Strengthen Your Hands

Having spent time this past Sunday in the book of Nehemiah, I am reminded again this morning of the response of the people as Nehemiah presented the huge task at hand of rebuilding the wall.  The Word of God says in Nehemiah 2:18, "And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for the good work." In the last month here in Louisiana, I would venture to say that hands have done things they may have never done before. I made a list below of both the ways I have personally had to strengthen my hands or the ways I have watched others strengthen their hands for the good work around them. Perhaps you too can very much relate. Do you remember...

• grabbing hold of the hand of someone in need of rescue from the forceful flood waters?
• gripping a hand of someone rescuing you from the evacuation of your own home?
• squeezing the hand of a stranger who offered a helping hand?
• shaking the hand of a stranger of whose hand you helped?
• wiping the tears flowing from your eyes as you saw the daunting task of so many around you?
• wiping the tears streaming from your eyes as you stood overwhelmed by the daunting task of demoing your own home?
• sorting countless donations to setup for those in need?
• shuffling through countless donations to gather belongings to meet your need?
• yielding a hammer to begin the sheetrock removal of homes invaded with flood waters of varying heights?
• yanking up flooring where you once gathered in your living room for laughter and love?
• Facebooking need after need in hopes of someone being able to help?
• flipping through the pages of Scripture to feast on the Word before beginning another day?
• joining hands together as you positioned yourself for prayer with strangers around you?
• juggling numerous tasks at once for the hope to remain mold-free?
• dragging waterlogged belongings to the curb?
• delivering meals to friends, family and strangers hard at work?
• blowing up air mattresses for those displaced staying in your home?
• bringing cases of water from site to site to quench the thirst of those overcome by the heat?
• opening the tailgate of a friend's truck to transport belongings because your truck was totaled in the flood?
• offering to take the handles of the wheel barrow so someone could take a rest?

And the list could go on and on.  Looking back on August, I feel as if this was the longest month.  But even saying that, I can't imagine what this month has felt for those overcome by the disaster which swept through so suddenly.  

So indiscriminately. 

So overwhelmingly.

Yet, I sit here on September 1 and wonder what still lies ahead.  For what other tasks and good works will I need to strengthen my hands?  What is coming for your hands to accomplish?  And as those answers come, may you be reminded continually of the work our Savior's hands accomplished...so to the point of still carrying the scars from the loving, atoning work He finished to the end.

I don't know how long September will feel, but I know the events of August will still continue to loom nonetheless.  May you today, ask God to help you strengthen your hands for the good works He has laid before you.  And, may His joy consume you as you persevere.  

4Hisfame.

Pull the Emergency Brake!

Driving home from vacation this past weekend gave me quite a bit of "windshield time," as a friend once identified it.  This time simply involved staring into the vast sky and admiring its beauty, while at the same time, continually pumping the brakes because of the tumultuous holiday traffic overwhelming the interstate.  I found my mind consumed with the reality of heading back into "reality."  The full calendar of events December brings.  The battle against materialism that ensues.  The constant reminder to "Keep Christ in Christmas."

And that is where I camped out in the perplexing array of my thoughts - what does it even mean to "Keep Christ in Christmas?"  Don't use an X and write out Christ in Christmas?  Make sure to have a nativity set on display during the season?  Say "Merry Christmas" instead of the more general appeal of "Happy Holidays?"

I tend to believe that at least preachers mean it to remind us that it would be easy to lose our focus on the One for Whom the celebration of the season revolves.  The One Who left the glory of Heaven to become a helpless babe, born in the most humble of circumstances to one day grow and die the most humble of deaths as the Shepherd laying His life down for His sheep.  How does He remain a focus for us?  

Some attempt to tell us that we need to "slow down."  I admire the sentiment and understand the suggestion.  However, if you are like me, my calendar doesn't get extra days added to slow down the pace at which I run in the holidays.  There is always another event that one feels obligated to attend.  Another run to the grocery.  Another family gathering.  Another gift to buy.  Another text to make.  Another call to take.  The same amount of hours in a day to accomplish more in this time of year than potentially any other.  And it's supposed to be "jolly?!"  So, how?  How do we slow down?

