Anxious? To be or not!

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

(Mat 6:27) KJV

How "powerful" am I really?  Sometimes i find myself thinking I'm pretty powerful.  That is a mistake!  Not that i have no talents, skills of abilities but I forget who they come from and who makes them effective.  

It's hard to keep in mind, when we are doing good stuff, that it is all totally dependent upon Him - totally - utterly - of Him.

I was once advised to; "Pray as though it all depended upon God and to work as though it all depended upon me."  Not good advise!  I now "Pray because it all depends upon God and I work (or try to) in utter dependence upon Him."

I can't help but think of Saul (later to be known as Paul).  He was "the man" (or at least one of them) in the Jewish religious institutions.  He knew god, the Law, the traditions and by his own statement he was "the man."  All that talent and training and effort--etc. and he still went the wrong way.

I think, that among other issues, Saul depended upon Saul a lot.  I think it was something he dealt with through out his life and ministry.  This is common to most of us and yet we need to pray for a sensitivity to it or accept the thorn that reminds us of it.

As i consider this passage from Matthew and the issue of anxiety I am mindful of what James wrote:

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.   (Jas 4:1-3)

Now if our lusts can cause such distress among us surely they will cause the same within us.  I can't help but consider that this is a great source of anxiety within the individual believers life.  

What if, in affliction I struggle with praying for God will to be done and/or my relief/comfort/rescue/etc.   I struggle with the fact that God is glorified in my weakness - even in my affliction and yet I want it to be over.  This conflict just adds to the anxiety i experience.

It's the, "not my will but thine," conundrum.  I get anxious concerning His will and my will being - well - different.  It's not easy!  Certainly I do not face the same cup Christ faced but our "cups" are always BIG to us.  

But, there is one thing I find comfort in even in the cunnundrum!

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 
(Luk 22:42-43)

Two things here.  First, Jesus did not hesitate to take His concern to His Father.  He quite clearly asks for this "cup" to be removed.  So I take that to mean I may do the same.  It also means I need to be willing to pray the whole prayer with one addition --- that we may have missed.

I will also pray for God's strengthening whether by the appearance of an angel, the presence of an angel, direct from God or through the Word and the Spirit (not to leave out the Body).  

Father,
You know my anxiety and fretfulness in the current circumstances.  You know I want You to make them go away.  You know my weakness - my fleshiness - my self-centeredness.  You know much more of my struggle than even I do.

I want to run from the circumstance but I fear that I would be running from You as well.  That I do not want to do.  I have been there and done that and I know it is not good.

I would ask for Your strengthening and Your comfort.  I would also ask You to show me You in all this.  The enemies assail my heart and torment my head and I need to hear You more clearly.

I am sadly afraid - but I take comfort in my Savior's prayer and His surrender to You will for us.  I want very much to do the same but my feet feel frozen and I grow anxious - very anxious.  I want to ask You to "help my unbelief," for I can't pretend there is no unblief in my mind and heart.  I believe - help my unbelief!!!

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?   (Mat 6:26)

Continuing His lesson Jesus gives us an example from nature.

He asks us to consider our "value," to our Father.

Birds can't sow, reap or gather - yet they are provided for.

If you can't sow, reap or gather - does thin not suggest that God will feed (provide for) you?

Is this just about food?  I think not!  This is about value.

Actually I believe it's about who we look to in order to determine our value.

Birds?  I'm of greater value that birds?  Actually the idea here is that we are "of so much MORE value" than birds. 

Birds have a role in God's creation no less critical to the sustaining of that creation than anything else.  God maintains everything they need to fulfill their role in His creation.  There are lots of birds - that takes a lot of maintaining.  It's not a simple thing nor is it insignificant!

Then there is "us."  We were God's viceroys in the Garden.  Note:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 
(Gen 1:26)

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 
(Gen 2:15)

God's intention for us was to be His means of maintaining His creation.  We were to work and keep the garden which in turn would provide for all the creatures of the creation.  Pretty important stuff!  

Now, in this fallen world our role has changed.  Now we are called to show forth His glory, to be holy as He is.  We are his witnesses, living testaments to His glory and goodness.  How much value can we put on that?

Consider:

". . . . when He comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."   (2Th 1:10)

Whose "value" do we choose accept?  His or the world's?  Who do we look to?  How do we measure it?  

The redemption of the creation - the birds - cost Him His Son.  However the price was demanded for our sin not for the birds' sins (birds don't sin they just suffer its effects).  So He paid the demanded price - for OUR sin - that He might redeems His creation.

Where in our fleshly spectrum of value do we really put that?  Is it first or just a close second?  Do we really accept that we are valuable enough for God to give His Son?  Are we willing to accept that his love for us was so great that he sent His Son to be a man, to suffer and be tempted as a man and then be killed as a criminal?  How valuable does that make us?

