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

Finger Thinking - On Me

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Gal. 5:24  ESV

Have we?  Have we indeed nailed "our" fleshly passions and desires to the cross?

Paul says that we have done this, not that it has been done.  This is an engagement the believer will be involved in until He comes.  But are we engaged in it?  Do we, with willfull intention and humble dependence actively seek to crucify the flesh - to kill it?  Or do we merely swat at it and/or just battle those desires and passions for which we would suffer some public shame?

The life of the believer is an up-stream journey.  The world, the flesh and the devil ae the river in which we journey.  We don't just float up-stream.  Nor may we tie ourselves to the bank and wait.  We are called for a purpose and in a specific direction.  Plainly put we are to glorify God - now that it is possible through the sacrificed of Christ.
We are not "saved' for ourselves but for His glory and praise.  For His good pleasure.  And yet we seem to miss that point.

In this river there are rapids and rocks and eddys.  There are dangers.  There are calm places where the progress is pleasant and there are those places where we must paddle with every ounce of energy we have.  Why?  To "gain" something?  No!  We paddle becasue we have gained something by His grace and in humble submission and thanks we live appropriately and intentionally for the purpose of the gift.

Consider whether your salvation is of such great value as your glorifying of Him.  Do you not see the connection?  Do you not see that it is a horror to assume the gift was only about or for you?  Indeed it is a great gift but it for His glory and righteousness first and foremost.

Our redemption glorifies Him and so everything the redeemed think, feel or do is to glorify Him.  Yes, He is passively glorified in what He has done in and for us BUT He will be actively glorified in and through our lvin for Him.

Note the subtle difference:
"Jesus saved me."
"God has glorified Himself in redeeming me through Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

Can you see the difference?

Our salvation is all fo His glory.  Certainly we benefit - we benefit worderfully - but it is for His glroy we do so.

This is not something I have understood for most of my life in Him.  Like many I was just happy to be saved.  But as I learned more, studied more I was greatly convicted that there was something missing in my understanding and appreciation.  I was more focused on what was in it for me than what His purpose is in my salvation.  I can best describe it as finally seeing salvation from His point of view as opposed to the common view most of us have.

The greatest change this has had for me is in my prayer life.  As the model prayer teaches us to begin with Him and His glory so I find myself stuck in my prayers glorifying Him and fighting what I see as my fleshly supplications and requests.  Somehow, what I need or want has grown smaller compared to my need to praise and glorify Him.

Oh, I want to eat and have a roof and enjoy the blessings of His creation but more and more I find that my desires are based upon wheher or not my "getting" is for and to His glory.  I am growing in my desire to glorify Him over and above my desire to be comforable and satisfied by anything here.  It has made many many of my requests suspect in my mind and heart.

He is my God - I am His servant and His child - I want Him and His glory to be he focus of my life and living.  Yes, that is kind of scary.  When I read in the Word and in the history of His pepole what the probable cost of that is - it is scary.

I want to forsake all for His glory and yet my flesh is terrified of what that might mean.  Of course my flesh would not have me glorify Him at all - but, except for what little I can do about it - my flesh is His problem.  Certainly the God who defeated sin and death can and will ovecome my fleshy parts.

Examine yourself - Contentment 006

Examine yourself - Contentment 006

Godly counsel.

Oh boy - do we ever avoid that one -   OK, we'll share the good stuff about ourselves and the not so good stuff about others - but we keep the tough stuff about ourselves really close to our vests.

Not good!

Let me say right off that one must be very prayerful and discerning about who we seek counsel from.  This is two sided.

On the first side, we want counsel from someone in the faith.  Yeah, we may be seeing a secular counselor and that's not wrong - but we need someone who's reading from the same play-book we are.  Many of my clients are seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist and I work very closely with them.  But, compared to these other counselors, in Biblical issues, I'm the lead dog.

You need a Biblical counselor, mentor, discipler, or whatever, regardless of whether you are having "problems."  This person needs to be knowledgeable, mature, trustworthy and faithful.

On the second side of the issue is submission or humbling.  Now, you do not ever submit to any human without question, but a counselor, mentor, etc. is there to give you insight and direction (that's stuff to do).  You are going to have to be submissive enough to give it a try.

You are also going to have to be humbled (I don't like the word humiliated).  You've got to be straight with your counselor, mentor, etc.  If you aren't, then very, very little of what they can give you will be of any use.

It is humbling to expose the icky parts of our lives - but it's also icky having to put on that silly little robe-thingy at the doctor - but we do it.