I think the suggestion should shift from "slowing down" to simply making an attempt to STOP at times.  Diligently scheduling blocks of time where we can protect a time to keep Christ as focus.  To engage with the Prince of Peace and Lord of Lords in fellowship with His Word and Spirit.  To plead with Him to aid us in focusing less on ourselves and more on Him and others.  To insist that continued devotion expressed to Him actually brings JOY in the midst of the season.  To enjoy Him.  

Wow.  

What a concept.  To ENJOY our Maker.  To bask in His character. To relish in HIs Truth.  To rest in His sovereign grace and purposes.

So, STOP instead of slow down.  Intentional times of pause.  I think about how often we use our brakes to slow us down while driving forward through the terrain of life.  Yet, how often do we use our emergency brake?  Whenever we need to park and protect our vehicles from back-sliding.  Perhaps this is the word picture we need to help us this time of year.  That we schedule a break, pull over in the hustle of life, and utilize the emergency brake to help us ensure a COMPLETE stop - instead of sliding back into the attitude we despise, rest to obtain an attitude we desire.  Perhaps then we can honor the words spoken by the Psalmist in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Friend, I feel the need to declare that I LOVE this time of year.  I LOVE honoring the birth of my Savior.  I LOVE the Christmas cheer of carols and colors.  I LOVE the enjoying of family and the giving of gifts.  But to survive it in a way that truly honors God, I believe its not just about slowing down, it is about taking time to completely BE STILL and KNOW He is God.

May you be able to "deck the halls with boughs of holly" as your heart stays steadfastly focused on the Giver of Life, God Almighty, Lover of your soul.

Merry Christmas.  Truly.  Merry.  CHRISTmas.

4Hisfame.

Crammed, Cluttered, and Crowded

While sitting this afternoon in the parking lot about to pull out of my coffee run, I observed a car in front of me that was literally filled to capacity in both the back and passenger seats with what appeared to be belongings from home being moved.  The lamp shade was smashed against the front window.  The boxes were being crushed in the back.  Bags and bags were filling any open space (at least from where I was able to see).  The scene was overwhelming.  And I sat and wondered in that brief moment, as the Lord impressed upon my heart, what do I carry around that clutters my life? What past failures do I allow to crowd my present?  What baggage that I should have surrendered to Christ still crams my heart and mind today?

And I said to the person next to me, how is there space for anything else?  Anything new?  Anything fresh?  As Scripture promises, "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).  If our lives are so full of yesterday's baggage and mistakes, of yesterday's hurts and sins, then how do we have room to embrace the newness of His mercy today?!  The car drove off carrying all of the heavy load being moved from one place to the next, and I was grateful of the reminder that in the faithfulness of the Lord, He has taken my sin from me and cast it as far as the east is from the west.  Now I move on in the freedom of Christ...still aware of the past, but not bound by it in my present.  He has poured out His steadfast love to ensure that my heart would be His home.  And that the clutter of sin would be trumped with the washing and renewal of His Word.

Friend, let the baggage go.  Christ can handle it.  Then embrace His mercy.  Embrace His love.  Perhaps even better, feel His mercy and love embrace you.  Pray for Him to clean up your heart, so that it is fresh and ready for what today holds.

4Hisglory.

Friendship - thoughts to consider...

In teaching, I have often instructed students and learners that I believe the three most abused words in our English language are:

Love

Hate

Friend

I love Taco Bell.  I love God.  Love just cannot have the same magnitude of meaning in the first sentence as compared to the latter.  This week, the subject of friendship has been put before my face repeatedly. I have even been asked, "Lance, do you consider [insert names] to all be friends of yours?" Intimate question. Relevant question. Eye-opening question.

As I have pondered each of those names, praying through them intentionally, I believe He has given me several insights to share on the subject of friendship, especially as I have praised God for the friends He has placed in my life.

