The Scriptures tells us hope deferred makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).
Deferred means drag or delay. How many prayers for our loved ones seem to drag on for years with little or no evidence of any positive change? In fact, it seems that relationships only go from bad to worse. Still we cling to the promise that God heard us the first time (so long ago) and will act as He so determines. Other times it appears that a portion of our prayers are answered while other important pieces seem delayed or even forgotten over time.
The price of disappointment is a sickened heart often weighed down by layers of unbelief. It's those layers of one frustrating moment after another that makes us weary and even suspicious of any good thing that might happen. Many efforts are made to bring about our own answer but it fails. Prayers are shouted and whispered. We almost become a pagan babbling and muttering in a repetitious fashion in hopes that God will move on our behalf.
Then there's that terrible wall of silence. No resounding voice from heaven. Even the hissing of the devil seems to have stopped accusing us - which is another tactic - as if to say we are all alone. God has abandoned us to our own devices. The Psalmist says in his time of greatest need his prayer returned to his bosom (Psalm 35:13). It's a terrible thing to to hear the sound of your own voice praying words that seem shallow and lifeless. Gone is any passion and longing in believing God is listening (or even cares to listen).
Beloved, when the waves of disappointment mount and threatened to drag us into the deep sea we have to remember Jonah's prayer. He said, "To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple." (Jonah 2:6-7 NIV).
Even in the deepest and darkest pit of despair, we must believe God will help us. He alone can lift us up and out of the miry clay and set our feet on a solid rock (Psalms 40:2). Remember faith is not measured by what we see or understand in the natural. Often times God works quietly and behind the scenes - He's working all things for our good - even when we see no evidence to our prayers.
Lord, refresh our hope in the promises that You are for us and not against us. Help us to be at rest when our souls are frantic to see and understand when things don't go well. You are in control. You are sovereign. You care for us. The love You have for us will not change and nothing can take us out of your hands. Restore unto us once more the joy of our salvation! With such joy, break every chain in the name of Jesus from the spirit of dread, despair and despondency that weighs us down! Let your light so flood our souls that no darkness can cloud our vision and steal our strength. Amen.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Thankful
I looked across the room to my carry on bag near the door. My ride to the airport would be here in a few minutes. I breathed a prayer. God, I need wisdom. I'm afraid that I don't understand everything that is being asked of me.
This was my second trip out West but this time the project that I've been asked to join would be more intense. It required understanding my role in greater depth especially how it impacts the over all process that we were asked by managers, directors and AVPs to stream line.
The first day was a short meeting leaving the rest of the day open. I believe the Lord used a call from manager the day before to ask about a process that one of the teams was using and it proved successful. So I spent the entire afternoon speaking to key individuals, taking notes and reporting my findings back to the manager in New York.
The next day as we were mapping the process an entire task was devoted to the process I only learned last night. I was excited and think I may have surprised others in the room. I understood when the report was generated and the maker of the report. I explained how the process worked and what the expectations were of the claims examiner. I also warned of a defect in the process should there be a delayed response to the report.
At the end of the day I was so thankful to the Lord that He knew what I needed before walking into the meeting. He supplied what I prayed days ago for an answer I could not have anticipated.
And this was the lesson I felt the Lord speak to my heart. Be thankful. It was a call to come back to Him time and time again throughout the day and say to Him, "Thank you." We are instructed to present our requests with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) not in a complaining attitude.
Of all the ten lepers only one came back to say thank you. How God's heart is moved when one turns around to look Him in the eyes to say, "I'm so grateful for all You have done." I believe that when we are thankful our faith is increased in a God who can do all things even in the most difficult and trying circumstances.
God will never fail to come through for His people.
So are we willing to offer Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving? Much of our promise of deliverance and freedom is hinged on lips of gratitude.
...the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD. (Jeremiah 33:11 NIV)
This was my second trip out West but this time the project that I've been asked to join would be more intense. It required understanding my role in greater depth especially how it impacts the over all process that we were asked by managers, directors and AVPs to stream line.
The first day was a short meeting leaving the rest of the day open. I believe the Lord used a call from manager the day before to ask about a process that one of the teams was using and it proved successful. So I spent the entire afternoon speaking to key individuals, taking notes and reporting my findings back to the manager in New York.
The next day as we were mapping the process an entire task was devoted to the process I only learned last night. I was excited and think I may have surprised others in the room. I understood when the report was generated and the maker of the report. I explained how the process worked and what the expectations were of the claims examiner. I also warned of a defect in the process should there be a delayed response to the report.
At the end of the day I was so thankful to the Lord that He knew what I needed before walking into the meeting. He supplied what I prayed days ago for an answer I could not have anticipated.
