Learning to Lean

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

This is a familiar passage to many as well as a promise that we can stand on!

But let’s look at that phrase in italics –

“...lean not on your own understanding...”

When we lean on something, whether another person, a wall or any other object we are relying on its strength to hold us up.  

So the caution that God gives us is to not expect our own understanding to hold us up.

Instead we are to trust Him.

Even when that trust, placed in God, does not seem logical to our way of thinking!

Mary trusted – even though her understanding was that a virgin could not be pregnant.

David trusted the word of the Prophet when the title of King and the reality of that call were years apart.

Jesus trusted His Father when the path of victory meant climbing a hill called Golgotha.

Are you declaring your trust in the Lord while simultaneously expecting your own understanding to carry you through?

We must learn to let go of what may seem perfectly logical and yet is diametrically opposed to the plans and purposes of God.

Lean on God and not on your own understanding.

He will prove Himself strong!

Does God Drag His Feet?

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,

but everyone to come to repentance.”

II Peter 3:9

Do you suppose it is possible God could “drag His feet” so to speak?

That is just how I read the verse above.

Because it is His desire that not one perish, He patiently waits for you and me.

I wonder how many times His heart has been grieved when someone’s life ends and they never come to receive His forgiveness and salvation.

He has made the way possible through the ultimate sacrifice of His Son.

Like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, He rejoices over His child’s return.

So many try to paint a different picture of God.

An angry, vengeful God who is actually happy to see people choose eternal separation from Him.

Sadly, many do choose to believe that untruth.

But, as we read, God does not want anyone to perish.

Not the jihadist, not the murderer or the rapist, no, not even those we often would say are better off dead (or at least think it if we don’t say it.)

That is the love of God!

But the justice of God demands payment for sin.

All sin, any sin, your sin and my sin!

His love patiently waits...

Don’t give up praying for that one you love who has yet to repent and receive the grace of God.

God is “dragging His feet” and this allows us the opportunity to pray that their heart will change.

God’s heart will not change.

He loves them and will give them every opportunity.

But, but, but...

“...now is the accepted time...”

II Corinthians 6:2

 

“But I’m too busy to pray”

Now is the accepted time!

“I’m in the middle of a lot of changes, it’s not a good time to surrender my life”

Now is the accepted time!

“I have my own problems, how can I help them?”

Now is the accepted time!

“Can’t it wait, I just wanted some ‘me’ time?

Now is the accepted time!

We all get busy.

We all get frazzled and frustrated at times.

But sometimes, in the middle of those moments comes God’s accepted time.

It is a call to lay down our own interests and respond to His.

Not tomorrow, next week or even the vague response “Later.”

God calls us to an accepted time, a moment He has determined for His call and our obedience.

We can put it off or we can lay aside other things and say “Yes. Lord!”

Are you being called to such a moment?

Have you prepared your response?

Is it: “But, but , but”

or is it:

“Yes Lord”

Oh, How We All Need His Grace!

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people,

but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

Leviticus 19:18

 

Sometimes I think we read verses like the one above and cringe.

We would rather have the Ten Commandments because we find solace in the fact that we have not murdered anyone.

And yet it is as clear as it is difficult...do not seek revenge and do not bear a grudge.

Something we all have been guilty of!

But whether we consider the ‘big’ sins or even the ‘little’ sins

(We size up sin in our own minds yet all sin misses the mark)

We still come up short.

“For all have sinned....”

That includes you and me.

My sin (no matter how small we consider it to be) puts me in the same predicament as the murderer.

My pride hates statements like that.

I like to think I am better than that person.

I don’t deserve the same punishment or at least not as long a punishment.

And yet the verse continues:

“For all have sinned and come short...”

That’s right....your sin causes you to come short of the glory of God.

You come short of all He created you to be.

So, Lord help us to not look down on the ‘big’ sinners.

Because when we do we just might find we are looking into a mirror.

Thank you for your grace, thank you for your forgiveness, thank you for paying the price for my grudges held or the times I have sought revenge – even if only in my thoughts!

Oh how we all need His grace...

A Pearl of Great Value

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

And upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:46)

I have often read the above verse in the context of us finding something of great value (our Heavenly Father) and then giving up everything to follow Him with all our heart.

But I’ve also heard the above verse explained this way….

Our heavenly Father so valued you and I that He gave up something of great value (His only begotten son) by allowing Him to leave the halls of heaven and come to earth as a man where He then laid down His life so that He could purchase our salvation for all eternity.

When we desire something, we often buy it.

God desired you so much so that He went to great lengths to purchase you.  No cost was too high.  He paid with His very life.  That’s how much He values you.

And there was no buyer’s remorse with God.  After He purchased you, He called you His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).  Mona Lisa, move over.

