Desiring God Obediently (short)

There will more on this when I return home from vacation but these verses jumped out at me this morning during my quiet time (Ps 92:1).

Pay special attention to verse 29 and 31.

Deut 5:28-33
28 "And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken.
29 Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!
30 Go and say to them, "Return to your tents."
31 But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you the whole commandment and the statutes and the rules that you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.'
32 You shall be careful therefore to do as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (REF IS 30:21)
33 You shall walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

Oil Spill and Life Truth

As I look at the beach for myself this morning, I see faint signs of oil. There are small brown spots on the beach, brown suds about 100 yards off the beach, and brown blobs under the water. The brown blobs are the problem. Isn't it always what is just under the surface that kills us. Usually it is not the "minor things of the surface" but what is beneath the surface. Let us all pray with the Psalmist, "Search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts." (Psalm 139:23)

Desiring God Directionally

Desiring God Directionally has a component that is necessary for the perfect rhythm of God to be enjoyed. That is putting Christ in His place. Surrender is putting Christ in His rightful place in one’s life. He is to be the conductor of one’s life. He is to have the head seat at the table. He is to be the captain of the ship. Whatever way you choose to put it, give Him his rightful position of Lord and God, Yahweh and Elohim, Mighty Friend, Mighty Savior, Mighty God.

Do you feel it? I can feel it. I know people who feel it. I see people who feel it. What does it feel like? Love! Grace! Mercy! Hope! What is it? It is God drawing me to Himself. It is Him doing what I have tried to do myself without success. It is what happens when Christ is put in His place. When we surrender that position we cannot stop it. He draws us in. We have the right through Christ to approach God (Heb 4:16). But it is only He who can incline my heart to Him. I can incline my ear (Ps 49:4). I can ask God to incline His ear to me (Ps 17:6, 31:2). However, He alone can incline, draw, expand one’s heart to Himself (John 6:44).

When that happens God begins to give one direction. Most of us have desired God directionally. We have prayed the prayers, “God, show me what I ought to do.” “God, I want to know your will.” “God, who should I date?” “God, which is the right job?” We have all been there. Even those who do not desire God positionally will find themselves desiring God directionally. I think it was Elizabeth Elliott who said, “When God’s will (direction) and mine collide, someone has to die”. In Experiencing God Henry Blackaby says that God speaks through the Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit, the church, and circumstances. The key is that God does speak. Jesus said that He had to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come (John 16:7). Well, Jesus went and the Holy Spirit came (Acts 1-2). One part of the Holy Spirits long job description is that He gives us direction (John 14:26). Jesus even said that it was better that He went and the Holy Spirit came (John 16:7). God wants to give me and you direction today. Put Christ in His place today and enjoy God inclining your heart to Him. Here is a verse on direction that I feel in love with in 2004. 

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you trun to the right or when you turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21

Desiring God Relationally

If we could just realize that it is not us chasing after God, but God inclining us to Himself, we might find a greater peace, joy, hope and fulfillment in the Christian life. What appears to happen in many people’s life as they comes to Christ they begin trying to please Him. In an effort to warrant His blessing, one becomes tired and discourage and totally out of rhythm. Solomon realized as he dedicated the temple and encouraged the people to godliness that they needed God positionally in their lives in order for them to enjoy God relationally. Positional is putting God in His rightful place in one’s life as Lord, Master, Mighty God. That is what begins to put one’s life into perfect rhythm. I have found in my experience that it is harder to hurt someone when the relationship is personal and intimate. Solomon said on that monumental day,

“The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him” (1 Kings 8:54-55a).

John put it like this, “John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. (John 3:27, ESV)

Jesus said,  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44, ESV)

John 6:65 (ESV) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

Today, just give God His rightful position in your life. Let Him be YOUR Lord, Master and Mighty God. He will incline you to Him.