If you went to the doctor and he asked what the problem was, you wouldn't tell him about the slow leak in your right front tire.  You wouldn't tell him to guess.  And, it wouldn't be wise to only tell part of it.  Yes, it's embarrassing - but that lasts for a moment - then comes the diagnosis and treatment - ahhhhhhhh.

We were not made to be solitary - and especially when it comes to our following the Lord - there are no healthy Lone-Rangers.

Ok - so it's not comfortable.  Well, how well have you been doing all on your own?

Think about this.  With all the "one anothers" we find in scripture may we not consider it a sin or at least a grievous error to not allow others to have ministry in our lives?  Are we to keep our needs away from those whom God has prepared to help us in them?  Seem very sad to me.

"Oh, but it would be humiliating," you say.  Yes, that may be true - but it is only so when we refuse to be humble enough to ask for help when we first recognize a need.  If one can not swim, it is always best to start yelling for help when one falls in the water - yelling for help while submerged doesn't do much good.

If it is pride that keeps you from seeking godly counsel - you are acting very very foolishly.  Pride walks proudly into the ditch!  Pride rasies one's nose so high their feet stumble.  Pride - kills.  Pride tells God we only need His provision sometimes.  Pride - kills.

One of my favorite old songs in "I Am a Rock" by Simon and Garfunkle.  Oh how I loved to sing that sad lamenting song.  But I learned soon enough that I wasn't a rock and to try to be one was just hubris.

The Kingdom of God is a "we," not a "me."  If you don't know that or don't like that then maybe your just not a kingdom person.  A desire or compulsion to hide our needs and our sins certainly speaks to a serious flaw in our faith and understanding.

Examine yourself -

Peter's Pen 1st Peter 4:8-11

1 Peter 4:8-11

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.     ESV

Above all !!!!!!!
Is there any part of "above all" I need to explain?
This isn't calling us to some mushy, touchy feely relationship with one another - although there's nothing wrong with that.  But it is calling us to a very real, truth (scripture) based intimate relationship with one another.

"Earnestly" = without ceasing, fervently - or as I prefer "stretched out."

There's a hint here we need to pay attention to.  Peter writes, "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling."  
This is a "secret displeasure not openly avowed."  In short, we are to love one another without reserve or resentment.  Ouch!  But let's be honest, we all struggle with the fellow believer who is (actually or seemingly) always in need, always asking, always struggling.  It seems that no matter the length or depth of our "hospitality," they never grow; they never make the progress we think they ought to make.

But, have you ever thought about the idea that they may be in your circle of influence for your sake?  Have you ever stopped to consider that it is not really their need God desires to meet but a need of your own that you haven't seen or addressed?

Paul writes of all his suffering as being for our sake; for our blessing and benefit.  Did you ever consider that though Paul coming to town would be exciting, it also brought danger and opposition?  Did those early believers ever get tired or resentful of Paul's constant danger and need?  I don't think so.

One thing we forget when we are challenged in this way.  We are to do what we can, not what we can't.  We are to sacrifice - yes.  Commit physical or material suicide? No!  There are limits to what God provides to us for others.  Certainly we tend to think others may ask too much, but perhaps we want to keep too much.

Also, we must consider, clear minded and soberly (verse 6), if and how we are called to meet their needs.  Sometimes "No," is the right answer.  Sometimes we have to be wiser than they are as to what they need.  Sometimes we have to give or do more than we are comfortable with.  This is the "stretched out" part of the love we are to give.

God may not have provided me with enough to meet all their needs.  Through prayer and counsel, I must determine what, if anything, I can do through His provision.  Yes, we can do too much for those in need, keeping them from the repentance and growth God desires for them.

This is the point of verses 10-11.  We are to do everything we can with what He has given us that He might be glorified.

We are to serve with, "the strength (or means) that God provides."  Hello!!!!  This is never some "from the hip" kind of service.  This is a considered prayerful and honest service.  NOT some knee jerk, unthinking reaction to a need.

Especially in these cases, we desperately need our minds to inform our affections (feeling).  We may have deep and powerful feelings about their condition but it is prayerful thought and even wise counsel that will lead us to the best service.

Not to be too simple but that's why God made Deacons.  Duhhhhhh.....  It is a New Covenant order for the needs of the flock to be brought to the Deacons and through their prayer and consideration needs are met.  It should not be a matter of a brother or sister going house to house, person to person, but rather a matter of them taking their need to those called and commissioned to that work.  It really is a great system that relieves them of the embarrassment of feeling like they are begging.  It also enables us to have confidence in the needs being presented by the Deacons and how we respond to them.  Confidentiality and confidence in asking and receiving as well as giving and doing are built-in blessings of the Deaconate.


