Forgetting God

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- James 1:2-3

This morning I spent a little longer than usual getting to work. I drove my car, which was supposed to be getting an oil change and diagnostic check since the battery died on me Wednesday night. Instead my wife took my appointment because her vehicle's "check engine" light started coming on and the engine is suddenly misfiring. After I added an extra quart of oil for safety and started my commute my hood unlatched. Thinking I didn't close it properly I got out the car and repeated this step. As I got on the highway and accelerated the hood unlatched again. I pulled into the shoulder and check under the hood to notice that the latch is now becoming unhinged and loose. I secured it again and slowly proceeded to the office. At this point becoming disheartened was the easiest thing to do.

It's funny how we seem to lose our focus on God when things aren't going well. When things are going right it's so easy to be thankful and praise Him, even though many of us forget to do that in those times too. I think about how my children are in their daily lives. When things are going their way they are so happy and loving. Think about Christmas morning. No one fights or argues then. We are like that with God. It's so easy to be thankful and praise him for a good job, health, or even having a car. But what happens when we start to have trouble making ends meet because of unexpected bills? Why do we seek everything but His face when we're sick? Why do we become disheartened when we start to have mechanical issues? It's foolish to believe that just because we have a relationship with a living God that everything will always go our way. Dale Carnegie once said, "Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain-- and most fools do." This is where children differ from adults. Even when our children are facing something rough (an injury, bad grades, etc.) they run to us, their parents. They seek us for consolation, comfort, and reassurance to get them through the rough times. I believe this is one of the reasons why Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) It's that lack of humility and trust that causes us to continue to stumble and fall.

When I approached the parking garage (still making great time, thank you) I stopped and just gave God the glory. "Thank you, Lord. I don't have to understand everything but I have to be thankful in everything I do, despite my circumstances. For you are all knowing." (Psalm 44:20-21)

I Am Blessed!

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
- James 1:12

It's amazing to see how people view you in times of trial and hardship. They immediately associate themselves and wherever they are in the spiritual walk with yours. During this time of disability many people are approaching me, forewarning me of the faith I should have and the things I should remember. It makes me want to yell, "I AM BLESSED!" I consider this "a time of joy" because I know that Lord is testing my faith, strengthening me, and developing my perseverance (James 1:2). Spiritually speaking I am so far from doubt and questioning that I can't identify with it anymore. As I've said in the past God thinks highly of us and in that He allows us to go through things that He knows we can handle so that we may not yield or give in to any weaknesses in our lives.

Don't worry about me. I'm good!

Wordplay

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
- 1 Peter 2:24

This morning my wife awoke me with a word she got from the Spirit. It was in reference to the above verse. I can't count on my hands how many times I've read this verse or recited it to others. This morning she asked me to recite it. "...for by His wounds finish it," she said. "you are healed." I replied. "No. Read it here with me. It says 'you were healed!' See the difference?"

The difference is God is timeless. He was, is, and always will be. His plans for us and our deliverance have already been scripted out, as His great work. It's the beauty of our free will to follow it or not. These words are poignant to me as I prepare for a kidney biopsy this morning and as my family continues to heal from the passing of my mother-in-law. All our iniquities, hurts, and pain HAVE BEEN healed though Christ Jesus. All it really is is wordplay...

Spiritual Life & Natural Death

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.
- The Book of Wisdom 3:1-6

My mother-in-law is battling cancer and has entered a terminal stage of her natural life. I make sure to mention the word "natural" because she has eaten of the living bread (John 6:51) and believes. Praise God! My family is dealing with things in the best way possible, rounding up the believers to intercede on behalf of her salvation and, equally as important, using this as a healing time.

Death happens in many forms. Many of us are walking around "dead" in certain ways. When we harbor bitterness, resentment, or holding on to past hurts or fears we are like the walking dead. Jesus came to free us from eternal death but more importantly He came to release us from our own sinful ways. When we believe He literally wipes our slate clean by taking away our sins. (Romans 5:12-21) Those feelings of bitterness and resentment, THEY ARE NO LONGER OURS! Those past hurts and fears should not dwell in our minds. THEY DON'T LIVE THERE ANYMORE! We are spiritually killing ourselves when our names are already written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Let's choose life... even in the shadow of death.

Spiritual Eyes

There are many breakthroughs and setbacks on the road to our own Damascus. As Christians we desire more of Him and that comes in many ways, including seeing things through His eyes. Like Elisha showed his servant there is so much more to see when we look at things with our spiritual eyes. Needless to say this is neither easy in the flesh or desired by the enemy.

Every time I feel like the scales are being removed from my eyes, allowing me to see things in a spiritual sense I suffer a setback. The same strongholds are used and while I'm aware of them THEY GET ME EVERY TIME. I desire more. I just need His help in my quest to know Him more.

Challenges in the Workplace

In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.
- 1 Samuel 18:14

In I Samuel 18 we learn a lesson about jealousy in the workplace. Here we have King Saul turning jealous of David because of the praise he received from others for a job well done. That jealousy led to fear and anxiety about David as well. Sometimes we are the Davids in our workplace and we don't even know it. We receive projects, tasks, and challenges that set us up for failure (v13). And whether we're aware of the setup or not we must find a way to persevere.

We must face every challenge, every adversity, as an opportunity to grow and strengthen our character. More importantly we must remember, regardless of triumph or failure, that God is with us. We are more than just Davids in our workplaces. We are EMMANUELs!

Holding On For Christ's Sake

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10

I've been struggling lately in so many ways: financially, socially, and emotionally. And while I want to revel in the situations because I know what the Lord has taught me it has been hard. We tend to get so caught up in the human element of things that we only see "the natural side" and most of that is just a facade for the spiritual issue at hand. As Brothers and Sisters in Christ the enemy doesn't want to see us happy. He doesn't want to see us succeed. Because of this situations will be thrown our ways to see how we handle things and apparently the Lord thinks we can. He has such a high opinion of us!

It took me over a week before I can see the situation for what it is and since then things have improved. As I celebrated my ten year wedding anniversary I shared this prayer statement with my wife:

I AM blessed and humbled by the way God is working in my life.

I will find COMFORT IN THE FIRE, knowing that I am not alone in a journey of faith.

I know that the fires in my life can MAKE ME STRONGER if I let God work through them.

In this I stand and believe through Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.