Dan 4:30 The king uttered these words: "Is this not the great Babylon that I have built . . . by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?"
“Because I’m worth it.” “I deserve better!” “It’s not fair.” These thoughts and phrases permeate modern culture, but have roots all the way back to Nebuchadnezzar’s ancient pitfall. After reading his story surely we don’t need to be maddened, driven into the fields, dew soaked, and abandoned to sleep with the beasts before we realize pride’s error.
When I see truly, I see the dark corners of my heart; I see how little of even my greatest accomplishments come from my own strengths, skills, abilities, spirituality, or goodness. Seeing truly, I cringe at talk of “getting what I deserve because I’m worth it and it’s only fair,” for I deserve less than I’ve been given already. Everything I have is a gift, brought to me by God’s strength and for his honor.
My prayer is for humility and thankfulness.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Insanity Epidemic
Hey, I love reading the posts of you other guys. Thanks!
"At the end of that time, I . . . raided my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored" (Dan. 4:34).
Spoken by the King of the Babylonian Empire, a man drunk on his own pride and wealth and power, this statment holds the key to restoring all the empty, broken lives on earth! The most common experience of insanity that humanity shares is to lose one's sense of dependency on God. When we raise our eyes to heaven, sanity is restored on earth. Sanity or wholeness of life and mind is achieved--better yet, received--when people raise their eyes to God.
This story's theme resounds in the stories of the demon-possessed man of Gerasene, the Assyrian King in Nineveh (see Jonah), the lost son in Jesus' parable (Luke 15), Saul's Damascus Road encounter, as well as in the life stories of men I have personally known such as Johnny McDaniel, Eddie Rollins and myself.
Along with the king's sanity being restored were the honor and success of his life's work. My life will find significance to the degree that I remember to constantly be looking up.
"At the end of that time, I . . . raided my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored" (Dan. 4:34).
Spoken by the King of the Babylonian Empire, a man drunk on his own pride and wealth and power, this statment holds the key to restoring all the empty, broken lives on earth! The most common experience of insanity that humanity shares is to lose one's sense of dependency on God. When we raise our eyes to heaven, sanity is restored on earth. Sanity or wholeness of life and mind is achieved--better yet, received--when people raise their eyes to God.
This story's theme resounds in the stories of the demon-possessed man of Gerasene, the Assyrian King in Nineveh (see Jonah), the lost son in Jesus' parable (Luke 15), Saul's Damascus Road encounter, as well as in the life stories of men I have personally known such as Johnny McDaniel, Eddie Rollins and myself.
Along with the king's sanity being restored were the honor and success of his life's work. My life will find significance to the degree that I remember to constantly be looking up.
Burning Faith
Dan 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demand they bow to the golden statue or burn is more complex than we learned from our children’s Bible stories, “If our God . . . exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace . . . But if not, . . . we don’t serve your gods.” They seem to say if God exists he can save us, but even if God doesn’t save us we still serve him. The children’s lesson is in their faith and salvation from the firey furnace, but the lesson for mature Christians is found in their faithfulness to God even if they burn for it.
My prayer is for a faith that does not fear fire.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demand they bow to the golden statue or burn is more complex than we learned from our children’s Bible stories, “If our God . . . exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace . . . But if not, . . . we don’t serve your gods.” They seem to say if God exists he can save us, but even if God doesn’t save us we still serve him. The children’s lesson is in their faith and salvation from the firey furnace, but the lesson for mature Christians is found in their faithfulness to God even if they burn for it.
My prayer is for a faith that does not fear fire.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Trust Don’t Test
Dan 2:8—11
I noted these verses for what they revealed about Nebuchadnezzar’s faith in his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. His request for an interpretation contained a test of their powers. Only the king knew his dream and only a wise man demonstrating clairvoyance would be trusted to tell what the king didn’t know, the dream’s meaning.
This speaks to me about my faith. Nebuchadnezzar rightly suspected the wisdom and power of his advisors and created a test for them. When scripture tells me not to, “put the Lord . . . to the test,” I’m being told not to treat God with the same doubt the king treated his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. God is powerful in ways no man, even Daniel, could ever be. The charlatans deserve to be tested, but God should be trusted.
My prayer is that I always trust, rather than test, God.
I noted these verses for what they revealed about Nebuchadnezzar’s faith in his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. His request for an interpretation contained a test of their powers. Only the king knew his dream and only a wise man demonstrating clairvoyance would be trusted to tell what the king didn’t know, the dream’s meaning.
This speaks to me about my faith. Nebuchadnezzar rightly suspected the wisdom and power of his advisors and created a test for them. When scripture tells me not to, “put the Lord . . . to the test,” I’m being told not to treat God with the same doubt the king treated his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. God is powerful in ways no man, even Daniel, could ever be. The charlatans deserve to be tested, but God should be trusted.
My prayer is that I always trust, rather than test, God.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
My Mission
"I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." (Acts 26:17-18)
What an awesome commission! This is the church's mission because it is God's mission. To use Ford's old slogan, this is Job #1.
I hear these words of Jesus as if they were spoken to me personally. In fact, I believe they are. I am sent to people who, in many ways, are lost and deceived and oppressed by the influences of evil. I am also sent to those who are disconnected from God's people, to give them a place of belonging.