And this was the lesson I felt the Lord speak to my heart. Be thankful. It was a call to come back to Him time and time again throughout the day and say to Him, "Thank you." We are instructed to present our requests with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) not in a complaining attitude.
Of all the ten lepers only one came back to say thank you. How God's heart is moved when one turns around to look Him in the eyes to say, "I'm so grateful for all You have done." I believe that when we are thankful our faith is increased in a God who can do all things even in the most difficult and trying circumstances.
God will never fail to come through for His people.
So are we willing to offer Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving? Much of our promise of deliverance and freedom is hinged on lips of gratitude.
...the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD. (Jeremiah 33:11 NIV)
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Go To Hebron
We read in I Samuel 27 that David and his company moved to Gath, a Philistine city, to flee from King Saul. Gath as you recall is the birth place of Goliath whom David killed. David lived a year and four months in the enemy's territory (verse 7). During this time, David and his men raided the land and lied to the Philistine king saying he had attacked southern Judah. This embolden the king to believe David was his ally since he was raiding his own people.
David was tired from running around the desert with an insane king at his heels. He was in survival mode and operated in his own strength. It's telling of his reasoning to live side by side with the enemy just to escape another enemy. During this time it's not recorded that God spoke directly to David or David spoke to God until the city of Ziklag where he lived was destroyed.
But still God was in control of David's every step to the throne as a shepherd king.
On the day the Philistines were ready to launch an attack on Israel (the same battle which killed King Saul and his sons) David was turned back (chapter 29). God used the rejection of Philistines princes not only to preserve his life but also to prevent him from being part of a coalition that would destroy King Saul, God's anointed king.
When David returned to Ziklag the city was completely destroyed (30:1-3). Sometimes God must destroy the places were we often run for relief and comfort. Sometimes in our exhaustion and weariness we will act or do things for a moment's relief. We compromise and negotiate with the enemy for a little peace at the altar of convenience. These same places become strongholds - an argument - to why we won't move forward with the call of God on our lives. One reason is that we draw the anger of the enemy. Why risk being a target when it's safer inside our own walled city?
It says David encouraged himself in the Lord and at His direction won a great victory in recovering all that was stolen (30:18-19). Following the death of Saul, David enquires of the Lord before moving back to Judah. In 2 Samuel 2:1 God tells him go to Hebron.
Hebron means alliance or friend. Here is where Abraham buried his wife after buying the land. Caleb took down the giants after Joshua divided the land. Here David is anointed as king and ruled for seven years before moving to Jerusalem. I believe the word that God has for His people is to get up and go to Hebron. That spiritual place that returns us back to a covenant relationship when all our efforts and alliances on worldly things are broken from holding us back. We as a people of God must come back to that promised land having moved outside the enemy's ground to a place where Abraham the friend of God once walked. So too God is speaking to His people to be His faithful friend just as He always has been to us.
It's time to come back to Hebron. It's time to "unfriend" the world (or God will do it for us) and be a friend of God. Our allegiance to Him must be pure and unfettered by worldly pursuits. To do so takes His grace to walk in the Spirit of unity where our hearts are undivided and our devotion strong and sweet.
Oh, Lord bring us out of a place of compromise to Hebron where our friendship with God is restored!
David was tired from running around the desert with an insane king at his heels. He was in survival mode and operated in his own strength. It's telling of his reasoning to live side by side with the enemy just to escape another enemy. During this time it's not recorded that God spoke directly to David or David spoke to God until the city of Ziklag where he lived was destroyed.
But still God was in control of David's every step to the throne as a shepherd king.
On the day the Philistines were ready to launch an attack on Israel (the same battle which killed King Saul and his sons) David was turned back (chapter 29). God used the rejection of Philistines princes not only to preserve his life but also to prevent him from being part of a coalition that would destroy King Saul, God's anointed king.
When David returned to Ziklag the city was completely destroyed (30:1-3). Sometimes God must destroy the places were we often run for relief and comfort. Sometimes in our exhaustion and weariness we will act or do things for a moment's relief. We compromise and negotiate with the enemy for a little peace at the altar of convenience. These same places become strongholds - an argument - to why we won't move forward with the call of God on our lives. One reason is that we draw the anger of the enemy. Why risk being a target when it's safer inside our own walled city?
It says David encouraged himself in the Lord and at His direction won a great victory in recovering all that was stolen (30:18-19). Following the death of Saul, David enquires of the Lord before moving back to Judah. In 2 Samuel 2:1 God tells him go to Hebron.
