"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord" Psalm 27:4
As a new believer I was told something about answers to prayer, that I know many of you have heard. I was told that when you pray you can expect one of three answers, yes, no, or wait. I'm sure that we are all pretty much the same when it comes to those answers. We all love the yes answers, we aren't crazy about the no answers, but it's the wait answers that we have the hardest time with. At least if you get a no, you can move on to something else, but to wait is tough. There is something we don't like about it, most of us hate to wait.
The Lord gave me a gentle lesson on prayer, through what I would call a living parable, while I was on a run the other day. I had run up to an intersection where the light was red so I couldn't cross. The traffic light was equipped with a new pedestrian crossing button to assist blind pedestrians, that verbally communicates. When the light turns green a mechanical sounding voice tells you to proceed across the street. When the light is red and you push the button, it says in a pretty stern voice, "wait". When I ran up to the light, someone had already been there and pushed the button, and he got the "wait". The person waited all of about five seconds and pushed the button again, and he got another "wait". Sure enough within another few seconds, he pushed it again, and the machine said what it was supposed to say, "wait". It would seem after three "waits" that he would have been content to wait, but indeed he was not, and he began to push the button constantly, and the stern mechanical voice rang out, "wait", "wait", "wait", "wait"! I wanted to scream but kept quiet, I was amazed, frustrated and so very grateful when the light turned green so I could sprint away. Within a few steps the Lord spoke to me of my own prayers and my own impatience. He gently reminded me that when He says "wait", He will make me wait. There is no need to keep pushing the button, I can't speed Him up by pestering Him, or attempting to change His mind, or quicken His pace. When the Lord says "wait", then we should.
There are two important things to remember about waiting. First, is to know who we are waiting on. We are waiting upon the Lord, the One who knows all things, loves us, cares for us, has a plan for us, and desires the best for us. We are not waiting on an unfeeling machine, or an uncaring bureaucrat, we are waiting upon our loving God. Second, the waiting is not just killing time. There is purpose in all that goes on in our lives, even the waiting. God may have us wait until circumstances are right, or until our hearts are right. Waiting helps to purify our motives, and get our focus in line with God's plans. Our time of waiting may be the most profitable time for building and strengthening our faith. Remember when you are waiting upon the Lord it is not wasted time. In fact, when His answer to your prayer is wait, it is the best answer, as the waiting is sure to bring more maturity and depth to your walk. So, be of good courage and wait upon the Lord.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Time Flies
"For the form of this world is passing away" 1 Corinthians 7:3
Today is the first day of the sixth month of the new year. I know we are six months in, so technically I shouldn't be saying new year, but it still feels like the beginning of the new year! Wasn't the Rose Parade just last week? Didn't I just get over Christmas? What happened to Valentines, and Easter? 2011 has raced full throttle into June, and I'm sure the next six months will pass just as quickly as the previous six months. I know that in what seems like a wink, I will be saying, wow, it's Christmas season already. This first day of the sixth month serves as a healthy reminder to me that time truly does pass very quickly, and we are called to redeem the time, and make the best of each day in the Lord.
I recently ran into a young man who was a student of mine when I taught high school. We had a wonderful time catching up on each others lives. In the midst of our conversation he asked me how old I was when I taught his class. I let him know, and his jaw dropped. He was shocked because he is now two years older then I was, when I was his teacher. We both laughed and spoke of how quickly life flies by. What most blessed me about my conversation with my ex-student, is that he is making the most out of his rapidly moving life. He loves Jesus, has a solid growing walk, is a great husband and dad, and is committed to serving the Lord. He was very excited as he considered the future, because he had entrusted each day to the Lord's glory. As time goes roaring by, it is important for us to realize that one day, our time here in earth will run out. How will that precious time have been spent? What a good reminder on this first day of the sixth month. By the way, I ran into my ex-student this past New Years Eve, wasn't that just last week?
