by David Scott Robertson
Pizza franchises specialize in delivering delicious hot pizzas right to your house. Hospitals deliver babies, the United States Postal Service delivers mail, and Federal Express claims to be able to deliver your package anywhere in the U.S.A. when it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.
A speaker delivers a keynote address, a boxer delivers a knockout punch, and a taxi driver delivers a passenger to the airport. Deliveries are commonplace in our modern world. We have come to expect it and view it as routine. But I want you to know that God also delivers.
Many, many times the Bible describes God's delivering His people FROM something harmful. He delivered them FROM distress, FROM death, or FROM the cruelty of wicked and evil men. Often scriptures relate that He delivered His children OUT OF a bad situation or PREVENTED a serious and potentially fatal predicament from ever happening. Jesus delivered many who were oppressed of the devil and countless more from the bondages of sickness, demonic possession, and most importantly, the curse of sin itself.
So, would we be safe in saying that God's deliverance is ALWAYS a good thing? Not necessarily. I guess it all depends on you. Have a look at the following scriptures where God delivered all right, but it's not quite what we have come to expect:
(Judges 13:1 NIV) Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
(2 Kings 13:3 KJV) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
(Dan. 1:2 NIV) And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.
Above are three examples when God's deliverance OF HIS OWN CHILDREN didn't turn out so well for them. It's sad, tragic really, when what is normally a good thing, the best thing, the miraculous thing--that is, the divine intervention of Almighty God into the affairs of men--works against them.
The Lord, who is slow to become angry and rich in loving kindness and tender mercy, will not permit His tolerance to sin, rebellion, and disobedience to endure forever. There comes a time when enough is enough, and God delivers. He delivers His enemies into the hands of His people and contrary to popular belief, sometimes He even delivers His people into the hands of His enemies. To disbelieve this is to contradict scripture and ignore history.
The moral of this story is to not put the Lord your God to a foolish test. Do not presume upon the mercy and patience and grace of God. You may be well versed in the power of God to deliver and He may have in times past used you as a vessel to deliver others, but if you persist in a pattern of disobedience--either willful sin or passive indifference--God will deliver you...and you may not like it.
But even in wrath, God is merciful. Even in judgment, God is kind. Even in delivering a person or a people group into chastisement, He is wise. Consider the Messiah's deliverance into the hands of sinners:
(Luke 24:7 NIV) 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'
(Rom. 4:25 NIV) He [Jesus] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
God delivers on time, every time, all the time, for all time.
DSR
8/30/04
Monday, August 30, 2004
Monday, August 23, 2004
Idol Busters
by David Scott Robertson
(2 Kings 23:25 NIV) Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did--with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
* * *
I never get tired of hearing the story of Josiah, King of Judah. His father was King Amon, who did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But at the ripe old age of eight, Josiah replaced his father as king and reigned for thirty-one years.
To summarize, when Josiah was twenty-six years old, he ordered that the temple of the Lord be restored. During this process, the Book of the Law was found (2 Kings 22:8). It was brought to King Josiah and read to him. When the young king realized that his nation was in a profoundly backslidden condition and poised for judgment, he tore his clothes in despair. As a result, the word of the Lord was sent to the king through a prophet saying that God had taken note of the king's grieved reaction to his nation's disregard and careless neglect of God's Law. Because Josiah had languished over Judah's negligence in despair, God promised to defer His sure judgment against Judah until Josiah's life span had ended! Josiah then began one of the most thorough idol-busting campaigns in the history of the nation of Judah. And God was pleased.
I so admire the complete turnaround of this ancient king of Judah that if I were to be blessed with a son born into my household, I would name him after Josiah. I am impressed with this young man's remarkable repentance and subsequent resolve to purge pagan idolatry from his kingdom according to all that was written in the Book of the Law.
Now let's fast-forward this fabulous revival to the future--to our present day. What might an idol-busting revival look like these days? What if a young man of twenty-six years of age came to know the Lord Jesus Christ for the very first time in his life? What if he purposed to completely turn to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with the New Testament scriptures?
Perhaps it could look something like this…
He starts to show up for work on time. He no longer calls in sick when he's not. His speech begins to transform from vulgar and vain to courteous and considerate. He stops flirting with his married co-worker.
He cancels his subscription to a raunchy magazine. He even turns his head in the Wal-Mart line from the parade of flesh brazenly printed for all to see on the shameless tabloids.
Interestingly, his taste in movies dramatically changes as he voluntarily sets up a boundary to view no film that blasphemes God or tempts him to re-enter his formerly sinful lifestyle. The buttons on his radio have to be reprogrammed. His internet travels make a huge u-turn and he no longer stays up until 3 a.m. on the net with his door locked and shades drawn.
Television, which used to gobble up 22 hours of his 168-hour week, now has been curbed back to a reasonable amount with plenty of time left over to study his Bible. Not only that, his insatiable quest for the weird, the bizarre, the esoteric, the paranormal, the extreme in human deviance, has now been replaced with a growing love for nature, the arts, and other healthy outlets of recreation and social opportuntities.
His complete set of horror novels is now posted on eBay--as is over $5,000 worth of music he now feels violates his moral conscience.
He gives away his season tickets to his favorite pro ball team because kick-off conflicts with his involvement at church. And he has come to love his pastor. The man used to irritate and offend him regularly; now the young man actually sees him as a mentor and spiritual father in his life!
It seems these days our young idol-buster is reluctant to binge and overeat, because he begins to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit calling him to present his body as a living sacrifice to God.
He breaks up with the girl he's been dating for three years because she doesn't understand. She tells him she liked him better "before."
One by one, his buddies have dropped him. They want him to stay behind with them in their world and resent him for inviting them forward into what he describes as "a fantastic journey toward God."
This young man is not perfect--far from it. He is definitely under construction. Some say he is too radical, what with all the tattoos, piercings, and hair thing he's got going on. Some say he's not for real because he "doesn't look the part" of what their concept of a Christian ought to be.
But Jesus just smiles knowing that this young idol-buster is in revival!
DSR
8/23/04
(2 Kings 23:25 NIV) Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did--with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
* * *
I never get tired of hearing the story of Josiah, King of Judah. His father was King Amon, who did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But at the ripe old age of eight, Josiah replaced his father as king and reigned for thirty-one years.
To summarize, when Josiah was twenty-six years old, he ordered that the temple of the Lord be restored. During this process, the Book of the Law was found (2 Kings 22:8). It was brought to King Josiah and read to him. When the young king realized that his nation was in a profoundly backslidden condition and poised for judgment, he tore his clothes in despair. As a result, the word of the Lord was sent to the king through a prophet saying that God had taken note of the king's grieved reaction to his nation's disregard and careless neglect of God's Law. Because Josiah had languished over Judah's negligence in despair, God promised to defer His sure judgment against Judah until Josiah's life span had ended! Josiah then began one of the most thorough idol-busting campaigns in the history of the nation of Judah. And God was pleased.
I so admire the complete turnaround of this ancient king of Judah that if I were to be blessed with a son born into my household, I would name him after Josiah. I am impressed with this young man's remarkable repentance and subsequent resolve to purge pagan idolatry from his kingdom according to all that was written in the Book of the Law.
