In Genesis 15, we hear about Abram and Sarai being told by God Himself, that they are going to have a son. In Genesis 16, we see where they begin to try to figure out what God meant, and how that might come to pass. Sarai says to Abram, "I am an old lady and you are an old man, maybe God meant that I would have children through my servant, Hagar. So take her, Abram, and cause her to conceive and bring forth the promise from God." That is just a bit paraphrased.
At the end of verse 2 it says, "And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai."
Now don't jump ahead of me in this story. I am not going to talk about not listening to our wives. That is just plain stupid! I can boldly say I have had bad counsel come from men as well as from women. It is not a gender thing! But it just might be a thing where we find someone who thinks like us, so we agree with them in their thoughts.
I want to talk about how we try to help God do HIS job!
First let me say, God needs no help from us! I am pretty sure that is why HE created the heavens and the earth, and everything else HE created, then HE created mankind. God didn't need someone around, who knew nothing about anything, trying to tell HIM how to do it all!
And yet we do it all the time! We pray, and many times we tell God how to fix someone, take care of this one or that one. You know how we are! I used to tell people all the time, it is dangerous to pray!! Not dangerous in a bad way, but in a way that may take your hands off of a situation. Or may remove your will in a situation, so God can perform HIS will in that person or situation! God may want to do something in a way that you might not even recognize as being God!!! Does that challenge your thoughts? God knows the end from the beginning. And if HE is the creator of all of this earth and heavens, then HE knows better than we how to fix a thing!
Abram and Sarai got themselves in a mess. They ended up with a child, that some 13 years later, was found to not be the promise God had in mind. Finally, God brought to pass the promise HE had made to them. It was after they gave up trying to take care of it themselves, and left it to the wonderful hands of our loving God! In Ephesians 3:20, from The Message translation, it says, "God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."
I understand, we all get anxious, and want things to hurry up! But God wants us to be patient! My time frame is not always God's time frame. Besides, God plan is so much better than what I can try to do!!
God can do HIS job just fine! I just have to learn one thing, keep my hands off!!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Pig Or The Chicken
Back in about 1983, while in service, a preacher was preaching and he made a statement that has stayed with me all these years. He said, "You are either the pig or the chicken." He then went on to explain what he meant. "It's like with breakfast, the ham and eggs. You are either the chicken, who gives a portion of itself and goes on its merry way, or you are like the pig, who must lay down his life to give his portion."
As I said earlier, that has stayed with me all these years. It has had a profound effect in my life also. You could probably say it was life changing. Much of my mindset was from the chicken side. I just wanted to go, leave a portion of myself in some capacity, and then go on my merry little way. But this thought, it began to stir in me something that I had not really thought about too much. Commitment!
See, in the breakfast senario, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed! It cost the pig his life! But the chicken just gave a portion and went on. Many times our lives are like that very situation. We want to just give a portion, but we don't want it to cost us! We are willing to give just about anything that God wants from us, except what costs us! We say we want to be HIS disciples, but we don't want HIS discipline! We want HIS blessings, but we don't want HIS correction! My question is, how can we have one without the other? I really don't think it is possible.
What about those of us who are married? Do we want our spouses to just be involved in our marriage, or do we want them committed to it? Do we want them to do just enough to get things by, or do we want them laying down their lives to make sure it works. And remember with this, we can't expect more from them than we are willing to give ourselves!
In regards to the Kingdom of our God - Do we just want to be involved? Or do we want to be committed! Do we want people to teach our children who are not committed? Do we want people to lead us into HIS presence in worship who are just involved? Do we want the men and women of God to stand and declare to us The Truth, and they themselves not be committed to the same Word they are declaring to us? Never expect more from others than you are willing to expect, and give, from yourself!
So, in your personal life with Christ, are you involved, or are you committed? Are you getting all the blessings you can, or trying to be all the blessings you can be? Are you giving a portion of your life or are you laying your life down for HIM?
Are you the Pig or the Chicken?
As I said earlier, that has stayed with me all these years. It has had a profound effect in my life also. You could probably say it was life changing. Much of my mindset was from the chicken side. I just wanted to go, leave a portion of myself in some capacity, and then go on my merry little way. But this thought, it began to stir in me something that I had not really thought about too much. Commitment!
See, in the breakfast senario, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed! It cost the pig his life! But the chicken just gave a portion and went on. Many times our lives are like that very situation. We want to just give a portion, but we don't want it to cost us! We are willing to give just about anything that God wants from us, except what costs us! We say we want to be HIS disciples, but we don't want HIS discipline! We want HIS blessings, but we don't want HIS correction! My question is, how can we have one without the other? I really don't think it is possible.
What about those of us who are married? Do we want our spouses to just be involved in our marriage, or do we want them committed to it? Do we want them to do just enough to get things by, or do we want them laying down their lives to make sure it works. And remember with this, we can't expect more from them than we are willing to give ourselves!