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Desiring God Positionally

Does your life seem out of rhythm or as some would say, “Out of sorts”? Does it seem like some areas might be in rhythm while others are out of rhythm. The rhythm that God desires in our life is when all components work together to create beautiful music that we call life. After establishing the fact that God had given His people rest/peace/rhythm, Solomon says “The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us”. It begins with, “The Yahweh our Elohim”. That is like saying “The Lord (Master) our God (Mighty Creator). That is desiring God in His rightful position. We must give God His rightful seat at the table of our life. He has to be the conductor of the music we live by if we are to ever find the rhythm He desires in our life and we desire to find. It is He and He alone that brings the music of our life into rhythm. But, if He is not Lord and Master, our lives will be out of order, out of tune, out of rhythm. Here are the words of Jesus.

Luke 14:26-27, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

We cannot be a disciple of Christ’s until we give Him his rightful position in our lives. There is no way around it. He is to be Lord and Master in order for the rhythm He created us to live by to be realized and enjoyed. It is abandonment of our life to Him. If you will lose your life to Christ you will find it. If you die to the flesh you will live in the spirit. It’s your choice. Just let God know what role He is to play. 

Give God His Seat

The next nine post will be based on the sermon I preached yesterday and last Wednesday. I feel God saying that this message is very critical to Christianity today. Now, I realize that I have not found something new in the Bible, but I do believe we Christians can get some thing out of place in our efforts to do something right. Today, I will post the overall message in a summary form and in the subsequent post I will deal with each beat/point/note separately.

1 Kings 8:54-61

God had given Rest (Peace, Rhythm)

·       Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. NKJV

God had kept His Promise

·       “Not one word has failed of all his good promise”

·       Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. NIV

·       Why do we think our plans are better?

Desiring God

·       Positionally (v57)

o   “be with us”, “may not leave us or forsake us”

o   Give God His rightful seat at the table as Lord and Master.

·       Relationally (v58a)

o   “incline our hearts to Him”

o   Incline: extend, stretch out, spread out.

o   The Message, “May he keep us centered and devoted to him”.

·       Directionally (v58b)

o   “to walk in all his ways”

·       Obediently (v58c)

o   Keeping his commandments, statutes, and rules

·       Continually (v59)

o   “day and night”

·       Effectually (v60a)

o   “Maintain the cause”

·       Evangelistically (v60b)

o   “That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.”

·       Devotedly (v61)

o   1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.” (ESV)

o   “as at this day”

o   Solomon wanted their covenant commitment to God to never end. 

Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the tools used to keep us from following God's direction for our life. What is it that you were suppose to do yesterday? last week? last year? or 10 years ago? If we just do what God wants us to do when He tells us to do it or be what God wants us to be when He want us to be it, we will find that we bring Him more glory in the process. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Take time to sit at the table with God, allow Him to incline your heart to Him, get your directions from Him and then obey Him. Quit wasting your life.

Oh, here's the picture!

Spirit of God

I am sure there have been times in my ministry when I felt like I did last night, but I do not remember it. As I delivered God's message last night I felt more in tune with the Spirit of God than any other time that I can remember while preaching. I told Mary Anne last night that it was kind of like an outer body experience. I know that sounds crazy, but I felt that the Spirit of God was controlling everything I was saying. If you were there, I hope you did not take the message lightly. God is up to something in many people's lives at HC and other places. There are others that have determined to walk at a safe distance is best. My prayer is the same as Paul's was for the Colossians:

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:9-10, ESV). 

May we walk together in unity seeking to be all God desires us to be. 

WORDS

Just doing a quick search on the internet reveals that many have studied how many words people say a day. Most of the studies end up with men speaking about 2000 words a day and women 7000 words a day (women say that is because they have to repeat everything to the men at least twice). But words are powerful. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits”. Furthermore, it says “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18, ESV). James had much to say about the tongue and concludes with “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison”. (I am guessing James had someone say something really mean before writing his letter.)

So, men have 2000 chances on average and women 7000 chances on average to bring healing and help.

Proverbs 15:4 Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim. (The Message)

Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (ESV)

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY TODAY!

