Trust That God Is Directing Your Steps   

Last Saturday I was at a hotel meeting room with approximately fifty other men who had gathered for a retreat. As we lifted our voices in singing the old hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, there was a knock at the door as it opened and a lady entered the room. She apologized for interrupting but went on to inform us how she had been outside listening to the words of that song. With tears in her eyes, she told us how her son had recently died in a car accident. As she had heard those reassuring truths communicated in the lyrics as they wafted throughout the hallway and lobby of the hotel, it had touched her heart and greatly ministered to her during this time of grief. She had been standing outside crying and singing along with us. She suggested that God had brought us there specifically for her that morning. Imagine that – a retreat geared toward men that somehow God used to bring comfort and hope to a grieving mom.

We took time to pray for this woman before she left to go her way. Afterwards one of the organizers of the event noted how this venue where we were meeting was a last-minute replacement. There had been issues that had taken this gathering away from its usual location. Even then, another hotel that had been booked to be our host had backed out only a couple of weeks before. So it had been quite an ordeal to end up at this particular place at that specific time. However, we all came away with the assurance that God had been working through all of those circumstances in order to bring us there, and even to be singing that particular song, in order to be of help to this person who would be there that morning.

 This example of a “divine appointment” should encourage us about our own circumstances today. It reminds us that God is working in the lives of those who are trusting Him and seeking to do His will. We are where we are for a reason. Sometimes we may not understand what that purpose might be. There may be times when there will be a knock on our door that will reveal how God has been working and why we are there at that moment. Other times we might never know until we get to heaven and we receive the fuller revelation of all that took place in this life. However, whether we obtain that knowledge now or later, we can have faith that God is directing the steps of His faithful followers. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Let’s trust that God is leading us and is working out His plan. When doors close and nothing seems to be going as we had anticipated, let’s have faith that the Lord is directing our paths. When our own personal lives or the world around us appears to be sinking into chaos, let’s trust that God still has everything under control. You are where you are for a reason. God has a purpose for your being present in the world at this time in history. Concerning your workplace, your family, your church, your circle of influence – you are there for a reason.

So let’s keep living for the Lord and being faithful to whatever He’s called us to do and wherever He’s put us. Keep singing your song of God’s faithfulness. There may be someone within earshot who needs to hear it. That one encounter may be the whole reason you’re there.

 

It’s Time to Reactivate Your Spiritual Gifts   

Recently I explored the website of our local library to see if they had a book I was interested in reading. I knew it had been a while since I had made use of their book-lending services as instead I often buy books, receive them as gifts, or even read free copies that are available electronically. So I wasn’t completely surprised when I tried to log-in only to discover that I needed to reactivate my card. It turns out that it had been longer than I had thought since I last borrowed any books. Therefore a few days later, I drove over to the library, went through the quick and easy process of reactivation, and checked out the reading material I desired.

It seems that Timothy, the Apostle Paul’s young colleague, also needed to do some reactivating. In his case it had nothing to do with books, even though Paul did instruct him to bring some writings with him the next time he came to see Paul. Timothy’s neglect was in the area of what the Bible refers to as his “gift”. Apparently he had to guard against a tendency not to use his gift as often as he should. Paul tells him, “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the eldership” (I Timothy 4:14). In another letter, Paul had to encourage this young man to “stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (II Timothy 1:6). In other words, “You’ve been neglecting your gift, so you need to reactivate it.”

   What was Paul referring to? We rightfully consider our natural talents and abilities as gifts from God which we need to use in ways that would please Him. While that’s true, it doesn’t seem to be what these particular passages are talking about. The Bible speaks elsewhere of “gifts” God gives those who have fully surrendered their hearts to Jesus as Savior and Lord. These go beyond the capabilities with which someone is born or some skill they’ve learned over the years. This seems to refer to special divine enablement that believers are meant to use in serving the Lord. It’s clear that Paul wasn’t telling Timothy to use some natural ability with which he’s always been blessed. Paul referred to a specific time when this gift from God was bestowed on Timothy as Paul and other mature believers laid hands on him, possibly as they prayed for and commissioned Timothy for the ministry to which God had called him. At that time Timothy wasn’t only surrendering his talents to the Lord for service, but was also receiving additional supernatural abilities to use in doing the Lord’s work.

