The Word Offered (and still offers) Hope!

“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”

Matthew 27:62-66

 

The order was to “…make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

It was an order given by Pilate himself.

So a seal was placed on the tomb and a guard was posted.

The authority of Rome (and nothing less!) insuring the tomb as a final resting place for Jesus.

That was that, they thought.

No more need to worry about Jesus!

We go on from here to read of the wonderful story of the Resurrection of Jesus.

It is the glorious hope of every believer throughout the ages.

We like to say – that no power in the earth or in hell could keep Jesus in the grave.

That is true.

But do we sometimes behave like the disciples did those three days that Jesus was in the tomb?

Do we act like the world has succeeded; sin triumphs and God didn’t come through?

Or worse yet, God couldn’t come through!

So great was the one-two punch of religion and Rome that they lost all hope?

I’ll be the first to admit that the headlines, on a daily basis, certainly don’t give us cause for rejoicing.

So what to do?

Get your mind out of the daily news and into the Book!

Just as surely as the Law and the Prophets pointed to Jesus’ death AND resurrection; the Word of God points to a glorious church, victorious through the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

Don’t let the world try to seal your victory in a tomb of despair and doubt.

Allow that same resurrection power to raise your testimony from the dead (as it were) praising Him who alone is worthy!

Have a blessed Resurrection Day!

 

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?  

He is not here; he has risen!”

“…And Peter…”

“Then Jesus told them,

“This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,

    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”

And all the other disciples said the same.”

Matthew 26:31-35

 

In yesterday’s blog we learned of how the disciples were grousing about the expensive perfume; that it was not sold with the money being given to the poor.

In today’s passage they are vehemently denying that they will disown Jesus.

Have you ever made a promise to the Lord only to break

that promise within days, if not hours or minutes?

I have.

If we’re honest, we probably all have.

So pointing the finger at Peter, or any of the other disciples, with that self-righteous,

holier-than-thou attitude becomes just a wee bit disingenuous.  

But instead of denying our weakness let’s recognize the wonderful mercy and grace that Jesus extended to Peter and the others.

It’s evident in Jesus’ statement:

“…but after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

 Then we read these words in Mark 16:7 after the denial of Peter and the resurrection of Jesus:

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.

There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

It was as if Jesus were saying to Peter:

You did not keep your word, but I kept mine.

You did in fact deny me three times but I love you Peter. (1X)

 I forgive you Peter! (2X)

I still have much for you to do Peter! (3X)

Feed my sheep.

So as we come to the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection we can rejoice in the knowledge that His mercy and forgiveness extends to us as well.

Maybe you have broken a few promises to Him and wonder to yourself:

“Can He forgive me?”

The answer is an emphatic YES!

Thank you Lord!

Consider Your Options…

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked.  “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Matthew 26:6-13

 

 

How much worship is enough?

Is there a point where worship becomes excessive extravagance?

Apparently there is, at least to some.

But before you say – “Who are they, tell me and I’ll set them straight!”

I want you to notice that it says above:

“When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked.…”

I know that this account is also recorded in the Gospels of Mark and John.

John’s account singles out Judas as the disciple who objects but when I read all three accounts I must come to the conclusion that Judas’ objections were effective in swaying the feelings of some of the other disciples.

Did I just say ‘disciples’?

Why, yes I did!

The objection to this worship was made, not by the religious leaders but by His very own disciples.

We looked at the truth earlier this week that pride blinds our eyes to the things of God while worship opens them.  

Perhaps the disciples were proud of being the ones who got to ‘hang out’ with Jesus.

Maybe they felt their ‘reputation’ was being tarnished by what they judged as worship that was way too extravagant; way out of line!

At times, they struggled to recognize who Jesus was and the magnitude of the very one who was in their midst.

No worship is too extravagant for Him.

As you gather this Sunday to remember and celebrate the Cross and the Resurrection keep that thought in mind.

And consider your options…

To be the woman with the box or an indignant disciple!

 Lord – make us extravagant worshippers of you!