Today is the first day of the sixth month of the new year. I know we are six months in, so technically I shouldn't be saying new year, but it still feels like the beginning of the new year! Wasn't the Rose Parade just last week? Didn't I just get over Christmas? What happened to Valentines, and Easter? 2011 has raced full throttle into June, and I'm sure the next six months will pass just as quickly as the previous six months. I know that in what seems like a wink, I will be saying, wow, it's Christmas season already. This first day of the sixth month serves as a healthy reminder to me that time truly does pass very quickly, and we are called to redeem the time, and make the best of each day in the Lord.
I recently ran into a young man who was a student of mine when I taught high school. We had a wonderful time catching up on each others lives. In the midst of our conversation he asked me how old I was when I taught his class. I let him know, and his jaw dropped. He was shocked because he is now two years older then I was, when I was his teacher. We both laughed and spoke of how quickly life flies by. What most blessed me about my conversation with my ex-student, is that he is making the most out of his rapidly moving life. He loves Jesus, has a solid growing walk, is a great husband and dad, and is committed to serving the Lord. He was very excited as he considered the future, because he had entrusted each day to the Lord's glory. As time goes roaring by, it is important for us to realize that one day, our time here in earth will run out. How will that precious time have been spent? What a good reminder on this first day of the sixth month. By the way, I ran into my ex-student this past New Years Eve, wasn't that just last week?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Rapture May 21st?
"But the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only"
Matthew 24:36
This Saturday, May 21st, has been set as the day of the rapture of the church, at least according to Harold Camping of Family Radio. Mr. Camping and his followers have purchased billboards across the country proclaiming: Save The Date!...Return of Christ May 21,2011. Camping who is a trained civil engineer started his radio ministry back in 1958 and sends out his messages over 150 radio stations. He teaches that he figured out the date of the rapture using a complicated mathematical formula tied to the date of the Genesis flood. Mr. Camping also predicted that the rapture would take place back in 1994 (oops). When the rapture did not take place in 1994, he said his mathematical formula was off. There are some other things about his teachings that, like his mathematical formula, are a little off. He teaches that believers can not have assurance of salvation, that Jesus died twice (what!?), and he forbids communion and baptism. There is actually more the he is off on, but you get the idea.
The media has picked up on this story, and of course when the rapture doesn't take place on Saturday at 3:00pm, he will be depicted as a nut case along with all others who believe in the rapture. I can't disagree with the nut case description, but I am saddened to be lumped in with Camping and others who have failed in picking the date of the Lord's coming for His church. The Lord has said so plainly that we won't know the day of His coming, so when people claim to know the day, it distracts from and minimizes, the reality of the rapture. By the way, you are not a nut case if you believe in the rapture, in fact scripture says belief in the rapture, brings comfort, edification, and is our blessed hope (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13). Today, even non Christians are wondering at world wide events, and trying to make some sense out of all the political, economic, and even natural upheavals. The Lord is coming back, and all the false predictions will not speed up, nor slow down His coming. Ours is not to predict, but to be faithful, watching, and waiting. Who knows, Jesus may come back before Saturday!
Matthew 24:36
This Saturday, May 21st, has been set as the day of the rapture of the church, at least according to Harold Camping of Family Radio. Mr. Camping and his followers have purchased billboards across the country proclaiming: Save The Date!...Return of Christ May 21,2011. Camping who is a trained civil engineer started his radio ministry back in 1958 and sends out his messages over 150 radio stations. He teaches that he figured out the date of the rapture using a complicated mathematical formula tied to the date of the Genesis flood. Mr. Camping also predicted that the rapture would take place back in 1994 (oops). When the rapture did not take place in 1994, he said his mathematical formula was off. There are some other things about his teachings that, like his mathematical formula, are a little off. He teaches that believers can not have assurance of salvation, that Jesus died twice (what!?), and he forbids communion and baptism. There is actually more the he is off on, but you get the idea.
