Know Why You're Here, part two

Matthew 16:21

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

God may have given you a fun job like teaching children how to grow a garden or teaching children how to swim. If you like what God has called you to do, great. Enjoy it.

However, God sometimes gives us jobs that aren’t all that fun. But we still have to obey.

It’s easy to love the lovely ones, but we’re supposed to love the unlovely too. We’re supposed to forgive our siblings when they eat our ice cream, but we’re supposed to forgive the drunk driver who killed someone too.

Sometimes love is hard work.

Jesus didn’t enjoy his sufferings, but he did it willingly because we needed him to. When we needed someone to take our sins to the cross for us, he did it because he was the only who could.

Someone in your life needs love from you, or forgiveness, or courage, or something that only you can provide for them. But the only way you’ll be able to accomplish all you were put on the earth to perform is through the strength of God.

There are tasks that are assigned to only you. But you won’t be able to succeed in accomplishing them unless you allow God to do it through you.

How did the disciples perform miracles? Only through the power of God.

How are you going to perform miracles for the people in your life? If you are acting according to God’s plan, listening to Him, obeying Him, trusting in His strength, you will be amazed at how God can work His power through you.

If you enjoy the intimacy of a relationship with God and you discipline yourself to obey Him, He will use you.

Know Why You're Here, part one

Luke 4:42-43

At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.

There are things that can only be done by you. There are words which, when spoken by you, can bring healing to someone. There are people who will only understand when YOU explain things to them.

Did you know your uniqueness is of great importance to God?

Jesus wasn’t the only one with a purpose. We all have significant contributions to make in this world.

Just like Jesus knew why God had sent him to a geographical location, we should know what we’re doing here. We should know why our feet are on this particular square of sod.

How do you find out your unique purpose?

Jesus knew his goals, his itinerary, and his focus for the day because he knew His Father. Because of that relationship, he was able to avoid time-wasting relationships. Not everyone who spoke to him was interested in what he had to say. Some just wanted to kill him.

If your relationship with God is close, then you can avoid wasting time with activities you weren’t supposed to do. If you know God, then you know He is love and He leads by His love.

Sometimes people will ask you to stay with them, but because of your good relationship with God, you know He is leading you somewhere else. If you know your goals, your itinerary, and your focus because you’ve been with God, then you can leave those people with love in your voice.

So once you find out you’re a child of God, get to know Him. Develop that relationship. From that close relationship, you'll learn why you were put on this earth.

Got God?

Luke 2:46-49

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Jesus has said often in scriptures that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. If we read the Bible, we should know where to go to find Him.

But many people today wander around with blindfolds not tied but held up to their heads by their own hands. They say they can’t see God, and they’re right. They haven’t tried.

How many owners of electronic devices find a problem with their device and yell at the device, “Stop messing up! Why don’t you work?”? After unsuccessfully trying to fix the problem themselves, they call a customer service number to get the help they need. But people who need God’s help don’t always ask for it. After unsuccessfully trying to fix the problem themselves, they stop trying.

Those who called the customer service number can know that they took the obvious steps to get help. However, those who didn’t call on God have no excuse.

If you’re having a hard time finding God, ask yourself, “How bad do I want to find Him?”

Do you really want to find God?

Then seek Him from the bottom of your heart. Seek Him with the people who know Him. Seek Him wherever He wants to be.

And then ask Him to stay with you.

From that point on, you’ll always know where He is. You’ll always be able to speak to Him. You’ll always have access to His love.

Are you seeking God with me today?

Sleep in Peace

Psalm 4:8

I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

With the hurricane behind us and clean up and repair work still going on, many are reviewing their decision to stay or evacuate. Many are sharing the lessons they learned.

My husband and I spoke to a woman recently who said she had about as much damage to her property as we had. She was grateful she didn’t have to repair more than she did. My husband told her we were glad we stayed to protect our house from rain damage. We changed out the wet towels at the front door that absorbed the water being blown in by the sideways rain.