Are we willing to accept and live with Jesus as our total net worth?  Are we willing to be rejected and scorned and put down by the world so that we might live out His gracious gift for and to us?

Or do we play with the world's criteria for worth and value measuring our lives by their standards?  And how well have those standards served Him or His creation?  How cruelly have the standards of the world dealt with the world?

Think on what God has done for and in you.  Consider what you might be tempted to trade it for.  In times of weakness and suffering it is not uncommon for us to fall into "if only," and to see ourselves as worthless failures.  It is a struggle to cling to God's love and the value He has given us - He has made us ultimately valuable - He has given us a worth beyond words - Pray and think on that.

Father,

In these tough times I see my sin and my errors.  I see how I have been deceived and schemed by the world, the flesh and the devil.  Now, in my distress those three cruel enemies taunt me and pour shame upon me.  Help me Father, to cling to Your gracious gift as the only thing that matters.  Let the cruel accusations and aspersions of those three enemies drop from my mind and heart.  Deafen my ears to them, let me be comforted and let by Your Word and Your Spirit as I seek to  follow You in whatever circumstance I find myself in.

Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.   (Pro 30:7-9)

In the name of Jesus and for His glory, amen.

Psa. 119:116-117

Psalm 119:116-117 ESV
Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! [117] Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually!

"Uphold,"  "Hold me up."  

The Psalmist seeks support to stand, stability to not waiver, comfort in distress - and who among us does not?  Of course, we all do.

BUT - one scheme of our enemies (w,f,d = the world the flesh and the devil) like to use is to get us to be at ease.  To get us to trust more in ourselves and others than we do in Him.  

I have a very close friend who shares about God answering prayer and his saying, "Ok God, I've got it from here."  He relates that, as he looks back, God seems to have said to him, "Oh, you do? Well, I'll just step over here and let you do it."  Then he goes on to share how he learned that there is never a time when he can not be utterly dependent upon God.

This passage reminded me of that and of the foolishness of my self-conceit - my prideful self-confidence.  

The only answer to the danger of "ease" or "prosperity" is to discipline ourselves to continually (vs. 117) attend to God and His Word.  It's a battle not uncommon to believers and though we do not want to fall into the trap of "works" we do need to be about the duties and blessings of the faith (which are one in the same).

As we are so very prone to cry out to God in times of need so we should be in times of less or little need.  Our need for the essentials for life, He has promised.  Their quality and quantity He has not promised.  When have or sense a lack of what we think we "need" we must be very careful to examine our sensation.  Where does this sense of need come from, why is it distressing me?

Certainly we have very real needs and when we can't see how they will be met it is chilling.  But when the chill passes we can grow lukewarm and lazy and complacent until we sense another need.

I am learning that as I am sure many of you are as well.  When we find that this has been a redundant state we (I) need to repent.  But, more than that I need to seek to have my need for that state/condition/habit/SIN to be put far from me.  The lesson isn't so much about what I need to do but what I need for Him to do in me.  First In need for Him to grow greater in my heart and mind - to be more Him. 

Second I need Him to keep this lesson in my mind and heart.  I need Him to change my mind and heart so that this lesson is learned and learned well.

Third I need Him to move me and to help me examine my heart and for Him to "keep" it as I do.

Fourth I need His grace to remember that it is more about He than me.  

Fifth, I need to look at the product(s) and possessions of my selfness and be grateful that though I wandered and He loves me enough to catch me and draw me back.  I also need to accept His forgiveness and not grovel or snivel but rather come to Him humbly - as a child found and restored.

Overall, I need Him to grow me in the likeness of His Son and accept that is the most important thing I can ask for.

Anxious?

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?    (Mat 6:24-25)

I am astounded at the "therefore."  Jesus has called His hearers to a point of decision, Mammon or God.  It's a hard choice in that our service to Mammon can be so very very subtle and has roots running deep into our flesh.  We can make the good choice but that only initiates the hard work of "rooting out" Mammon-ness.

But having called them to a point of decision He goes on as though they had indeed made the right choice.  He is telling us, "Having chosen God over Mammon do not be anxious about your life."  then he enumerates many of the things we do ge anxious about.  I hesitate to see this list as definitive (that is limited only to what is here) but rather I am tempted to expand it this way:

"Do not be anxious about those material things you need God to provide so that you may serve and honor Him while you are here."

I am reminded of Abraham when he was called to sacrifice Issac.  I can think of no greater "hard place" to be than the one he found himself in and yet he states:

Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:8)

As i read this I wonder if we might consider that God will provide Himself with what is needed for His children to live in obedience and service.  The twist here is that God is providing it for Himself to us for His glory and honor.  Hope that's not too weird I don't want to start a theological fuss!

But if everything God does (and calls us to do) is for His glory - can't we see that he is providing it for Himself to us so we might glorify Him?