The next time you find yourself struggling with feelings of low self-worth, remember that you are a pearl of great value in God’s eyes.

Open Your Mouth and Declare

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Psalm 19:1

“that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion,

and there rejoice in your salvation.”

Psalm 9:14

You can join those who declare.

The Lord declares, the heavens declare, the skies declare and you and I declare!

The Psalmist wrote that he would declare God’s praises.

We can join that chorus.

When it comes to declarations there is certainly no famine in the land.

People speak out to voice their rights, their victimhood, and their position on a host of other issues,

We need to be a people who declare the goodness of our God.

 Let His grace, His love, His mercy be known to those who need to hear.

The Holy Spirit can give you the words and the wisdom you will need to speak at the moment and to the person who needs to hear.

Listen for His leading.

As we have seen recently, we can sing, we can shout and we can declare praises and honor to our God.

Let’s not be silent!

“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:39-40

To help you sing, shout and declare...

https://youtu.be/4L4ex-KBIak

Open Your Mouth and Shout

“Sing for joy to God our strength;

    shout aloud to the God of Jacob.”

Psalm 81:1

 

What are you shouting about today?

Too often the shout is reserved for angry moments.

A sports fan may use it at the park or field.

But shouting as worship?

No way!

Way!

Shouting is mentioned over 150 times in scripture and is most often used along with the word ‘joy’ as in shouts of joy!

If there are any people on earth who have reason to shout for joy it is the redeemed.

Make a promise to yourself –

The next time you raise your voice to shout let it be a shout of joy for the goodness of God in your life

          Shouting and singing should mark our worship to God.

Sure, there is a time in worship to be still and to quietly wait on God but there is also a time to shout for joy –

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;

Psalm 98:4

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!

Psalm 118:15

“But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

Jonah 2:9

Enjoy the video by clicking on the link below and SHOUT for Joy!

https://youtu.be/Ly4pXah7XPE

Open Your Mouth and Sing

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;

    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known

    through all generations.”

Psalm 89:1

What are you singing about today?

Even if it is only in the shower when no one else is home!

Today is a good time to sing about God’s love.

Remind yourself by singing of it.

When you sing of His great love you honor Him and at the same time you encourage your spirit.

What a tragic loss if the only time you open your mouth to sing is during a weekly worship service.

Go ahead, sing along with the radio at the top of your lungs

and bless the Lord while you’re driving.

So what if someone sees you (or even hears you)

You’ll get over it and you just might brighten their day.

God’s love is amazing and so worth singing about.

Go ahead, right now...

“... You split the sea

 So I could walk right through it

 You drowned my fears in perfect love

 You rescued me

 And I will stand and sing

 I am a child of God”

(Don’t know the words? Sing along with the video below...)

https://youtu.be/Vbp2eZ7b45I

Rejected by Man, Accepted by God

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

I John 3:1

 

You cannot talk about the subject of rejection without addressing the rejection the world will have toward believers.

Jesus knew that rejection and the children of God will know it too.

Many have sought to be ‘accepted’ by both God and the world.

While the Gospel is relevant (and always will be) it is not always accepted by everyone.

Stop trying so hard to ‘fit in’.

Jesus never did nor should we.

When Paul spoke of becoming all things to all people, he was speaking of relevance and not acceptance.  

One need only read through the Bok of Acts to see the difference.

Paul delivered the message in a way people could understand but he did not change the message.

For that reason many rejected him just as they rejected Jesus.

You carry Good News.

You would think it would be gladly received by all.

But it is not.

Don’t dilute or change the content to make it acceptable.

 Some will reject you because of what you carry.

When they do you can rejoice that you endured that rejection on His behalf or you can alter what you present in order to fit right in.

Which do you choose?

Keep On Keeping On

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

And He was amazed at their unbelief.  Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. (Mark 6:6)

As we learned this week, we all experience rejection, but what we do afterwards is the key.  Are we going to deal with the rejection biblically (remain confident in our value before God) and move on or dwell on rejection and retreat?

What did Jesus do after being rejected by His hometown and even His own relatives?  He moved on.

He didn’t let it derail Him from his purpose.  He was confident in His identity as God’s son.

After being rejected, Jesus could have said “why bother if my own family won’t believe me.”  Or, He could have let the rejection cause Him to question His own destiny and calling.

But instead, the bible says he “went.”  He continued doing what God called Him to do.

He knew that being rejected by man did not mean He was rejected by God.  Quite the contrary.  As Jesus proved, rejection from man can often occur when you are right in the middle of God’s will.

If we let rejection rule us, we will become like chameleons, changing our colors to blend in and avoid exposing ourselves to further hurt.

Don’t change your colors.  Be who God has called you to be.

Choose to love yourself because God loves you.  Look at yourself through His eyes.  When you do, you see someone who is valued and loved eternally.