Now let's fast-forward this fabulous revival to the future--to our present day. What might an idol-busting revival look like these days? What if a young man of twenty-six years of age came to know the Lord Jesus Christ for the very first time in his life? What if he purposed to completely turn to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with the New Testament scriptures?
Perhaps it could look something like this…
He starts to show up for work on time. He no longer calls in sick when he's not. His speech begins to transform from vulgar and vain to courteous and considerate. He stops flirting with his married co-worker.
He cancels his subscription to a raunchy magazine. He even turns his head in the Wal-Mart line from the parade of flesh brazenly printed for all to see on the shameless tabloids.
Interestingly, his taste in movies dramatically changes as he voluntarily sets up a boundary to view no film that blasphemes God or tempts him to re-enter his formerly sinful lifestyle. The buttons on his radio have to be reprogrammed. His internet travels make a huge u-turn and he no longer stays up until 3 a.m. on the net with his door locked and shades drawn.
Television, which used to gobble up 22 hours of his 168-hour week, now has been curbed back to a reasonable amount with plenty of time left over to study his Bible. Not only that, his insatiable quest for the weird, the bizarre, the esoteric, the paranormal, the extreme in human deviance, has now been replaced with a growing love for nature, the arts, and other healthy outlets of recreation and social opportuntities.
His complete set of horror novels is now posted on eBay--as is over $5,000 worth of music he now feels violates his moral conscience.
He gives away his season tickets to his favorite pro ball team because kick-off conflicts with his involvement at church. And he has come to love his pastor. The man used to irritate and offend him regularly; now the young man actually sees him as a mentor and spiritual father in his life!
It seems these days our young idol-buster is reluctant to binge and overeat, because he begins to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit calling him to present his body as a living sacrifice to God.
He breaks up with the girl he's been dating for three years because she doesn't understand. She tells him she liked him better "before."
One by one, his buddies have dropped him. They want him to stay behind with them in their world and resent him for inviting them forward into what he describes as "a fantastic journey toward God."
This young man is not perfect--far from it. He is definitely under construction. Some say he is too radical, what with all the tattoos, piercings, and hair thing he's got going on. Some say he's not for real because he "doesn't look the part" of what their concept of a Christian ought to be.
But Jesus just smiles knowing that this young idol-buster is in revival!
DSR
8/23/04
Monday, August 9, 2004
A Modern Psalm
by David Scott Robertson
"A psalm of praise. Of David. I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever" (Psalm 145:1).
* * *
King David was the sweet Psalmist of Israel. His passion for God spilled out of his heart onto paper (or papyrus or codex or whatever they happened to write on in those days).
There were others who made their unique contributions to the songbook of the Old Testament: Solomon, Heman the Ezrahite, and the sons of Korah also wrote Psalms that appear to cheer the heart and exalt the Lord.
What I love about the Psalms is that they embrace the full range of human emotion while at the same time bear the unmistakable anointing of the Holy Spirit who inspired the writers to express their thoughts in precisely the way God intended.
Although the Psalms were written thousands of years ago, perhaps you are like me in that when I read them I can't help but feel they are relevant to me, now, in my time. Some things never change. Men are still men, God is still God, and men still need God.
As I was meditating on David's Psalm quoted above, I began to experience a "welling up" within me of worship and adoration and praise of the God of both Davids--one Psalmist, a deceased but glorious king of Israel; and the other David, the little toe in the body of Christ, David Scott Robertson, a modern Psalmist.
What I am about to write will not make it into the canon of scripture. I won't even presumptuously make the claim that it's anointed of the Holy Spirit. But one thing I know, what you are about to read is as real praise to my God from my heart as I know how to write. Journey with me through a modern psalm:
"Jesus, Lord, how I praise you on this glorious Tennessee day! From the time my alarm went off this morning to awaken the dawn, my heart has swelled with praise and adoration for you, my Father.
Today in my eyes, and in the eyes of billions of others, you are the bright and morning Star. You alone are completely pure and absolutely holy.
In a world of corrupt morals, epidemic sinfulness, and the spirit of antichrist on the rise, you are the Light that bursts forth in awesome splendor, illuminating the pathway to righteousness.
You represent more power, Lord Jesus, than all the massive fossil fuel reserves of the world combined. You are more powerful, my Lord King, than all the nuclear reactors and warheads in existence. You are more desirable than the most valued stocks and mutual funds, far more precious than plutonium, more lofty than any human political figure or office on the earth.
Your greatness surpasses the unexplored catacombs of the earth; your immenseness extends beyond the very edge of the known universe. Were we to travel the required light years to the farthest expanse of deep space, the love of God would be found there.
Your caring and watchful eye does not miss a detail. Your vision is greater than the most advanced telescope or electron microscope. You see the intangible, the invisible. Your foreknowledge sees the beginning and end of our days and the in between.
Our most sophisticated computers pale and fail miserably compared to your fathomless genius. Yet your mercy is higher than the tallest man-made structures; your grace is deeper than the deepest oil well; your kindness is more durable than the hardest alloy; and your gentleness is more comforting than the love of a mother caressing her newborn child.
You speak and sick bodies are healed. You breathe life into the dead and they live. You utter the word and circumstances and events of world history fall in line according to your perfect will.
You, O God, are higher than any other. And it is at the name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names, that I humbly bow to even now--before the grave, before the Rapture of the church, I bow now and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. I humble myself at your feet; unworthy to even mention the holy name of Jesus or even glance upwards in the direction of your throne in heaven.
Today, I confess that the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, is my chief delight, my supreme desire, my all-in-all. By God's grace I will employ all accessible technologies to resound the greatness of the name of my God. I will go to my people--the human race--and proclaim that there is a God in heaven, and the name of His Son is Jesus. Repent of your sins while there is time and call on the name of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, and you will enter into times of refreshing.
Now, Lord, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts keyed into my computer and shared over the internet and in printed form be pleasing and acceptable in your sight, my Rock and my Redeemer."
DSR
8/9/04
"A psalm of praise. Of David. I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever" (Psalm 145:1).
* * *
King David was the sweet Psalmist of Israel. His passion for God spilled out of his heart onto paper (or papyrus or codex or whatever they happened to write on in those days).
There were others who made their unique contributions to the songbook of the Old Testament: Solomon, Heman the Ezrahite, and the sons of Korah also wrote Psalms that appear to cheer the heart and exalt the Lord.
What I love about the Psalms is that they embrace the full range of human emotion while at the same time bear the unmistakable anointing of the Holy Spirit who inspired the writers to express their thoughts in precisely the way God intended.
Although the Psalms were written thousands of years ago, perhaps you are like me in that when I read them I can't help but feel they are relevant to me, now, in my time. Some things never change. Men are still men, God is still God, and men still need God.
As I was meditating on David's Psalm quoted above, I began to experience a "welling up" within me of worship and adoration and praise of the God of both Davids--one Psalmist, a deceased but glorious king of Israel; and the other David, the little toe in the body of Christ, David Scott Robertson, a modern Psalmist.
What I am about to write will not make it into the canon of scripture. I won't even presumptuously make the claim that it's anointed of the Holy Spirit. But one thing I know, what you are about to read is as real praise to my God from my heart as I know how to write. Journey with me through a modern psalm:
"Jesus, Lord, how I praise you on this glorious Tennessee day! From the time my alarm went off this morning to awaken the dawn, my heart has swelled with praise and adoration for you, my Father.