Several passages of scripture indicate that such spiritual gifts are available to all Spirit-filled believers. We should all be familiar with what the Bible says about these gifts – see I Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-12. Let’s not be guilty of neglecting these special abilities that the Holy Spirit has given us to use in ministry. Yes, all of us are called to serve the Lord in some way. All of us are to be part of the ministry of the Body of Christ (the Church). Ministry is not something we leave up to a few people who get paid to be leaders of local congregations. The job of those individuals is “the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12).

Let’s not ignore our call to serve or neglect the gifts God’s given us to do so. Stir up those gifts – reactivate them – and use them for the glory of God.

 

The Master of the Wind Can Help You   

At his recent birthday party, one of my grandsons received a “stomp rocket” as a gift. He and other kids were taking turns stomping or jumping on the mechanism that would force air through a tube at such a rate as to propel the lightweight “rocket” high into the air. However, at one point that projectile was shot too close to a tree and got stuck in some branches. A couple of the older kids started throwing a Frisbee in that direction to try to free the captive object, but to no avail. Then one of the adults grabbed a few balls and started hurling them at the target. After numerous attempts, the rocket remained lodged in its seemingly impenetrable position. But during one of the pauses in the action as the would-be rescuers were retrieving their ammunition scattered around the base of the tree, I felt a light breeze blow through the yard. I watched as it moved those branches just enough to easily free the rocket and cause it to come floating back to the ground. Those who had been making such strenuous efforts to knock it down were surprised at how quickly and easily a slight movement of air had accomplished what they couldn’t do.

Don’t we tend to do that, too? As we face challenges, problems, and difficulties in life, our first response is often to throw everything we’ve got at them to try to resolve the issue. We put forth a steady barrage of self-effort using all kinds of ammunition. If one thing doesn’t work, we’ll try something else. If we’re not making any headway, we’ll try even harder. Sometimes those efforts pay off. However, other times, after long, exhausting, futile attempts, we suddenly see God step in and do what we couldn’t do. And He sometimes appears to do it so effortlessly. We wonder why we didn’t pray or seek His help in the first place.

Maybe that’s the lesson He’s trying to teach us in those moments. Instead of our initial reaction being to attempt to handle it ourselves, we ought to pray and seek the Lord first. It could be that He will give us wisdom and strength to deal with the situation. He may show us what we need to do and will use our human efforts to accomplish what’s needed. But there might be other times when He’ll tell us just to stand still and watch what He can do, as He blows through like an invisible wind and solves the problem without us. The point is for us not to neglect to depend on Him in those situations. Instead of frantically trying to do it in our own strength, let’s remember that we have a great God on whom we can lean for direction and help. Let’s talk to Him, affirm our trust in Him, and then go from there.

The Bible tells us of a time when Jesus and the disciples were out in a boat on the sea. While Jesus was napping, a big windstorm threatened to sink the vessel. I imagine those disciples were doing all they could to keep the boat afloat until they finally woke Jesus up. At that point He rebuked His followers for their lack of faith while calming the wind and the waves by simply saying the word.

Let’s not wait until our boat is in jeopardy before looking to Jesus for help. Let’s not keep trying to bail ourselves out of trouble instead of bringing our situation to the Lord. After that incident, the disciples asked in amazement, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” He’s the same mighty God who can move in your life today.   

 

Always Know that You Are Loved   

When I grab my Fitbit activity tracker each morning to put in my pocket, it typically flashes some kind of greeting. It usually consists of a word or phrase offering encouragement, challenge, or affirmation. Some days it exhorts me to “Step it up”, while other times it simply starts my day with a “Howdy”. Every so often, as it did recently, it will communicate this message: “Luv ya”. Clearly, I have no illusions that my activity tracker really loves me. I realize this is just a phrase someone decided to include in its programming. However, the fact that it was deemed appropriate to include in the list of greetings points to the belief that we all could use a little indication at times that we are loved. Maybe it’s not that meaningful to receive such affirmation from an inanimate object that spends its day counting up how many steps we’ve taken. However, it’s often helpful and encouraging to be reminded that somebody loves us.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s a good time for some of us to be on the giving end of that type of positive assertion. Who needs to hear those words from us? Maybe we don’t say it enough to the beloved people in our lives. Let’s use this opportunity to encourage a spouse, a parent, a child, a friend, or someone else in our lives with some form of that sentiment – “Luv ya”. Maybe they need to be uplifted and reassured by such a reminder.

