Infinitesimally Small or a Deep Chasm – God is on the Other Side

 

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:35-39

Can I ask a huge favor of you?

Really, are you sure?

O.K., here it is –

Please go back and read the verses above again.

I know we have all read them perhaps dozens or more times but let it really sink in.

The Bible is rife with the stories of men and women who faced great challenges and either stayed close to God through them (Hannah comes to mind) or returned to God after a season of anger or rebellion (I think of David)

Some of the struggles recorded were heartbreaking: barrenness, betrayal or the loss of a child.

God knows are anguish but He also is with us in every moment, through every tear and even every raised fist to him.

Many today tell of leaving the church because of something quite small by comparison.

They were upset with this or that but in the end it really was not a significant reason.

Sadly, more often than not they not only leave a church, they leave the church.  

But even in this please understand that the love of God chases after you,

calling you back to a place of fellowship with Him and with His family.

If you find yourself in a place like that please know that God’s love will not forsake you.

Return to Him and let Him heal the wounds that have been inflicted.

They may be self-inflicted or caused by others.

Don’t allow those wounds to make you draw back.

He is waiting....

Run Away or Draw Near?

 

“But as for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”

Psalm 73:28 

Stop and consider this question:

What is it that you most value in life?

Is it family?

Is it reputation?

How about financial security, prestige or power?

There is a story in the bible of a man named Job.

Job lost all that he valued – all of those things we just listed – and more.

But wait a minute; I know what you’re thinking.

“Surely”, you say, “Job must have done something wrong to have had all of this happen to him.”

Really?

Have you ever had something wrong happen at a time in your life when you are doing everything right?

Job was not reaping what he had sown just as we may sometimes find ourselves in a crisis not of our own making.

It is exactly in those seasons when we can choose to run away from or draw near to God.

The easy way is, of course, to run away.

And it is a path lined with cheerleaders too.

Why even in Job’s life the life coach advising him to run was his wife.

Here were her words to him:

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

Job 2:9

It seems everyone who was anyone had counsel to offer Job.

In our moments of struggle it is not uncommon for well-meaning friends to offer advice.

But their advice is not always godly.

Be wise about who you listen too, especially in moments of crisis, trial and temptation.

Remember that the devil came to tempt Jesus after forty days of fasting in the wilderness.

Don’t allow him to exploit the moments you are weak to further weaken your resolve.

In those moments do not choose to run away from God, instead choose to draw near!

 

But I’m Saved, Why is This Happening?

 

““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 59:19b (KJV)

“I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden

Along with the sunshine

There's gotta be a little rain sometime”

 

Nope, you won’t find those words in the Bible.

They were from a country song sung by Loretta Lynn many years ago.

But I think those words often capture what we think it means when we surrender our lives to Jesus.

All sunshine and bright skies for the rest of our lives!

But that is NOT what the Bible promises as we can see clearly from the words of Jesus in our introduction.

Most people approach the words of Jesus in the verse above like an Oreo cookie.

I’ll take the peace and the overcomers’ heart on each end of the verse but I don’t want any part of the ‘trouble’ spoken of in the middle.

Guess what?

It doesn’t happen that way.

The Book of Job reminds us:

“Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.” Job 5:7

And if you have spent any time around a campfire you know sparks fly upward!

So reconcile yourself to two irrefutable facts –

First, that trouble and crisis come to all – whether believers or not but second and most importantly that in the midst of those seasons we can claim this promise:

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

Don’t Try Harder, Rely Harder!

 

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him...”

Isaiah 59:19b (KJV)

 

 

What do you do when “…all hell breaks loose…” as the proverbial saying goes?

How do you respond when anything and everything that could go wrong, does?

I once heard a little poem offering this advice:

“When in danger, when in doubt,

run in circles, scream and shout!”

Not exactly a biblical admonition, is it?

So what would you do?

How about prayer?

How about calling out to the Name of The Lord?