Today in my eyes, and in the eyes of billions of others, you are the bright and morning Star. You alone are completely pure and absolutely holy.
In a world of corrupt morals, epidemic sinfulness, and the spirit of antichrist on the rise, you are the Light that bursts forth in awesome splendor, illuminating the pathway to righteousness.
You represent more power, Lord Jesus, than all the massive fossil fuel reserves of the world combined. You are more powerful, my Lord King, than all the nuclear reactors and warheads in existence. You are more desirable than the most valued stocks and mutual funds, far more precious than plutonium, more lofty than any human political figure or office on the earth.
Your greatness surpasses the unexplored catacombs of the earth; your immenseness extends beyond the very edge of the known universe. Were we to travel the required light years to the farthest expanse of deep space, the love of God would be found there.
Your caring and watchful eye does not miss a detail. Your vision is greater than the most advanced telescope or electron microscope. You see the intangible, the invisible. Your foreknowledge sees the beginning and end of our days and the in between.
Our most sophisticated computers pale and fail miserably compared to your fathomless genius. Yet your mercy is higher than the tallest man-made structures; your grace is deeper than the deepest oil well; your kindness is more durable than the hardest alloy; and your gentleness is more comforting than the love of a mother caressing her newborn child.
You speak and sick bodies are healed. You breathe life into the dead and they live. You utter the word and circumstances and events of world history fall in line according to your perfect will.
You, O God, are higher than any other. And it is at the name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names, that I humbly bow to even now--before the grave, before the Rapture of the church, I bow now and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. I humble myself at your feet; unworthy to even mention the holy name of Jesus or even glance upwards in the direction of your throne in heaven.
Today, I confess that the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, is my chief delight, my supreme desire, my all-in-all. By God's grace I will employ all accessible technologies to resound the greatness of the name of my God. I will go to my people--the human race--and proclaim that there is a God in heaven, and the name of His Son is Jesus. Repent of your sins while there is time and call on the name of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, and you will enter into times of refreshing.
Now, Lord, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts keyed into my computer and shared over the internet and in printed form be pleasing and acceptable in your sight, my Rock and my Redeemer."
DSR
8/9/04
Sunday, August 1, 2004
A Christian Bill of Rights
by David Scott Robertson
Bill #1: RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
Psalm 46:10 (NLT)
"Be silent, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world."
BILL #2: RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS
2 Cor. 10:4-5 (NLT)
We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the devil's strongholds. [5] With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.
BILL #3: RIGHT TO LEGAL COUNSEL
1 Tim. 2:5 (NLT)
For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.
BILL #4: RIGHT TO WORSHIP FREELY
John 4:23 (NLT)
But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.
BILL #5: RIGHT TO WORK
Eccles. 2:24 (NLT)
So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God.
BILL #6: RIGHT TO LIFE
Col. 3:3-4 (NLT)
For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
BILL #7: RIGHT TO DIE
Galatians 2:20 (NLT)
I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
BILL #8: RIGHT TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN
Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.
BILL #9: RIGHT TO FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT
1 Tim. 5:21 (NLT)
I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing special favor to anyone.
BILL #10: RIGHT TO SUCCEED IN LIFE
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)
As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! [4] And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
DSR
8/1/04
Bill #1: RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
Psalm 46:10 (NLT)
"Be silent, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world."
BILL #2: RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS
2 Cor. 10:4-5 (NLT)
We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the devil's strongholds. [5] With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.
BILL #3: RIGHT TO LEGAL COUNSEL
1 Tim. 2:5 (NLT)
For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.
BILL #4: RIGHT TO WORSHIP FREELY
John 4:23 (NLT)
But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.
BILL #5: RIGHT TO WORK
Eccles. 2:24 (NLT)
So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God.
BILL #6: RIGHT TO LIFE
Col. 3:3-4 (NLT)
For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
BILL #7: RIGHT TO DIE
Galatians 2:20 (NLT)
I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
BILL #8: RIGHT TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN
Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.
BILL #9: RIGHT TO FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT
1 Tim. 5:21 (NLT)
I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing special favor to anyone.
BILL #10: RIGHT TO SUCCEED IN LIFE
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)
As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! [4] And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
DSR
8/1/04
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Four Great Words
by David Scott Robertson
1. Balance
2. Equilibrium
3. Alignment
4. Rhythm
These four words are very important to my Christian life. They are at the forefront of my prayer life these days. I'm asking God to help me grow in these godly qualities in ever increasing measure in my daily life. I need them more than my necessary food. In fact, I'm willing to forego my necessary food for a season (fast) to obtain them, if necessary.
1. GODLY BALANCE
I want the Lord to help me live a balanced life. Jesus pulled it off, so with the help of our Father, why can't I?
"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).
Jesus Christ was able to balance his growth intellectually, physically, spiritually and socially. I'd like that to be a reality in my life, wouldn't you?
I want to eat a balanced diet. I want my checkbook to be balanced. I want my car tires to be in balance. I want to balance the time I spend at work with the time I spend at home with my family. I don't want to burn out or rust out in ministry. I want there to be a healthy (not necessarily perfect) balance between praise and worship, between prayer and Bible study, between doing the work of the Lord and loving the Lord of the work.
2. GODLY EQUILIBRIUM
Equilibrium is similar to balance but to me it has more to do with the "inner game." It is processing information from the Lord properly to keep things in balance. Spiritual equilibrium assists me in knowing when to accept criticism as valid and when to reject rejection. It helps me distinguish God's voice from the voice of the world, the devil, or even my own self. Equilibrium, in the spiritual sense, helps me sort through "the urgent" as is competes with "the important." It helps me keep the main thing the main thing and live life in the right order (priorities).
In the natural, if you have an "inner ear" problem, then your balance will be negatively affected. You can get dizzy, disoriented, and "off balance" possibly (probably) causing you to experience difficulty doing ordinary things well. In the same way, if you experience "spiritual inner ear problems" you can also easily get "out of balance" and subtly (but assurededly) veer off track a degree or two. This may not sound like much of a problem in the short-term but in the long-term you can suffer harm. If a rocket, for instance, leaving earth is off by only a degree or two from its intended target a million miles away, it will certainly miss it.
The ability to listen and hear God's voice, discern God's will, and then follow through with obedient action is what I call spiritual equilibrium. And I want it.
3. GODLY ALIGNMENT
Alignment to me is super important. It means accepting the responsibilities of being under authority so I can enjoy the benefits of being in authority. I want my body to "line up" under my soul. I want my mind, will, and emotions to "line up" under my spirit. I want my spirit to "line up" with the Holy Spirit of God so that I walk in perfect submission and total obedience en route to maximum fruit. Alignment means I impeached my flesh nature as president of my life and replaced it with Jesus Christ, the King. I substituted a democracy of my own making with the theocracy of the kingdom of God. I am craving the Lord to help me live in perpetual alignment with His will for my life so that I can live long and prosper.
4. GODLY RHYTHM
Finally, there's rhythm. What I'm praying for is for my life to be "in rhythm" or "in sync" with God's plan and timing for my life. The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. I don't want to get ahead or lag behind God's timetable for my life. Jesus was never rushed or in a hurry and He never succumbed to feeling frustrated and aggravated because He didn't get what He wanted when He wanted it.