We all need such affirmation at times. No matter whom you have or don’t have in your lives, you are loved. Whether or not you have a spouse, a boyfriend or girlfriend, or some other close relative or friend who lets you know of their affection for you, you can rest assured that there is Someone who loves you. If we’ll tune in to hear it, every day our Heavenly Father is declaring, “I love you!” Each moment Jesus, through the actions He took in dying for your sins, is loudly proclaiming, “I love you, and no one can love you more than I do!” “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

You are loved by the Lord. No matter who you are or what you’ve done. No matter how bad you’ve been or how much you’ve ignored God or even rebelled against Him. You are loved. Nevertheless, don’t make the mistake of assuming God’s love for you means that there aren’t consequences to your actions. Don’t fall for the erroneous idea that a loving God turns a blind eye toward your lack of submission to the teachings of His Word. Don’t think that because the Lord loves you that He will not hold you accountable for any unrepentant sin in your life. Don’t wrongly surmise that since God loves you and doesn’t want anyone to perish that everyone will end up in heaven one day.

You are loved, but God loved you enough to give you a choice. He doesn’t force any of us to be recipients of His love and grace. However, it’s available to us if we’ll open up our hearts to it. A loving God is reaching out to us, if we’ll just reach out and take His hand. The loving Father is watching and waiting for his prodigal child, if we’ll just come to our senses and humbly return home to Him.

You are loved just as you are. But God loves you enough not to leave you there, but to enable you to become more what you are meant to be. So respond appropriately today to the amazing, never-changing truth that the Lord loves you.

 

Let’s Constantly Depend on the Lord   

One day last weekend we took a little trip to see our son and his family, including our youngest grandchild. This newest addition to our family is growing and changing so rapidly, we didn’t want to go too long in-between visits in order to make sure he doesn’t forget who we are. We also don’t want to miss out on witnessing the various stages of his development. Although he’s not quite eight months old, he appears to be about ready to start walking. He certainly prefers that method over crawling. Although he’s progressing in maintaining his balance, he still wants to grab someone’s finger with one hand as he takes his tottering steps. He often will look behind him to make sure that person is right there whom he can depend on to help keep him steady along the way.

In my grandson’s case, we’re encouraging him to let go and to try to walk on his own. Eventually he needs to quit depending so much on others and learn to toddle along by himself. However, his attitude of dependence and insistence on holding a hand at this point reminds me of how we should be in relation to the Lord. We ought to always be looking at Him with a sense of how much we need His help. I like the way the psalmist puts it: “My eyes are ever toward the Lord” (Psalm 25:15). A similar phrase is used elsewhere in scripture, not just to express seeing God, but looking to Him as the One who can supply our need or offer us assistance. We look to Him as our Helper – the One who holds our hand. Some of you may remember the old song that encouraged us to “put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the water; put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea…by putting your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee.” We need to put our hand in the hand of the Lord and walk through life with faith in His presence and help. We need to let Him guide our pathway. We should be leaning on Him to hold us steady and keep us from falling. We don’t have to travel this road alone. The Lord is there if we’ll look to Him and reach out to Him.

As that song reminds us, the One we’re depending on is more than able to help us. This is the Son of God who calmed the sea when He and His disciples were caught out in the midst of a storm. His ability to do so resulted in His followers asking in amazement, “Who can this be, that even the winds and sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:27). So let’s keep in mind who our Helper is. Whatever we may be going through today, we can grab hold of the hand that has power to calm our troubled waters. No matter how stiff the wind blows against us, we can lean on the One who is strong enough to hold us up. We can turn our eyes toward the One who promises to never leave us or forsake us. No matter where life takes us and what challenges present themselves, the Lord is able.  

A more modern song expresses well the attitude we need to maintain toward the Lord. “Lord, I come, I confess, bowing here I find my rest; without You I fall apart…Lord, I need You, O, I need You, every hour I need You.” Let’s not be ashamed to acknowledge how much we need the Lord today. Let’s keep our eyes looking toward Him while we keep holding His hand.

 

Is Godliness a Reality in Your Life?   

One of my friends and fellow-ministers does additional work at times in a school system as a substitute teacher. He recently told how he was called in to serve in that capacity on the 100^th day of the school year. The students and teachers were marking that milestone by dressing up as old people. From the types of clothes they wore to making their hair look gray, they attempted to put on the appearance of being a hundred years old. As my friend walked down the hallway that day, he encountered a student who cordially greeted him. Then the young elementary-aged student, observing the teacher’s naturally graying hair and beard, spontaneously added the comment, “Mr. _____, you didn’t have to dress up today, did you? You’re already old.” My friend took this statement good-naturedly and says he even considered it something of a compliment.