I'm A Genius

The first call I got on the phone Monday morning was very encouraging. The person on the other end said you are a genius. Now, those who know me best, or at all, knows that is a bit of a stretch. The caller went on to say that when I had the idea of LIFEgroups, I was a genius. Why? Because it is a place where relationships are developed, nurtured and intertwined. There is something special that happens when a group of believers, disciples, Christians, get together and eat, pray, study, laugh, and cry together. Here is the deal on my genius. If each of us would just obey Christ no matter what anyone says, He makes us look smarter than we are. He is the genius. Most of us need more than a sermon or a lesson. We need friendships without the masks.

SEX, SEX, SEX and more

Every person over the age of 16, maybe younger, should have to listen to this sermon on SEX. It is 1:02 long but you will waste that much time today. I challenge you or dare you to listen. Whichever prompts you to listen. It is David Platt the pastor of The Church @ Brook Hills.

You can click here and listen or download the sermon Sex in Salvation History at itunes.
That is the SEX, SEX, SEX part.

Here is the "more" part.
Today, devotion from My Utmost for His Highest goes right along with the sermons I have preached the past two weeks. Please click here and read.

Have a great week.

Flexible

Yesterday Rick Warren entered the following on Twitter.

“Study the STOPS of Jesus, not just his step -the interruptions he allowed. Every healing was an interruption! R U flexible?”

Flexibility – that is what God desires. As we seek to follow Him we might not enjoy every direction He calls us to travel. It was evident in the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus was not looking forward to the next few days (Matt 26:38-39, but He remained flexible in God’s hands (Matt 26:42). As Jeremiah put it, we need to remain as clay in the potter’s hand (Jer 18). Flexibility is what God desires from us. He knows better than we what our day, week and lives hold.

What if Jesus did not stop when He was interrupted? What opportunities would have been missed? How many opportunities have we missed because we refused to be flexible to God’s call in and on our lives?

One of the greatest quotes I have ever read was from Elizabeth Elliott.

“When the will of God and the will of man collide, someone has to die.”

Who is dying in your life today? You? Or God?

At the Table

There is another great story from 2 Samuel that I did not cover at our WOW Wednesday last night. It is one of Ricky’s favorite stories of the Old Testament. It is the story of Mephibosheth (I will use Meph for the rest of this blog.) from 2 Samuel 9.

David’s best friend was Jonathan, Saul’s son. David had made a covenant with Jonathan that he would remember his family (1 Sam 20:14-15). Meph is Jonathan’s crippled son. Meph refers to himself as a “dead dog” (v8). He realizes he does not warrant anything from David. David gives Meph everything that belonged to Saul (v9). Here we see the power of a covenant. David gives Meph permanent access to eat at the Kings table (v10).

 Here is a type we see here of Christ.

• Meph was shown grace by David. So were we by Christ…
• Meph had done nothing to warrant such treatment. Neither had we…
• Meph could not do anything himself – he was a cripple. Neither can we…
• Meph benefited from a covenant made. So did we…
• Meph was dependant on David. We are dependant on Christ…
• Meph enjoyed what he did not deserve for the rest of his life. So can we…
• Meph always ate at the kings table. So do we…
• Never forget you are just a cripple sitting at the Kings table. 

Just a Pair of Shoes

As some of you know, when we relaunched Harvest Church I bought a new pair of shoes. Now, these are no ordinary pair of shoes. They are bright, they are orange, they are original. I created the shoes at the Nike site nikeid. These shoes have given me more opportunities to share about Jesus Christ and Harvest Church than anything I have ever experienced. When someone ask about my shoes are make some kind of remark about them here is my response.

ME: You got a minute for me to tell you about these shoes?

They all have said yes.

See the back of the shoes. They say Harvest Church. That is my church.

Here’s the deal. Two of the most powerful forces on earth are family and the church. Everyone is passionate about family and the color of passion is RED. The church is called to be the light of the World and light is the color YELLOW. RED + YELLOW = ORANGE. That’s why the shoes are ORANGE.