He KNOWS what we need - we THINK we know what we need.  See the difference?

Jesus asks a question we need to prayerfully consider and seek the Spirits guidance concerning:

"Is not life more than.....?"

Isn't it?  Really?

Please know I am aware of how tough a question that is and how so very much works to keep us from accepting this and living it out.  I am especially aware at how parents struggle so very much to raise their children to know this and live this.  We are in prayer for you all - please be in prayer for us as well.

msanders.bc@gmail.com

A Deeper View

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Mat 6:24)

"Money"  mammōnas:  Wealth personified; avarice

Ouch!

Most definitions of avarice say it's "extreme" - excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain : greediness.

But is that what Jesus is actually saying?  I don't think so.  I believe He's making a clear comparison between who/what we look to for our providence.  In the context of this, even the slightest "avarice" is extreme.

You don't have to be a greedy-wealth driven person to fit into what Jesus is talking about.  If I am looking to "money" as the answer to my problems and not to God, then I am double-mastered - actually I am serving Mammon.  

Paul writes:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.  (1Ti 6:10)

The author of Hebrews writes:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Heb 13:5)

I have to say I am learning what Paul means by, "pierced themselves with many pangs (sorrows)."  I'm getting pang pierced quite regularly.  

I am especially sorry for all the waste of His provision.  Oh boy - let's leave it at that.  But being "sorry" isn't the point.  Repentance is the point.  I have to turn away from that oh so common money thing to Him.  I have to embrace Him and His promise and accept His will for me.

There was an old saying in my pre-disciple days that we "hippies" used - I will leave that to your imagination but - in this case I'll say, "God will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no God."

Jesus presents us with a choice - and for some it's a big and deep choice.  We have to really examine ourselves (a good thing anytime) for what pieces of avarice/mammon are tucked away in our heads and hearts.  

I suggest - from experience (current experience) that we look for envy, dis-satisfaction, grumbling, fear, anger, etc and see it they are connected to mammon.  

Are we dis-satisfied with God's current provision?  Are we fearful of our future known and unknown needs?  Are we, like Israel in the OT when threatened by invasion, looking to make unwise alliances?  Are we, like they, seeking some thing other than God in our need?

It's common to us but it isn't best.  We all know that.  We all know that God is the loving and gracious Shepherd.  We all know that He gave His best to make us His and that this is the greatest provision we could ask for.  We all know these things - but sometimes He loves us enough to take us to a place where we see our sinful seeking in other places.  He does that to halt us in our tracks and bring us back to His way - the only true way.

Sometimes it feels like He is teaching me to be a little child.  I cried in Patti's arms the other night and prayed to Him for to comfort and strengthen us in His Way.  I felt like a weenie - but I realized I was learning to come to Him as a little child who is utterly dependent upon Him for EVERYTHING.

Just goes to show that we can know something - and yet have to KNOW it better - deeper - more childishly.

Let's examine ourselves and ask His Spirit to both guide us and comfort us as we look for those thin, weak places in our walk.  It's OK, He intendeds to fatten them up and build some muscle.  He is never done with us - which really is good news!

You, those of you who can identify and those of you who don't yet - are in our prayers and  we are vaguely but faithfully lifting you up.  Remember it's "OUR Father ------"

EXTRA For we who fear, pray and work to fear rightly!

Sinful fear -- not uncommon - not good.

In his work, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear, John flavel writes some things that I have found convicting and heart breaking in my life.  Perhaps you will be blessed by his words as I was.  I highly recommend the book as a companion to scripture in these difficult times.  He writes of 3 kinds of fear, natural, sinful and holy --- well worth reading and following his guidance.

"Some fear more than they ought, some fear before they ought and others when they ought not at all.  The strong Christian fears God, not man.  The weak Christian fears man too much and God too little."

Based upon what we find in Hosea Flavel writes:
"But their eyes do not look to Me for protection and deliverance.  They expect more from Egypt than from heaven, more from a broken reed than from the Rock of Ages.  Do not fear their fear!  It drives them from Me to the creature.  It first distracts them, and then ensnares them.  In marked contrast, see that you and all the faithful in the land sanctify Me in your hearts, and make Me your fear and dread.  Rely upon Me by faith in this day of trouble.  See that you give Me the glory of My wisdom, power, and faithfulness by relying entirely upon My attributes that are engaged for you in so many tested promises.  Do not give yourself to sinful and vain dealings, as those who have no interest in Me nor experience of Me."

"Sinful fear will cause the best people to attempt to help themselves through sinful compromises."

Isa. 30:15-17a
"In a word, one act of faith will do them more good than Pharaoh and all his forces.  But they refuse to trust God."

"The sinfulness of fear lies in its exess and immoderacy when we fear more than we ought. . . . . Our fear exceeds the value and merit of its cause.  It is a great sin to love or fear any creature above its worth, as if it were master of all our temporal and eternal comforts."

