“…Don’t Look Back…”

“As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives!

Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!

Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”

Genesis 19:17

The command from the angels to Lot as they brought him, his wife and their two daughters out of the city of Sodom was clear:

 “…Don’t look back…”

We are told that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were so wicked that God destroyed them for their wickedness.

 Lot, Abraham’s nephew, lived in Sodom.

There is some speculation among theologians that Lot was a leader, or at least, held a position of influence in that city.

However, as they were being rescued Lot received the clear command for him and his family – don’t look back! Lot’s “recent past” was about to be destroyed (so to speak).

The temptation and perhaps the pull from that past proved too great for Lot’s wife and when she looked back, we are told, “…she became a pillar of salt…”

Our past can sometimes be very appealing to us.

The traditions, the familiarity, the routines of life become our stability.

It can become easier to place a greater trust in the knowledge of our past than in the faith required, in God, for our future.

In our minds, the sure thing – our past – beats out the unsure thing – our future.

But any mind, dwelling on the past, pre-occupied with it, looking back to it, is not a mind surrendered to God.

Listen to the admonition to each of us given in Isaiah 26:3:

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Concerning your past and your future – I pray you have that perfect peace that comes from a steadfast mind which has learned to trust God.

Trust Him with your past and let go of it.

Trust Him with your future and walk into it with Him!

Don’t Let Others Dig Up Your Past

“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Psalm 103:12

First game of the season and you blew it.

You messed up.

You failed miserably.

Now, the coach tells you to go sit on the bench.

“You can plan on warming it for the rest of the season”; he says to you.

Worse still, his words are heard by everyone in the stands – all the fans – including family and friends.

Pretty sad scenario, isn’t it?

It’s enough to make you appreciate deeply the grace and mercy of God.

When we blow it in our walk with God, He doesn’t sideline us.

Oh sure, there may be a “time-out” called for.

But, as we discussed yesterday, my past, with all its’ successes and all its failures need not disqualify me from a future with God. Despite what others may say or do it need not take me out of the race. You see, I face a tough enough time understanding this myself but when those close to me have a habit of reminding me about my past I must make a conscious decision to agree with God and not with man. You will always have naysayers in your life who feel it is their ‘ministry’ to remind you of where you have failed in the past instead of encouraging you about where God wants to take you.

Graciously shut down their influence.

You may not be able to eliminate them from your life but you can, and should, eliminate the influence they have. As we learned yesterday, God will not disqualify you based on your past.

Don’t let others do what He will not do.

Disqualified?

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalm 51:1-2

Can my past disqualify my future with God?

The short answer is yes.

The short answer is no.

The short answer is maybe.

How is that for multiple choices?

Before you think I am indecisive let me offer some clarification.

The yes answer applies to the question when we allow the past to disqualify us.

The no answer applies to the question in view of God’s word.

The maybe answers the question when we understand it is ultimately our choice to make.

God will not disqualify me from a future where I am used to bring Him glory in many, many ways. Aside from Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, name for me a flawless bible character that lived a perfect, sinless life.

Having a tough time? You should be, because you can’t.

Now; name for me a flawed individual that had a sordid past and yet was used by God despite that past.

Is it a little bit easier to come up with some names?

 It is for me too.

Think about the past of Rahab, Peter and Judas.

Each of them had a past – just like you have a past – which if allowed to, can keep you from moving forward with God.

Some people in the bible let go of their past while some held on tightly.

David offers a remarkable way of dealing with his past.

A past that is less than stellar.

We find it in Psalm 51.

There you will see the ‘P.A.S.T.’ principle.

He Presented his past to God, he Acknowledged it, Surrendered it and then Trusted God with it.

We can argue that David was confronted by the prophet and that is why he dealt with his past. I can’t disagree. But, when confronted he didn’t run. He dealt with it.

As God confronts each of us in this area, deal with your past so it does not paralyze your future.

Eyes Front!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18-19

Dwelling on our past – whether as an individual or as a church –

keeps our eyes firmly fixed behind us.

Twice, in the verse above, God admonishes us.

First to say: “Forget the former things…”

but then He adds: “…do not dwell on the past.”

God does not speak idle words.

