as well. But the difference is that Joab's courage out-weighed his fears. He used his strength for others and for God, and he abandoned himself, "For God and country!" This man faced way more than I have ever faced in my life, but what if I were captured by terrorists? Would I have the courage to trust God, even if I didn't get to escape with my life?

"Lord Jesus, thank you for Joab and his model of courage to stay strong and keep fighting. Help me to become a mighty man of courage no matter the cost. Amen."

Peace of Mind

May 2 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)

Peace of Mind

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is an everlasting rock."

Peace of mind must have been harder to come by back then, than it is today. Big intimidating nations like the ruthless Moab were always before the Israelites. Isaiah prophesies of the great day when God will make all things right, and the Song of Judah would be one of peace. Perfect peace will come to the one whose mind is fixed on God rather than the present circumstances. God is an everlasting rock who is trust-worthy forever. All people will pass away and will eventually be forgotten by the living, but God is everlasting, the Beginning and the End (Rev 22:13). When trust is placed in this amazing God, He promises a peace beyond all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I remember a giant rock at my summer youth camp that we called the "Rock of Ages", because it was so large and unmovable that it must have been there for ages. Every year I returned to camp, I would sit on, stand on, jump off of, the Rock of Ages. I depended on it being there, because it was a great spot for spending quiet time with God. I remember spending tranquil moments of peace with God, surrounded by the beauty of nature, sitting on the Rock of Ages.  

God is my Rock of Ages, never moving or changing in character (Malachi 3:6). He is perfectly dependable, and when I focus on Him, I have peace. But sometimes I lose that peace because my mind wanders from my Rock of Ages and forgets His dependability. It's up to me to keep my mind fixed on the Rock, and God will grant the peace.

"Lord Jesus, thank You that You are my Rock that is everlasting. Help me to keep focused on You instead of my circumstances. You have perfect peace, let me find it in You. Amen."

(Rock of Ages - Riverside Bible Camp)

Striking & Healing

April 27 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 19:22 (ESV)

Striking & Healing

"And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and He will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them."

Egypt was a "green isle" amongst a sea of sand. They had a lot to put their hope in. The Nile River provided a fishing economy, while the ground was fertile giving vegetation, flax, and cotton. Egypt had it made, and they were secure or so they thought. Here Isaiah prophesies how the Lord will strike Egypt; drying up The Nile, and knocking their flimsy pillars from under their feet. All they hoped in was gone. But some would return to the Lord, and He would listen and bring them to a much better place than they were. 

In my life, there are plenty of things I could set up as a pillar in which I could place my hope. I could hope in my career, or my bank account, or my friends and family, which are not bad things to have. But what if they all fell away? I would have nothing, no where to go. Maybe I would blame God for allowing them to be taken away. Or would I realize that He can be my hope when all else fails? I should not place my hope in anything less than God Himself, for all the other pillars are as sturdy as a Teeter-totter. 

So maybe you feel God is striking you, but what he really wants to do is heal you. If you lost a relationship, maybe you put too much dependency in a person. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, maybe God wants you to trust in His provision alone. I don't know the circumstances that each person faces, but I do know this for sure. If I trust in God, He won't be shaken, like all the other flimsy pillars, and He will bring healing in my life. 

"Lord Jesus, please help me to place my hope in You alone, and to step down from these unstable pillars in my life. Thank You that You are a rock in hard times, and for the healing that You give. Amen."

Gear-works

April 21 2016
Scripture: Isaiah 12:3-4 (ESV)

Gear-works

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day, 'Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted."

Amazingly, Isaiah had many prophecies of Jesus hundreds of years before He ever walked the earth. Here in chapter 12 is a clear picture of the Gospel at work. In verses one and two we see God's anger against sin is turned to comfort, and God Himself has become salvation, which means we need not fear, but trust in Him. In our joy, we can drink freely the Living Water of salvation metaphorically, much like Jesus said to the woman at the well in the gospel of John (4:14). Being thankful to God, we can call out His name at any time. We must tell others the things that God has done for us and proclaim His name exalted. We are then able to join the angels in singing the forever song, making God known throughout the earth.

For me, I can easily become numb to the impact of the Gospel. Sometimes my gears get jammed and the whole process within me becomes stuck because one of the parts are not active in my life. I've attached the rest of Isaiah chapter 12 and I would seriously recommend to read it and answer these questions to check each gear to see if it is an active part of your life. 

Isaiah 12

1 You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
    for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
    that you might comfort me.
2 “Behold, God is my salvation;
    I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation.”
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
    proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
    let this be made known in all the earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
    for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Questions to Answer for Yourself

1. Do I need to experience the comfort of the Lord, believing fully that he has turned away his anger completely?
2. Am I afraid to trust God with everything?
3. Am I depending on my strength instead of letting God be my strength?
4. Do I need to drink again from the well of salvation to quench my thirst for joy?
5. Am I giving thanks constantly to God?
6. Do I feel alone and need to call out His name?
7. Am I sharing what God has done for me with others?
8. Do I exalt Jesus name as holy?
9. Am I singing praise to God in all the earth?

I hope this was refreshing to you as it was to me.

Source of Strength

March 19 2016

Scripture: Psalm 46:1 (ESV)

Source of Strength

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Yesterday morning I tried to write, but the Holy Spirit did not seem to highlight any passage like He usually does. I searched until I had to leave for work, wondering why I could not find my nugget of wisdom I mine for every morning. When I arrived at the Church, the Lead Pastor had our staff go and spend the first twenty-five minutes of our TRC (Training, Requirements, and Communication) meeting in alone time with God. He gave a short devotional hand-out and told us to reflect on it. Psalm 46:1 kept popping out to me because of the word Strength. On my way to work, I was listening to the Christian radio in my car and I heard a newer song called Strong Enough by Matthew West. In the bridge of this song it states, "I don't have to be strong enough," because God is our strength. It all clicked for me when I heard the Family Life Pastor share that Psalm 46:1 stuck out to him as well.