"To trust in any creature as if it had God's power to help us, or to fear any creature as if it had God's power to hurt us, is exceedingly sinful."

Isa. 31:1
"It is a sinful and dangerous mistake to give to a creature that trust and dependence that belongs to God alone."

"Be careful not to fear any man, as if the power of making or marring you were in his hands - as if it were his will and pleasure to save or ruin you.  Do not fear those who can only touch your body, as if they could damn your soul; do not attribute to any creature God's sovereign and incommunicable power."

"The sinfulness of fear consists in its power to dispose and incline people to use sinful means to escape danger.  This casts them into the hands of temptation."

You are in our prayers.

SHIP 005

SHIP 005

Duties
Prayer

Jesus said, "When you pray . . . ," not "If you pray. .  . " so it's a pretty good bet He expects us to be praying people.  And why would we not be.  Having access to the Throne of Grace is a great blessing and wonderful opportunity.  But, prayer can be tricky.

Huh????

Well, what is prayer?  Monologue?  Dialogue?  Petition?  Supplication? Praise?  Adoration?

Yep - that's it.

But for many folks it's a strange thing.  They struggle with the whole thing wanting to be sure they are heard and answered so they struggle to "get it right."

OK - a few basics.  Remember "who" you are talking to.  Remember you have every right to go to Him?  Remember that all prayers are heard and answered?  Graciously, there is no such thing as a "bad" prayer.

Jesus gave us a model to follow:  Matthew 6:7-13.  It's a very simple model.
Note the :  OUR Father part!  You are never praying alone!
Hallowing His name - thank You - thank You - You are the only God
Calling for His will to be done here - submission of all - especially "me"
Our daily needs - characterized by "bread"
Protection - from ourselves and "them" ;-}
Forgiveness- to receive and to give

We can even go to Paul for some direction:
Philippians 4:6 ESV
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

"prayer" - think worship
"supplication" think seeking, asking, entreating
"thanksgiving" - think acknowledging the source of ever blessing with gratitude
"let your requests be made known to God" - think - needs, desires, wants, questions, comments, etc.

In Matthew the model is "sandwiched" between two very important things:
Matthew 6:5-6 ESV
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

and

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, [15] but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Vss. 5 and 6:  Simply, prayer is between you and Him.  We may indeed take part in public prayers but Jesus wants us to understand that we need to talk with God when we talk with God.  We don't want to entertain or impress - we want to talk with the one who love's us best, knows us best and wants what is best for us.  We need private prayer - !!!!

Vss.  14-15:   Ouch - but if we go to Him with a lack of both the desire and willingness to be forgiving than we are usurping His perogative and putting ourselves in His place.  We do not come to Him as equals but as adopted children, blessed beyond measure.  Harboring a refusal to forgive poisons our hearts and hence our thoughts and then our prayers.

Now, about the, "do not be anxious about anything" part in the Philippians passage.  it certainy enjoins us to not be sinfully anxious but anxiety is common for fallen - even redeemed fallen men and women.  I refer you to, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear, by John Flavel if you reallly want to gain a better understanding.

But, to continue, there is an aspect of the term used here that refers to, seeking to promote one's interests.  It may be that Paul is using this term in a broad sense to include both sinful fear and self-promoting prayer.  

Here's my struggle, maybe it's yours as well.  Consider that I have a need - perhaps a big need and it troubes my heart.  Now, God has promised that He will provide for my common needs - the basics.  But this need, though not fundamental, seems to me to be overwhelming.  I run the danger of this "need" distracting me to the point that i only see it.  This affects my praying.  I begin well but find myself "hung up" on this one thing becasue "to me" it seems more important than any other need and more important than what I've been promised.  So my praying is distracted and uneasy.  

I've also been brought to a point where I have to confess that I am wanting to live by sight much more than faith.  I really want to ask for an immediate answer and find myself praying more about how I desire God to solve the issue than submitting to His will in it.  I even find myself telling Him how He can meet the need - oh presumption yu are a curse.

"It's hard to be focused when you think your hair is on fire!"  Or - "It's hard to remember that the original intent was to drain the swamp when you're up to your elbows in alligators."  

Anxiety is common.  ANXIETY is not healthy either physically or spiritually.  But how many of us are able to just say, "God's in control," and move on?  Not many of us.  This is because our faith s weaker than we thought.  Not to worry - think mustard seed.  But god desires to grow our faith and how can He do that unless we find ourselves in a position where we have only Him?  

Faith is either true or false.  Weak and strong are measures of faith that is true - faith that is.  If you didn't have faith you couldn't have weak or baby faith.  So please do not make this "anxious" thing some self-condenmnatory hammer.  You believe and you are lerning to believe better, broader and bigger.  That is a good thing.