It is important that we take note of all He says, but particularly when He repeats Himself. Too often, we want to do more than just remember the past; we want to memorialize the “good old days” or the “glory days”.

 Those are just a couple of terms we use to fondly frame our past.

Of course, tradition is not always a bad thing, except when it keeps you from moving forward with what God has for you.

If you are carrying your past around with you, whether as a trophy or as a war wound, and it is all that seems relevant in the present, I guarantee you, it will rob the heritage God has for you.

I can change my present and I can impact my future but I must leave behind my past. Jesus told us how fruitless worrying is. Worrying about what has already taken place, or even continued reveling in the triumphs of yesterday, is unfruitful to me and for me.

For the sake of the Kingdom of God advancing in your life and His plans being brought to fruition in you; surrender what has been, to the one who is doing a new thing.

He will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Do you see the new thing?

Do you perceive it?

In which direction are you looking?

Fire, Lions and Submission

“He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:27

God’s timing seems to often come at the most inopportune times.

He could have directed Joshua to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan River in any one of the majority of months when it was just a trickle. Instead His timing was such that they found themselves being led across while it was at flood stage.

God’s “fullness of time” moments come so often is when it is impossible for man to take credit or come up with accurate solutions. The natural man doesn’t like being rescued at the last minute. We want an answer NOW, not later. We expect the new job a day after we lose the old one and the healing miracle moments after the doctor’s troubling report. Shadrach., Meshach and Abednego’s story is told in Daniel chapter three. We find their rescue came after they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Listen to the evidence of their submission to God in verses 17 and 18:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able

to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty,

that we will not serve your gods or worship

the image of gold you have set up.”

The same is true of Daniels’ rescue from the Lion’s

den documented in Daniel chapter six.

God often seems to rescue us at the eleventh hour.

When all other options are exhausted and we have no ‘arm of man’ left to rescue us God shows up and receives the Glory that is due only to Him. The three Hebrew children and Daniel both evidenced a clear submission to God whether or not He delivered them. Their obedience and love for Him was not predicated on His performance on their behalf. True submission does likewise. True submission to the will of God follows through even when it seems God may or may not show up to bring us the answer or solution we need!

Who is in the Details of Your Life?

“And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17 (Amplified Bible)

We have been looking at what submission to the Lordship of Christ should look like in the life of a believer. Previously, we learned how important it is to receive correction from the Lord and to repent of sin now, not later.

In other words we don’t let sin fester.

How interested is God in my complete surrender and submission?

Our verse for today answers that question.

The phrases “…whatever you do…” and “…do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus…” leave room for nothing to be done or said that is not done or said in His name.

We all have heard the expression: “The devil is in the details.”

Well, that should not be true in the life of a Christ follower because every detail of our lives should be submitted to Him. I know I am taking a little liberty with what that saying is meant to convey be but I hope you get my point. Our submission to the Lordship of Christ rests on us doing and saying EVERYTHING in His name. Of course, we sometimes don’t and that was discussed in an earlier post.

But really, does God care about where I live, what my occupation is or who I marry?

Yes, yes and yes!

This thought makes some people afraid to actually do anything but if you cultivate that relationship with Him in your life where He is able to commune with you He will deliver your soul from death, your eyes from tears and your feet from stumbling in order that you may walk before Him in the land of the living (Psalm 116:8-9 paraphrase).

Repent Now or Repent Later?

“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.”

Matthew 5:25

Let me list for you five areas in a person’s life that

 give evidence of the Lordship of Christ.

They are:

Seeks daily direction from God

Seeks daily correction from God

Seeks daily protection from God

Seeks daily guidance from God

Seeks daily companionship from God

Let’s look a little more closely at daily correction.

What do you do when somewhere offers you some corrective counsel?

What if they offered that counsel to you every day?

Would you value it or would you start going out of your way to avoid that person?

God can bring that correction to our walk on a “real-time” basis. In other words, He can bring the conviction of His Spirit into our lives at the moment we need that correction. Why does it not seem to work that way some times?

Maybe it’s because we are so determined in that moment

to do things our way or to bring our opinions to bear on a matter.