1.  "I don't need friends.  I'm perfectly fine on my own."  FALSE.  Friendship is an invaluable part of our walk through our time on this earth.  Community (even at different levels of intimacy and significance) is also essential for the growth and sanctification of the believer.  We need others.  Now, I'm not saying that we have to have a ton of friends or even a lot of them; unfortunately, Facebook has added to the distortion of the meaning of "friend."  But it is worth asking, if the Lord Jesus needed friends - good friends - how much more do we?

Mary, Martha, Lazarus.  Three siblings that were close to the heart of the Lord Jesus (see John 11:5).  Obviously then, it was the will of the Father for Jesus to have those relationships with them, for as we know, He did nothing more and nothing less than God's will.  Who are the people meant to be in my life?  In your life?

2.  The will of God must always come before the desires of friendships.  This is one of the hardest things with which I think Christians struggle.  I know that I put the "needs" of my friends before what I know the Lord desires me to do.  His will MUST trump what we think is best.  For example, when Lazarus, His friend, died, how would one suspect that Jesus would respond?  Immediate departure to be with grieving loved ones.  However, the Scriptures state that He waited four days for His arrival on the scene (see John 11:17).  Why?  Real friends would drop everything to care for their friends.  But, as the story unfolds, we learn that Jesus responded this way so that they "would see the glory of God" (John 11:40).  Do we put the will and glory of God before the will and desires of our friends?  May we always check to make sure God is the ultimate priority in our friendships.    

3.  True friends are willing to speak truth to one another no matter the cost.  Many times I have told my wife that I strongly dislike having to "always" share hard truth with people I love, or brothers I disciple, or friends in my life. Yet she is faithful to remind me that this part of my life is an extension of the ministry of Jesus Himself, who did share hard truth with others whenever necessary, whether friend or enemy.  As in the case again with Jesus and one of the before-mentioned siblings, Martha, Jesus rebuked her for being busy with many things.  As she prepared to serve Jesus, Martha missed the main point of sitting at the feet of Jesus as her sister, Mary, did; she listened and worshiped as He taught  (see Luke 10:38-42). Martha expected him to stand by her side and rebuke Mary for "laziness," but He stood by Mary.  For Mary did what was most profitable at that moment; Martha let anxiety consume.  Jesus spoke what was hard to build up and refine His friend.  Do we?

4.  On the other hand, true friends affirm and encourage when one is right or obedient.  As in the previous instance, not only did Jesus correct Martha, but He also affirmed Mary.   She was busy doing the right thing.  I think this is huge.  Affirming with what is right in the Lord's eyes, not necessarily what we think is right in our opinion or feelings.  We must encourage friends to know God's voice and walk accordingly, only then to offer words of affirmation after they follow through with His desires.  

5.  True attitude of friendship, as in the attitude of Christ, is not "Will you be my  friend?" but instead, "I will be your friend."  As Paul quoted Jesus in Acts, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).   True friendships involve a giving of oneself for the betterment of another - it is not for the sole benefit of the betterment of self.  This is perhaps the one point that is tumbling most in the caverns of my thoughts and emotions.  In analyzing those that are or aren't to be in the inner circles of my friendships, this fact causes me to further consider how I am treating and loving others as a friend to them.  At the end of the day, am I really more concerned with who are my friends, or instead, what kind of friend am I?

I'm sure most of this is common sense Christianity for those experiencing genuine friendships.  However, I have just observed so much recently in my life and in the lives of others that would cause one to question the existence of authentic, truly selfless friendships.  

May Jesus do this work in me.  Make me a friend to others that honors His character.  May He do this work in us - so that He is MOST glorified through the display our Christian friendships present for the world.

The Heat is ON

At some points today, I'm pretty sure my body has undergone some temperature shocks as I have moved from the arctic tundra of my office to the blazing heat of southern Louisiana crouching at the door, waiting to consume me.  My body doesn't know whether to thaw out or chill out?!?!

What's interesting though...moving between church buildings or just sitting outside to read a bit (that would be a very, very small amount of time), I can sense the energy being zapped from inside.  Like the heat beckons any ounce of energy to escape my body from each and every pore, leaving me lethargic and almost lifeless in momentum.  And please understand, I KNOW there are so many in the heat.  All day long.  With no arctic tundra for an office or even air conditioning in which to momentarily rest...I simply mention this to paint a contrast of the climate around me.