I have several clients who struggle with praying.  They are in situations and circumstances where there are lots of inner and outer distractions.  They begin their prayer well and then find themselves circling around one or to issues.  Here's what I suggested for them.
1.  Make a list - stick to the list.
2.  Read the Psalms as prayers.
3.  Find an mp3 or something where the Psalms are sung and sing them.
4.  When the big anxiety issue pops in your head - pray then - asking God to calm your heart and help you wait His pleasure.  This is my favorite.
5.  Ask Him to help you see why this "thing" is such a biggie for you - this is a very intersting thing to do and leads to some real insights into our deeper needs.
6.  KEEP A JOURNAL DAILY OF HOW HE HAS BLESSED YOU AND THOSE YOU KNOW- NOTHING IS TOO SMALL!
7.  I had a mentor who when he was ovewhelmed with things would simpy go out into the woods, sit on a log and pray, "God, it's Travis," and then just sit and enjoy his surroundings.

May God bless you in your prayers and from your prayers and keep you from sinful fear.

010313

Journal 001

Oh Lord, what more do I need to learn before You deliver me from these shadows?
I know that You discipline Yur chidren out of love.
I know that we are those through who you manifest Your glory.
But Lord, it's is so hard when we don't see the why and how of either.

You teach us to trust You by our being in need of trusting You.
Sometimes that means hard and cold places.
But they are indeed hard and cold and frightening.

We are so prone to seek ways to placate You.
But that is our error, our flesh.
You are not a God like othere gods.
Who can be bought or bribed.

You are not a God like other gods who demand their pound of flesh.

Indeed, You have cancelled our debt.
Your Son has aid the price for our redemption.
We owe You nothing but love, thanks and duty.

Yet we are week and the flesh cries out to be heard.
The flesh, so steeped in the world, so intwined with covetousness,
cries out, "Lie, a lie, you have been a fool."

But Lord, our hearts know better though our flesh denies.
What help Oh Lord can You send as we stand in the shadows?
What is the Comforters comfort.
Is there no loner provision - Oh but there is.

Lord, we cry out to You for deliverance
from our troubes.
And yet we desire gretly to wait uon You
wonderous works.

When there is no comfort here,
we so long to be with You.
and yet even in that You command.
But our hearts weaken and we cry out.

We ask Your deliverance from our troubles,
provision to just be reieved of our anxiousness.
We beg Your mercy and blessing
yet we fear our duplicity in them.

Oh Lord - help us to see and feel
the comfort we know You have given
the comfort You are giving.

We have grow blind and insensitive.
We have grown weiry and weak.
Oh Lord, though our travail
may indeed be trivial
Yet is is travail and it is ours
and it hurts.

Comfort us
lead us out of these shadows
let us sit and labor in peace and strength.

Finger Thinking 122612

Luke 9:23 ESV
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

"AND follow me"

Consecutive?  Concurrent?

How do we read this admonition?  Is it steps?  One big "happening?"

Can we "follow" Him without His call?  Without self-denial?  Without daily taking up our cross?

His call makes me His.  "It is finished."  But even though His work is finished for me it is not finished in me.  The denial and the taking up are both part and parcel of the journey - the following of Him.

At least in my experience they are.

Everyday I find that I forget that I am His and not my own.  Perhaps I do that because I know that such a surrender may result in a loss of comfort and ease in my life here.  Perhaps I am afraid of that loss to too great a degree.  Perhaps I am yet too attached to me and my material ease and comfort.  Well - we both know there is no "perhaps" in it.  There is little question of my attachment and my struggle with it.

A poor man can be proud and possessive of his poverty.  He can cling to and depend upon what little he has and hoard it jealously.  He can clasp it in an iron hand refusing to let God remove it so that it might be replaced.  He indeed has a "death grip" upon what little he has.

The rich man may cling to all he has just a passionately as the poor man clings to his little.

But for most of us there is a middle place.  We will "give up" just so much before we begin to balk and sulk.  I know I do.  I find that I cling to too much even if it's just a little.  That "little" is mine and as long as it is, I think I am OK.  Of course, that in itself shows me that I have a long way to go.

Remember the poster of the kitten clinging to the limb?  Remember the caption, "Just hang in there?"  Well, that's where I find myself all too often.  I'm clinging to the dubious security I have (the limb) and refusing so let it go so that I might trust Him.  My "hanging in there" smacks too much of "hanging on to."

Now, on the other end of that stick is a "letting go" that's just as bad.  It's a self-motivated letting go - a proud and resentful - "Well, just take it all then!"  It's an angry and proud surrender (??) to God that really is no surrender at all.  It is more of a throwing whatever I do have back into God's face.  It isn't a pretty or a useful thing.