If that is the case, then we are usually not truly prepared to receive the correction that we most need to hear. They say that “hindsight is 20/20” and there is certainly biblical instruction for self-examination, but what if we were so hungry to make Him Lord of our lives that we could receive on-the-spot correction and move on with what He has for us. The blessing of receiving immediate correction can be viewed as two-fold.

First, we have repented when the situation has occurred, not allowing the rebellion against God (aka SIN) to incubate. Second, the more immediate our response to God and correct what needs to be corrected, the less “collateral damage” (as the military likes to say) can occur. In other words, the impact of that sin to ourselves

and others can be reduced.

Maybe you think today’s scripture verse is a stretch to apply in this situation since we are washed in the blood of the Lamb as believers.

But why let sin linger before dealing with it?

Why not receive the correction of God when it is offered and move on in His purposes. It beats the alternative of letting it grieve the Spirit of God when He has already provided the solution for it!

Life in the Merging Lane

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Matthew 7:13-14

A wide gate and a broad road lead to destruction.

The life with a lot of latitude is often an undisciplined life lived on that broad road.

Jesus said it was a narrow gate and a narrow road that leads to life.

There is a lot of activity and a lot of companionship on the broad road but the narrow way is often traveled in a solitary fashion. There are times on that narrow road where it doesn’t even seem wide enough to accommodate walking two abreast. At those points wisdom knows to submit to His lead and follow Him along that narrow way. I often picture progress in our walk with God like being on a single lane highway that is merging down to a bicycle path and then a trail.

The road is narrow but as I progress it becomes even narrower.

What might have been acceptable as a young believer becomes a distraction or encumbrance for my walk as I mature. Please understand that it is not because God’s standards are becoming tighter but instead as I submit more and more to His will there is less and less of this world that appeals to me.

My focus is sharpened, my step quickens and my goal becomes His destination for my life. Viewing it as a merging lane helps me to better understand that as I mature there is less desire to wander aimlessly on a wide thoroughfare and a greater desire to be where He wants me to be at His appointed time.

That is what submission is all about.

Being where He wants me to be – at His appointed time – to do whatever He has for me to do. The merging lane illustration helps me to appreciate that where I am today is not necessarily where I will be tomorrow.

If you have passed through the gate that is Jesus and sincerely desire His Lordship in your life, understand that submission will restrict your travel to His path for you. That does not always ‘play well’ when we are only interested in being “unrestricted free agents”!

Then again, that’s not a person who is truly submitted, is it?

Family Ties – Part II

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

I Corinthians 11:1

Not all family influence is negative or bad.

We did see a couple of examples yesterday that we would not want to emulate but the scriptures also include stories of individuals that influenced other family members for good. While our ultimate obedience is to God, often there can be sound, biblical advice and guidance offered by family who also love God.

Remember the story of Esther and the godly influence of her cousin Mordecai?

What of the loyalty and love shown through the story of Naomi and Ruth?

In the New Testament, we have this account of a family

linked through their faith as Paul speaks to Timothy:

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

II Timothy 1:5

So don’t be too quick to write off others who may have valuable words of wisdom for you. Just remember that ultimately God wants to have an intimate relationship with you (with each of His children as a matter of fact).

While others may bring wise counsel never let it supplant that close walk and intimate relationship He desires with you.

Lois’ love for God could not sustain Timothy’s walk.

His grandmother and his mother, as Paul detailed, had a sincere faith

and that was a heritage passed on to Timothy.

Timothy, however, had to walk the walk himself...

just as you and I must determine to do.

Family Ties

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Galatians 1:10

Yesterday we looked at the impact of submitting your life to past failures.

Today I want to take a look at another of one of nine areas we

can submit our lives to.

Often we submit our lives to family and their influences.

Is that wrong?

Sometimes it can be.

You see scripture speaks of family that can strengthen or that can inhibit our walk with God. Who can forget the ‘encouragement’ of Jobs’ wife in Job 2:9:

“His wife said to him,

“Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

Talk about a lack of encouragement!

Jobs’ wife discouraged him at a time when he needed strength and encouragement to trust God in the midst of his struggles.

Her ‘suggestion’ was not subtle.

Sometimes though, we can be drawn, in subtle ways, to submit to the will of our family over the will of God.

