Fame, Fan or Friend

Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek your name, O LORD. (Psalms 83:16)

David is praying about God's enemies in this chapter of Psalms.  When I initially read this verse, I thought it was good that David wanted these enemies to know God, even if it came via shame.  Then I realized that seeking God's name is not the same as seeking God.  The Hebrew word translated "name" in this verse means "reputation, fame, glory."  Seeking God's name is impersonal -- more knowing what He does than than knowing who He is.

I look at it this way.  When it comes to famous people, there are different levels of knowing them. I live near the hometown of David Cook, season 7 winner of American Idol.  This was a very big deal in our metro area.  Some local people may not know who he is but I would say the vast majority of people here are at least familiar with his name.  I would break it down like this:

Fame Level:  I know who he is.  I know the name.  I know he won.  I appreciate his accomplishment.

Fan Level:  Many Idol fans know details about his life.  They followed his journey to, through and beyond American Idol.  They appreciate his story.

Friend Level:  I know at least two people who are related to David.  They know him.  He knows them.  They have a relationship with him.  They have traveled with him.  They appreciate him. 

How well do you know God -- fame, fan or friend?

If you desire friend level, it will help if you:
--Seek Him.
--Seek His face.
--Seek His strength.
--Seek His kingdom.
--Seek His voice.

Daniel "set his face unto the Lord God and sought him by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes."  That is some serious seeking. 

But serious seeking has serious benefits...You will seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

That is seeker friendly.  Go for it!

On Happiness

If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. -- Jesus

Jesus spoke these words in the context of teaching humility.  Not only did he teach it with his words, he demonstrated it with his actions when he washed his disciples' feet.  He also demonstrated it when he took the form of a servant, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death on a cross (Philippians 2).  Ponder those actions of God toward man.  They are mind-boggling. 

If you know these things:
-Exhortation of Jesus.
-Love.
-Fellowship.
-Affection.
-Mercy.
-Unselfishness.
-Needs of others,
-Mind of Christ.
(From Philippians 2)

Do you do them?
-With your spouse -- even if they are unlovable?
-With your children -- even when one of you makes a mistake?
-With your family -- even if they betrayed you?
-With your friends -- even if they hurt you?
-With your coworkers -- even if their ethics are different?
-With your neighbors -- even if they annoy you?
-With your spiritual family -- even if their walk is different?
-With strangers -- even if they frighten you?    

Or do you see yourself as superior?

It is simple.  It is difficult.  With God all things are possible.

Be genuinely humble.  Be genuinely happy.

Bitter Waters

When God delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, He did so in a mighty way.  His power was demonstrated to them repeatedly while he granted the freedom they longed for.  One of the first tests the people faced after they had complete separation from the pursuing Egyptian army involved three days in the wilderness with no water.  When they finally came to water, they could not drink it because it was bitter.  They murmured.  I probably would have, too.  Why did God bring us here for this?  What now?

There are some parallels between this story and my current season of life.  I have prayed for years for a certain heart desire to be granted.  My previous circumstances were not unbearable.  I was content, but I continued to bring this desire before God from time to time.  He recently granted that longing to me, but it came in a rather unpleasant way. While I am enjoying my new-found freedom, there are aspects of it that are uncomfortable, potentially bitter.  My temptation is to question, why did you bring me here?  What now?

The solution for the bitter waters of Marah was a certain tree that God showed Moses.  God recently showed me a tree as well.  I found it in Psalms 69, a passage that foretells Jesus' sacrifice on a tree.   I have read this before but on this reading God cast the cross deep into the waters of my heart.  He revealed to me His love on a deeper level than I had previously seen it as I read phrases like, "my foolishness...my sins are not hid from thee" and words like "reproach, shame and dishonor."  It gripped my heart as I better understood the truth of "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us."   The verse that sweetened the waters of my heart the most was, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."  He didn't have to do that.

Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

A God who will endure such for me loves me in a way I just can't quite wrap my mind around.  He loves you, too.  His ways are perfect, even when we don't see the big picture. I know that because of his love.  I will fix my eyes on the power he has demonstrated in my past and I will set my heart on his unfathomable love.

A closing thought "This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you."  But that's another blog...

The Secret Place of Thunder

Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it (my name), and will glorify it again. The people that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

God's voice is frequently described as thunder, and I came away from a cursory look at this word in the Bible in a state I struggle to define.  I am elated at the various references to thunder.  They are both powerful and personal.  They convey messages of fear and freedom.  As I looked at each reference I felt like I was waiting to ride an unfamiliar roller coaster.  I love roller coasters and my heart literally pounded in anticipation of the ride ahead.  I know there will be many surprise turns and dips as I continue this ride.  My brief study today left me in a whirlwind of thought.  I admit, I took the "chicken exit" to catch my breath on this first attempt to ride.

Before I exited, however, I found an interesting thunder reference in Psalms 81:7,  "You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder."  At first glance, "secret place" and "thunder" seem incompatible in nature.  Thunder is hard to keep secret.  Hang on...
 
2 Samuel 22:14 says, "The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice."  Two verses before that we learn that God made darkness pavilions around him.  That word "pavilions" means "thicket, covert, booth."  Sounds a lot like a secret place. 
 