Then they usually say, "What about the GREEN?

The GREEN stands for life and life is found in Christ. Do you know Him?

That’s it and then the dialog begins about their relationship with Christ.

Just a pair of shoes and the gospel of Christ can make a difference. You can get a pair. Check it out here. I dare you. Join me in letting just a pair of shoes open up spiritual conversation. Create your own pair. 

Anxiety

Do you ever wake up overwhelmed. Well, that is how I came out of bed this morning. I have two places to be at 10AM, one at 11:30 and one at 2. I need to finish up my sermon for WOW Wednesday. I need to make sure some IN THE STREETS stuff is taken care of. I need to meet Hannah Homes to pick up some stuff. I need to work on my Sunday AM sermon and Sunday school lesson. I should go to the gym but that is just going to have to be missed today. Blah, Blah, Blah. I woke up anxious this morning. I know you can list yours out to make mine look easy, but…..

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Proverbs 12:25, ESV)

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, NASB)

“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts (promises) delight my soul.” (Ps 94:19, NKJV)

Let us all cast our cares upon HIM.

IN CHRIST

Yesterday was a blast. Great time in Sunday school, praise and worship was amazing. Then to cap the day off we had a great time of fun and fellowship as our LIFEgroup (LG) and David Cottingham's LG. I also heard great reports from Stephen West and Jimmy Pate's LG. I want to expound a little more from my message yesterday. Jesus said I am the way (John 14:6). I think most of us come to God looking for different spiritual blessings such as joy, peace, hope, etc. Now, that is good but the key question is how do you find those those things. Here is what we have to learn. We find all these in Christ. John 14 is followed by chapter 15 with the teaching about the vine and the branches. 

John 15:1-5

 1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Everything comes in Christ. So how do you find Christ? Here's a start. 

When you read the Bible ask two questions. 

1. What is this scripture teaching about Christ?
2. How can I apply what I am reading to my life?

Here is an example:  read John 15:1-5

John 15:1-5

 1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

1. These verses are teaching that Christ is the vine. God looks after the vine and seeks to make it more fruitful. If the disciple remain in Christ and Christ remains in them they WILL bear fruit. If they try to do it on their own they will find they can't. When the connection is made by abiding fruit happens. Apart nothing happens. 

2. I put myself in the disciples place. I am to abide in Christ. God is going to do His part to make me fruitful.  If I seek to do it myself nothing is going to happen. I CANNOT bear fruit in my own efforts. If I abide in Christ FRUIT happens. Joy shows up. Peace enters my heart. Insecurity disappears. Etc..

The key word is abide. What does that mean? It means to stay in, be grafted into. Keep your mind on Christ. 

"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. Because He trust in You." Is 26:3

Dot-to-Dot

“So whoever knows the right thing to do

and fails to do it,

for him it is sin.”

(James 4:17)

I had a thought yesterday that I have really never thought deeply about. There were a few situations (the good kind) that kept my day very busy. Due to that fact, I was not able to do everything I desired to do. I could not be in all the places I desired to be. So, I asked two men from our faith family to make one of the connections that I was planning to make. After the day was complete and I had the opportunity to touch base with them, it was evident that it was a God thing. There are divine appointments that we are presented with and if we are walking by the Spirit in a close relationship with Christ, we will recognize them. All of that is said to make this point. When I was a child I loved to do dot-to-dot puzzles. A dot-to-dot puzzle has a page full of dots and a number beside each dot. When complete the puzzle is the outline of something that then can be colored to make it pretty. If one dot is connected to the wrong next dot, the whole picture becomes a mess. That is often how God works. He has a plan that He has determined He wants us involved in. He is connecting dots, touch points, divine appointments. If I am not in tune with the Spirit, I mess up His plan. The great thing about God is that He is constantly recalculating for us to get to where we are suppose to be. The events of yesterday had many dots that connect to make one beautiful picture. All the dots are not connected yet, but I know that God has already put the opportunities out there and is waiting on His people to make the connection. (Here is a side thought. Could it be that all the prophesy in the Bible, as part of their purpose, are to teach us that God is connecting dots, touch points, divine appointments? Remember the story of Ruth and Boaz and Obed and Jesse and David….Jesus?) So, quit trying to figure out the picture and just connect the dots. When we begin to try to complete the picture by looking at it we connect the wrong dots. But, when we just do what is next, the picture begins to take its proper shape. Start where you are, do what you can and use what you have. Obey in the moment. Follow Christ. When it is finished He will color it in for you and present you with a beautiful picture. Chance are you have looked at the above puzzle and tried to figure out what it is. I think it is a ............ See how easy it is to get distracted by the picture.

