God’s plan for when you struggle

Focus: Joel 2:12-13 “Yet even now,” the LORD says, “return to me with all your heart– with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love–often relenting from calamitous punishment.

One thing that is true about all of us is that we are all in one of three places in life: 1) We are either going into a storm 2) in the midst of a storm or 3) coming out of a storm. It is the reality of the world we live in, and it will stay that way until one day the Lord returns to gather up His followers. God knows the situation His people are in, and he is gracious, compassionate and patient with them when they fail. We can see the Lord’s grace and patience especially in the prophetic writings, and it goes clear back to his covenant with Israel. God has given his people a plan for when they are in trouble.

In Joel’s short book, he describes an invasion of locusts. There was a huge locust plague that completely destroyed Israel’s crops and devastated the land. The reason this is significant is for two reasons. First, Israel was an agrarian culture. Their very livelihood was codependent on the land. Famine and pestilence could have the potential to wipe out an entire generation. Second, a locust plague was indicative of divine judgment.

In Deuteronomy 28:38-39, the Covenant stipulated that God would judge his nation with locusts and famine if they sinned by turning away from Him and failing to follow His commands. His judgment was so that Israel would return back to Him. In 1 Kings 8:37, when Solomon finished the temple, he led his people in prayer. In his prayer, it was assumed that God’s people would sin, and one of the divine judgments was plagues of locusts. Solomon’s prayer was for God’s people to return to Him and repent when they were in bondage because of sin.

Joel was writing to a nation that had long departed from the ways of the Lord, and they were experiencing divine judgment. God was disciplining his people for their hardness of heart, and the land was in chaos. They were in the midst of a storm because of their sin. Yet, God gave provision for his people. He called them to tear their hearts, not just their garments. The tearing of garments was an external symbol of remorse, but God wants inward change more than outward appearance. God’s judgment is a call for authentic repentance and return to Him.

When God’s people turn back to Him, they will experience his mercy and compassion. It will not guarantee that the pain will immediately capitulate, but God’s promise is that He will restore His people. Especially throughout Israel’s history, God promised in His Covenant that when they repented, he would return them back to the Land and bless the land and make it fruitful. They would live in blessing and peace. God’s promise is still valid today for those who trust in Him. He will restore us back to peace and make our lives fruitful and abundant with blessing if we return back to Him with our whole hearts.

The Fruit of Our Labor

Isaiah 16-20

Focus: Isaiah 17:11 The day you begin cultivating, you do what you can to make it grow; the morning you begin planting, you do what you can to make it sprout. Yet the harvest will disappear in the day of disease and incurable pain.

Growing a garden was one of my favorite things to do when I was a kid. Many times we depended on our harvest to make ends meet at the end of the season. Ensuring a good harvest required planning, preparation, and constant cultivation. The right seeds had to be used in the right soil. The soil had to be prepared with the right fertilizer, and there had to be a proper amount of water. It always required a lot of work, but at the end of the season it was always worth the effort when we picked our fresh fruits and vegetables.

Just as there was a certain procedure to follow for gardening, so also is there a right way for living. Yahweh has given us his Torah as an extended hand pointing down a path indicating a way that will go well for us. If we follow his instructions, there is a promise of protection and blessing. Our lives can yield incredible fruit. But what happens when we fail to follow God’s instructions?

In Isaiah 16-20, we can see what happened to a nation that had stopped cultivating a spiritual crop. God’s people Israel forgot the extended hand of Yahweh pointing to the way that is good. As a result, what they cultivated did not produce fruit that was life giving. In fact, Yahweh promised that their pursuits would leave them empty and abandoned. Because they departed from their Covenant with the Lord, their harvest disappeared in the day of disease and incurable pain . They reaped what they sowed.

Passages like this should encourage us to be careful of what we are cultivating in our life. I love the quote, “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” It reminds me that my thoughts are the very indicator of where I am receiving my instructions for life. My thoughts are the “day of cultivation.” Therefore, it is essential for me to make sure my thoughts are rooted in truth. Departing from God’s truth is to depart from God’s protection and blessing.