A Tree that Bears No Fruit

“Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.”

Matthew 21:18-19

 

“…nothing on it except leaves.”

Trees are supposed to have leaves.

So why would Jesus curse the fig tree.

Was he intolerant because He was hungry?

It can’t be that because we know He wasn’t ruled by His flesh.

Certainly, we learned that when He was tempted of the devil in the wilderness.

No, this clearly wasn’t an “Esau moment”!

Jesus would not curse the tree out of a fit of anger because He was famished.

There had to be more to it than Jesus being hungry.

Maybe, because He knew His time was near, He just lacked His ‘normal’ patience?

Nope, even when He drove out the money-changers, He did so with complete control of His emotions!

Some people ‘play the part’ well as Christians.

From a distance they may convince others to be true disciples of Jesus Christ.

But ‘up-close-and-personal’ they are like the fig tree; their ‘outer-wear’ (the leaves)

seems right but the character of Christ – the fruit – is missing!

Like the Temple in Jerusalem it is quite possible to be very impressive and even ‘showy’ but lacking any real substance.

Jesus cursed the fig tree for its hypocrisy.

We might say it was ‘religious’ but lacked the fruit that comes from abiding in the vine!

In her day program today my daughter had to play the role of the teacup from the story of “Beauty and the Beast”.

Since the costume did not fit it was pinned on to the front of her.

Don’t go through life with a Christian costume “pinned on”.

God has given us His Holy Spirit and has the expectation of fruit in our lives that is grown out of relationship with Him.  

Lord:

Help me to desire a bumper crop of the fruit of your Spirit that I may present Christ to the world in words and in deeds!

Amen

Proudly Blind or Humbly Seeing?

“They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

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 19:35-40

 

Pride will always blind you from seeing God.

Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

The crowds honored a King.

They called out in adoration.

The Pharisees spoke only to a teacher.

They demanded a rebuke of His disciples.

Both the crowds and the Pharisees took in the same scene.

Why did they see Him so differently?

Some came humbly to honor Him.

Others came refusing to acknowledge anyone who didn’t fit their proud purposes.

Here’s the ultimate question for you.

When the Lord comes into your life, who do you see?

He may not enter your world riding on a donkey.

Perhaps he comes to you through the words of a friend sharing the Gospel.

Maybe it’s by way of a dream or a vision.

But ultimately, you will have to answer the question:

Is Jesus merely a great philosopher or teacher akin to Aristotle or Thomas a Kempis?

You see, pride often concedes him to be a teacher or a philosopher but…to make Him King or Lord…that demands allegiance and humble surrender!

Pride will always blind you from seeing God.

Humility opens your eyes.

Do’s and Don’ts

“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.”

Psalm 37: 1-5

 

 

 

 

A complaint often voiced against Christianity is that it is a religion of “do’s and don’ts”

Putting aside the whole discussion of ‘religion’ for today and taking the advice of Jesus in Matthew 5:25 that says: “Agree with thine adversary quickly…” let me give you some wonderful do’s and don’ts.

DO

Do trust in the Lord

Do good

Do take delight in the Lord

Do commit your way to the Lord

Don’t

Don’t fret because of those who are evil

Don’t be envious of those who do wrong

 

If by chance you are keeping count then you will note that just in these five verses the “do’s” outnumber the “don’ts” 2 to 1!

I don’t often give you ‘homework’ but today I will.

Psalm 37 is a wonderful passage of scripture written by David.

He contrasts the wicked person with the righteous.

I would challenge you to read it today in its entirety (40 verses) and find all of the contrasting pictures that are offered.

It is a great ‘measuring stick’ Psalm for us and you may even find you fall far short on some of the “do’s”; as I do.

If that’ the case, you just created a prayer list for yourself as you come before the Lord.

But keep in mind these closing words form that same Psalm:

 

“The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;

    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

 The Lord helps them and delivers them;

   he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

    because they take refuge in him.”

A Work of Grace

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said,

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Luke 5:8

 

Peter had just witnessed a miracle.