If I can break through to godly rhythm in my life, I guess I will feel like test pilot Chuck Yeager did when he broke through the sound barrier and flew into the history books. I want to "rip a hole in the atmosphere" and get the turbulence behind me instead of in front of me. That, I believe, can be accomplished when we get in the very center of God's will and timing for our lives. We'll find ourselves in the right place at the right time most all the time when we live in this realm.
So there you have it. I may not be able to say it just right, but I do want to be able to pray it right so I can obtain these breakthrough godly qualities and get a little farther down the road in my pursuit of Christ-likeness.
DSR
7/25/04
1. Balance
2. Equilibrium
3. Alignment
4. Rhythm
These four words are very important to my Christian life. They are at the forefront of my prayer life these days. I'm asking God to help me grow in these godly qualities in ever increasing measure in my daily life. I need them more than my necessary food. In fact, I'm willing to forego my necessary food for a season (fast) to obtain them, if necessary.
1. GODLY BALANCE
I want the Lord to help me live a balanced life. Jesus pulled it off, so with the help of our Father, why can't I?
"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).
Jesus Christ was able to balance his growth intellectually, physically, spiritually and socially. I'd like that to be a reality in my life, wouldn't you?
I want to eat a balanced diet. I want my checkbook to be balanced. I want my car tires to be in balance. I want to balance the time I spend at work with the time I spend at home with my family. I don't want to burn out or rust out in ministry. I want there to be a healthy (not necessarily perfect) balance between praise and worship, between prayer and Bible study, between doing the work of the Lord and loving the Lord of the work.
2. GODLY EQUILIBRIUM
Equilibrium is similar to balance but to me it has more to do with the "inner game." It is processing information from the Lord properly to keep things in balance. Spiritual equilibrium assists me in knowing when to accept criticism as valid and when to reject rejection. It helps me distinguish God's voice from the voice of the world, the devil, or even my own self. Equilibrium, in the spiritual sense, helps me sort through "the urgent" as is competes with "the important." It helps me keep the main thing the main thing and live life in the right order (priorities).
In the natural, if you have an "inner ear" problem, then your balance will be negatively affected. You can get dizzy, disoriented, and "off balance" possibly (probably) causing you to experience difficulty doing ordinary things well. In the same way, if you experience "spiritual inner ear problems" you can also easily get "out of balance" and subtly (but assurededly) veer off track a degree or two. This may not sound like much of a problem in the short-term but in the long-term you can suffer harm. If a rocket, for instance, leaving earth is off by only a degree or two from its intended target a million miles away, it will certainly miss it.
The ability to listen and hear God's voice, discern God's will, and then follow through with obedient action is what I call spiritual equilibrium. And I want it.
3. GODLY ALIGNMENT
Alignment to me is super important. It means accepting the responsibilities of being under authority so I can enjoy the benefits of being in authority. I want my body to "line up" under my soul. I want my mind, will, and emotions to "line up" under my spirit. I want my spirit to "line up" with the Holy Spirit of God so that I walk in perfect submission and total obedience en route to maximum fruit. Alignment means I impeached my flesh nature as president of my life and replaced it with Jesus Christ, the King. I substituted a democracy of my own making with the theocracy of the kingdom of God. I am craving the Lord to help me live in perpetual alignment with His will for my life so that I can live long and prosper.
4. GODLY RHYTHM
Finally, there's rhythm. What I'm praying for is for my life to be "in rhythm" or "in sync" with God's plan and timing for my life. The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. I don't want to get ahead or lag behind God's timetable for my life. Jesus was never rushed or in a hurry and He never succumbed to feeling frustrated and aggravated because He didn't get what He wanted when He wanted it.
If I can break through to godly rhythm in my life, I guess I will feel like test pilot Chuck Yeager did when he broke through the sound barrier and flew into the history books. I want to "rip a hole in the atmosphere" and get the turbulence behind me instead of in front of me. That, I believe, can be accomplished when we get in the very center of God's will and timing for our lives. We'll find ourselves in the right place at the right time most all the time when we live in this realm.
So there you have it. I may not be able to say it just right, but I do want to be able to pray it right so I can obtain these breakthrough godly qualities and get a little farther down the road in my pursuit of Christ-likeness.
DSR
7/25/04
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Divine Detour
by David Scott Robertson
I got in my car and turned the key in the ignition and nothing happened. Huh? I had been driving my 1998 Toyota Corolla for YEARS without this happening. Suddenly, without warning, my car battery was dead and it was dark, it was raining, and I didn't have jumper cables.
How could this happen to a fine Christian young man like me? Don't I pay my tithes faithfully? Don't I read my Bible every single day? Don't I try to have a decent prayer time on a regular basis? And now my car battery is dead and I'm stuck. That's makes about as much sense as my getting diarrhea on a missions trip I took to Indonesia one time.
Was God mad at me? Did I slip up and sin along the way and now God is rebuking me through my car? Am I being tested for patience or tempted through frustration?
This impromptu dilemma taught me three valuable lessons about suffering that we may benefit from learning.
1. KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE
A dead car battery is really not a major deal. It may have been inconvenient but it was not life threatening. Millions of other people have to deal with body parts not functioning properly on a daily basis and all I faced was a minor and temporary problem one rainy night. Look at your problems in light of the bigger picture.
2. GUARD YOUR ATTITUDE
I needed to keep my attitude in check. Kicking the car, throwing my keys, slamming the hood, and grumbling and complaining about the whole deal would be senseless, particularly if anybody saw me acting in such an immature way. In this case, I had to ask others for assistance--something men generally don't like to do! But people watch (and listen to) how we react to the same problems they face. If we can maintain a positive, faith-filled, joyful attitude during a crisis--large or small--we can make a lasting impression that God can capitalize on later.
3. LOOK FOR GOD IN THE "DIVINE DETOUR"
I don't view a dead battery as "God's judgment" unleashed on my life. Rather, situations like this can be approached with a sense of excitement to see what God is up to. I have learned in walking with Jesus for over three decades now that often unexpected problems lead to unexpected pleasures and opportunities. Furthermore, God's Word contains comforting promises that bring balance and hope into the situation like these classic passages:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way" (Psalm 37:23 KJV).
Knowing these facts from the Bible can alleviate needless stress, activate faith, initiate God's miracle provision, and advance God's plan in and through the Christian's carefully monitored, closely observed, and divinely ordained life.
Back to the dead battery story. All is well and everything worked out fine (according to God's plan).
- I borrowed jumper cables from a man whom I am now going to breakfast with next week.
- I got home without incident and replaced the battery for $20 the next day.
- My dad assisted me in the replacement and we went to lunch afterward for some father/son time.
- The delay may have saved my life from a tragic accident.
- Who knows what trouble the Lord kept me from or what opportunity the Lord is leading me to through this unplanned diversion?
The next time something negative or inconvenient happens to you--large or small--may I encourage you to keep things in perspective, guard your attitude, and look for God's fingerprints in the "divine detour"?
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).
DSR
7/18/04
I got in my car and turned the key in the ignition and nothing happened. Huh? I had been driving my 1998 Toyota Corolla for YEARS without this happening. Suddenly, without warning, my car battery was dead and it was dark, it was raining, and I didn't have jumper cables.