Paul wrote:
1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, [7] for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. [8] But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

So, there is no gain and perhaps even loss in godliness without contentment?  Mmmm, Ouch!  There certainly can be no true value in contentment without godiliness.

Ahhh but then there is vers 8.  Food and clothing = content.  Am I willing?  I can say that, but will I accept that?  Or, do I have a few other "buts," I'd like to throw in?  Oh how I wish I didn't!!!!  But, I know I do - even if I'm being very effective at not seeing them right now.

Here's my quandry.  What, if anything (stuff, aspirations, feelings, associations, $), does God want me to give up?  It is clear from the Gospels that following Him carried with it the very real potential of giving up stuff - but what do "I" need to give up?

Then, is it actually "stuff" He wants me to give up or is it an attitude, thought process, false belief, sinful fear---------?  I think of Job and I shiver.  Job has got me beat hands down!  Yet in his loss he struggles with everything but trusting God.  It's almost viscseral to read, "Even if He kills me, I will trust in Him."

Maybe the struggle is between having everything we want and being dead.  I feel like a petulant child fussing over surrendering toys I haven't played with in ages - "Well just take it all - all of it - I don't want any of it.  Why don't you just kill me?"

Wow - are you as suprised at the depth of my shallowness as I am?  And you know what's even more disturbing?  So far I haven't "lost" anything.  Oh, we can see potential even probable loss looming ahead of us but so far - we really haven't "lost" anything we've noticed.

Ok - maybe that's not true.  We have lost (or at least are losing - letting go of) trusting in others, even trusting in ourselves instead of Him.  We have faced the fact that "chariots" are not the answer.  We've lost that, "I'm counting on you," attitude towards others and ourselves.  We've discovered that "faith" belongs only in Him - not in friends, associates - not even those with whom and for whom we've sacrifced and worked and prayed.  "Chariots," can't work when the other option is Him.  And making aliances with "Egypt" won't work ethier.

We, like so many of you, are waiting - or at least struggling to wait - upon Him to do what we should depend upon Him alone to do.  We are getting to know the feeling David must have felt when those about him mocked asking, "Where's your God?"

Do you feel like the only answer to that mocking is, "I don't know."  Or perhaps an overly cocky, "He is there."  Or do you just pray no one asks you that quesiton?

Times are tough and I believe that especially for believers it will get tougher.  Yes, I mean that in a material way but it will also be a tough time for our faith and our faithfulness.

Not naked and not starving.  If that's what He has for me will I be faithful in it?  Right now, all I can say is that I want to be - I hope to be - but I will not do it by my own ability or power.  So, like many many of you, I sit and pray and wait, fighting myself to trust only in Him.

Examine yourself - Contentment 002

Examine yourself - Contentment 002

"But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 

(Psalms 81:11 ESV)

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."   (Hebrews 13:5 ESV)

I use these two passages as our starting point because the Hebrew passage has an imperative and a promise - something to submit to and something to cling to.

We must fight "love of money."  To be more precise, we must fight covetousness.

In James we read:

You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. (James 4:2 ESV)

This word "covet" is really neat.  The root of the idea is "heat," which we would say, "to have the hots for."  I know that's kind of crude but it so clearly expresses the idea that I felt compelled to use it.

God says:

"'And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.'   (Deuteronomy 5:21 ESV)

Both "covet," and "desire," as used here mean to "lust for."  Now please remember that "lust" isn't ONLY about sex.  To "lust" simply means to "set one's heart on."  That can be OK or very NOT OK.  I can "lust," set my heart on my wife but I am not to "lust," (set my heart) on your wife.  

Also - please keep in mind that my heart should be "set" on God and His glory/honor over and above anything else.

But covetousness, for believers has a broader and deeper sense.  God should be the primary and fundamental focus of the "set" of my heart.  Any and every other "lust" must be subservient to that "lust."   

This is clear:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

I find it interesting that Jesus does not say to seek God first and THEN seek the other stuff.  

Note:

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.   (Matthew 6:31-32 ESV)

OK - remember Psa. 81:11?  Two issues:  Not listening and not submitting.

Did you realize that "submission" does not just relate to commands?  Oh no - submission applies to all that God has spoken - especially His promises.  

OK - I think I see a problem.  We hear all this "stuff" about claiming God's promises - right?  Well, think about "submitting" to them - that is simply accepting them as the truth that you need to live your life.

God says He will provide food, drink and clothes.  Period.  It may be oatmeal, water and a poncho - but He promises it.  Is that OK with you?

I know a couple who have nice stuff.  They are in the same place a whole lot of us are.  They live from pay-check to pay-check.  Now they know that a good part of their circumstances are due to their covetousness and foolishness - their sin.  They have repented and are working on being better stewards.  But they are in tough times and they get anxious - the anxiety fuels every frustration and Satan makes food use of it.