Maybe it’s’ just a hint that following God in a certain area is being a bit ‘over the edge’ and not at all appropriate for your station in life.

Remember the comment of David’s wife after David worshipped God?

Her tone was mocking:

“…How the king of Israel has

distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full

view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!...”

David had submitted’ his worship to God and not to others and was mocked for it.

Of course, submission to family influence rather than to God

is not an ‘honor’ that belongs only to wives.

We all have power in our lives to influence loved ones.

When your will and Gods’ will are in conflict, how will you influence those you love?

Will you influence them to submit to you or to submit to God?

Do Not Dwell On The Past

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18-19

Have you submitted control of your life to your failures?

Does the past control your present and your future?

Do the mistakes from yesterday define who you

are today and what you will be tomorrow?

When I submit control of my life to anything or anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ I am bound to fail. This is especially true when I submit control of my life to those past mistakes by wallowing in them and allowing the fear of those past failures to paralyze any usefulness I can be to God. God gives us a future and a hope but too often we live in the past and its’ failures.

Determine today to surrender your past to God and to submit to

His plans for your life both today and in the future.

There is nothing I can change about the past except how I view it.

I choose to see it placed into God’s hands and out of mine.

He is well able to handle my past, my present and my future but He can only do this when I surrender and submit to Him.

This is not a once-for-all-time submission but it is

a moment-by-moment-as-I-live-my-life submission!

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

I John 4:16

Yesterday we took a look at, what is for most of us, a very unpopular word.

That word was submission.

Yes, even in the church it is a word and a lifestyle we often shun.

As it was once said:

“By God’s design, life is a continual source of submission.”

We need only to take a walk through our own life experiences to realize t

Safe Submission

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

I John 4:16

Yesterday we took a look at, what is for most of us, a very unpopular word.

That word was submission.

Yes, even in the church it is a word and a lifestyle we often shun.

Pastor Tim spoke to us on Sunday concerning this topic and said:

“By God’s design, life is a continual source of submission.”

We need only to take a walk through our own life experiences to realize the truth of that statement. Children submit to their parents; students submit to their teachers; employees submit to their bosses; citizens submit to their government

and the list could go on and on.

Submission, as believers, is not an option.

If we call Jesus Lord and live a life that proves our words then we know what it means to submit to the control of another.

Sadly, some that we submit to can abuse that role of authority they hold in our lives.

That will never be the case with the Lord.

He will not violate who He is and we know that “God is Love”.

His loving nature means that His Lordship is one that has our best interests at heart. He created us to be in fellowship with Him. He did not create us to destroy us or to harm us. Many are destroyed or harmed through their own choices but never through submission to the will of God. Is God gently drawing you to surrender a greater place of submission to His will? I encourage you to surrender understanding His nature and His character will never require you to submit to Him only to find out it was to you harm.

That simply is not possible!

A Word We Just Don’t Like!

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions

with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death,

and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”

Hebrews 5:7

Sometimes a word will reveal a little bit about its definition when you break it into its component parts. The word “submission” is an example of this.

To better understand its definition think of it as two words: “sub” and “mission”.

What it helps us to see is that submission is to come under (sub) someone else’s mission. To submit to God then is to declare, with your life, your words and your actions: “Your mission is my mission; I submit to your mission and your will!”

I don’t know about you but I sometimes struggle with submission.

I can speak the part.

I can even ‘act’ the part.

It is the ‘doing’ that is too often my ‘un-doing’.

To surrender my will, my desires, my plans and my goals to someone else is never an easy thing. If someone tells you otherwise they are not being honest with you. Jesus never promised an easy life. He said His yoke was easy but never promised life would be. As a matter of fact He challenged us to daily take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him.

Let your life come under His mission for you.

Submission may be difficult at times but a life submitted to God guarantees we fulfill His purposes, that is, the purpose for which we were created!

How Does God Measure Success?

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”

Proverbs 21:3

God has different ways of measuring success than we do.

When it comes to our own personal lives we often measure how successful we are as a believer by how many verses we have memorized or perhaps by the unbroken streak of three years, five months and eleven days of morning devotions! Great job, we tell ourselves, give a pat on the back (when no one is looking of course because we do not want to be guilty of boasting) and wait for the next morning so we can increase that record stretch!