He was an expert fisherman and there was no doubt in his mind that what had just taken place was neither coincidence nor a freak accident.  

His nets were filled to the breaking point at a time of day when fish should not be where they were.

Isn’t it curious then, that he didn’t pepper Jesus with all kinds of questions about how he did it?

He wasn’t looking for an explanation but instead he asks Jesus to go away.

Why would he say this?

Didn’t he know that Jesus had come to seek and to save the lost?

Actually, no!

Wasn’t he aware that the Father had sent the Son to take Peter’s sin on Himself?

Certainly not!

Surely, the Law and the Prophets testimony concerning the coming Messiah must have been foremost in Peter’s thoughts, right?

Maybe, just a little.

Maybe you think it was far too early in Jesus’ ministry for Peter to understand any of this.

I think the reason Peter asked Jesus to leave him was because he knew he was a sinner and expected that any man so filled with God’s Spirit would surely judge him for what he was.

So foreign to him was the message of grace that Christ would bring.

Surely a holy man of God had no use for Peter.

As a matter of fact it would be best for Jesus to leave right away before some of Peter rubbed off on him.

How shocked Peter must have been when, not only did Jesus not leave Peter, He invited Peter to follow Him.

Peter would spend the rest of his life learning and experiencing this message of grace.

What the Law could not do, grace did.

The grace of God transformed a sinner into a saint.

And that is what His grace will do in your life too!

Peter Gets Homework Following His Denial

“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.

And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke 22:32

 

Today is the first day of Spring around these parts.

It doesn’t look much like it though.

Snow on the ground, wind chill indexes are still part of the weather forecast

and trees are barren.

But the first sighting of a robin offers a glimmer of hope that Spring is indeed on its way.

It is not uncommon when you fail to begin to pile on with thoughts of gloom and despair.

Before you know it, hope is as scarce as a 60 degree day in March for Western, N.Y.  

So how do you overcome the tendency of the flesh to focus on the failure?

Well, there are lots of ways but let’s look at one in particular today.  

Would you agree that God knows what He is doing?

“Of course He does”, you say.

But that may not be your attitude when failure is staring you in the face or just kicked your butt.

You see, at those times it is most important that we follow Gods’ counsel and stay connected.

We must stay connected to Him and to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Well”, you say “my friends are direct descendants of Jobs’ friends!”

“They are not exactly founding members of Encouragers Unlimited”

That doesn’t give you permission to isolate yourself.

At these times it is especially important to remain connected to others.

The only season more likely to cause you to drift away from God than a season of failure is a season of success.

At both times you especially need the Body of Christ to support you in prayer, encourage you in your walk and offer hope for the future God has for you!

You’re usually the strong one?

Then in the midst of your pain, serve others and in so doing you will find strength to continue.

Peter denied Christ three times but he didn’t pack his bags and move to Rome!

As a matter of fact, as Jesus was telling Peter that he would deny Him, He also extended hope to Him.

“…when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

But it was more than hope, more than just a command from Jesus to be an encourager.

It was also a command to stay connected in spite of failure!

If you fail, don’t hand the enemy a victory by separating yourself from others.

When you fail – stay connected!

Let’s do one better – when you fail, increase your fellowship and don’t let anything or anyone disconnect you!  

God Turns Failure Around

“He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.

But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Luke 5:3-5

 

Wait, listen and respond.

Three activities you can engage in when you fail.

Peter, as we reviewed yesterday, had failed the previous night at his livelihood.

An empty boat, an empty stomach and an empty wallet was all he could show for his night of fishing.

Then, to top it all off, he had to wait patiently as this new preacher in town delivered his message.

Peter knew how long-winded preachers can be.

This one was different though.

He spoke with such clarity and such authority that Peter really had no issue with the waiting and the listening part.

It was the responding part that challenged him.

But respond he did and the catch was one for the record books.

What do you do when you fail?

Do you wait or do you run and hide?

Do you listen or are you engaged in damage control?

Do you respond or do you chuck it all and give up?

Oh, let me mention one more essential ingredient.

It’s not simply waiting, listening and responding.