They have expressed a willingness to part with all the "stuff," but they realize that part of that is a seeking to get God to "rescue" them.  They're trying to cut a deal with God.  Satan really uses this to accuse then and depress them.  It is a terribly viscous cycle. 

Now here's the problem.  They are relating to God as is He was a cruel parent who demands that His love and provision be earned.  They are also fighting the public embarrassment that will attend their financial collapse.  All this certainly comes from their flesh - but they has help in developing this mind-set through the sinfulness of others.

So they struggle.  They put on a brave face.  They state that God is good and will provide what's best.  But there is a seed in their hearts that weakness their trust and confidence hence their contentment wavers.

Sound familiar?  Though this is not "normal" (normal being the state God created us in) it is "common" (for fallen creatures - even redeemed fallen creatures).

They "hear" God but they struggle to "listen."  The Words resound in their ears but by the time the Words get to their heart they are bent and twisted.  They submit with a quiet conditional "but."  

These are mature and knowledgeable believers in whom this particular fleshiness is still strong and active.  They have the great lie engraved in their minds, "I will love you if......"  Or "You are good and will get good if you meet my criteria."

This is not what God says not what He promises.  BUT ...........

How about you?  Do you struggle with the same of similar fleshiness?  Are you. Like this couple, still caught in the pagan-ness of our culture that says you have to appease God before He will help you?

Is there a solution to this?  Sure - listen to and submit to God.  They know they will never break this fleshiness in their own strength - trust me, I know they've tried.  So they just quit trying.  But they haven't stopped resisting, even opposing.

They have determined to engage the duties and practices of the faith regardless of the assaults of the flesh.  They pray regularly, they study the Word, they attend worship and they even give what they can.  They "just do it."

Why?  Because God says that this is how we grow in our walk with Him.  They have determined that in dependence upon the Holy Spirit they will, "seek first the Kingdom."  That is their first priority so they "practice" their faith.

Yes, they are suspicious of their motives - duhhhhh.  That old "do this so God will do that," is there but it is growing weaker.  Slowly - but weaker.  

Are they still anxious about poverty - you bet they are.  They've never been "poor" so it's a new place in which they will have to learn to trust God - much like if they moved to a foreign country.

But - they have begun by doing what they know they can do and what pleases God and strengthens their spirits.  They obey (not perfectly but intentionally).

See, they have learned that if they say - we won't be anxious, we won't covet, we won;t be shamed - they will default to their old thinking and behaviors.  So they draw near to God instead of focusing on drawing away from their flesh.  They are not walking backwards - but fixing their hearts on Christ they walk towards Him.

More next time . . . . .

Examine yourself 112212

Examine yourselves ----

Are you "on board" with examining yourself?  It is quite clearly commanded in the Word and hence not some optional undertaking.

What would keep us from engaging in this command?

Do we fear we will find our faith to be false?  Then run to Christ in open and honest confession and need.

Do we fear we will find our faith ill-informed and or un-biblical?  Then run the the Word for clear and godly instruction.

Do we fear we will find our faith weak?  Then run to the duties and obligations of the faith which will strengthen it mightily.

Do we fear we will be overcome by our littleness in our faith?  Then run to the Spirit who is God's power in us for serving Him.

Do you not see that what ever the condition or quality of your faith it is none-the-less faith?  

Do you not know that be it but a mustard seed in comparison to others, it is enough to begin?

Do you not know that He knows well the condition of our faith and that His great desire is to strengthen, inform and use it?

Do you not know that nothing - not even a small and wavering faith which needs instruction, perhaps correction is enough to separate you from His love?

Have you not realized that Christ is not a cookie maker?  He does not spread the dough and simply stamp out identical cookies?  No!  As He knit you uniquely in your mother's womb so He would shape you and mold you as that unique creation the only same-ness being that we all be conformed to His likeness.

Has no one told you that you, weak faith, twisted faith, struggling faith - have a unique place and role in His will?  Has no-one told you that regardless and even perhaps because of your limitations, struggles, condition or circumstance you are no less His child even His servant in working out His will?

Have you not seen, in the very Word of God, that He takes all kinds and all conditions and makes then magnificent when they serve His purposes?  Do you not get the lesson that is there for you?

What have you to lose by self-examination except pride and sin and the distraction of baseless and fruitless worry?

Indeed, we have nothing to lose in self-examination except that which has hindered our confidence and comfort until now.  And could that be a bad thing?

Oh but you say, "I am a weak child of God!"  "I am a lazy child of God!"  I am an ignorant child of God!"  I am a blind, lame, depressed, bi-polar even schizophrenic child of God!" "I am an unworthy child of God!"

Let me ask you, "What part of child of God isn't good enough?"