 

Puritan Prayers - recommended

Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself as saviour, master, lord, and king. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.  Anonymous (2010-07-01). Puritan Prayers (Kindle Locations 37-39).  . Kindle Edition.

How blessed we are to have recorded for our benefit the honest searching prayers of those who have walked with Him before us!  How clear and deep are these pools of grace.  How sweet the waters held within.  How simple and yet mighty are these petitions.

If we but borrow these might not our prayers be altered, made higher from a lower place?  Might we not find in them that for which our hearts yearn to express?  Might we not more readily seek the Holy Spirit of God with a greater hunder and yearning?  Might we not be blessed beyond measure?

I believe these prayers are ours not by divine inspiration but by His providential preservation.  From Him to them and down to us they come to raise us up and join us to the saints now in His presence.  In them we are joined with the hearts of our forefathers in the faith and in them we find the depth of our need expressed.

They need to be prayed not merely read.  They might be prayed slowly, reflectively seeking how they might call from our hidden or murky needs. 

Who knows from what specific circumstance they were prayered?  And yet, who cares?  I do not need to know the writers need but rather to find his expressed need my own.

What assurance we find here:  that we are not alone in our struggles; we are not alone in our need.  That we are not alone and never have been in seeking to be more faithful servants, submitted to the King.  Indeed there is nothing new under the sun, not even our weakenesses and fears as His servants. 

We are told to be bold and of good courage and yet we shrink and cower.  It is in prayers like these that we see the remedy for this.  We see that we need only seek Him, to pound upon the door insistently while we await His providence.   He will find us, He will answer the pounding for so He has promised.

Borrowed prayers are not some spiritual form of plagiarism.  Not when we ask Him to make them our own.  Not when we ask Him to use them to dig deeply into our hearts and minds and where we find a lack of one thing asked for we cry out louder for its provision.

Often I do not know the “what” or “how “of my prayers.  I am confounded by the cacophony of the flesh.  Yet in borrowing these prayers I find the cacophony stilled and silent and I hear my need expressed. 

I recommend this little book to you all.  To keep by your bedside or bettr yet to keep with you at all times.  Some of the prayers will instantly lift your spirit and heal your wounds, while others at first may not touch your heart, they will as He makes you ready. 

Puritan Prayers

UIH 2

Today has been a very special day.  I have been well and solidly blessed.  No, our circumstances haven’t changed but God’s providence is not singular but plenary.  I comes in all colors and hues and comes as the need, according to His will, needs to be met.  Today He met a need unexpectedly and wonderfully.

More on Us in Him

It’s a nut – an acorn – its becoming an oak is His to determine.  In the last UIH post I tried to give a picture of that nut.  Oh, I can dream of all that it might become but the danger there is forgetting that right now, it’s a nut.

But you know, there is symmetry and beauty in an acorn.  It’s simple with clean lines.  And yet when we look at it there’s not much of an oak there.  Even when we look at the acorn and the oak at the same time and we understand the dynamics of it becoming an oak we still, at least I, can’t wrap our heads around it.

But all acorns don’t become oaks.  Some become squirrel food.  As I consider UIH I have to ask God to help me remember that.  Not to the exclusion of oakness but as His potential alternative. 

When we undertake some work He lays on our hearts we are faced with the danger of expecting everything the world defines as success to be the natural outcome.  I have to keep that in mind.  All acorns don’t become oaks and that’s OK, just be the acorn – the rest is His concern.

OK, I’m not Moses and don’t pretend to be even close.  But I am put in mind of Moses in Numbers 20 when he went beyond God’s directive.  This is something about which we all need to be cautious.  Great things are not always big and shiny – sometimes they are rather plain and simple.

I am also reminded of the “cup of water” thing:

"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.   (Mar 9:41)

The “because” in that verse it the key.  It’s just a cup of water but He transforms that into so much more.  Miracle or mundane, the act isn’t the issue, the because is.

So we go into UIH because of Him.  Because of how He’s blessed us and led us and protects us.  In gratitude and submission we follow His leading.  We  take one step at a time knowing that we are following not leading. 

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It is what it is.”  Well, that’s UIH.

Will you pray for His will to be done in and through UIH?  Will you pray for the “team” He is bringing together to serve the others He brings?  We would all be so grateful for your prayers.  Pray that the acorn, although it may aspire to be an oak doesn't get pretentious.  Feeding squirrels is just fine with us!  If you could let us know somehow we would be very grateful and encouraged.