Interestingly, the verse between the darkness verse and and thunder verse talks about brightness.  "Through the brightness that was before him were coals of fire kindled."  So I picture something like this:

 

The brightness that emanates from God kindles coals of fire.  A few uses for coals in scripture:

*sacrifice

*refining

*judgment
*cooking

 

When I attempt to put all these thoughts together, I think one small piece we can place in God's thunder puzzle is that it can be a secret place where God speaks into our lives.  That particular secret place is shrouded in darkness.  You know, those dark times in our lives marked by groping in search of Divine help.  If we continue stepping through that darkness, squelching our fears and other "voices of reason," God does bring illumination to our darkness.  Generally, that light highlights a need we have to address to dispel the darkness. Perhaps it involves an area of sacrifice; perhaps refining our mission or motives; perhaps our judgment of others or a situation is incorrect; or we may need to righteously judge an aspect of our lives.  Always, God desires to nourish our spirit.   My personal experience has been that the needs I perceive in the darkness often do not resemble the revealed needs at all.  Other times, the revealed need is a three-dimensional version of my original concept.  In either case, this Divine disclosure, if acted upon, brings Divine deliverance.

 

Maybe there is darkness in your life.  Maybe the darkness is only noticeable from certain angles.  Or maybe the darkness is all-encompassing.  Rather than freezing in fear, I urge you to walk through that wall of darkness as you cry out to God.  He will answer you.  Follow the sound of His thunder and allow Him to illuminate your needs. Then walk in the light. 

Security Threat (Part 2)

Many of the Jews...came not for Jesus sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to death also; for because of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus. (Taken from John 12:9-11)

The chief priests were threatened by Jesus.  We discussed that in part 1.  Jesus threatened their "place" and their "nation."  He does that to us, too.

Jesus also threatened the security of the high priests via Lazarus.  It was really no fault of his own. Lazarus had no say in this situation.  He was, after all, dead when it was instigated.  He was simply a man Jesus loved who had died.  Jesus chose to bring him back to life in plain view of several people.  Some of those people told the Jewish religious leaders who then threatened Lazarus' security.  Simply put, Lazarus died, Jesus raised him and some pretty powerful people wanted him dead again.  John does not tell us specifically what Lazarus' reaction was to being the subject of a miracle and the target of a death threat was.  I like to think because Jesus loved him, and he loved Jesus, he was elated about the miracle and didn't mind the threat.

But the truth is, Lazarus apparently did not have a choice.  We do.  When we choose to follow Jesus, we choose more than life.  We choose death.  Jesus put it this way, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple...whoever forsakes not all that he has cannot be my disciple." 

Tough words.

Tough questions.

*Am I willing to be separated from my father?
*Am I willing to be separated from my mother?
*Am I willing to be separated from my spouse?
*Am I willing to be separated from my children?
*Am I willing to be separated from my brothers?
*Am I willing to be separated from my sisters.
*Am I willing to be separated from my life?
*Am I willing to be separated from all that I have?

This commitment goes deeper than the places we build and the positions we hold.  This commitment encompasses everything in our lives that has previously defined who we are and why we exist.  It is not supposed to be easy. 

Jesus himself struggled with the sacrifice that was asked of him, "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour."  But, Jesus understood perfectly why he must make the sacrifice, "but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify your name."

Jesus asks us to struggle and ultimately commit. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

Lazarus seemingly did not have a choice.  You do.  I do.  Are you 100% willing for Jesus to threaten your highest security level?  Am I?   

Ask tough questions.  Give real answers.  Ask for grace.  Go for Jesus.  All things are possible with God.

Short Term Memory Loss

They forgot...
His works.
His wonders.
His marvellous things.

They sinned...
By forgetting.
By provoking.

They tempted...
By asking meat for their lust.

They doubted...
can He furnish a table in the wilderness?
can he give bread also?
can he provide flesh for his people?

He heard...
A fire was kindled.
Anger came up.

They forgot...
And did not believe in God
And did not trust his salvation.

Even though...
He had commanded the clouds from above.
He opened the doors of heaven.

That was then. 
That is now.

Never forget. 
Tell your children.
Tell their children.

Never forget.

Security Threat (Part 1)

Many of the Jews...came not for Jesus sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to death also; for because of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus. (Taken from John 12:9-11)

 The religious leaders did not know what to do with Jesus.  He did not fit their paradigm.  Ultimately, he became a serious security threat.  We know this because after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests and Pharisees held a council.  They said, "What do we do?  This man does many miracles!  If we let him alone, all men will believe on him:  and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." (John 11:47-48). Jesus was threatening their security, their carefully constructed religious kingdom.

Before we jump on the judgment bandwagon, let's get personal.  Ask: Is Jesus a security threat to me?

The word place is rendered from a Greek word that means:
1) any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space

 2) metaphorically

   a) the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly

   b) opportunity, power, occasion for acting  

The word nation means what you would likely guess:

1) a multitude associated or living together

 2) a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus  (Online Bible, edition 4.05)

Consider the following:

• What place or places have I set forth to construct that involve achieving goals?  (Home? Work? Church? Community?)
• What group or groups do I value highly? (Relative peers? Religious peers? Community peers? Corporate peers?)

I am not saying we should not set goals or that we should abandon groups that enrich our lives.  I am saying, that we should not be a prisoner of our past pursuits or a captivate of our current condition.  If we are, we WILL miss Jesus. 

The apostle Paul gave up everything -- his previous beliefs, his station, his popularity, his safety, etc. -- because he had a real encounter with Jesus.  Christians are quick to say we are willing to sacrifice all but I question how closely we examine steadfastness of our "willingness".  You see, the heart must be pure in its pursuit of Jesus.  The mind must be wholly focused on Him. The spirit must be wholly guided by His.  Paul's mindset was this...

read  each  word  carefully...

 "doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."

Do you?  Do I?  This is a security threat we must allow.  Count all things loss or great is your loss!