There is the "faithful" child of God and the "unfaithful" child of God.  The only difference is dependent focus.  The faithful child of God dependently focuses on God and what pleases Him.  The "unfaithful" child of God focuses on themselves and others.  But - both are children of God.  Once His child - the choice is yours.  He paid the price for you to be made His child - don't let the small cost of living as His child cripple or hinder you.

Do not let your doubts about your salvation worry you overmuch.  If you do they will paralize you and keep you from making use of His great provision for your confidence and comfort.  Feelings are not facts - they are our responce/reaction to things.  What "so called" fact has wounded your confidence and stolen your comfort?  It is either God calling you to your next adventure in Him or it is Satan up to his old distractions and traps.

The "proof" of our faith is indeed in the pudding.  It is in the practice of the dutied and obligations of the faith that our faith and hence our confidence and comfort grows.  As we grow - it all grows.  But to grow we must be fed (by the Word) exercised (by the duties and obligations) and guided (by the Spirit).  which of these is missing in your life?  Reclaim is and use it!!

This and That: Pour it all out to God!

Pour out to God in prayer those fears which the devil and your own unbelief pour in upon you in times of danger. Prayer is the best outlet to fear: where is the Christian that cannot set his seal to this direction?   Flavel, John (2010-08-03). Keeping the Heart (Kindle Locations 669-670).

Psa 118:5 
Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.  ESV

In times of danger – no matter its magnitude – fear is natural.  Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the acting upon it.  What greater thing could we do than to go to our Father with all our fears.

Isn’t Christ, our intercessor and Great High Priest, seated with the Father speaking of us and for us?  Does not Christ appreciate and understand our weaknesses and vulnerabilities’?

If, as we see in the quote above, Satan knows and exploits our fears, does not our Father know more and better?  In all things fearful is it not enough that nothing can separate us from the love of God?  Surely upon that assurance we can stand.

But we are weak as babes in our walk with Christ – as we should be. Though we lived in the wiles of the Devil and the fantasies of the flesh, we do not know living in the security and power of our Lord.  So we tremble and quake as Satan and our budding/immature faith both work to our distress.

Trusting God is not something that just comes.  It is gained by experience, informed by His Word and enhanced by His Spirit.  I have trusted God in many situations and yet every new situation raises the hair on the back of my neck.

I wonder, “God was faithful there and then but this is here and now.”  Even though I know that when it was then and there for me, He was already readying here and now for me.  But I still fear.

I’ve noticed something, though, about that fear.  It is characterized by the question, “What am I (or we) going to do”?  Perhaps that’s where we get tripped up.  We face a circumstance and supposing we must or can do something, we start with ourselves.  Seeing no help for or in ourselves, we fear.  Because we are already afraid we think we don’t have faith.  Because we think we don’t have faith we doubt God will help us.

Perhaps we’re starting at the wrong place.  Perhaps we need to take the circumstance (and our fear) to Him immediately and ask Him what we need to do (if anything).  Perhaps we need to slow down, examine the circumstance and take our thoughts and concerns to Him and have a talk. 

I wonder if at times I irritate Him (LOL).  I try to take circumstances to Him and leave them with Him but it doesn’t work very well.  I’ve found that I need to stay before Him and take the time to pour out my ideas and thoughts concerning the circumstance.  If I don’t, I find myself fretting and distracted.  So I try to go to Him and just babble out my ideas, my tangential concerns, my solutions, my fears.  It seems that this process has a quieting effect on my soul.

But just recently, I’ve discovered that I rise from prayer too swiftly.  I’ll pray and then get into bed and I’ll just go on trying to fix the problem in my head.  I think that, at those times, I need to get back on my knees and continue the conversation – obviously, I wasn’t done (or maybe He wasn’t). 

Ok – for those of you who are thinking, “Do I have to be on my knees,”  I’ll just tell you that I do.  As I’ve intentionally worked on my prayer life, I’ve discovered that it just feels more like prayer when I’m kneeling.  Do I have to?  I don’t think I have to for Him – but I do for me.  That’s just me – and we all know I’m just not right. 
Prayer is worship – but it is conversational worship.  I speak, He listens.  How He responds is unclear to me – I haven’t heard voices yet.  But I trust Him to respond because He always has.  Either through the Word, a change of circumstance, another believer, a random sermon I hear, a random book I read, or even a random thought, He answers.  Oh, I know none of those things are really “random.”  They are intentional and purposeful – so maybe utterly unexpected is a better term.  But the point is, He answers.

Concerning the verse I used above.  Notice that the writer says that God set him free.  The term distress has the sense of “tightness,” like when your chest gets tight when you are anxious.  Now the writer doesn’t say what his freedom looked like.  Was the circumstance changed or was his anxiety relieved?  But would we complain of either?  I hope not.

Don’t let yourself think that you should only do this for the “big stuff.”  Make it a habit to do it with everything.  “Pour,” it all out to God.  What seems trivial today may loom large tomorrow, so you may as well get a head start on it.