How could this happen to a fine Christian young man like me? Don't I pay my tithes faithfully? Don't I read my Bible every single day? Don't I try to have a decent prayer time on a regular basis? And now my car battery is dead and I'm stuck. That's makes about as much sense as my getting diarrhea on a missions trip I took to Indonesia one time.
Was God mad at me? Did I slip up and sin along the way and now God is rebuking me through my car? Am I being tested for patience or tempted through frustration?
This impromptu dilemma taught me three valuable lessons about suffering that we may benefit from learning.
1. KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE
A dead car battery is really not a major deal. It may have been inconvenient but it was not life threatening. Millions of other people have to deal with body parts not functioning properly on a daily basis and all I faced was a minor and temporary problem one rainy night. Look at your problems in light of the bigger picture.
2. GUARD YOUR ATTITUDE
I needed to keep my attitude in check. Kicking the car, throwing my keys, slamming the hood, and grumbling and complaining about the whole deal would be senseless, particularly if anybody saw me acting in such an immature way. In this case, I had to ask others for assistance--something men generally don't like to do! But people watch (and listen to) how we react to the same problems they face. If we can maintain a positive, faith-filled, joyful attitude during a crisis--large or small--we can make a lasting impression that God can capitalize on later.
3. LOOK FOR GOD IN THE "DIVINE DETOUR"
I don't view a dead battery as "God's judgment" unleashed on my life. Rather, situations like this can be approached with a sense of excitement to see what God is up to. I have learned in walking with Jesus for over three decades now that often unexpected problems lead to unexpected pleasures and opportunities. Furthermore, God's Word contains comforting promises that bring balance and hope into the situation like these classic passages:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way" (Psalm 37:23 KJV).
Knowing these facts from the Bible can alleviate needless stress, activate faith, initiate God's miracle provision, and advance God's plan in and through the Christian's carefully monitored, closely observed, and divinely ordained life.
Back to the dead battery story. All is well and everything worked out fine (according to God's plan).
- I borrowed jumper cables from a man whom I am now going to breakfast with next week.
- I got home without incident and replaced the battery for $20 the next day.
- My dad assisted me in the replacement and we went to lunch afterward for some father/son time.
- The delay may have saved my life from a tragic accident.
- Who knows what trouble the Lord kept me from or what opportunity the Lord is leading me to through this unplanned diversion?
The next time something negative or inconvenient happens to you--large or small--may I encourage you to keep things in perspective, guard your attitude, and look for God's fingerprints in the "divine detour"?
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).
DSR
7/18/04
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Two Minutes to a Miracle
by David Scott Robertson
"… but I said to the king, 'May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?' The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it'" (Nehemiah 2:3-5).
* * *
It's Monday morning. Early. It's barely light outside. As is my custom, I'm heating a cup of water to make some hot tea and getting ready to settle into a time of prayer and Bible study.
I program the microwave to heat for two minutes. The timer starts the countdown and as I watch the digital readout of descending numbers, it hits me. In the time it takes for me to heat a cup of water, God can do a miracle in my life.
I find myself saying out loud "Lord, before the water heats up you could heal my eye disease." You could inspire an idea that will save millions of dollars or thousands of lives. You could translate me to the third heaven and show me things unlawful to share. You could let the revelation of the gospel bring a lost soul I've been praying for to a knowledge of the truth and he could get saved before the microwave announces it's finished. Two minutes is plenty of time for the Creator of heaven and earth to do just about anything He wants to do in my life, or anybody else's life for that matter.
It's also a great opportunity to invest two minutes in worship, in praise, in intercession, in praying in the Spirit, in holy silence listening. Really, two minutes is far more time than God needs to implement miracles in response to the prayer of faith.
The Bible tells the story of Nehemiah, the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes, who prayed for less than ten seconds one time and God answered that short (most likely silent) prayer by granting unusual favor with the king (Nehemiah 2:1-9). God's response to Nehemiah's short prayer is one of the most astonishing encouragements to pray about anything, anytime, anywhere that I have found in the entire Word of God.
The Lord heard His servant's extremely brief and simple prayer, and God caused the king to grant Nehemiah a leave of absence from work, letters to regional governors guaranteeing his safe passage, the king's generous permission to requisition all the free materials Nehemiah needed to rebuild the fallen walls and decimated gates of Jerusalem, PLUS the added bonus of all construction materials necessary to build Nehemiah a house to live in while on his assignment!
If you ask me, that's a whopping return for a ten-second-or-less investment in prayer! If God can (and did) respond to one man's prayer that took a few seconds (see Nehemiah 2:4), can you imagine what God can do if a full two minutes worth of faith-inspired prayer is offered up to Him? If that were the case, just imagine what God can do in your life in the time it takes to actually drink a cup of hot tea!
DSR
7/11/04
"… but I said to the king, 'May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?' The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it'" (Nehemiah 2:3-5).
* * *
It's Monday morning. Early. It's barely light outside. As is my custom, I'm heating a cup of water to make some hot tea and getting ready to settle into a time of prayer and Bible study.
I program the microwave to heat for two minutes. The timer starts the countdown and as I watch the digital readout of descending numbers, it hits me. In the time it takes for me to heat a cup of water, God can do a miracle in my life.
I find myself saying out loud "Lord, before the water heats up you could heal my eye disease." You could inspire an idea that will save millions of dollars or thousands of lives. You could translate me to the third heaven and show me things unlawful to share. You could let the revelation of the gospel bring a lost soul I've been praying for to a knowledge of the truth and he could get saved before the microwave announces it's finished. Two minutes is plenty of time for the Creator of heaven and earth to do just about anything He wants to do in my life, or anybody else's life for that matter.
It's also a great opportunity to invest two minutes in worship, in praise, in intercession, in praying in the Spirit, in holy silence listening. Really, two minutes is far more time than God needs to implement miracles in response to the prayer of faith.
The Bible tells the story of Nehemiah, the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes, who prayed for less than ten seconds one time and God answered that short (most likely silent) prayer by granting unusual favor with the king (Nehemiah 2:1-9). God's response to Nehemiah's short prayer is one of the most astonishing encouragements to pray about anything, anytime, anywhere that I have found in the entire Word of God.
The Lord heard His servant's extremely brief and simple prayer, and God caused the king to grant Nehemiah a leave of absence from work, letters to regional governors guaranteeing his safe passage, the king's generous permission to requisition all the free materials Nehemiah needed to rebuild the fallen walls and decimated gates of Jerusalem, PLUS the added bonus of all construction materials necessary to build Nehemiah a house to live in while on his assignment!
If you ask me, that's a whopping return for a ten-second-or-less investment in prayer! If God can (and did) respond to one man's prayer that took a few seconds (see Nehemiah 2:4), can you imagine what God can do if a full two minutes worth of faith-inspired prayer is offered up to Him? If that were the case, just imagine what God can do in your life in the time it takes to actually drink a cup of hot tea!
DSR
7/11/04
Sunday, July 4, 2004
What to Do When Trouble Finds You
by David Scott Robertson
"JESUS COULDN'T PLEASE EVERYONE."
I love this statement because it really takes the pressure off me. If Jesus, being perfect, couldn't please everyone while on earth, what hope do I have? The underlying truth of that statement is that Jesus didn't come to please everybody. That wasn't His assignment. The fault was not found in Him but with those that found fault with Him.