It is waiting, listening and responding to God.

The catch didn’t just happen to be where it was when it was for Peter’s nets to snag it.

The catch of a lifetime was there at the command of God.

The one who had failed would learn to wait, listen and respond to God.

In doing so, he positioned himself in the center of Gods’ will for his life.

It did more than change his profession.

It changed his eternity.

Have you failed?

Maybe you have failed miserably and are ready to run, whine and give up.

Instead wait, listen and respond to God.

 

 

Peter Surrenders The ‘Net Profits’

“Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

Luke 5:10b-11

 

The men who fished for a living had fished all night and caught nothing; zero; nada.

There were no ‘fish stories’ they could tell that day – or maybe that’s all they had – stories – because the reality was not as kind to them as a little bit of fiction could be.

Now this one called Jesus was asking them to go fishing?

Where, oh pray tell, did he learn to fish?

Peter had failed miserably that previous night but, still, he didn’t want to disappoint the man of God.

Only when it was apparent that their boat, as well as the boat of their partners, might actually sink because of the great haul of fish did it dawn on Peter that maybe, just maybe, there was more to this Jesus than he first understood.  

After all, wasn’t Peter the expert and wasn’t Jesus just along for the ride?

Maybe not.

Could it be instead that Peter’s failure, when handed over to Jesus became God’s opportunity to transform his life?

And if that was true – could it hold true for you and I as well?

What would happen, what could happen in your life if, instead of holding on to your failure, you surrendered it to the Lord?

Is it possible that you, like Peter, might turn and follow Jesus, leaving everything else behind?

Isn’t that how transformation begins?

Following Jesus no matter the cost!

You see, compared to discovering who Jesus was, the largest fishing success of their lives meant nothing.  

Peter’s failure proved far more fruitful in the hands of God than he could ever have imagined.

Yours can too.

But you have to surrender it to Him first.

Sometimes we hold on so tight with both hands to our failures than we are unable to take the hand of God.   

Surrender your failures to God so He can turn them into opportunities to transform your life!

O Happy Day!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;

 he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”

Psalm 40:1-3

 

As you learn to wait patiently on the Lord; God gives you a testimony.

God gives you something to say.

Singing, often is an indication of a contented heart.

I know there are plenty of songs of hopelessness and despair but here the ‘new song’ spoken of by the Psalmist is given to the one who has learned to wait patiently on the Lord.

It is a new song, it is not the same old song and dance, so to speak.

It is a song that breathes new life into you.

It is a creative song from the hand of a creative God. 

The Word tells me that He puts that song in my mouth.

It isn’t so much a song in my heart as a song in my mouth.

What’s the difference?

It is a song to be sung not just held onto and tucked away only in the recesses of my heart.

It is a word to be declared.

It is fresh manna for my daily bread but it is also encouragement to my brothers and sisters.

Not yesterdays’ stale crumbs, I have a new song, a new word, a new testimony put in my mouth by God.

It is in my mouth that I might taste it, but it is also in my mouth to declare it to others.

I have waited patiently on Him and He has filled my mouth with a song.

O Happy Day!

 

http://youtu.be/duLQ6d_BpLs

 

God Has a Calvary, Not a Cavalry that Rescues!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm 40:1

 

                                      

 

 

 

As I wait patiently on the Lord, He hears my prayer.

Now I think we’ve settled the question that God is not hard of hearing so the point of this portion of the verse is that we cried to Him and He heard our cry.

We didn’t carry on a casual conversation.

We don’t brag, boast, manipulate, bargain, threaten or whine.

We cried to Him.

The Hebrew word for cry in this Psalm is sheva.

This means mourning or sorrow and connotes a passionate plea being made to God, not simply the exchange of words.

A desperation born out of our circumstances but not desperation that claims to have all the answers. 

This is crying out to God to hear my plea as I wait patiently on Him.

The reward simply is this – as I cry out to God, He hears me.

My cry is not falling on deaf ears.

My words are not rising to the ceiling only to fall back down on me. 

