Guide With The Eye

 
Psalm 32:8 "I will guide you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."

I was on a police chaplain ride-along when we got a call for a possible break-in at a home.  When we arrived at the home, we went around to the backyard and found a door ajar.  We had been joined by another officer and when they saw the open door, both men pulled their weapons.  My adrenaline started pumping immediately and I focused on the two officers communicating without speaking a word.  There were nods, and hand signals, and I think I even saw a sort of wink.

The story doesn't have an adventurous conclusion, the men entered the house and discovered there had been no break-in, it was just a door that was left open.  I was fascinated by the way the two policemen were able to work together so well and communicate in a tense situation without words.  Clearly they knew and trusted each other, and had worked together often.

An important part of my walk with the Lord is my communication with Him.  I love it that He tells me that He would guide me with His eye.  I'd prefer He guide me with His eye, because the alternative in Psalm 32 is being dragged about like a horse or donkey!  To have the Lord guide with His eye requires that I know Him, that I trust Him, and its important that I'm looking at Him!  I'm longing for the day when the Lord doesn't have a difficult time getting through to me, He won't have to shout or flick my ear, all it will take is a nod or a wink.

Chin Up

 
 "For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, 'Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.'  Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."  Nehemiah 6:9

Nehemiah's enemies were relentless in trying to halt the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.  A main tactic used was to bring fear upon the people so as to weaken their resolve and overwhelm them.  The enemy mocked, threatened, lied, and even hired some false prophets, all with the hope of stirring up fear to stop the work.  Notice the great example of Nehemiah, he wasn't distracted or afraid, he just called out to the Lord and went back to work!

The enemy that withstood Nehemiah is the same enemy who would seek to halt God's working in our lives.  He would seek to bring fear and discouragement to weaken our resolve in pursuing the Lord's best.  If fear is creeping in, turn your thoughts and heart heavenward to our victorious King, call out to the Lord, and get back to work. 

Alan Redpath had a saying that I love using to muster courage in myself and others.  To hearten one in the midst of a battle, Redpath would say, "Chin up, knees down."  Don't be afraid, take a powerful stance for battle, knees on the ground in prayer, and eyes fixed on the Lord!
 

Complete Trust

And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature."  Numbers 13:32

Moses had sent out twelve men to spy out the promised land.  The men had returned with an abundance of fruit from the land, but gave the people a bad report.  With fear they described the people who inhabited the land.  Their conclusion was that if the people went into the land they would be devoured.

It would seem very odd that God would through mighty wonders deliver His people from Egypt, and then lead them into the land he had promised them, only to have them swallowed up.  Yet, that is what the spies reported to the people, and the people believed them.  Because the Children of Israel did not trust the Lord they were not able to enter into His promises.

I wonder how many times we mirror Israel's lack of faith.  There is that little nagging fear in most of us that keeps us from trusting God completely.  We shy away from total trust, as if the God who died for us would lead us to places that would devour us.  God's promises are sure, He loves us and we are under His grace, so let's trust Him!
  

Are You Praying?

"Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench."
I Kings 18:38

The four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal had called out to their god for at least six hours.  They hollered and danced and cut themselves but after all that time and ruckus, we are told "there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
After the prophets of Baal had finished, Elijah stood and said a very short prayer that takes up only two verses of the Bible, and at the end of his prayer, God heard and answered by consuming the sacrifice with fire from heaven.  Out of curiosity I timed myself reading the short prayer of Elijah, and it took me twenty one seconds.  Think about it, the pagan prophets prayed six hours and nothing happened, Elijah prayed twenty one seconds and the power of God reigned down.

There are some good lessons from this.  The first obvious lesson is you can pray all day to nothing and nothing will happen.  Second, the length of the prayer isn't as important as faith in the One you are praying to.  God hears our prayers and answers our prayers.  Are you praying?

They Had Been With Jesus

 
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled.  And they realized that they had been with Jesus."
Acts 4:13

Peter and John were on trial before the rulers, elders, and scribes after they had healed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple.  Peter presented their defense, which really wasn't a defense, because all he did was boldly proclaim Jesus.  The leaders were amazed at the two apostles because they answered with clarity and confidence though they were untrained and not highly educated.  The only answer the religious leaders had for these two fishermen who spoke with such authority was that they had been with Jesus.

How excellent that what struck the leaders about Peter and John was not their great looks or powerful statures.  The council was not in awe of their great oratory skills, degrees, titles, or intellect.  They simply recognized that these guys had been with Jesus!

I pray this might be the same testimony of our church.  That we will be a people set apart from the ways of this world.  That the love and unity known here will be the evidence that we are a people who love and hang out with Jesus Christ!

O My Enemy?

 So Ahab said to Elijah, 'Have you found me,
O my enemy?'  And he answered,
'I have found you, because you have sold yourself
to do evil in the sight of the Lord.'
I Kings 21:20

Elijah had never pulled a sword on Ahab or physically assaulted him.  He never attempted to take his life or to rob his throne, yet Ahab saw him as an enemy.  Elijah had called the king to repent, and for the nation Israel to return to God, and because Ahab had sold himself to evil, he saw the prophet as an enemy.

In reality, Elijah calling Ahab to repent was a very loving and friendly act.  It would have been very unloving and unfriendly for Elijah to ignore and not confront the rebellion of Israel and her king.  Because Elijah would not turn a blind eye to the king's sin but called him out, Ahab hated him and considered him an enemy

You may have noticed that Christians may not be the most popular people around today.  Whenever we proclaim the Gospel it is a reminder to those who hear it that something is not right in their lives and they need to turn to God.  Like Ahab, most people don't want to hear that their lives are on a dead end road, so you might be thought of as rude, or pushy, or judgmental or even an enemy.  This should not surprise us because Jesus said it would be this way. What people might think of us makes it difficult, but ought not keep us from sharing.  Please pray everyday that in some way you will be able to with love share the good news!

What Shall We Do?

 "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
Acts 2:37

It was Pentecost and Peter had just preached the first sermon of the newly birthed church.  Peter's message was simple and powerful as he clearly explained the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  After Peter had put forth the evidence and prophecies, he stated the clear conclusion that Jesus is both Lord and Messiah.  The people were convicted and three thousand received Jesus that day!

One of the reasons you might resist the gospel is that if you truly believe the gospel, that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and in three days was raised from the dead, it demands a response.  One cannot be ho-hum about this powerful message.  The promise of salvation, freedom, peace, and life in Christ, begs an answer.

Those who heard Peter's sermon felt a powerful conviction and wondered, "What shall we do?"  Peter told them they needed to repent and be baptized.  His charge was that if they believed the gospel, there would be a change of direction and a willingness to live for Christ.  Do you believe the Easter message?  If so, you need to repent and turn to Jesus, and give your life over to His lordship.