So, when rejection comes, don’t let it stop you.  Make the choice to keep on keeping on.

Defeating Rejection

Jesus was rejected in His own home town.

He didn’t merely dismiss the rejection, He discerned its cause.

Mark 6:3 tells us: “...they were deeply offended and refused to believe in Him.”

But Jesus refused to take the blame but instead acknowledged His Father’s part in it... “And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor, except in his own town.”

He also did not allow their rejection to discourage Him, instead He did what He could do: “And He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”

Finally, note that Jesus did not allow their rejection to stop Him but He made the choice to move on: “...And He was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.”

That is how Jesus dealt with rejection.

And it is a model for how we can deal with it too!

We discern it, we acknowledge God’s part in it, we do the good we know to do, making the choice to move on.

Jesus would face rejection many, many more times.

You will too.

Will you allow it to stop you from advancing in the purposes God has created you for or will you move through it?

Don’t allow rejection to be a dead end street in your walk with God.

Choose to move on and let God work in and through you!

The Thrill of Victory or the Agony of Defeat

Rejection does not have to rule in your life or ruin your life.

There is a path to victory.

We must determine not to allow it to destroy our lives as is it did with Saul: 

“Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly.

“They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought,

“but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”

And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.

The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.”

I Samuel 18:8-11

Saul allowed the people’s rejection of him to set the course for his future.

Rather than deal with the rejection before God, he dwelled on it.

We can be so consumed by the rejection of others that we see nothing else and do not look for the way forward.

We allow ourselves to be clothed in it and to drive our destiny.

Saul moved forward in his life guided by those words of rejection.

It is an easy thing to do.

But it is also dangerous.

Saul’s path was laid out by the choices he made.

We read the story and try to lay the blame on the people who shouted the refrain, on the future King David or even on God.

Rejection can do that – it can blind us to the choices we make that keep us wallowing in it rather than moving on.

Will you dwell on rejection in your life or will you deal with it?

No one else gets to make that choice for you!

You Have Value Despite Being Rejected

When it comes to rejection, it is vital that we remember this truth:

When you are rejected it is not a measure of your worth!

Read this passage from Ephesians 1:3-14

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,

10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

Each one of those words or phrases that are bold in the passage above should serve to remind us that if, or when, we are rejected by a spouse, a boss, a friend or anyone else for that matter that we still have value and worth before God.

Commit these verses to your memory or at least review them often as a reminder that God values you – even when others have rejected you!

Rejection

“He was despised and rejected by mankind,

    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”

Isaiah 53:3

How do you protect yourself from rejection?

Some try to do it by how they dress, what they buy, where they eat or even by going to church.

What have these things got to do with rejection?

A fear of rejection can inordinately influence our decision making process causing us to dress a certain way, buy a particular product, eat what someone else approves of or even whether or not we attend church.

In so many ways peer pressure, at its root, is really all about rejection.

No one likes to be rejected.

That’s why we work so hard at avoiding it!

But everyone experiences rejection in their life.

Jesus did too.

He was rejected by many in His family and His home town.

He was rejected by His own people and is rejected by many to this very day.

So rejection, like offense, is not something we can prevent.

What we can do is change how it impacts us and what we do about it.

How do we prepare our hearts to be ready when rejection comes?

How do we respond to others when we are rejected?

How did Jesus handle rejection?

Let’s look at those questions and more over the next several days.

Only One You

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14)

My son loves to collects coins.  Over the years he has become very knowledgeable on what coins are worth a lot of money and which ones are not.

I recently asked him what the number one factor is in determining the value of a coin.  Without hesitation he said it was the number of coins made.  The fewer the coins in existence, the more valuable they are.

For example, there were about twenty-six million 1912P Liberty Head Nickels made. Today, such a nickel in perfect condition is worth about $20.

The very next year, only five 1913 Liberty Head Nickels were made.  Recently, just one of those nickels sold for 3.2 million dollars.

That’s one of the reasons why you are so valuable to God.  In all the world with its billions of people, there is only one you.

And when God created you, He didn’t just throw you together.  In verse 16, Psalm 139 goes on to say that He planned out all the days of your life before you were even born.

He thought about how He was going to weave together all your complex parts before He even started the process.  That’s how careful and precise He was.  Nothing about you is a mistake.

There is only one you in the whole world, and just like the coin collector who values that rare coin, you are extremely valuable to God.

Even a Sparrow...

“Even the sparrow has found a home,

    and the swallow a nest for herself,

    where she may have her young—”

Psalm 84: 3a

 

Sparrows must have been plentiful in bible times.

Perhaps, they were even viewed as a nuisance.

In an agrarian culture they may have been despised for stealing seed or causing other chaos with the crops.