The media has picked up on this story, and of course when the rapture doesn't take place on Saturday at 3:00pm, he will be depicted as a nut case along with all others who believe in the rapture. I can't disagree with the nut case description, but I am saddened to be lumped in with Camping and others who have failed in picking the date of the Lord's coming for His church. The Lord has said so plainly that we won't know the day of His coming, so when people claim to know the day, it distracts from and minimizes, the reality of the rapture. By the way, you are not a nut case if you believe in the rapture, in fact scripture says belief in the rapture, brings comfort, edification, and is our blessed hope (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13). Today, even non Christians are wondering at world wide events, and trying to make some sense out of all the political, economic, and even natural upheavals. The Lord is coming back, and all the false predictions will not speed up, nor slow down His coming. Ours is not to predict, but to be faithful, watching, and waiting. Who knows, Jesus may come back before Saturday!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Terrorist Behind The Terrosist
"The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
Revelation 20:10
Osama Bin Laden has been the main front page news story this past week, and I'm sure will be for the next little while. I have to admit, I hadn't given much thought to Osama for quite some time. I figured he was already dead, or living a miserable life on the run, hopping from cave to cave in some remote god forsaken part of the world. As we all know now, he was alive and well and not hopping from cave to cave. Now that the world's most wanted terrorist has been dealt with, it is important that we remember that the worst of all terrorists is still alive and well, and lurking about seeking whom he might devour. There is a terrorist behind all terrorists and he is still busy at his work. His day of judgment will come, and all of creation will truly rejoice, but that time has not yet come, so we must always be wary and alert concerning his workings. The Bible gives many names to this terrorist, all of which describe areas of his character, these names ought to be enough to stir us all to walk in vigilance. This we know, the Bible calls this terrorist our enemy, he hates our God, and therefore hates us. When you add to enemy, the other names describing him you realize he makes Bin Laden look like a girl scout. These names include.....murderer, destroyer, thief, adversary, wicked, corrupt, accuser, ruler of darkness, prince of demons, evil one, serpent, tempter.....I think you get the point! We ought always to be awake, for this terrorist enemy of ours is still doing his murderous work from the spiritual realm. The end of our enemy will joyously come at the coming of Jesus, but he is still out and about today, and we can't rely on Navy Seals for help. The battle is ours, and the victory is assured. We must be a people of prayer, an army on our knees, walking in the authority of the name of Jesus, and the certainty of triumph in His cross.
Revelation 20:10
Osama Bin Laden has been the main front page news story this past week, and I'm sure will be for the next little while. I have to admit, I hadn't given much thought to Osama for quite some time. I figured he was already dead, or living a miserable life on the run, hopping from cave to cave in some remote god forsaken part of the world. As we all know now, he was alive and well and not hopping from cave to cave. Now that the world's most wanted terrorist has been dealt with, it is important that we remember that the worst of all terrorists is still alive and well, and lurking about seeking whom he might devour. There is a terrorist behind all terrorists and he is still busy at his work. His day of judgment will come, and all of creation will truly rejoice, but that time has not yet come, so we must always be wary and alert concerning his workings. The Bible gives many names to this terrorist, all of which describe areas of his character, these names ought to be enough to stir us all to walk in vigilance. This we know, the Bible calls this terrorist our enemy, he hates our God, and therefore hates us. When you add to enemy, the other names describing him you realize he makes Bin Laden look like a girl scout. These names include.....murderer, destroyer, thief, adversary, wicked, corrupt, accuser, ruler of darkness, prince of demons, evil one, serpent, tempter.....I think you get the point! We ought always to be awake, for this terrorist enemy of ours is still doing his murderous work from the spiritual realm. The end of our enemy will joyously come at the coming of Jesus, but he is still out and about today, and we can't rely on Navy Seals for help. The battle is ours, and the victory is assured. We must be a people of prayer, an army on our knees, walking in the authority of the name of Jesus, and the certainty of triumph in His cross.
Monday, April 25, 2011
I Need Understanding
Luke 24:45 "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the scriptures."
On a number of occasions, Jesus had clearly taught His apostles about His death, burial, and resurrection. Obviously, the apostles did not understand what He was saying. It is easy for us, these many years later, to wonder how in the world they could have missed the fulfillment of the Lord's words as they unfolded right before their eyes. I believe though, that if we were in the apostles shoes (or sandals), we would not have caught all that Jesus said either. It is no wonder that after the resurrection that Jesus spent time in the word with His apostles. It was important that they have a clear understanding and comprehension of the scriptures. Jesus knew that things would not get easier for them, and that He would not be physically with them. The understanding and teaching of the word would become paramount. In these unstable last days it is of utmost importance that we wait upon our Lord's Holy Spirit to open His word to our hearts, that we might clearly discern the events of the day. Let's not miss what the Lord is doing!