Where am I going with this? Well, it all came about the other day when I innocently logged on to check my email…
A few days ago I received an email from someone I didn't know. It was a stinging, scathing rebuke and verbal assault on me for my writing "Thoughts About God." Apparently a friend on my distribution list had forwarded one (or more) of my "Thoughts" to them. The person vehemently disagreed with my views (no problem there) and bludgeoned me with his words (problem). He thoughtfully ended the email with "love you my Christian brother."
Another example. Recently, my pastor was preaching his Sunday morning message and used me as a sermon illustration (that's what staff pastors are for!). He told the congregation the story of how a former church member had absolutely no use or respect for me. This person so chaffed under the my authority as an associate pastor that they not only refused to submit but elected to leave the church rather than remain and solve the problem (instead she and her husband left and started their own church). My pastor shared with our congregation how I had tried to make overtures of reconciliation that were soundly and repeatedly rejected to the point that my pastor instructed me to stop trying to make things right. Whoever made the statement "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me" obviously had never been cussed out.
I'll bet you who are reading this can identify with me. Somewhere along the way you've been misunderstood too. Your motives were judged before all the facts were in (and please understand that we NEVER have all the facts!). You were labeled, stereotyped, booked and sentenced before you even knew there was a problem!
What's an imperfect Christian like me to do? Well, I don't know it all but at least I know a few things NOT to do:
Don't get mad.
Don't get jaded.
Don't get cynical.
Don't get even.
Don't stop what God started.
Don't call off what has God called on.
If you've ever been mistreated, misrepresented, misquoted, misinterpreted, then you've joined an elite club that has many distinguished members of profoundly misunderstood people. Here are a few of your longstanding fellow members:
PAUL THE APOSTLE - All he ever wanted to do was preach the gospel and they beat him, stoned him, and imprisoned him for it. PAUL'S RESPONSE: "So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man" (Acts 24:16).
DAVID, ANOINTED BY THE PROPHET SAMUEL TO BE KING OF ISRAEL - All David ever wanted to do was be faithful to one man who was his boss, his father-in-law, his general, his best friend's dad, his king, that is, Saul, who was hunting him down like an animal to murder him. DAVID'S RESPONSE: "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you" (1 Samuel 24:12).
JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH - All He ever wanted to do was preach the good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, release the prisoners from darkness, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3). But alas, the God-Man, the perfect, sinless, faultless Holy and Anointed One, the Only Begotten Son of God was, according to the opinion of the religious leaders, so offensive that they deemed Him not fit to live. JESUS' RESPONSE: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Lord impressed on my heart one day while pondering such things that "at any given time there may be a small number of people upset with you. But until I make you aware of it, don't worry about it. When I do, do your best to make things right." Does that bear witness with you? Doesn't that sound like something God would say? How does the Bible tell us to make things right?
* * * 4 STEPS TO BIBLICAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION * * *
1. GO "QUICKLY" TO THE "ONE" WHO HAS OFFENDED YOU (OR WHOM YOU HAVE OFFENDED): "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over" (Matthew 18:15).
2. RETURN, IF NECESSARY, TO ESTABLISH THE MATTER WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER WITNESSES: "But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses'" (Matthew 18:16).
3. TAKE THE MATTER TO YOUR PASTOR/CHURCH LEADERS: "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Matthew 18:17).
4. TREAT THE OFFENDER AS A PAGAN - "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him" (Titus 3:10).
* * * 5 PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO WHEN TROUBLE FINDS YOU * * *
1. PRAY (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6-7).
2. REFUSE TO ALLOW YOURSELF OR YOUR FAMILY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN A CRITICAL SPIRIT (Joshua 24:15; Numbers 13:32-14:2).
3. RUN (DON'T WALK) TO THE SCRIPTURES FOR INSTRUCTIONS (Psalm 119:9-11; Proverbs 18:19).
4. GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO BE NICE TO THE "OFFENDING" OR "OFFENDED" PARTIES (Romans 12:20; Luke 6:36-38).
5. IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOU WITH GOSSIP OR A GRIEVANCE ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE, ATTEMPT TO THE CONNECT THE TWO PARTIES RAPIDLY (Proverbs 3:27; Matthew 5:9).
* * * 7 BENEFITS FOR HANDLING CONFLICT WISELY * * *
If you will do these things, here are seven benefits for handling conflict wisely that will be yours: (1) answered prayer (Matthew 18:19), (2) unhindered prayer in your home (1 Peter 3:7), (3) you will love life and see good days (1 Peter 3:9-10), (4) You will dwell in God's sanctuary (Psalm 15:1-3), (6) honor (Proverbs 20:3), (7) contentment (1 Timothy 6:6), fellowship (Amos 3:3), and a wonderful opportunity to glorify God (John 15:8; Matthew 5:16).
DSR
7/4/04
"JESUS COULDN'T PLEASE EVERYONE."
I love this statement because it really takes the pressure off me. If Jesus, being perfect, couldn't please everyone while on earth, what hope do I have? The underlying truth of that statement is that Jesus didn't come to please everybody. That wasn't His assignment. The fault was not found in Him but with those that found fault with Him.
Where am I going with this? Well, it all came about the other day when I innocently logged on to check my email…
A few days ago I received an email from someone I didn't know. It was a stinging, scathing rebuke and verbal assault on me for my writing "Thoughts About God." Apparently a friend on my distribution list had forwarded one (or more) of my "Thoughts" to them. The person vehemently disagreed with my views (no problem there) and bludgeoned me with his words (problem). He thoughtfully ended the email with "love you my Christian brother."
Another example. Recently, my pastor was preaching his Sunday morning message and used me as a sermon illustration (that's what staff pastors are for!). He told the congregation the story of how a former church member had absolutely no use or respect for me. This person so chaffed under the my authority as an associate pastor that they not only refused to submit but elected to leave the church rather than remain and solve the problem (instead she and her husband left and started their own church). My pastor shared with our congregation how I had tried to make overtures of reconciliation that were soundly and repeatedly rejected to the point that my pastor instructed me to stop trying to make things right. Whoever made the statement "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me" obviously had never been cussed out.
I'll bet you who are reading this can identify with me. Somewhere along the way you've been misunderstood too. Your motives were judged before all the facts were in (and please understand that we NEVER have all the facts!). You were labeled, stereotyped, booked and sentenced before you even knew there was a problem!
What's an imperfect Christian like me to do? Well, I don't know it all but at least I know a few things NOT to do:
Don't get mad.
Don't get jaded.
Don't get cynical.
Don't get even.
Don't stop what God started.
Don't call off what has God called on.
If you've ever been mistreated, misrepresented, misquoted, misinterpreted, then you've joined an elite club that has many distinguished members of profoundly misunderstood people. Here are a few of your longstanding fellow members:
PAUL THE APOSTLE - All he ever wanted to do was preach the gospel and they beat him, stoned him, and imprisoned him for it. PAUL'S RESPONSE: "So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man" (Acts 24:16).
DAVID, ANOINTED BY THE PROPHET SAMUEL TO BE KING OF ISRAEL - All David ever wanted to do was be faithful to one man who was his boss, his father-in-law, his general, his best friend's dad, his king, that is, Saul, who was hunting him down like an animal to murder him. DAVID'S RESPONSE: "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you" (1 Samuel 24:12).
JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH - All He ever wanted to do was preach the good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, release the prisoners from darkness, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3). But alas, the God-Man, the perfect, sinless, faultless Holy and Anointed One, the Only Begotten Son of God was, according to the opinion of the religious leaders, so offensive that they deemed Him not fit to live. JESUS' RESPONSE: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Lord impressed on my heart one day while pondering such things that "at any given time there may be a small number of people upset with you. But until I make you aware of it, don't worry about it. When I do, do your best to make things right." Does that bear witness with you? Doesn't that sound like something God would say? How does the Bible tell us to make things right?
* * * 4 STEPS TO BIBLICAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION * * *
1. GO "QUICKLY" TO THE "ONE" WHO HAS OFFENDED YOU (OR WHOM YOU HAVE OFFENDED): "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over" (Matthew 18:15).
2. RETURN, IF NECESSARY, TO ESTABLISH THE MATTER WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER WITNESSES: "But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses'" (Matthew 18:16).
3. TAKE THE MATTER TO YOUR PASTOR/CHURCH LEADERS: "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Matthew 18:17).
4. TREAT THE OFFENDER AS A PAGAN - "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him" (Titus 3:10).
* * * 5 PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO WHEN TROUBLE FINDS YOU * * *
1. PRAY (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6-7).
2. REFUSE TO ALLOW YOURSELF OR YOUR FAMILY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN A CRITICAL SPIRIT (Joshua 24:15; Numbers 13:32-14:2).
3. RUN (DON'T WALK) TO THE SCRIPTURES FOR INSTRUCTIONS (Psalm 119:9-11; Proverbs 18:19).
4. GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO BE NICE TO THE "OFFENDING" OR "OFFENDED" PARTIES (Romans 12:20; Luke 6:36-38).
5. IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOU WITH GOSSIP OR A GRIEVANCE ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE, ATTEMPT TO THE CONNECT THE TWO PARTIES RAPIDLY (Proverbs 3:27; Matthew 5:9).
* * * 7 BENEFITS FOR HANDLING CONFLICT WISELY * * *
If you will do these things, here are seven benefits for handling conflict wisely that will be yours: (1) answered prayer (Matthew 18:19), (2) unhindered prayer in your home (1 Peter 3:7), (3) you will love life and see good days (1 Peter 3:9-10), (4) You will dwell in God's sanctuary (Psalm 15:1-3), (6) honor (Proverbs 20:3), (7) contentment (1 Timothy 6:6), fellowship (Amos 3:3), and a wonderful opportunity to glorify God (John 15:8; Matthew 5:16).
DSR
7/4/04
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Ten Ways to Add Value to Your Employer
by David Scott Robertson
1. YOUR COURAGE - Boldly accept new challenges and job assignments with zeal and without complaining.
2. YOUR MATURITY - Resist getting caught up in office gossip and limit your speech to encouragement and affirmation of your superiors and co-workers.
3. YOUR HUMILITY - Serve your boss and co-workers whenever possible. The pathway to greatness is paved with humility.
4. YOUR WINNING ATTITUDE - Be a "can do" person. If you are a Christian, God says you "can do all things through Christ who strengthens you" (Philippians 4:13).
5. YOUR PROGRESS - Learn your job well and become good at what you do. If your name is on the project, let it be done right and to the best of your ability. Take a few moments each day (even on your lunch break) for professional development. Read the manual - take the tutorial - enroll in the class.
6. YOUR TENACITY - Never give up. Never let the title "quitter" apply to you. Most difficult tasks get done only through dogged determination and perseverance. Do this consistently, and guess who will earn the reputation of being a valued employee?
7. YOUR COMMITMENT- Avoid job-hopping. Stay loyal to your company, employer, or department head. Let your boss have confidence in you that when you commit to doing something it's as good as done.
8. YOUR ABILITIES - What are you especially good at or enjoy doing while away from the job? Baking? Writing? Music? Share some of who you are with those you work with.
9. YOUR TEAM SPIRIT - Those who add value to their employers are those who accept that the sum is greater than its parts. Necessary sacrifices are not deemed as unacceptable to the team player. Team players link their success with the fruitfulness of their work group.
10. YOUR FAITH LIVED OUT - This one is for Jesus. You take care of God's business and He will take care of your business. There are many, many ways to share your faith on the job in an appropriate and respectful way that is non-offensive and very effective.
DSR
6/20/04
1. YOUR COURAGE - Boldly accept new challenges and job assignments with zeal and without complaining.
2. YOUR MATURITY - Resist getting caught up in office gossip and limit your speech to encouragement and affirmation of your superiors and co-workers.
3. YOUR HUMILITY - Serve your boss and co-workers whenever possible. The pathway to greatness is paved with humility.
4. YOUR WINNING ATTITUDE - Be a "can do" person. If you are a Christian, God says you "can do all things through Christ who strengthens you" (Philippians 4:13).
5. YOUR PROGRESS - Learn your job well and become good at what you do. If your name is on the project, let it be done right and to the best of your ability. Take a few moments each day (even on your lunch break) for professional development. Read the manual - take the tutorial - enroll in the class.
6. YOUR TENACITY - Never give up. Never let the title "quitter" apply to you. Most difficult tasks get done only through dogged determination and perseverance. Do this consistently, and guess who will earn the reputation of being a valued employee?
7. YOUR COMMITMENT- Avoid job-hopping. Stay loyal to your company, employer, or department head. Let your boss have confidence in you that when you commit to doing something it's as good as done.
8. YOUR ABILITIES - What are you especially good at or enjoy doing while away from the job? Baking? Writing? Music? Share some of who you are with those you work with.
9. YOUR TEAM SPIRIT - Those who add value to their employers are those who accept that the sum is greater than its parts. Necessary sacrifices are not deemed as unacceptable to the team player. Team players link their success with the fruitfulness of their work group.
10. YOUR FAITH LIVED OUT - This one is for Jesus. You take care of God's business and He will take care of your business. There are many, many ways to share your faith on the job in an appropriate and respectful way that is non-offensive and very effective.
DSR
6/20/04
Monday, June 14, 2004
Prove That God Loves Me
by David Scott Robertson
I once was asked to prove the fact
That indeed my God was real;
To analytically explain
Exactly how I feel.
I responded, "Alright then,
I'll prove that God loves me;
That His love in fact is true
Though not His face I see."
So I began with a statement
To challenge this dear soul:
"Prove to me your mother's love
That it indeed was so."
"Why naturally," he said back
"My mother's love was true.
She showed me well in many ways,
But what has that to do…?"
"But still," I said, "what does that prove,
To confirm the love of Mother?
She may have said and done nice things,
But for proof I'll need another."
"Why that's an odd request," he said,
"For she told me many times:
'Son, I love you very much,
You're a precious love of mine.'"
I said, 'the words are beautiful,
But I can't help but see a flaw.
You don't present much evidence
That would hold up in court of law."
"That's okay," he said to me,
I still believe it in my soul.
My mother's love for me was real,
I know that I know that I know."
"Now that's the way that I see God,"
I said to the frustrated man.
"On the cross Christ died for me,
And on His Word I'll stand."
"Now," he said, "at last I see,
That love you cannot prove.
It is the act of believing by faith
That we receive God's love."
(Rom 5:8 NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
DSR
6/14/04
I once was asked to prove the fact
That indeed my God was real;
To analytically explain
Exactly how I feel.