Lord, I accept my mission with eagerness! Lead me out to these people and open my heart to them. Teach me what to do and say so that faith might begin to germinate in their lives.
What an awesome commission! This is the church's mission because it is God's mission. To use Ford's old slogan, this is Job #1.
I hear these words of Jesus as if they were spoken to me personally. In fact, I believe they are. I am sent to people who, in many ways, are lost and deceived and oppressed by the influences of evil. I am also sent to those who are disconnected from God's people, to give them a place of belonging.
Lord, I accept my mission with eagerness! Lead me out to these people and open my heart to them. Teach me what to do and say so that faith might begin to germinate in their lives.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Clean Conscience
"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." (Acts 24:16)
In these chapters, Paul stands before his accusers with such peace and transparency. He has such courage in the face of slanderous people. A large part of the reason for his courage and peace is the knowledge he has about himself. He knows his own heart. He knows that it is true and that he is surrendered to God's reign.
I will strive to always live with a clean conscience as well. Others will misperceive my heart and totally miss my sincere goodwill. But I know my own heart, and I love the freeing reality that my conscience is clean!
Lord, forgive my mistakes. Keep me always fully committed to living by your principles of integrity and truth. Amen.
In these chapters, Paul stands before his accusers with such peace and transparency. He has such courage in the face of slanderous people. A large part of the reason for his courage and peace is the knowledge he has about himself. He knows his own heart. He knows that it is true and that he is surrendered to God's reign.
I will strive to always live with a clean conscience as well. Others will misperceive my heart and totally miss my sincere goodwill. But I know my own heart, and I love the freeing reality that my conscience is clean!
Lord, forgive my mistakes. Keep me always fully committed to living by your principles of integrity and truth. Amen.
Monday, July 16, 2007
I'm So Confused!
In Acts 20:22, Paul announced, "And now compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there."
In the next chapter, Paul visits some believers in Tyre. Luke says, "Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem."
This really brings up for me the issue of the Spirit's guidance. Sometimes the faith community is able to discern his guidance together (Acts 13:1-2). I hear this emphasized a lot from certain circles. At other times, spiritual and devoted believers come to different conclusions about the Spirit's leading in a particular situation, such as here in Acts 21. When this happens, it cannot be due to conflicting messages from the Holy Spirit. So it must be due to our flawed capacity to discern his voice.
From my observations, and here in this context, it seems that thoughts of self-preservation or fear are especially notorious for distorting the message that the Holy Spirit is sending. Apparently, these other believers in Tyre took the Spirit's warnings of what lay ahead for Paul in Jerusalem to mean that he shouldn't proceed. All they could think of was that it was going to be painful. And we are always inclined to believe that painful or difficult things should never be pursued. We reason that God wouldn't lead us into those paths. This is true even with mature, spiritual believers, and it is doubly true with believers who are still stuck in a religion of personal comfort.
For this reason, the collective church body is often not the most reliable source for discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is why God has always raised up spiritual leaders for his people. If the church wants to follow the leading of God, it must carefully choose leaders who are sold out to doing God's will above personal considerations and follow them.
A person who is fully in self-offering mode, willing to take up his cross and follow Jesus wherever he leads, has a much clearer reception of the Spirit's calling than one who is encountering bleed-through from other fearful voices.
Holy Spirit, may I be so attuned to you and so open to your will for my life that I don't mistake threats of hardship to mean that you aren't favoring my course. Help me to distinguish your courageous voice from the voices of fear. Amen.
A
In the next chapter, Paul visits some believers in Tyre. Luke says, "Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem."
This really brings up for me the issue of the Spirit's guidance. Sometimes the faith community is able to discern his guidance together (Acts 13:1-2). I hear this emphasized a lot from certain circles. At other times, spiritual and devoted believers come to different conclusions about the Spirit's leading in a particular situation, such as here in Acts 21. When this happens, it cannot be due to conflicting messages from the Holy Spirit. So it must be due to our flawed capacity to discern his voice.
From my observations, and here in this context, it seems that thoughts of self-preservation or fear are especially notorious for distorting the message that the Holy Spirit is sending. Apparently, these other believers in Tyre took the Spirit's warnings of what lay ahead for Paul in Jerusalem to mean that he shouldn't proceed. All they could think of was that it was going to be painful. And we are always inclined to believe that painful or difficult things should never be pursued. We reason that God wouldn't lead us into those paths. This is true even with mature, spiritual believers, and it is doubly true with believers who are still stuck in a religion of personal comfort.
For this reason, the collective church body is often not the most reliable source for discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is why God has always raised up spiritual leaders for his people. If the church wants to follow the leading of God, it must carefully choose leaders who are sold out to doing God's will above personal considerations and follow them.
A person who is fully in self-offering mode, willing to take up his cross and follow Jesus wherever he leads, has a much clearer reception of the Spirit's calling than one who is encountering bleed-through from other fearful voices.
Holy Spirit, may I be so attuned to you and so open to your will for my life that I don't mistake threats of hardship to mean that you aren't favoring my course. Help me to distinguish your courageous voice from the voices of fear. Amen.
A
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