God warns and protects his people. But sometimes He asks people to help others without giving them a warning. I have an out-of-town friend whose parents live in the Houston area. He came to Houston before the storm arrived so he could help his parents if they needed it. During the storm, they got a call from the neighbor across the street, also an older couple. My friend crossed the street, fighting the wind and rain the whole way. When he arrived he found a man in a wheelchair trapped between the sliding glass door at the back of the house and a tree that had crashed through their roof into the living room. The storm had blown a tree into the middle of the house and rain streamed in through the roof, flooding one side of the house. He was able to get the man and his wife to the back bedroom where they were safe and dry for the remainder of the storm.

Sometimes we see that we are where God wants us to be, even if we don’t recognize until later through hindsight the real reason God wanted us there. Another friend’s brother has a home on Galveston Island. They grabbed a few things and evacuated. Before the hurricane came too close, they felt the Lord urging them to go back to get a few more treasured items from their home. When they arrived, they saw their neighbor outside. She was without transportation and worrying about her ability to evacuate since she’d waited so late. They brought the woman back off the island with them and thanked God for the opportunity to help their neighbor. When the man went back to his home after the storm, the home was still standing.

We can thank God for protecting us before, during, and after the storm. But storm or no storm, we can live in the safety of God’s presence. And sleep in peace.

Saved By God

Psalm 78:38-43

Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.

How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wasteland! Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power – the day he redeemed them from the oppressor, the day he displayed his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan.

Those who trust in the Lord do their best to obey Him and expect Him to pick up mountains and move them if necessary.

However, those who do not trust in God are many times still saved by God.

During Hurricane Ike, a man rode out the storm in his home, and although there was damage to his property, he survived the storm. He told reporters he hadn’t prayed for help.

I imagine his friends were praying for his safety as were thousands of viewers when the story of him not leaving his home was first broadcast just before the storm hit.

If you don’t pray for God’s help, don’t bet that no one’s praying. God listens to our prayers, even those prayed by sinners. He knows we’ve all sinned. No one would ever get God’s help if we had to be perfect to pray.

I think God is looking at us all very closely to see who is about to start speaking and acting like they believe God is who He says He is. I know He waits and watches so He can help us take our first steps in His direction.

It must be like a mama bird waiting for her eggs to hatch. They don’t all hatch at once. They hatch when they’re ready. And even though they don’t all hatch sometimes, she treats them all as though they will.

Almighty God sent Jesus to make sure we had a chance to hatch. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to hover over us with the heat of His presence until the moment we come out of our shells.

God gives us many second chances we don’t recognize. Isn’t it time we at least recognized His mercy?

POD People

Psalm 78:19, 21-24

They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the desert?”

When the Lord heard them, he was very angry; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.

Hurricane Ike came to visit the Houston area and ended up doing damage to many more homes than a lot of people expected. I didn’t think our neighborhood would suffer because we’re not that close to Galveston. But seeing how big the storm was in the Gulf, we prepared for the possibility of being out of electricity for two weeks. We could’ve made it through two weeks just fine, but – thank you, God – we didn’t have to.

Since our power came back on, I’ve been watching the news stations broadcast the updates about the Houston recovery process. Many FEMA trucks have come to POD (point of distribution) locations all over the Houston area to deliver ice, water, and Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs).

At these POD locations, many people have stood in line waiting for their food, water, and ice while reporters look for someone to interview. It seems that there are reporters who find people to interview who have a positive mindset and are grateful for how much they still have. Then there are those reporters who somehow find grumpies to interview.

I realize that being in a difficult situation may bring out the grumpiness in anyone, but I also really appreciate those who went through the same disaster as the grumpies and still keep a grateful tone.

The warnings went out to everyone well in advance of the storm. Everyone had an opportunity to buy canned food and a hand-powered can opener before the storm. Everyone had an opportunity to wash empty 2-liter bottles to store clean water in before the storm. So why are there so many unprepared people?