Refreshing

In talking with a member of our faith family last night a word came to mind to describe our WOW Wednesday service last evening – REFRESHING. I know I was refreshed in four ways.

1.     I was refreshed by other people. Paul in writing to the church at Corinth said, “I rejoice at the soming of Stephanas and Forunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours.” It is amazing how people can refresh us. (Also see 2 Cor 7:13; Phm 7,20)

2.     I was refreshed by praise. When I can sing unabandoned in praise to God it refreshes my spirit. As the word refresh goes back to fresh. Fresh is when something has its original qualities unimpaired (M-W.com). Praise takes me to the place of my salvation.

3.     I was refreshed by the Word. I love God’s Word. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103, ESV)

4.     I was refreshed through fasting, prayer and communion. When I take a time to spend fasting, praying and focusing on Christ it refreshes my spirit. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:3–4, ESV).

Commitment or Covenant?

Has commitment ever scared the daylights out of you (do you ever wonder where sayings like that come from?). Maybe it was marriage, having a child, buying a house, a car, a church, or choosing a school. What about Christ? Did it scare you to commit to Him through salvation? Our culture seems to have weakened the word commitment. Merriam-Webster (M-W) defines commitment as “an agreement or pledge to do something in the future”. Now here is an interesting find (I sure someone can find me wrong) but in the ESV I cannot find the word commitment. Now what I did find was the word covenant. M-W defines covenant as “a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement”. That is the word we need to use. I think man of us have made commitments to Christ and very few covenants. We see covenant in the Old Testament about 281 times and in the New Testament 31 times. God established a covenant relationship with believers through the blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 20:22). The New Covenant that came through Christ was a covenant that included forgiveness (Rom 11:27). The Holy Spirit was a covenant promise (Acts 1:4-5). The New Covenant is about life (John 10:10). Here is the great part of our covenant relationship with God through Christ. He never breaks a covenant. He will never leave the believer (Heb 13:5). He will never let you out of His hand (John 10:27-29). Let us consider our part of this covenant relationship. When we pass through the blood we enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. Take it serious. 

Fast With Me

I want to ask everyone (unless you have medical reasons) to join me in a Wednesday fast. Fasting is to be part of the Christian life. I am not asking you to what some call a sissy fast of soft drinks, candy, etc. I am calling you to do without food until WOW Wednesday @ Harvest Church. In the Bible there were times of individual and corporate fasting. We know Jesus fasted during His time in the wilderness. In Acts the first century church fasted (Acts 13:2-3). Paul fasted (2Cor 6:5). It appears from the Scriptures that Jesus assumed that Christians/Disciples would fast.

 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:16–18 (ESV)

Here is how it works. Eat supper Tuesday night (don’t pig out). Pray that could would strengthen you to make it for the next 24 hours as you seek His face and wisdom for Harvest Church. Don’t ask for anything specific at this time. If you will, pray that we are releasing His Church HC into His wisdom. Every time you think of food pray. Every time you feel hunger pains pray. The time you would spend eating spend in prayer and Bible study. A good scripture to start with is Psalm 92. We will break the fast at our WOW Wednesday service with the Lord’s Supper.