There is an assurance that He hears my prayers.

The impatient man or woman rushes into Gods’ presence makes a few panicked demands and leaves. Then they are disappointed and claim God is deaf to them.

What other rewards can we expect for waiting patiently on the Lord?

Verse two says:

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, Out of the mud and mire…”

As I wait patiently on the Lord, He rescues me!

Have you ever needed to be ‘lifted’ up?

Wait on Him!

Have you ever needed to be rescued?

Wait on Him!

Have you ever found yourself in a situation for which you see no way out?

Wait on Him!

Have you been in the midst of a crisis and as you wait patiently on God, He turns to you, He hears your cry and He lifted you up?

 He lifts you out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, you have found yourself in.

Sometimes we hear the expression ‘slippery slope’.

It speaks of a course of action which, once taken, leads to additional actions until some undesirable consequence results. Our own actions (most often interpreted S-I-N) may set us on that slippery slope where we find ourselves ending up in the slimy pit with no way of rescuing ourselves.

We must rely on someone else to rescue us.

God rescued us.

He lifted us up out of the mud and mire we found ourselves in, out of the slimy pit we could not rescue ourselves out of.

http://youtu.be/qHiZ3KPxD-Q

 

A ‘Face-to-Face’ With God!

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm 40:1

 

Waiting patiently on the Lord gets Gods attention!

The word turned is the word inclined in the KJV.

He turned to me.

God is inclined toward me.

He leans in my direction.

Patiently waiting on God gets’ His attention.

Maybe you think it is irreverent to express it in this way.

David didn’t.

He needed Gods attention and discovered that as He drew near to God in patient waiting,

God turned to him.

Doesn’t it annoy you when you are talking to someone and they turn away from you – perhaps pre-occupied with other (more important) things?

It is as if you do not have their full or undivided attention.

It’s irritating because we want to be heard.

I had an audiology appointment a week and a half ago and as part of that appointment I was given a sheet of information and told to share it with my wife and family.

It was titled: The “New Ten Commandments”.

It was meant for the family of those suffering from hearing loss but one of the commandments in particular caught my eye (instead of my ear!).

It said:

“Thou shalt speak face to face at all times!”

God is not hard of hearing.

Sometimes however, you and I are.

God turns to us as we wait patiently on Him and He gives us His undivided attention.

You see, I matter to God and you matter to God.

Do you want to get His attention? 

Do you want to hear His words to you?

Do you want Him to turn to you?

Wait patiently for Him!

He is our Father and He loves us!

I Anoint You King…Now, Hold That Thought!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm 40:1

 

 

Why would we expect that David would have anything worthwhile to say about waiting?

Can you think of a time when David had to wait on God for anything?

How about the time between his anointing by Samuel to be king and the fulfillment of that word?

David had to wait about 15 years.

Don’t kid yourself though; these were not quiet, peaceful years when all David had to do was meditate on the projects he would complete once he was King!

They were years of waiting but they were years filled with turmoil, battles, threats and attempts against David’s life.

They were certainly years that could have given David pause as to whether or not Samuel the Prophet had heard God in the first place when he anointed David.

There was ample opportunity to question God while he was waiting and few would have begrudged him if he did.

And yet David did wait and he persevered even so far as to not raise a hand against Saul when Saul repeatedly tried to have him killed.

He waited for God to fulfill what God had proclaimed and he would not raise his hand against Gods anointed knowing that God was well able to do what He said He would do without David intervening. 

So I would propose to you that it is fair to say that David had an authoritative platform to stand on when he spoke of waiting.

So much so, that we have good reason to listen to what he has to say about waiting.

 It is interesting that David did not simply write: “I waited for the Lord”, but rather he says “I waited patiently for the Lord!”

That word ‘patiently’ makes all the difference.

We all know there is patient waiting, but how about inpatient waiting?

Which one are you better at?

What are some expressions we use or some examples of inpatient waiting?

How about:

The sarcastic statement: Hurry up and wait!

Or…maybe you’ve heard this one?

“God I want patience and I want it now!”