It bothers me that there are so many who rely on the government to feed them, when they had resources available in advance. The grumpies generally are not the ones whose homes are now a pile of rubble. I’m talking about the ones who didn’t prepare and now complain that the government is making the process of getting food so inconvenient for them.

God’s eyes search for the ones who look to Him as their protector and provider. He protects many more than those who depend on Him. He feeds many more than those who call on His name.

Don’t you think He’d like a little gratitude for the protection He obviously gave millions of people? Don’t you think He’s listening for a Thank You from the mouths filled with food they didn’t buy?

How can we not acknowledge God’s protection when the number of lives that were saved on Galveston Island during the storm was unexpectedly high? How can we not acknowledge God’s protection this time when Ike only destroyed about ten oil production platforms in the Gulf, but Katrina and Rita destroyed over 100.

I think it’s time for a category 5 surge of gratefulness to God for His protection, provision, mercy, and kindness.

Seeking God's Face For Guidance

Psalm 33:11

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

America will choose a new President this year. Hurricanes make people drop their plans and prepare for the possibility of evacuation. Gas prices go up, and then they go down, and they go up again.

When all around us changes, isn’t it good to know there is one thing that will always remain the same? God doesn’t change his mind on a whim. In Hebrews 13:8 we read that the Lord is the same “yesterday, today, and forever”.

He makes plans. His plans have remained steady through all the generations. When we lose our faith in the world systems, when we lose sight of our goals, we can trust that the Lord’s ways are steady and sure. His feet do not falter. His steps are firm.

Are you tired of finding dead ends in your life? If you’re tired of your plans failing to get your where you want to go, find out what God’s plans for you are. Get in on his goals for you. Check out God’s face. See where his focus is. It’s never a waste of time to study the Bible with the intent of becoming more in tune with his mind.

Don’t worry. He’ll guide you. He likes it when we seek his face.

Some changes are inevitable. Kids lose their chubby-cheeked baby faces. Soon, trees will show off their brilliant colors in the autumn air.

God likes changes that conform to his unfailing plans.

Six Ways To Attack A Problem

Psalm 38:12

Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception.

Sometimes when we have a problem with a person who seems to enjoy showing hatred for us in one way or another, we feel like they’re probably spending many hours plotting to destroy our pleasant days.

How does one attack that problem?

1. Above all, do not attack the person.

2. Go to God who knows them better than you do. Ask for His thoughts on the matter. His guidance will help you look at the situation differently.

3. Read Bible verses to fortify your will to show love to them instead of giving back to them what they’ve been giving you.

4. Set aside time to pray for them. They probably don’t have a prayer team on stand-by. God could’ve chosen you to be the beginning of their change of heart. And don’t forget to listen to His guidance.

5. Be forgiving and kind. Even if that doesn’t freak them out enough to repent of their sins, it’s still good medicine for your wounds. Your unforgiveness will hurt you more than them.

6. Take a good look at yourself to see if there is something you’re doing that you could change for the better. After all, a problem isn’t always caused by just one person. For example, if you annoy a bitter person with your happy humming down the grocery store aisle, you can stop humming. Even if it’s not as simple as that, there’s always something you can do to help the situation.

That person who seems to be looking for ways to ruin your day might not be plotting to destroy your life, they might actually be asking for help.

Conviction

Psalm 36:1-4

An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.

I asked my kids what they were doing in their Sunday school classroom when I picked them up after church was over. I knew they had been praying because the lights were dimmed when I got to the room. Were they praying for missionaries in other countries? No. Were they praying for orphans and widows? No. Were they praying for God to strengthen His grip on America? No.

They were repenting.

Apparently, it had been discussed that if you’re constantly getting into trouble at home, you can talk to God about it and let Him help you make some good changes.

Now, I don’t know all of the kids in the classroom, but I’m guessing most of them are pretty good kids. Not the wicked people mentioned in the psalm. But if those “good kids” were allowed to continue on in their arrogance, possibly blaming someone else for something they did, those kids would eventually become bolder sinners to the point of losing their fear of God.