How about when the storm tries to blow you over, you lean harder on the LORD.

Too often, we try harder to stand on our own.

“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.”

This is sound advice offered in Proverbs 3:5-6.

Don’t try harder, don’t lean on your own wisdom, education,

purse strings, family ties, reputation or skill.

None of these things can deliver you in the day of trouble.

When all hell comes against you, hide in the secret place of the

Most High and lean harder on Him!

You will find that He is that very present help in time of trouble!

 

I am Weak, but You are Strong

 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.”

Luke 22: 42-43

 

“Who do you think you are?”

Have you ever been asked that question right after you boasted or made a

 bold claim to be able to do something?

The other person was, in essence, questioning your ability to achieve whatever you were claiming to be able to do. 

I wonder how many times God has, by His Holy Spirit,

asked that question of you and me?

Probably more times than we would be willing to admit.

You see, our pride often gets the best of us and keeps us from humbly asking for the help we need.

In the scriptures quoted above we find that even Jesus found Himself in a place of weakness.

The Father is not in the business of sending His angels on (if you’ll excuse the expression) wild goose chases so I must conclude that if Jesus was strengthened by the angel God sent to Him then He must have been in need of that strength.

In other words, He was weak.  

That may offend some who are accustomed to weakness being the equivalent of sin.

Weakness is not sin.

Weakness can easily lead to sin when, in our pride,

we fail to admit our weaknesses and our need for strength.

Jesus was without sin and Jesus was weak.

He knew that in His weakness, His Father would give strength and so He did not succumb to that weakness but was ministered to by the angel sent from His Father.

God wants to strengthen you when you are weak.

Are you prepared to confess that weakness and call out to Him who is our strength?

Warship or Sailboat?

 

 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

II Corinthians 10:4

 

 

Going into battle would you choose a warship or a sailboat?

More specifically, would you elect to face your enemy with a fully loaded nuclear powered aircraft carrier or a wind driven sailboat?

Seems like one of those ‘no-brainers’ doesn’t it?

But hold on one moment.

Did I mention that the wind power was the wind of the Holy Spirit?

Oh, so now you want to pick again?

All the combined technology and might of the armies of the earth are as nothing,

absolutely nothing against the Almighty God whom we serve.

You could take an entire nuclear powered fleet outfitted for battle and they simply cannot stand if they move in defiance of the Living God.

Don’t shrink back when God says:

“The wind of the Spirit is beginning to blow.”

Who can stand against our God?

King Jehoshaphat was not a seafaring man but he was a God fearing man.

God brought a most unconventional victory to him when the worshippers went before the army.

You can read about it in II Chronicles Chapter 20

Ask any graduate of the War College if what he did makes sense.

 Of course it doesn’t – by natural standards!

But our God will do exploits through those whose sails are filled with the wind of His Spirit.

No matter how giant that enemy is.

Are you ready to set sail with God?

 

Time to Raise those Sails

 

 “The wind blows wherever it pleases.

You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:8

Have you ever considered that one of those things moved by the wind of the Holy Spirit might be you?

When I hear or read this verse I often picture the impact of the wind on the leaves of a tree.

With that picture, we understand well how we cannot see the wind but can certainly see its impact.

Does the wind of the Holy Spirit propel you forward in the assignment He has for you?

Could it be that we are sometimes impacted greatly and at other times the wind blows right through us?

Pastor shared a vision of the wind of the Holy Spirit blowing on a large lake.  

On that lake were a variety of sailboats.

Some were more prepared than others to be propelled forward.

Have you trimmed your sails?

Are you prepared to move forward by the wind of the Holy Spirit?

Or have you yet to raise those sails?

Are you even in the boat?

There are so many things to consider as we move forward in the days ahead.

I am reminded of a passage of scripture we would do well to consider:

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.

Night is coming, when no one can work.”

John 9:4

It is  well past time to raise those sails!