So the heat settles in.  And besides the sweat pouring down, what else pours out and escapes?  First, my patience.  There it goes.  Next, my Christ-like attitude of contentment.  Complaining has taken hold.  Third, my will to honor the Lord by not letting the temperature gage my desire to do what He has called me to do.  Yep, the heat is too much.  Change of plans - on to my plans.

And at this point, I'm not talking about the heat measured in fahrenheit.  Now, I'm talking about the heat of circumstances that our Lord uses to refine our being.  The heat of intense situations that bring up from the depths within us the things we don't want to realize are still holding residence inside. It's like as the heat rises, so is the ease of putting on display the things we don't want to rise up in our flesh.  

So, as I wipe the sweat from my brow, I ask myself, as I ask you - should the temperature of the trials around us dictate how we respond in the heat?  Absolutely not.  If it does, we are functioning out of our flesh instead of the cool, refreshing life of the Spirit flowing from with us.  And so, within those trials and times that seem too much, when we must with everything within us hold fast to the Spirit of God strengthening us, perhaps we should remember God's Word in James 1:11: "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."  

I believe we can pass the test.  I believe we can withstand the heat.  I believe we can praise Him in the scorching nature of our trials.  And then, when we do get to chill in the calming springs of Christ, praise Him then also.

#4hisfame.

His Purpose Will Stand

Countless times I have felt that my efforts fall short of any form of magnificent ability to bring about the best results that could possibly come to pass.  No matter how much I study, prepare, plan, organize, save up, enlist, ask for help, cast vision, rest, stay busy, read, pray, disciple, be discipled, (and the list could go on) I find this law at work within me:

My efforts are never really good enough.  Never.

They might look good or seem beneficial, however, Scripture teaches that apart from Christ, as John 15:5 states, I can do nothing.  Nothing of any significant, lasting, eternal, valuable, meaningful, excellent, God-glorifying worth.

Now, I know that God blesses us with gifts and talents that we are able to function in on a daily basis; however, if we are totally relying on ourselves in a moment for success, our flesh will feed us lies to think that we can rely on ourselves more of the time...and more of the time...until we wind up like the world, and find ourselves trying to do life on our own.  Apart from Christ.  Apart from His Spirit's power.  Apart from God.

So, what can I say to offer hope in the midst of this ever-present condition of the human nature?  What can we focus on to know what God desires of us in the parts we play in His glorious plan of redemption and obedience?  I think what is best to quote would be Scripture itself.

"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." - Proverbs 19:21

"Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." - Isaiah 46:8-11

I can rejoice in knowing that what God wants accomplished, nothing I can do or NOT do will keep Him from fulfilling His purposes. And, as I trust in Him and rest in Him, I can be even more confident that He will use the obedience we bring Him in love to bring about "everything according to the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1:11).

Believer, today I encourage you to trust in the One who enables you to be filled with all wisdom and ability to obey for His honor and pleasure. And when you feel that you are not good enough, or that what you bring to Him is not good enough, remember that He is at work in you to do through you what He desires to take place. Praise Him today...His purpose WILL stand.

#4hisfame.

John 6 - Part 2...The Exam

After a wonderful family vacation and a week long teaching excursion in the Rockies, I am back to the blog.  May God use this for His glory this day.

As mentioned in my previous blog, "John 6 - Part 1," the Lord prompted me to study the familiar passage of Jesus "feeding the five thousand."  It reminds me of the telling of a great memory or story that you experienced in your childhood.  And different details of the story seem to come alive each time the great tale is told.  I pray it be the same for you as you chew on the Truth of this text yet again...

John writes:

1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.(John 6:1-15, ESV)

Where I spent time previously discussing the crowd that followed Jesus while in awe of His signs, in this blog, I would like to address Jesus and his testing of Philip.  There are several places in Scripture which indicate that "testing" is a regular part of being a disciple of Christ.  It proves our authenticity in our faith, our commitment to our Creator, our desire to walk righteously in His steps.  

"Daddy," he cried...