Hebron means alliance or friend. Here is where Abraham buried his wife after buying the land. Caleb took down the giants after Joshua divided the land. Here David is anointed as king and ruled for seven years before moving to Jerusalem. I believe the word that God has for His people is to get up and go to Hebron. That spiritual place that returns us back to a covenant relationship when all our efforts and alliances on worldly things are broken from holding us back. We as a people of God must come back to that promised land having moved outside the enemy's ground to a place where Abraham the friend of God once walked. So too God is speaking to His people to be His faithful friend just as He always has been to us.
It's time to come back to Hebron. It's time to "unfriend" the world (or God will do it for us) and be a friend of God. Our allegiance to Him must be pure and unfettered by worldly pursuits. To do so takes His grace to walk in the Spirit of unity where our hearts are undivided and our devotion strong and sweet.
Oh, Lord bring us out of a place of compromise to Hebron where our friendship with God is restored!
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Quiet Acknowledgement
I returned home from a business trip last night. We have been married twenty-two years so it was the first time we had been separated for more than two days. At the end of week, I was exhausted but decided the next morning to take a short road trip to make up the time we missed.
The New England weather was picture perfect on a hot August afternoon. When we were rounding a hill when we heard a noise on the left side of the car. After we parked the car we spotted the left tire on the driver's side was nearly flat. We found a service station that inspected the tire and then noticed our state inspection sticker was expired. We were informed it could result in a ticket if a police officer was to pull us over. Our registration could be impacted. So the station did both the inspection and repaired the leaking tire.
My wife said quietly, "Perhaps the flat tire was a way of God telling us to take care of the inspection." I agreed. The sticker was completely forgotten since we drive less these days. It seemed that along the entire journey His hand was present. Our tire didn't blow out on the country road. We found a service station close by and we were still able to enjoy our afternoon. We didn't pray about this issue other than a prayer for safety as we usually do when we travel. Still God acknowledged us in our time of need when we didn't even know a need was about to present itself!
I think of Ruth in the Old Testament. It's not recorded in the Scriptures that she prayed though I believe she was a praying woman who learned from her mother-in-law. But still her spoken and unspoken desires became realized when she married Boaz and was brought into a covenant relationship - not only of marriage but the Jewish nation itself - ultimately the very lineage of Jesus Christ.
What matters the most is that we acknowledge God first (Proverbs 3:6) above all our wants, needs and desires. When we acknowledge Him we are really submitting to His desires and His design (or plan) for our lives. Something I believe Ruth quietly learned when she returned to Naomi's homeland. We acknowledge or confess that He matters. His heart and thoughts are greater and higher than our own. Then He makes our paths straight. As in our case, the car tire was repaired and properly inflated to take us straight home.
Beloved, be encouraged God acknowledges you - where you live and how you live- just breath His name. Say to Him aloud while on your bed at night. You are with me. Immanuel God with us. And you will find a deep abiding peace flow over you because the Prince of Peace acknowledges you.
The New England weather was picture perfect on a hot August afternoon. When we were rounding a hill when we heard a noise on the left side of the car. After we parked the car we spotted the left tire on the driver's side was nearly flat. We found a service station that inspected the tire and then noticed our state inspection sticker was expired. We were informed it could result in a ticket if a police officer was to pull us over. Our registration could be impacted. So the station did both the inspection and repaired the leaking tire.
My wife said quietly, "Perhaps the flat tire was a way of God telling us to take care of the inspection." I agreed. The sticker was completely forgotten since we drive less these days. It seemed that along the entire journey His hand was present. Our tire didn't blow out on the country road. We found a service station close by and we were still able to enjoy our afternoon. We didn't pray about this issue other than a prayer for safety as we usually do when we travel. Still God acknowledged us in our time of need when we didn't even know a need was about to present itself!
I think of Ruth in the Old Testament. It's not recorded in the Scriptures that she prayed though I believe she was a praying woman who learned from her mother-in-law. But still her spoken and unspoken desires became realized when she married Boaz and was brought into a covenant relationship - not only of marriage but the Jewish nation itself - ultimately the very lineage of Jesus Christ.
What matters the most is that we acknowledge God first (Proverbs 3:6) above all our wants, needs and desires. When we acknowledge Him we are really submitting to His desires and His design (or plan) for our lives. Something I believe Ruth quietly learned when she returned to Naomi's homeland. We acknowledge or confess that He matters. His heart and thoughts are greater and higher than our own. Then He makes our paths straight. As in our case, the car tire was repaired and properly inflated to take us straight home.
Beloved, be encouraged God acknowledges you - where you live and how you live- just breath His name. Say to Him aloud while on your bed at night. You are with me. Immanuel God with us. And you will find a deep abiding peace flow over you because the Prince of Peace acknowledges you.