In regards to the Kingdom of our God - Do we just want to be involved? Or do we want to be committed! Do we want people to teach our children who are not committed? Do we want people to lead us into HIS presence in worship who are just involved? Do we want the men and women of God to stand and declare to us The Truth, and they themselves not be committed to the same Word they are declaring to us? Never expect more from others than you are willing to expect, and give, from yourself!
So, in your personal life with Christ, are you involved, or are you committed? Are you getting all the blessings you can, or trying to be all the blessings you can be? Are you giving a portion of your life or are you laying your life down for HIM?
Are you the Pig or the Chicken?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Do You Remember?
Almost everyone has heard the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Well, let me take you back in the story a little before their battle, such as it was!
David gets there just in time to see both armies line up for battle. Suddenly, Goliath comes out and begins his usual scoffing and laughing at the armies of Israel. David hears it, and sees the Israelites shrink back in fear. The men begin to talk about the rewards given to the man who defeats Goliath. David asks them to repeat the part about the rewards. David's older brother gets mad at David and tells him to go back where he came from. The King of Israel, Saul, hears about Davids questions, and sends for him. David tells the king to not worry, that he would go take care of this sorry dog that has ridiculed the armies of the Almighty God! King Saul tells David that he doesn't have what it takes to beat this giant, since Goliath has been a soldier since before David was born!
Here is where I want to make my point with this word ----
Suddenly David begins tell, or testify, about some of the victories he has had in his life. He tells him of a lion that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the lion. He tells him of a bear that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the bear. Then he tells him that this Philistine pig will be just like the lion and the bear!
What did David do? He remembered and testified about his previous victories! In Isaiah 46:9, in the Good News Bible, it says, "Remember what happened long ago; acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me."
What am I trying to say to you? Remember your former victories!!!
In remembering them, it gives us the strength to continue to stand in the faith we are in! Rehearse them, tell them, testify of them. Bring them to your rememberance! There is strength, hope, joy, refreshing, renewed vision, in the remembering of our former victories, whether they are small or great!
I know, Philippians 3:13 says, "Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead." (from the Good News Bible) Paul is talking about all the things he thought were so important from before. He isn't talking about the victories Christ has worked in his life! He remembers the victories Christ has accomplished in him, just like we should! Even the children of Israel, in the Old Testament, set up memorial stones, to remind them what God had done for them! How about the song, "Look what the Lord has done!" That is remembering your former victories!
Don't let the victories in your life drift off and away, out of your mind and heart. Remember! Remember! Remember!
Remember your former victories! So you can move with confidence to your future victories!
David gets there just in time to see both armies line up for battle. Suddenly, Goliath comes out and begins his usual scoffing and laughing at the armies of Israel. David hears it, and sees the Israelites shrink back in fear. The men begin to talk about the rewards given to the man who defeats Goliath. David asks them to repeat the part about the rewards. David's older brother gets mad at David and tells him to go back where he came from. The King of Israel, Saul, hears about Davids questions, and sends for him. David tells the king to not worry, that he would go take care of this sorry dog that has ridiculed the armies of the Almighty God! King Saul tells David that he doesn't have what it takes to beat this giant, since Goliath has been a soldier since before David was born!
Here is where I want to make my point with this word ----
Suddenly David begins tell, or testify, about some of the victories he has had in his life. He tells him of a lion that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the lion. He tells him of a bear that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the bear. Then he tells him that this Philistine pig will be just like the lion and the bear!
What did David do? He remembered and testified about his previous victories! In Isaiah 46:9, in the Good News Bible, it says, "Remember what happened long ago; acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me."
What am I trying to say to you? Remember your former victories!!!
In remembering them, it gives us the strength to continue to stand in the faith we are in! Rehearse them, tell them, testify of them. Bring them to your rememberance! There is strength, hope, joy, refreshing, renewed vision, in the remembering of our former victories, whether they are small or great!
I know, Philippians 3:13 says, "Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead." (from the Good News Bible) Paul is talking about all the things he thought were so important from before. He isn't talking about the victories Christ has worked in his life! He remembers the victories Christ has accomplished in him, just like we should! Even the children of Israel, in the Old Testament, set up memorial stones, to remind them what God had done for them! How about the song, "Look what the Lord has done!" That is remembering your former victories!
Don't let the victories in your life drift off and away, out of your mind and heart. Remember! Remember! Remember!
Remember your former victories! So you can move with confidence to your future victories!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Who Are You, Pleasant Or Bitter?
In the book of Ruth, chapter 1, we see the story of Naomi. Her, her husband, and 2 sons, left Bethlehem Judah because there was a famine. They went to Moab to live. After being there a while, the husband died. Later the 2 sons married women from there. It doesn't say how long it was, but then both sons died. There Naomi was, with no one but her daughters-in-law.