2:40 a.m.  I throw the covers back and quickly orient myself to what's going on.  My family has been sick.  Stomach bug sick.  Vomiting.  And other gross things if you catch my drift.  Well, at this point, my oldest son was the only one still in need of fully recovering - my wife and middle son were for the most part on their way back to wellness.  Nevertheless, I was sleeping on the couch to be in the middle of the house to hear who would need help - the boys in one side and my better half in the other.  

So, there it was.  The sound of my oldest yelling, "DADDY! DADDY!"  Rubbing my eyes, I pull myself off the couch and dart to the guest bathroom, where I see my five-year old son hunched over the toilet.  I move behind him to sit on the side of the tub, as I had already done  probably six times so far this night, and I rub his back as that horrific sound of his stomach entrails entering the toilet.  Poor thing.  Helpless.  A victim to the sickly condition of his body. Exhausted.  Weary.  I wipe his mouth, hug him tight, and feel the weight of his body go limp as the utter nature of his fatigue and sleepless state take hold.

I carry him into the living room and make a bed for him on the love seat, tuck him in and kiss him on the forehead.  I know it won't be long until he is awakened again for another bathroom run, followed by the cry of "Daddy!" once more.

As he lay there, the Spirit of God pricked my heart and whispered to me as I sat in the darkness of my living room...

Well isn't that convenient...

Driving home, I have passed a landmark for my neighborhood that I have looked at and have  observed probably hundreds of times.  Each time I get the same sense inside, and each time it brings about the same response as well.  What has such power over my actions and focus?

A solar-powered radar post that is installed about a 1/4 of a block into the neighborhood.  Monitoring speed to ensure that drivers are going 30 mph or slower.

When speeds hit 31 or above, the sign begins to flash with an insulting, "In case you don't know it already, sir, you are driving over the speed limit," flash.  Like I don't already know I am breaking the law.  What adds intensity to this seemingly ordinary situation is that police tend to also sit behind bushes nearby and watch the radar.  No need for them to use their radar guns, the post reads speeds for them.  

So, needless to say, most of the time when I drive into the neighborhood and venture even remotely near the path of the radar beam, I am already driving obediently.  No flashing numbers for me.  

What a motivation to obey the law.  What a motivation to do what is right (even if every part of my flesh wants to break the speed barrier of 30 mph!).  

And so I pose a thought...what would be our rate of breaking God's laws if we had a solar-powered radar post that warned us when we were venturing too near the line of unholy living.  Too near the line of breaking His command.  Too near the line of the way of the world.  Imagine...posts put up in our homes that would let us know when we were too close to not loving like we should...or not cleaning our rooms and disobeying our parents...or not putting others first and cleaning up after ourselves...etc.  Or maybe in our workplaces...a radar post that would flash at the brink of gossip or lying.

It begins...

As I am certain most bloggers do, they begin by indicating the "start" of the blog was a long time coming.  I have to agree.  This has certainly been on my list to do since at least last summer.  Nevertheless, by a prompting today...it has begun.

And it began with a heart for the blog.  A purpose in writing.  A desire to communicate a word of encouragement or exhortation that would honor the name of Christ and build up those who are His.  In the Greek language of the New Testament, the word, "parakaleo," means, "to call, to urge, to exhort, to comfort, to encourage."

This is my intent in documenting the many thoughts that infiltrate my mind on a daily basis.  Thoughts that attack the way I think and live and propel me towards the way of Truth.  His Truth.  

This blog won't be for everyone.  It was never intended to be so.  It is for the people of God.  Those hidden in Christ Jesus.  They are the intended recipients.  And so, I end this brief entry with a word given to believers long ago through the hand of Paul.  To the Ephesian believers, he penned,

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3, ESV)

There is the word, parakaleo.  In his position as a prisoner for the Lord, he urged - exhorted, strongly encouraged - the believers to walk in a manner worthy of their calling as His people.  And that calling looks specific.  It looks like the Word of God lived out in their lives.  May these words that Paul urged long ago be descriptive of the life He has called His church to live today.

And not just the church as a whole, but for you as an individual believer.  It is a life worth being urged to live.  

May He be glorified and lifted up in the blogs to come.

#4hisfame.