I’ve done an eight-part series on the fear of God. (You can read those posts by clicking “fear” in the sidebar labels list.) So if you’ve read that series, you know I’m not saying we should be afraid of God. We should respect God enough to respond to the conviction we feel when we sin.

If we lie to make ourselves feel better, we risk making a habit of ignoring the conviction. When you don’t feel the conviction anymore, you’ve entered the danger zone.

God still forgives and loves every sinner. But that conviction that makes you want to repent is a big neon sign announcing that you’re headed the wrong way. If you close your eyes to the signs, that doesn’t mean your way is suddenly right. You’re still going the wrong way.

So if you feel bad when you do something wrong, that’s good. Respond to that feeling by repenting. A simple prayer will do. That prayer will help you keep your feet headed toward God. It will help you reject what is wrong.

Then you will feel good.

The Patience of God

Psalm 86:5

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

My Heavenly Father has taught me about my relationship with Him through my experience as a parent. He shows me how He feels about me after I have "a moment" with my kids. When I get frustrated with them because they’ve been disobedient, God lets me know that I should be more obedient to Him.

Yes, I’m still growing. (And I was the “good child” among my siblings.) But my mistakes and bull-headed ways cause that inner feeling of conviction to rise up in me. God’s always with me, always watching. I sometimes think He never lets me get away with anything, but then I wonder how often He’s just being super-patient.

When God corrects me with a loving word, I remember how it made me feel and try to follow that example with my kids. I don’t always sound as loving as God, but that’s to be expected. He’s God.

As the psalmist said, God is abounding in love. I know this from experience because I constantly call to Him. He doesn’t correct my every mistake. I make too many. But I do swallow some of the correction that comes to mind when I’m with my kids. I want to be an encouraging and patient parent. I challenge them to grow in their obedience, and they provide occasional opportunities for me to improve my patience.

My kids appreciate the fact that I try to be a good and loving mom. …Well, maybe not yet. But they will.

Trying to be as good or as patient as God isn’t a reachable goal, but it does help us treat each other better along our journey.

Giving to God

Mt. 25:37-40 (NIV)

Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”
The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Amazing questions come to mind when we apply this story to our own lives. We remember seeing someone we could’ve helped, but didn’t. We remember people we did help. Were they all humans or were some of them angels sent by God to test our devotion to Him?

Generosity is a gift God gives us so we can joyfully comfort, aid, or bless someone in need.

It's a gift that shouldn’t be hidden away for one annual donation, but used all year to glorify God. It isn’t just giving money to the poor, but a gift that can be developed if it is used and practiced. Generosity is one of the ways we act like God, or at least with God. He wants to satisfy the hungry and heal the sick, but He wants to participate in that activity with us.

Whatever we've done to comfort, aid, or bless His children, it has comforted, aided, and blessed Him. And God gets all the glory.

Waiting Expectantly

Lamentations 3:25-26

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

When God sees us in trouble, He is not surprised.

He gave us power to get into as much trouble as we want. He gave us free will, the ability to make our own decisions. We can choose to do things our own way or choose to do things His way.

When we choose to do things the way God wants us to, we’re surprised by how well things turn out.

Why are we surprised?

We have plenty of opportunities to see God’s goodness in our lives and in the lives of those around us. But we rarely seek Him.

Our prayers sometimes start off with an emotional rant about our troubles. Don’t you think it would be better to wait quietly for Him to speak?

I know He can help us in our troubles, but He can also share in our joys. He can help us with minor questions and major problems.

Sometimes He just wants to be with us.

If we’ll work on our relationship with God in good times and bad, we’ll place our hope in Him. We’ll seek Him out not just for help, but for companionship and joy-sharing.

When we develop a relationship with God, we develop our ability to trust Him. And when we trust Him, it’s so much easier to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.