They may be why the Psalmist declared – even the sparrow.

His exception may imply disdain.

Still, the sparrow found a home in God’s creation.

Jesus said:

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?

Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Luke 12:6-7

Have you ever felt forgotten by God?

I don’t know how much reasoning capacity a sparrow has but even if it could feel forgotten by God, Jesus reassures us not one ever is;

how much more so His beloved sons and daughters.

God values the sparrows, how much more does He value you!

Make your home in His presence.

There He will whisper to you of His love for you and of your value to Him.

From Everlasting to Everlasting

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.”

Psalm 90: 2, 4

 

God is God, He does not change.

He always was God and always will be God.

There is no one greater or more glorious.

That is who your heavenly Father is!

From everlasting to everlasting He is God.

Our culture can shake its fist at God and claim He does not exist but listen to how the Psalmist expressed in many, many years ago...

“The fool says in his heart,

    “There is no God.””

Psalm 14:1

It is a fool who makes such declarations.

No, they certainly wouldn’t admit to that.

As a matter of fact they would consider themselves wise.

But the wisdom of this world (and those who proudly boast in it) passes away.

Don’t be intimidated by those who have all kinds of degrees and are educated to the nth degree.

God is not impressed with that.

It is a broken and a humble heart that He will not despise.

He draws near to those who are humble but He resists the proud.

More and more we see people collectively shaking their fist at God.

How do we respond?

We love them as He loves them but we do not forget that...

...from everlasting to everlasting He is God.

Nothing anyone believes to the contrary will change that!

Valued

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

Jeremiah 31:3

Sometimes it is hard to wrap our heads around God’s love for us.

After all, if you are anything like me, we mess up on a daily basis.

You see, we value or de-value ourselves on what we do or fail to do.

But God has unconditionally valued us for all of eternity.

Long before we ‘did’ anything and long after too, you have been of a greater value to God than you can dare imagine!

And don’t just quickly pass by that word ‘unconditionally’.

Let the full impact of what it means sink in!

Unconditional is defined as: Not limited in any way: complete and absolute.

In other words, God values you completely, absolutely and without limit.

There simply is nothing you can do or fail to do to change that!

He knows your failures – He values you unconditionally!

He knows your past – He values you unconditionally!

He knows your future – He values you unconditionally!

He knows what others have said about you and even what you have said about yourself and guess what?

He values you unconditionally!

That is everlasting and unconditional love.

What a wonderful God we serve!

‘Demo’ Day?

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,

just as in fact you are doing.”

 I Thessalonians 5:11

Building something up takes time and effort.

Whether it is a person or a castle in the sand.

The difference is in the results.

The sand castle disappears with the next tide or rainfall but the person you have

taken the time to build up may be the next Joseph, Moses or David.

It is an investment well worth taking.

I often observe people mocking or tearing down another individual because of

some real or supposed defect in their personality.

It is always easier to tear down than to build up.

If you enjoy watching any of those home repair shows it seems everyone’s favorite day

is ‘demo day’, the day they get to tear things down and rip things out.

Some people enjoy doing that in other people’s lives.

We are commanded to do just the opposite.

Let the love of the Father rule and reign in your heart and let it be evidenced

by your words and your actions toward others.

On demo day an entire room can be demolished in very short order.

So too, the trajectory of one’s life by our words and our actions.

Take the time today, use the resources God has given you to encourage and build someone up.

The opportunities are abundant when you are looking to do that.

Don’t demo someone’s life – build them up and encourage them!

What Motivates You?

But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. (John 14:31)

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

What motivates you to follow your heavenly Father and do as He commands?  What motivates you to serve others and give sacrificially of your time, talents, and resources?

This past week, our pastor gave us 4 emotions that motivate us – Fear, obligation, passion, and love.

We often do things out of fear.  We are afraid of punishment or negative consequences if we don’t do what we’re supposed to.  Or we do things because we feel obligated.  I think we can all agree that both of those emotions are not healthy motivators.

We can also be motivated to act because we feel passionate about something, but even passion can be rooted in selfishness because when we peel back the layers we are still acting based on what pleases us.

But love on the other hand motivates us to act to please someone else, not ourselves. 

When it comes to your relationship with the Lord, what is the primary motivation that causes you to act?  All the motivators we mentioned can produce the same results, but which do you think pleases Him the most?

As a father, nothing blesses me more than when one of my children does something for me out of love and not because they feel obligated.  Sure, the task gets done either way, but when motivated by love, I feel cherished and valued.

Jesus always did exactly as the Lord commanded because He loved His Father and He wanted the world to know it.

 What does the world see as your motivation for obeying your heavenly Father?  Do they see a rigid, robotic response based on fear or a sense of duty, or do they see someone who is in love with God and will do anything to please Him?