While living by God’s truth can seem burdensome at times, it will be worth it all in the day of harvest. Failure to sow or committing to sowing the wrong seeds in life promises a devastating yield at the time of harvest. What kind of fruit will your labor produce?

Should We Continue To Trust God When We Suffer?

Isaiah 11-15

Focus: Isaiah 14:2 The LORD who commands armies makes this solemn vow: “Be sure of this: Just as I have intended, so it will be; just as I have planned, it will happen.

I wonder what it was like for Isaiah to listen to Yahweh as He revealed His plans for the nations. In Isaiah 11-15 there is a promise to preserve those who are faithful to God. Not only that, but there is a proclamation of judgment against the mighty nations of the earth. However, the judgment of nations and preservation of God’s people were not separate events. The remnant few who were faithful to Yahweh suffered greatly in a land that came under hot judgment for its broken Covenant with God. It does not seem fair that they should suffer. Should God’s people have continued to remain faithful to Him?

When answering this question, one thing that should grip the human heart like nothing else is the eternal sovereignty of God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God who controls armies. He is also the God with an eternal plan and perspective. What we know of His plan is limited to what we find in Scripture, but we are not limited in how we should trust Him. God’s past faithfulness is the foundation to trust Him for his future work in the lives of His people.

We can see how the Lord used the wickedness of the nations of Assyria and Babylon to chastise His people, but we can also discover that Yahweh was a just God. For those in Israel who were faithful- like Isaiah, God promised to deliver them from their bondage. God’s plan included the execution of nations and leaders that were used to reprove His people.

There are a couple of points that God’s people should take note of. First, suffering is inevitable, but it is not eternal. It is a part of the plan of God for His people to suffer. There are several reasons for this. First, suffering is a test of the faith that produces endurance (James 1:3). Suffering produces the opportunity for training that produces fruit (Hebrews 12:11). Suffering is also the DNA evidence of being part of God’s family. He is treating us as his children (Hebrews 12:7) whom He loves. When God’s people suffer, God is calling them to trust Him no matter the outcome.

Second, God’s people can be encouraged while going through suffering because suffering is being produced by God’s plan and is not incidental. Suffering is not haphazard. The pain of suffering is evidence of the working of God’s plans. Suffering is certainty that God is at work. God’s past faithfulness gives assurance that present pain will be relieved. The promise for God’s people is that just as God has intended, so it will be. Just as he has planned, so it will happen.

So yes, God’s people can give a resounding “YES” to answer the question. The remnant people of Israel who were faithful to Yahweh should have continued to be faithful to Him while they suffered. The same is true for us today. The present pain of suffering is God’s assurance that His past promises are being worked out to fruition. We can and we should continue to steadfastly trust in Him!

When It’s Too Late

First, I just want to mention quickly that I did get my workout in early this morning. 5:30am came early at 3:45 when my son John decided that he wanted to be the first to rise. There was no going back to sleep and I felt like a Mack Truck had rolled over me. But nevertheless, I went to the gym and burned almost 600 calories today. That with old fashioned Cheerios and the morning Joe seemed to perk me up.

While I am journaling about my 100 day challenge, I do not want to get out of the habit of sharing what I am learning in Scripture. Last night my wife and I read through Psalm 80. In short, this is a petition for God to intervene on behalf of Israel whose land and people were getting pillaged and raped by the Assyrians. They were experiencing God’s judgment because of their disobedience. God was simply being faithful to His promise in Torah. If Israel disobeyed and were unfaithful to Yahweh, they would be driven from the land. It was that simple.

A couple things stuck out to me in this passage. First, Israel was begging for God’s intervention. They were in trouble. They were suffering the consequences for their unfaithfulness. It was too late at that point to undo what had been done. Israel was completely at the mercy of God.

Second, Israel’s ability to survive and thrive is solely dependant on God’s mighty hand of protection and provision. The psalmist pleads, “O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.” Any hope for health and prosperity is completely at the mercy of God.

Third, just because the Psalmist pleads on behalf of the people does not guarantee God’s intervention. However, this passage reminds us of something incredibly significant. The Psalmist openly reminds God that this land and people that are being pillaged and raped are God’s. In essence, it is like saying, “Do something! This is your property you created for your pleasure. Don’t you care?”