Naomi hears that God has visited her homeland and the famine is over, so she decides to go back to Bethlehem Judah and tries to get the girls to stay. One stays, and one goes back with Naomi.
As they come into town, there is a stir among the people. The people of Bethlehem think they recognize Naomi and the women begin to call out to her, "Naomi, Naomi!"
But Naomi answers and says, "Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara!"
Let me say here, the name Naomi literally means "pleasant", and the name "Mara" means "bitter"!
What she is saying is, "Don't call me pleasant anymore, because I am not! Call me bitter, because now, that is what I am!" She goes on and tells them that she left her hometown in a difficult time and went somewhere else where it was easier. She tells them she left full, but God has brought her back empty. Then she begins to do what many of us do when we have had difficulties in our life -- blame God!
We need to see that Naomi and her family left Bethlehem Judah without God telling them to leave. I know we have all made decisions based on what seemed logical at the time, but we need to understand that God wants to lead us in our decisions so we don't make hasty ones, or the wrong ones!
Remember, she said she left full, but came back empty. Many of us have done this very thing. I told a friend of mine, Charlie, just the other day that we make decisions based on what we want, or what seems logical at the time, and then we ask God to bless what we have done. The problem is that God doesn't want to follow behind and clean up the mess. HE wants to lead us so HE can bless!! Stepping out in faith does not mean moving without the Word of the Lord! If you don't have the Word of the Lord, you have no foundation on which to stand when things get tough. Faith isn't stupidity, or as one brother many years ago said, presumptous. It hears the directions of the Holy Spirit and then follows! That is faith. Standing, and moving, on the Word of God!
The decisions Naomi and family made were without the Word of the Lord, and she ended up bitter. The bed partner for bitterness is blame. We get bitter, then we begin to blame. We start to blame God when it was us that got us there! I know many people that once walked with God, made decisions, then ended up bitter, and then blamed God for the loss they began to experience in their life. You can always tell when someone is bitter. They lash out at the very first chance they have, at anything and everything! And the lashing out includes the blame game. Remember --- Bitterness Breeds Blame!!
But, there is a happy ending to this story! God turned Mara back to Naomi! HE removed her bitterness and restored her pleasantness!
If you find yourself in this story, repent for hasty decisions, ask God to remove the weight of bitterness from your life, and repent for blaming HIM and, or, anyone else.
HE is faithful to meet us where we are. HE loves us.
Naomi hears that God has visited her homeland and the famine is over, so she decides to go back to Bethlehem Judah and tries to get the girls to stay. One stays, and one goes back with Naomi.
As they come into town, there is a stir among the people. The people of Bethlehem think they recognize Naomi and the women begin to call out to her, "Naomi, Naomi!"
But Naomi answers and says, "Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara!"
Let me say here, the name Naomi literally means "pleasant", and the name "Mara" means "bitter"!
What she is saying is, "Don't call me pleasant anymore, because I am not! Call me bitter, because now, that is what I am!" She goes on and tells them that she left her hometown in a difficult time and went somewhere else where it was easier. She tells them she left full, but God has brought her back empty. Then she begins to do what many of us do when we have had difficulties in our life -- blame God!
We need to see that Naomi and her family left Bethlehem Judah without God telling them to leave. I know we have all made decisions based on what seemed logical at the time, but we need to understand that God wants to lead us in our decisions so we don't make hasty ones, or the wrong ones!
Remember, she said she left full, but came back empty. Many of us have done this very thing. I told a friend of mine, Charlie, just the other day that we make decisions based on what we want, or what seems logical at the time, and then we ask God to bless what we have done. The problem is that God doesn't want to follow behind and clean up the mess. HE wants to lead us so HE can bless!! Stepping out in faith does not mean moving without the Word of the Lord! If you don't have the Word of the Lord, you have no foundation on which to stand when things get tough. Faith isn't stupidity, or as one brother many years ago said, presumptous. It hears the directions of the Holy Spirit and then follows! That is faith. Standing, and moving, on the Word of God!
The decisions Naomi and family made were without the Word of the Lord, and she ended up bitter. The bed partner for bitterness is blame. We get bitter, then we begin to blame. We start to blame God when it was us that got us there! I know many people that once walked with God, made decisions, then ended up bitter, and then blamed God for the loss they began to experience in their life. You can always tell when someone is bitter. They lash out at the very first chance they have, at anything and everything! And the lashing out includes the blame game. Remember --- Bitterness Breeds Blame!!
But, there is a happy ending to this story! God turned Mara back to Naomi! HE removed her bitterness and restored her pleasantness!
If you find yourself in this story, repent for hasty decisions, ask God to remove the weight of bitterness from your life, and repent for blaming HIM and, or, anyone else.
HE is faithful to meet us where we are. HE loves us.
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