This reminds me of some of the people in Jesus’ day who put on the appearance of godliness and righteousness. They loved to play dress-up, putting on their religious robes and making public performances out of their good deeds. It seems that some even applied a degree of make-up to their faces at times in order to make themselves appear to be older, deprived, and gaunt under pretense of participating in a prolonged period of fasting (see Matthew 6:16).  They wanted people to think they were righteous and spiritually-mature individuals, when in reality they were more like those elementary school kids pretending to be a hundred years old.

   We need to seek more than just the appearance of godliness and Christlikeness. We ought to be letting God so work in our hearts and lives that it becomes reality. While others try to make it look as if they’re “good Christians”, wouldn’t it be nice if as people get to know us and observe our behavior and character that they would arrive at the conclusion, “You don’t have to dress up like a follower of Jesus, do you? You really are one.”

Godliness isn’t something we put on from the outside. It has to start on the inside as we put our trust in Jesus, enter into a personal relationship with Him, and allow His Spirit to transform our hearts and minds. We’re changed from the inside out. Anybody can make themselves appear to be good, godly people. However, what matters is what we truly are in our hearts and character. Such inner holiness will work its way out and affect our actions in many ways. People should be able to see a difference in how we live and what we do. But that outward righteousness isn’t just a show to win the admiration and approval of other people. It should be the fruit coming from a real relationship with the Lord.

Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen overnight. And we all still have a long way to go in our journey of becoming more like Jesus. We won’t fully reach that goal until we stand before the Lord once this life is over. So I’m not suggesting that any of us can rest in the idea that we’ve “arrived” spiritually. However, godliness and Christlikeness can be and should be becoming more of a reality in our lives. Let’s make sure that we’re not just putting on the appearance of spiritual life and maturity, but that we are truly being transformed more and more into the image of our Lord as the days go by.

In the midst of pretenders and wannabees, may we seek to be the real thing – someone who truly knows Christ, is following Him, and is continuing to grow toward spiritual maturity and godliness.

 

Go Beyond Simply Hearing God’s Word  

Last weekend many residents of north Georgia had to deal to some degree with the effects of a winter storm moving through the area. Some received a nice blanket of snow sufficient for sledding, building snowmen, and having snowball fights. Others got just enough of the frozen precipitation to be able to make a miniature snow person on the hood of a car or on the deck of the house. Others of us were able to enjoy the beautiful sight of snowflakes fluttering through the air, but the temperature stayed warm enough that the white stuff didn’t stick on the ground at all. In that case at least we didn’t have to deal with the negative fallout of slick roads and power outages.

The snowfall that didn’t stick reminds me of an all-too-common situation concerning how God’s Word is received. Some people enjoy hearing what the Bible says. They like to listen to those lovely, inspiring words floating down from the heavenlies. Maybe they can even quote some of its more familiar lines. They might go to church and bask in the beauty of those truths as they are read or proclaimed in worship services. However, they don’t let its truths stick to their own hearts and lives. They don’t mind it blanketing their neighbor’s yard, and can maybe even point out ways it needs to do so. But the temperature of their own hearts is such that they refuse to allow God’s Word to deal with their own needs and alter the landscape of their lives.

It's similar to what is said about how the people responded to the words of the prophet Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 33:30-33). They encouraged one another to go to him and “hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.” Ezekiel was told, “They hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.” They heard God’s Word. They even enjoyed listening to it. But they refused to take it to heart and obey it. They and their hardened hearts didn’t let it stick.   

Jesus illustrated the various ways God’s Word can be received in the parable of the sower. He referred to how some people can hear the word but then have it snatched away by “the wicked one” (Matthew 13:19). While that is certainly true, let’s be careful that we don’t simply cast the blame on Satan for our lack of receptivity. We need to examine ourselves and be willing to accept some blame, too. Like those in Ezekiel’s day, too many may show some affection toward God and His Word, but are more concerned about their own agendas and pursuing their own gain. They want to be inspired, encouraged, and reassured by certain statements or promises from God, but they aren’t willing to make the changes it calls for.

Jesus declared, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15). The question isn’t whether or not we have the physical ability to hear. The issue is whether or not we’re willing to take those truths to heart and do what they say. Will we let it stick?

Let’s take a good look at our own attitude toward God’s Word. Are we hearing what He’s saying? Are we willing to receive it, obey it, and let it change us where needed? Let’s go beyond merely enjoying the beauty of His Word – let’s allow it to take hold in our hearts and direct our lives.