Parents can certainly appreciate this next example…

“Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet?”

Maybe you spoke this next inpatient statement on your last vacation or business trip:

“I wish they would hurry up and land this thing!”

Here’s the impatient husbands’ declaration as he waits in the car:

“What is taking her so long?”

David never expressed this kind of attitude in his wait.

He waited in calm expectation and earnest hopefulness.

It is a wait accompanied by the Peace of God.

When you wait on God, is that waiting accompanied by His peace?

Ask God to help you today to wait patiently and with His peace!

In My Father’s House…Is A Waiting Room!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm 40:1

 

What would you say is one of the hardest things you need to do on a daily basis?

What is one of the most difficult ‘tasks’ every single one of us faces?

By the way, this is not something that is limited to believers, though our response should be markedly different.

I’m talking about something that all of humanity, across the globe faces day in and day out.

And some clearly handle it better than others.

I would venture a guess that most of you have already experienced this today.

If you haven’t, just “wait” because you will.

Not only do all of us experience it with none of us immune; but each one of us also has a choice in how we will respond to it.

Any guesses as to what I am talking about?

We are going to talk about waiting.

But from a believer’s perspective; that is waiting on God.

Abraham waited – he is called the Father of the Faithful and waited for the promises of God, not just the promise of his son Isaac, but of the greater promise of being the Father of many nations with offspring so great in number that he could not count them.

We are told this about Abraham in Romans 4. It says “… he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Abraham knew how to wait.

He died waiting in faith not yet seeing all the promises of God having been fulfilled and yet believing that God would do just that!  

Paul the Apostle also had to wait. After his Damascus road experience – it was 15 years before his first missionary journey to the Gentiles. He had much to contribute to the New Testament and for the Kingdom of God as the Apostle to the Gentiles but he first had to learn how to wait.

Even Jesus…was he ready at the ripe old age of 12 when he outshined the religious leaders in Jerusalem? Apparently not – He would obediently wait on the Father another 17 years before He began His public ministry. During His ministry He daily waited on the Father in prayer most often early in the morning before others were up. Near the end of His ministry on the earth, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit before He ascended into heaven. Even now, as He is seated at the right hand of the Father, He waits patiently for His Father, who alone knows the day, the time and the hour of the Sons return.

Listen to what Hebrews 10:13 declares about Jesus –

“and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.”

You see, waiting on God is a recurring theme in scripture.

Likewise, waiting, whether on God or on others, is a recurring theme in our own lives. If you find yourself waiting on God, let me assure you, you are in good company indeed!

Let’s look together this week at waiting, shall we?

Sold Out by the Stomach!

“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau,

who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.”

Hebrews 12:16

 

Salvation through Christ

Testimony of Christ

Unity with Christ

Focus on Christ

Future in Christ

 

We sometimes are faced with struggles and crisis in our lives.

No one is immune.

Too often when that happens we surrender our S.T.U.F.F. long before we surrender our stuff!

What do I mean?

Faced with a choice we’re quicker to give up our eternal stuff and hold on to the temporal.

We hand it over without a fight just as Esau did.

Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac and as such was the heir to the sacred blessing from father to son.

Esau surrendered the sacred for a bowl of stew.

His stomach ruled the day, his belly became his god.

You might say Esau was sold out by his stomach.

Esau could have had a different future but his focus changed from what would be to what he determined he had to have in the here and now.

Listen to how he expressed his choice in Genesis 25:28-33

“Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)

Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.”

Esau placed a greater value on a satisfied stomach (I want it and I want it NOW) than the things of God.

He kept his stuff at the expense of his S.T.U.F.F.

You too will face that same choice in big and little ways throughout your life.

The most significant tests will come in those times of crisis.

Ask God to help you in your choices that you might choose the eternal

things of God over the temporal things of your flesh.

Don’t Shut Down and Don’t Shut Up!

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.

Then he fell to the ground in worship.”

Job 1:20

 

Salvation through Christ

Testimony of Christ

Unity with Christ

Focus on Christ

Future in Christ

 

So the enemy comes in the midst of a crisis to steal your S.T.U.F.F.