On a number of occasions, Jesus had clearly taught His apostles about His death, burial, and resurrection. Obviously, the apostles did not understand what He was saying. It is easy for us, these many years later, to wonder how in the world they could have missed the fulfillment of the Lord's words as they unfolded right before their eyes. I believe though, that if we were in the apostles shoes (or sandals), we would not have caught all that Jesus said either. It is no wonder that after the resurrection that Jesus spent time in the word with His apostles. It was important that they have a clear understanding and comprehension of the scriptures. Jesus knew that things would not get easier for them, and that He would not be physically with them. The understanding and teaching of the word would become paramount. In these unstable last days it is of utmost importance that we wait upon our Lord's Holy Spirit to open His word to our hearts, that we might clearly discern the events of the day. Let's not miss what the Lord is doing!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Catching Up?
Psalm 119:160 "The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."
The NCAA basketball tournament is in full swing and the field is now down to the "sweet sixteen". One of the interesting stories of the tournament is the team from BYU. The Cougars have been ranked as one of the best teams in the nation, and they are still in the tournament in spite of the fact that one of their best players was kicked off of the team the last week of the season. He was kicked off the team because he had broken the schools honor code. Though it was never released how he had broken the code, word got out that it had to do with his sexual relationship with his girl friend. BYU is a Mormon school, and we are worlds apart from them as far as Biblical truth, but I have to give them props for sticking to their rules. I'm sure it must have been tempting to hide this, or put off any discipline until after the season, but they didn't. All of this made for a good deal of conversation on sports talk radio. As I was listening the other morning one of the commentators who was stirred by "unjust" way the school handled this, decided to give advise to churches and religious people on how to reach young people. He said if we are ever going to reach young people we need to catch up with the times. Now this isn't word for word, but he went on to say that the world is evolving at light speed, that morals and what is right and wrong are evolving. Then he compared religious people to some grouchy old man behind the counter at a local hardware store with a dial up phone yelling at little kids to get off of his lawn. What this sports guy said is really pretty main-stream, and I'm sure most off his listeners were nodding in agreement. The idea of sticking to Biblical morals truly is out of step with society. The belief in absolute truth and absolute morals is thought to be really out of touch and almost backward. The world tells us, things change, you need to catch up with the times, open your eyes, get out a little more. You religious folks are stuck in the past, we have cell phones now, color televisions, micro waves, and computers. Don't you see, abstinence is like the dial up phone and eight tracks, you need to catch up, it's time to evolve, and stop judging. I know we don't stand on the popular side of this discussion, but we old backward Bible believers have to stick to the truth that God has revealed to us in His word. Society will always change and follow it's whims, but the word of God does not evolve and change with the times. His truth was true six thousand years ago and is true today. His truth and righteousness are established from eternity to eternity. Our job is not to change truth, or water it down to make it more palatable to the taste of modern man. Our job is to know His truth, live His truth, and to share His truth as clearly as we can. Rest assured in these dark and unstable days, the best way to reach young people will be to present to them the unchanging true gospel of Jesus.