I believe the answer is “Yes”, God does care. He is always doing what is best for His people. There is nothing in life that is not intended to direct his people’s hearts toward God, including every evil and injustice. God, at times, can use the wicked and ungodly to discipline His people- like what we see in this passage. God is always in a process of redeeming a people unto himself. He is saving a remnant from those whose hearts reject Him. Because of His justice and for the sake of His name and His love working together with the free will of man, God cultivates people’s hearts to turn toward Him. He created them for His pleasure, and His grace and loving kindness allow for our salvation so that we can be place back to our original purpose. And God is still just because of the work of Christ on the cross. His wrath was completely poured out on Christ for the sins of mankind and we are allowed to return our hearts to God.

So, when it is too late and God’s people have crossed the line, it is OK to suffer the consequences. God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12). When this happens, we are experiencing the tender mercy of God doing what it takes to bring us back to Him, the giver of life. When we cross the line, our responsibility is to endure the discipline of God. There is hope because of the truth that we are reminded of by the Psalmist: we are God’s people. He knows when we are being “raped and pillaged” by the injustices of this world. When we experience God’s discipline, it should be responded to by humility. God is simply returning our hearts toward Him.

This Generation: Sex and Seduction

Proverbs 7

Focus: Proverbs 7:4-5: Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding a close relative, so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who flatters you with her words.

Last Friday the craziest thing happened to me when I went to get my hair cut. Usually, I go to Supercuts because I can get a decent trim for around $15. The line was too long, so I called 411 and found a men’s salon and spa where I was told I could get a cut for $16. I think I can afford an extra buck to save time! 🙂 So when I get there, I am stunned to see all the LCD TV’s glittering the walls with ESPN and CNN. What more does a guy need?

As I sat down and waited, I was about to find out that apparently we men need a whole lot more! The receptionist offered me some water with berries floating on the surface (I was impressed!). Then she took me on a tour of the place and pointed out 2 keggers, a liquor cabinet, the massage rooms and pedicure pools. I said, “I’ll just take the haircut!” I also couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous the stylists were. They all looked like super models! (And let’s just say they were not in their “Sunday Best” dress!!!) I was amazed to see how everyone of them had problems with their clothing shrinking in the dryer!

As I sat down, I had a choice to make. I had to decide who my relatives were. I was looking for my “sister” and another “close relative”: wisdom and understanding. Immediately I knew the strategy of this hair parlor. Their business strategy was sex and seduction! Was I shocked? Not really.

For me, as I think about this situation, it seems to be iconic of the generation today. Sex and seduction are twins that have pranced around flattering people with words for years! Today the speech of sex and seduction is communicated through many media: TV, Internet, radio, magazines, fashion, clothing, perfumes, words, music, bad philosophy and psychology, and the list goes on.

As we are bombarded with sex and seduction, we have to choose how we will respond. In my situation, I actually shared about my faith, family, church, and politics with the beautiful woman who trimmed my hair. Seriously, she was shocked. I wasn’t. She said that no one had ever talked with her before in the salon about those topics. Judging by the combination of alcohol and the business strategy of this parlor, I would assume that most men don’t come there just for the trim. They like the LCD TV’s! RIIIIGHT!

The truth is that sex and seduction are beautiful when they are in their proper place. I prefer these to be coming from my wife. God created sex to be enjoyed in a monogamous relationship in marriage: Just like a fire is made to burn in a pit or fireplace. When sex is taken outside of the place God created for it to be enjoyed, it is inevitable for destruction and pain to follow close behind (just like what happens when fire is taken outside of the fireplace).

If there is one thing this generation needs as it experiences and enjoys sex, it is close family relationships with wisdom and understanding. Discernment will go a long way in helping us to stay away from the pain of the seductive woman, and it will lead us to the true pleasures that are found when we enjoy God’s gifts through the means he intended.

By the way….that hair cut…it actually costed $60 +$12 tip, not $16!!!! Ahhhh! I had heard the receptionist wrong! Can you believe there are knobheads who pay that much for a hair cut?!!!