How do you guard it?

What did Job do in the verses above?

He tore his robe.

What the heck does that mean; in the middle of a crisis, I should rip my clothes?

In the culture of his day, tearing his robe was an indication of grief.

One can imagine that there was great grief at the news Job received.

He did not try to hide it.

Sometimes, in the midst of a crisis we fail to express our feelings.

We shut down.

Not only to those around us but particularly to God.

Job did the opposite.

He clearly expressed his feelings in no uncertain terms.   

“How does ‘expressing my feelings’ help in guarding my S.T.U.F.F.”, you ask?

It requires me to be honest with God.

Yes, He knows my thoughts but He also gave us the ability to pray.

Prayer is not optional for the believer, even though God already knows your thoughts.

In the midst of the crisis, express how you are feeling to God.  

This point was well stated by the Pastor last Sunday and I would like to quote his words:

“Job was candid in the midst of his crisis. It is o.k. to ‘complain’ to God, it is not o.k. to complain about God!”

God is not ‘intimidated’ by your feelings.

Learn to be honest with Him about them so that you can move forward.

If you remain dishonest about how you are feeling, you give the enemy a foothold so that he can come in to steal your S.T.U.F.F.

Don’t shut down; express your feelings to God!

Guarding Your S.T.U.F.F.

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.  “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.  But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Job 1:9-11

 

 

We know that the enemy of our souls is a thief.

He comes to rob, steal and destroy what is of God in us.

He certainly has no regard for us so if we are in the midst of a crisis guess when he is likely to come calling?

That’s right.

Just when you may be most vulnerable.

Let’s define – using an acronym – what we mean with the word S.T.U.F.F.

 

Salvation through Christ

Testimony of Christ

Unity with Christ

Focus on Christ

Future in Christ

Of course it is Christ which is common to each of those things we are calling stuff.

The enemies purpose, while you are in the midst of a crisis, is to separate you from Christ.

“Well”, you say, “isn’t that his plan all the time?”

Sure it is.

But you may be more accommodating to his plans when you are struggling.

None of us enjoys a struggle and it is in those places of conflict and crisis that we are most prone to ‘throwing in the towel’.

The enemy comes along and says’:

 “If God really loved you and if you really were united with Christ, you wouldn’t be in the predicament you are in!”

At these moments, focus on Christ.

What did he do when the tempter came?

He reminded the enemy of what the Word of God declared concerning Him and His situation.

He did not surrender His S.T.U.F.F. to the enemy.

When you are going through a crisis, guard your S.T.U.F.F.

Responding to Crisis

“…He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,

 and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Matthew 5:45b

 

God blesses the righteous and the unrighteous.

 He sends rain to water the crops of those who do good and those who do not.

Where we often fail is to think that crisis and bad things only happen to the wicked.

Do you suppose that hurricane Sandy came ashore in New York and New Jersey to only destroy the homes of the wicked? Do you honestly believe that only the ‘wicked’ were those affected by flooding and all that accompanied that disaster?

What about Katrina?

What about the war in Afghanistan?

Are those suffering in Iranian prisons all unbelievers?

We know better.

Crisis will happen in the lives of the godly and the ungodly.

The real difference is how they choose to respond to it.

When we face crisis, how we react will impact our walk with God and the walk of others.

It has the potential to bring others into relationship with Christ or drive them further away.

Think about that for a moment.

You have told others you are a believer.

You face an illness, an extended unemployment or even a catastrophic fire or loss of all your material possessions.

These are valley moments.

These are crisis moments.

We are not the first to face them, nor will we be the last.

They are not easy seasons in our lives to be sure.

The single most significant difference between your reaction and someone else’s comes when you affirm that Jesus will never leave you and will never forsake you.  

You almost don’t need that assurance on the mountaintop as you sense His presence.  

 You need that affirmation continually in the valley where it seems lonely and as if you are all alone.

As you respond to the crisis with that understanding, know that it will encourage not only you but also those whose eyes are on you!