The NCAA basketball tournament is in full swing and the field is now down to the "sweet sixteen". One of the interesting stories of the tournament is the team from BYU. The Cougars have been ranked as one of the best teams in the nation, and they are still in the tournament in spite of the fact that one of their best players was kicked off of the team the last week of the season. He was kicked off the team because he had broken the schools honor code. Though it was never released how he had broken the code, word got out that it had to do with his sexual relationship with his girl friend. BYU is a Mormon school, and we are worlds apart from them as far as Biblical truth, but I have to give them props for sticking to their rules. I'm sure it must have been tempting to hide this, or put off any discipline until after the season, but they didn't. All of this made for a good deal of conversation on sports talk radio. As I was listening the other morning one of the commentators who was stirred by "unjust" way the school handled this, decided to give advise to churches and religious people on how to reach young people. He said if we are ever going to reach young people we need to catch up with the times. Now this isn't word for word, but he went on to say that the world is evolving at light speed, that morals and what is right and wrong are evolving. Then he compared religious people to some grouchy old man behind the counter at a local hardware store with a dial up phone yelling at little kids to get off of his lawn. What this sports guy said is really pretty main-stream, and I'm sure most off his listeners were nodding in agreement. The idea of sticking to Biblical morals truly is out of step with society. The belief in absolute truth and absolute morals is thought to be really out of touch and almost backward. The world tells us, things change, you need to catch up with the times, open your eyes, get out a little more. You religious folks are stuck in the past, we have cell phones now, color televisions, micro waves, and computers. Don't you see, abstinence is like the dial up phone and eight tracks, you need to catch up, it's time to evolve, and stop judging. I know we don't stand on the popular side of this discussion, but we old backward Bible believers have to stick to the truth that God has revealed to us in His word. Society will always change and follow it's whims, but the word of God does not evolve and change with the times. His truth was true six thousand years ago and is true today. His truth and righteousness are established from eternity to eternity. Our job is not to change truth, or water it down to make it more palatable to the taste of modern man. Our job is to know His truth, live His truth, and to share His truth as clearly as we can. Rest assured in these dark and unstable days, the best way to reach young people will be to present to them the unchanging true gospel of Jesus.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Heed the Warnings
Luke 17:26-27 "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all"
It took Noah over one hundred years to build the ark. The moment he began to build the ark, it became a testimony and warning of a coming judgment of God. Anyone who paid any attention at all over those one hundred years would have seen the progression of the construction, and as it drew nearer to completion, they could have concluded that the judgment it pointed to must be drawing near. Sadly for the people of that day, they ignored the warning, and kept living as if there were no sentence hanging over them. This past week most of us saw the unbelievable devastation of the earth quake and tsunami in Japan. Not long after the quake a tsunami warning was given for the U.S. western coast. We were told to prepare for the wave to reach here around 8:30 in the morning. I'm enough inland so I didn't worry at all, but I was amazed to hear reports of people actually going down to the coast to check things out. One reporter on the radio was shocked to see joggers, bikers, and even a family with an infant in a stroller. The warning was given yet somehow people did not heed, perhaps they were thinking nothing could ever happen to them. My thoughts immediately turned toward the days of Noah, and the warning that Jesus gave us in the above verses. Jesus warns us that in the last days signs and warnings of His return will abound, yet people will live as if nothing is happening! We are living in dynamic times, and many Biblical prophesies are being fulfilled before our eyes, yet so many are taking no notice, so many are ignoring the warnings. How about us? It seems to me the ark is almost complete, but I wonder, are we living like it?
It took Noah over one hundred years to build the ark. The moment he began to build the ark, it became a testimony and warning of a coming judgment of God. Anyone who paid any attention at all over those one hundred years would have seen the progression of the construction, and as it drew nearer to completion, they could have concluded that the judgment it pointed to must be drawing near. Sadly for the people of that day, they ignored the warning, and kept living as if there were no sentence hanging over them. This past week most of us saw the unbelievable devastation of the earth quake and tsunami in Japan. Not long after the quake a tsunami warning was given for the U.S. western coast. We were told to prepare for the wave to reach here around 8:30 in the morning. I'm enough inland so I didn't worry at all, but I was amazed to hear reports of people actually going down to the coast to check things out. One reporter on the radio was shocked to see joggers, bikers, and even a family with an infant in a stroller. The warning was given yet somehow people did not heed, perhaps they were thinking nothing could ever happen to them. My thoughts immediately turned toward the days of Noah, and the warning that Jesus gave us in the above verses. Jesus warns us that in the last days signs and warnings of His return will abound, yet people will live as if nothing is happening! We are living in dynamic times, and many Biblical prophesies are being fulfilled before our eyes, yet so many are taking no notice, so many are ignoring the warnings. How about us? It seems to me the ark is almost complete, but I wonder, are we living like it?
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