I've been trying in more than my devotional life to operate out of my own strength, like I have to provide all the strength myself. But this verse says,"God is my strength" and I can depend on Him in my troubles like a place of refuge. Therefore next time I am trying to make things happen on my own, I will stop and remember that my strength comes from Him, by reading this prayer posted at my desk.

"Lord Jesus, thank you that I don't have to rely on my own strength to get me through life. I am very wimpy when it comes to the power You have. Help me to return to this truth often so I may be reminded where my strength, my breath, my life, comes from. Let me rely on You alone. Amen."

Proving Faithful

March 16th 2016
Scripture: Luke 16:10-11 (ESV)

Proving Faithful

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?"

It is very human of us to want to be put in charge and in places of authority. My first time driving by myself, I was entrusted to go return a set of books to the library. It was a three mile trip, and I thought I could handle more responsibility than that, but my parents started me off with little to see how I would handle it. I did what they asked, and their confidence in my driving grew over time, and so did mine. 

A lot of times we can find ourselves asking God for more; a larger budget, a bigger worship team, more children, a bigger house, more committed people to your dreams and visions. But God will often times be the parent saying, "I may give those to you later, but for now, let's stick to what you have." If you are screaming for more responsibility and not getting it, chances are you might be neglecting what you already have been given. Until I am responsible with the few things, I will never get my hands on the many, simply because I'm not ready for it yet. A strong oak tree does not develop overnight, but reaches out just a little higher than yesterday.

Take inventory: who has God placed in authority above and below me? What resources are available to me? Am I doing the best I can with what I have? Am I respectful to those in charge of me? When I respect those in authority with humility, I am being faithful to the place God has put me in. I must be content with what God has given me, but also committed to do the best I can, no matter how little I feel it is. 

"Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me the desire to do great things for you. Help me to take what I have been given, not grumbling about it, but proving faithful with a good attitude and humble heart. I know you will give me more when I'm ready. I trust you. Amen."

Power in Persistence

March 15 2016
Scripture: Luke 18:7-8 (ESV)

Power in Persistence

"And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"

In this story Jesus tells of a widow who demands justice from a judge who doesn't fear God or respect men. This man was abusing the justice court system, by refusing her case. But the widow continued to come demanding justice until the drained judge came to his own conclusion that he will not have rest until this woman has her justice served. So he complied. 

This story shows the power of persistence; how even the crooked will give in, just to get it off their backs. When we come to God, we must be persistent in our prayers. For unlike the crooked judge, God is just and He will set all things right in the end. But what does it mean when God doesn't answer our prayers the way we want? My wife has been praying for Christ to become real to her family members for years, and she is still praying. Does this make God unjust? It may be tempting to believe that, but God is always working in ways we cannot see or imagine. God has perfect timing, and maybe He isn't saying "No", but "Not yet", like picking a wild strawberry before it's ripe yet. 

We must have persistence, lest the Son of Man comes and finds that we gave up faith after the third or fourth time praying. Imagine if the widow gave up after the judge said, "no" the first time. Imagine if Elijah gave up on the sixth time praying, when rain would fall on the seventh. Imagine if Jericho's wall never fell because the Israelites gave up walking around the city on the third day, and devised a different strategy. Prayer needs persistence because it demands we have faith in God that He will bring justice, even when we don't see it. 

Like the widow, I must be willing to come back to the exact same spot everyday seeking God's answer. But life is busy, maybe I can wake up earlier to dedicate the first waking moments to my prayers. Maybe I can write a "prayer prompt" on sticky notes in all the places I would be likely to see them and be reminded to pray.

"Lord Jesus, help me to be persistent, never giving up on my faith, so I may see your justice rain down in your perfect timing. Amen."

Why Anxiety?

March 10th 2016
Scripture: Luke 12:25-26 (ESV)

Why Anxiety?

"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?"

I love to be in control. It makes me happy when things end up close to or exactly like I planned. But this is not always the case. Sometimes, most times, a "monkey wrench" will be thrown into the mix and my perfect plan becomes useless and in need of instant readjustment. For me, worry comes out in the form of frustration. I hate giving up on my plans, because it feels like I somehow failed. Jesus tells His disciples though not to be anxious about their life. He asks a rhetorical question, "Who can add a single hour to his life by worrying?" The funny thing is, the more you worry, the more time slips away, which can cause you to worry even more, and the vicious cycle continues. 

The fear is rooted in control. I get anxious when things happen that are beyond my control. But Jesus says, "you aren't in control anyways!" The most fearful thought can be the most freeing if you reverse the way you view it. Later on in the passage it says that the world runs after their needs, but God already knows everything you need; and it can free you to know that you may not be in control, but God is and He values you and will provide for you. 

To become free of anxiety, I must learn to relinquish the control I think I have, and trust God's timing, rather than fretting through each stressful situation that rocks my boat. It is well said in the old Hymn, "Trust and Obey":

"Trust and obey, for there's no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey"

"Lord Jesus, I know you created me and that you know all my needs. Help me to realize that You are in control. When I feel the urge to be frustrated, let me respond in grace and love, trusting that Your will is being done. Let that be enough for me. Amen."