Did I mention – God has a different way of measuring success than we do?

Oh sure, we need quiet time with Him and there are plenty of good reasons to memorize the Word; but as valid as these things may be they are no substitute for obedience to the measures He has for you!

How does God measure your success?

I can’t answer for you – you have to ask Him!

How’s that for a cop-out?

But, it is true. God plans for you are good and they are specific to you and for you.

We sometimes look at what others may or may not be doing in and for the Kingdom and make judgments based on the specifics of how God is dealing with us or with our local church. It is unfair to judge another persons life or the vision of another local church based on the measure God is using for you or for your church.

MAKE NO MISTAKE –

There are expectations and basic foundation stones for every believer and every local church. Those are the same. How I walk out the specific plans God has for me and the vision He has for our local church – the methods He employs through us – may vary and so He will measure success in both you and me by obedience to Him.

Cookie cutters may work well in a Widget factory but they do no good in building a relationship of obedience to the Lord!

Grow in success by building that relationship with Him that reveals the measuring stick He uses for your life.

A Constant in the Midst of Change

“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”

Joshua 1:1-6

Change is a constant in our lives.

I don’t know of anyone who would argue with that fact.

We all face changes.

Certainly, some of those changes are more significant than others, but inevitably if you are part of the human race you will be impacted by change in your life.

That being said, what then might make that transition time in your life a little less difficult?

Suppose, in the midst of change, you were able to rely on someone who is unchangeable?

Would that help?

Of course it would.

The truth is we have that someone in God!

He was about to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.

It was, for them, a significant change from the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. God gave Joshua all the security he would need through this process of change when He said: “…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you…” Even in the midst of the significant changes in your life, God is there.

Whether you ‘feel’ Him or not He is with you.

As you face change, as you face re-positioning, as you face turmoil remind yourself and encourage yourself with those verses.

He remains faithful!

“Purposeful Positioning”

“The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

Sometimes God will re-position an individual or a church to better fulfill His purposes. All through his life we see Abraham being tested by God concerning his faith. The first test Abram faced was a re-positioning. We read of it in the verse above. God had a purpose in re-positioning Abraham and stated it, in part,

in verses 2 and 3 of that same chapter where we read:

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

In those verses God did not reveal all the details concerning the Messiah coming through the lineage of Abraham. We read and understand it now Abram had to agree to be re-positioned by faith, that is, without all the ‘dots connected’. God does not change. He still reveals only a portion to us as we are re-positioned for His purposes. It still requires faith on our part to agree. Elijah was re-positioned to be fed by ravens; Jeremiah was re-positioned to rebuild the walls and even God “re-positioned” His son when the “…word became flesh and dwelt among us…” When God begins to re-position you understand that He does it to better fulfill His purposes for your life. He may not (He probably won’t) fill in all the blanks because it still requires faith to please Him!

Allow Him to re-position you for His purposes.

Tell Him today you are willing…

“Let Go and Let God”

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

I Corinthians 11:1

Recently we talked about a phrase that has been popular but that I took issue with. Today there is another ‘popular’ phrase that I think is a better commentary on how we ought to live our lives.

That phrase is the title of today’s blog – “Let Go and Let God”.

That begs the question – “Let go of what and let God what”? There is a very simple answer but it is an answer we must often remind ourselves of. You see we need to let go of anything that keep us from letting God take the lead in our lives.

The best leaders know how to follow

AND

The best leaders know who to follow.

Let go of taking the lead in your own life and let God lead you.

I am frightened by those who appear to have the reigns of their life and ministry firmly in their own hands.

I am inspired and motivated by those leaders who have learned to be followers of Christ.

That leader who follows Christ teaches by example that true leaders are true followers.

After all, isn’t that what Jesus taught?

I am sure there were a lot of ‘good’ things Jesus could have done that he did not do.

That was because His life was not just about doing ‘good things’ as valuable as they may be.

His life was about following the lead of the His Father in heaven.

I am not discouraging you from doing good works.

Indeed we should.

Instead I am encouraging you to do the works of God by letting Him lead as you follow!