Injustice

Brothel Rescue

Psalm 71

Focus: 71:15 I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, ²² though I cannot fathom its full extent. ²³

This last week, my church hosted guest Gary Haugen from International Justice Mission. This was truly one of the most moving experiences I have had in recent years. Through Gary’s humble message, I was challenged spiritually in a way that I have never been before. For the first time, I was confronted with the problem of God’s justice. It also reminded me of the problem of evil. Where is God in the midst of young children in India where they are forced into the slavery of sex brothels? Or people who are beaten ruthlessly to the point of death by those who are supposed to be their protectors? Or when a hundreds of thousands were being destroyed by genocide in places like Rwanda?

These are certainly tough questions, but the main takaway that I had is that God is a God of justice. God hates injustice and one day he will bring justice and accountability for all the evil that exists. Psalm 71:15 was a sweet reminder to me that God is a just God. In Micah 6:8 it tells us what God requires of people. The first requirement: to do justly. When Haugen shared, I had an epiphany. In God’s plan for justice, His people are his agents for accomplishing justice. The reason why so much injustice exists is that God’s people allow it to happen, but they are the very people who are to be the agents of change that brings justice!

I am so thankful to hear about the work of Haugen. The Psalmist records, “I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, though I cannot fathom its full extent.” Because of ministries like IJM I can confidently affirm the message of the psalmist. God is doing great work freeing those brutally enslaved by evil people. So, while I live in my bubble in life, there is a world of miracles happening every day all across the globe where God is freeing people to know Him. Now the exciting thing is that I know about the tangible ways of being an agent of justice. I will be reading Haugen’s book Good News About Injustice. But more than that, I will be voice for those who are around me struggling with less severe forms of injustice. There are many ways to be involved. What can you do?

Spiritual Wit

Psalm 70

Focus: 70:5 I am oppressed and needy! O God, hurry to me! You are my helper and my deliverer! O Lord, do not delay!

Wit is an old term that refers to mental sharpness and inventiveness. It describes the ability to think quickly. (It also comes more naturally for some than for others.) But in general this tool of leadership is developed from habits of reasoning. Mental sharpness and inventiveness require a baseline knowledge and trust of information. The more such information is used and referenced to, the greater one’s wit will be in a circumstance that requires quick recall and development of thought.

One of the first things I discovered while reading this Psalm is that it begins with “For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention.” It recounts a time when David was in a circumstance where he quickly needed to hear from God. He desperately sought for God’s attention and help from at least 2 things: physical danger and spiritual danger. (We know this because of Psalm 40.)

Many of us might find ourselves in the same situation. For some reason, we might find that we are “oppressed and needy” because of a physical ailment or spiritual attack. Circumstances like these are common in our broken world, but what is most important is that we can respond like David. He had spiritual wit. He was able to quickly align his thoughts and heart to immediately petition the Lord to help him in his time of need.

Battles can be won or lost because of wit. This is true in every area of life. Throughout his life, David had built habits of turning to the Lord in times of need. He recognized Yahweh as his helper and deliverer. Having such spiritual confidence will not come with an absence of a baseline knowledge and trust in God. It is crucial to develop this foundation if you want to overcome the challenges that can debunk your walk with Christ!

There are several ways of learning about God: 1.) Be in community with other believers who are seeking after Christ 2.) Study God’s word 3.) Spend time in prayer 4.) Memorize scripture 5.) Meditation 6.) Rest 7.) Serve others 8.) Tithe. There are a slew of other ways to learn about the Lord, but this list is to help get started.

When one begins to build habits of learning and studying God, an information base of reference will be embedded into the heart and mind. This is key to developing the same kind of wit David had. When the “Mac Trucks” of life hit, you will not be pummeled to the point where you turn to hurts, habits and hangups to rescue you from pain. Rather, your quick instinct will be to turn to the Lord for His deliverence.

Resilience

Psalm 60

Focus:

60:12 By God’s power we will conquer; he will trample down our enemies.

Resilience is the ability to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed. It is when a person is able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. Being a follower of Yahweh requires resilience through storms.

In this passage, King David instructs God’s people on what it means to bounce back after loss. It is imperative for believers to pick themselves back up when they fall. This is essentially what David writes about in the first 3 verses. Israel has suffered a hard blow of defeat. But just because they lost a battle in a season does not mean they must stay defeated.

In verse 4 David reminds us that God’s people have been given a rallying flag. When Israel was brought to a moment when there seemed to be no hope, they were reminded of God’s promises (vs 6-9) for His people. These promises were the driving force of David’s troops when he went to battle against Aram, and when Joab struck down 12,000 Edomites.

At the core of God’s promises was the power of God Himself. David understood, “By God’s power we will conquer…” By God’s power his people will trample their enemies.

God’s people do not have to be defined by one loss. They do not have to be discouraged by one setback. God is looking for a people who would enjoy his mercy. To enjoy God’s mercy means that when they take a blow by an enemy, his people can pick themselves up, dust off, and press on in the battle knowing that God is fighting on their behalf. The blows in life are opportunities for stretching, bending and molding. Through them we are reminded of God’s promises, character and power. True faith that brings victory over our enemies is one that has resilience through the difficult conditions in life.

Courage

Psalm 56

Focus: 56:3 When I am afraid, I trust in you.

This passage describes how David had been taken captive by his enemies, the Philistines. This was David, the one with a reputation of having slain his “10,000’s,” the hero who saved Israel. He now finds himself in incredibly humble circumstances. The tides have surely changed.

What was this hero to think when he has been taken captive by his enemies, the people of whom he had slain their mighty man Goliath? Certainly, he knew death would be imminent. His mighty valor would be crushed and his pride sapped away. Not only that, but God’s people Israel would be humiliated in David’s defeat. God’s reputation would be laughed at.

But what inspires David to have such courage in dreadful circumstances? David’s trust was in Yahweh. David’s trust was placed in God! The trial that he undergoes was not his opportunity to finally place his trust in God. Rather, this moment of humble circumstance is the test that proves what David already had: trust in God.

This passage shows us the courage God’s people can have when they have aligned their lives to Him. Courage takes knowledge of a hope or promise. Courage allows one to act on one’s beliefs despite danger or disapproval. We know that David believed God for His promises. In verse 4 he writes, “I boast in His promise.” In verse 10, he twice declares, “I boast in His promise.” David’s strength welled up from the certainty of God’s plans and promises.

Therefore, great courage requires great trust. Christian courage requires knowledge of God’s promises to His people. If we wish to have the tenacity to do what is right in tough situations, then we must be aware of God’s plans for His people. We need to know God. When we have such an intimate knowledge of God, we can also declare, “When I am afraid, I trust in you,” no matter what the circumstance.

Leaving Community

4/5/09

Judges 17-21

Pericope: Judges 21:24-25

As I read through today’s passage, I was affirmed once again of the atrocities that occur when God’s people live outside the boundaries of the grace of community with God. The entire book of Judges seems to be writing that depicts Israel’s dark spot in history as their hearts slowly drifted away from God. There were blips of the appearance of faithfulness when God would raise up a deliverer for His people when they whined long enough in their bondage. But in reality, the perspective is well described in the final chapter of this messy book: “In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.” Truly, Israel’s king was Yahweh. But, alas, it remains true that Israel had no king. She had a habit of leaving her King and then running back to him in the midst of her trouble. The more she ran away, the more wicked she became, the more sick the community of Israel grew to be. When the Community of Yaheweh is neglected, then the community becomes sick as His presence fades. We can see this on an individual and corporate level in the final story in Judges. The Levite had a dysfunctional relationship with his concubine (should he have even had a concubine?), he was sick and demented (he gave his concubine to the wicked men and then carved up his concubine when she was found dead). Corporately, we see Israel living with wickedness in their presence (the homosexual men who wanted to rape the Levite) and the tribe of Benjamin refuses to let justice be done (they harbored wicked men). They were people who neglected their relationship with God and violated their covenant with Him. Today, God’s people must be careful to make sure they are living in right relationship with God through the Son. If we leave the Son, then we leave right relationship with the Father. If we remain in Him, then he will remain in us and we will continue to have good spiritual health and wellness. So, we must be careful if we are living outside of the community of God and His people. If that happens to be what we choose, then let us not be surprised when we see wickedness abound and the effects of wickedness personally touch our lives. Leaving community with God with has severe consequences.