I responded, "Alright then,
I'll prove that God loves me;
That His love in fact is true
Though not His face I see."
So I began with a statement
To challenge this dear soul:
"Prove to me your mother's love
That it indeed was so."
"Why naturally," he said back
"My mother's love was true.
She showed me well in many ways,
But what has that to do…?"
"But still," I said, "what does that prove,
To confirm the love of Mother?
She may have said and done nice things,
But for proof I'll need another."
"Why that's an odd request," he said,
"For she told me many times:
'Son, I love you very much,
You're a precious love of mine.'"
I said, 'the words are beautiful,
But I can't help but see a flaw.
You don't present much evidence
That would hold up in court of law."
"That's okay," he said to me,
I still believe it in my soul.
My mother's love for me was real,
I know that I know that I know."
"Now that's the way that I see God,"
I said to the frustrated man.
"On the cross Christ died for me,
And on His Word I'll stand."
"Now," he said, "at last I see,
That love you cannot prove.
It is the act of believing by faith
That we receive God's love."
(Rom 5:8 NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
DSR
6/14/04
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Character: The Fruit of Troubled Times
by David Scott Robertson
Psalm 105:17-22 (NLT)
Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them-Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
[18] There in prison, they bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. [19] Until the time came to fulfill his word, THE LORD TESTED JOSEPH'S CHARACTER. [20] Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. [21] Joseph was put in charge of all the king's household;
he became ruler over all the king's possessions. [22] He could instruct the king's aides as he pleased and teach the king's advisers. (emphasis mine)
* * *
Joseph was a great man of God who did great things for God by the great power of God. But Joseph didn't achieve greatness overnight. It took troubles, turmoil, tears, and worst of all - time - to work this greatness into this eleventh son of Jacob.
The Bible describes this process simply by saying: "the Lord tested Joseph's character" (Psalm 105:19).
We can read over those five words in scripture in less than five seconds, but that does not diminish the years of grueling trials that Joseph had to endure to "pass the test" of character development that God had in mind for him.
Before Joseph could enjoy the pleasures of the palace, he had to first endure the pain of the pit, Potiphar, and prison, in that exact order (see Genesis 37). Why did the sequence of events have to play out that way? Answer: Because God was testing Joseph's character. Nothing builds character like adversity. It separates men from boys and the mature from the immature.
There is a universal fact that God knows about the man that He made. That fact is that a man's gifts, talents, and abilities are never, ever enough to fulfill God's destiny for his life. Until an individual's character catches up with his or her special God-given abilities, they will be in real danger of embarrassing themselves, adversely affecting those they influence, and in general thwarting God's plan for their lives. Sometimes God places a large call a person's life that will require a large amount of character to pull it off. (Consider that the next time you are facing tribulation.)
The solution? And God tested [____enter your name in this blank___]'s character.
How does He test your character? Whether we realize it not, we are already very familiar with the answer to that question! God uses your kids, your spouse, your boss, the police officer, the school crossing guard or the checkout clerk to test you - anyone or anything at all will do!
Whatever causes you aggravation, frustration, stress, or that pesky thing that gives you a tension headache, well that's just the ticket for God to use to test and build your character! How long you or I stay in the pit, in slavery at Potiphar's house, or in prison, I suppose depends on how fast we learn the lesson and pass the test!
Jesus knew and experienced this truth in that He realized there would be no crown without a cross. We are no different. God will stop at nothing to test your character because He knows this quality is essential to your handling success without it going to your head. If that happens (which can be summarized in the word "pride") you are headed for destruction and a downfall. God doesn't want that and neither do you.
So what do we do when God is testing our character? Learn! Obey! Submit! Repent! Be silent! Speak up! Generally whatever it is your flesh wants you to do in that ridiculously frustrating circumstance, do the opposite! Do the right thing! Do the godly thing! Do what Jesus would do!
The sooner you and I become excellent students in passing the character tests that crop up as "pop quizzes" several times each week (or each day) the sooner, I believe, God will move us along the pathway that leads to "the palace"!
DSR
6/13/04
Psalm 105:17-22 (NLT)
Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them-Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
[18] There in prison, they bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. [19] Until the time came to fulfill his word, THE LORD TESTED JOSEPH'S CHARACTER. [20] Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. [21] Joseph was put in charge of all the king's household;
he became ruler over all the king's possessions. [22] He could instruct the king's aides as he pleased and teach the king's advisers. (emphasis mine)
* * *
Joseph was a great man of God who did great things for God by the great power of God. But Joseph didn't achieve greatness overnight. It took troubles, turmoil, tears, and worst of all - time - to work this greatness into this eleventh son of Jacob.
The Bible describes this process simply by saying: "the Lord tested Joseph's character" (Psalm 105:19).
We can read over those five words in scripture in less than five seconds, but that does not diminish the years of grueling trials that Joseph had to endure to "pass the test" of character development that God had in mind for him.
Before Joseph could enjoy the pleasures of the palace, he had to first endure the pain of the pit, Potiphar, and prison, in that exact order (see Genesis 37). Why did the sequence of events have to play out that way? Answer: Because God was testing Joseph's character. Nothing builds character like adversity. It separates men from boys and the mature from the immature.
There is a universal fact that God knows about the man that He made. That fact is that a man's gifts, talents, and abilities are never, ever enough to fulfill God's destiny for his life. Until an individual's character catches up with his or her special God-given abilities, they will be in real danger of embarrassing themselves, adversely affecting those they influence, and in general thwarting God's plan for their lives. Sometimes God places a large call a person's life that will require a large amount of character to pull it off. (Consider that the next time you are facing tribulation.)
The solution? And God tested [____enter your name in this blank___]'s character.
How does He test your character? Whether we realize it not, we are already very familiar with the answer to that question! God uses your kids, your spouse, your boss, the police officer, the school crossing guard or the checkout clerk to test you - anyone or anything at all will do!
Whatever causes you aggravation, frustration, stress, or that pesky thing that gives you a tension headache, well that's just the ticket for God to use to test and build your character! How long you or I stay in the pit, in slavery at Potiphar's house, or in prison, I suppose depends on how fast we learn the lesson and pass the test!
Jesus knew and experienced this truth in that He realized there would be no crown without a cross. We are no different. God will stop at nothing to test your character because He knows this quality is essential to your handling success without it going to your head. If that happens (which can be summarized in the word "pride") you are headed for destruction and a downfall. God doesn't want that and neither do you.
So what do we do when God is testing our character? Learn! Obey! Submit! Repent! Be silent! Speak up! Generally whatever it is your flesh wants you to do in that ridiculously frustrating circumstance, do the opposite! Do the right thing! Do the godly thing! Do what Jesus would do!
The sooner you and I become excellent students in passing the character tests that crop up as "pop quizzes" several times each week (or each day) the sooner, I believe, God will move us along the pathway that leads to "the palace"!
DSR
6/13/04
Monday, June 7, 2004
The Telemarketer
by David Scott Robertson
I got the call at an inconvenient time. I checked the caller I.D., didn't recognize the number, but decided to pick up anyway just before the call went to the recorder. Within two seconds I winced, realizing that I had been caught in the crosshairs of a telemarketer.
Now, I'm not one of those "just hang up on the telemarketer" kind of guys. I mean, there's a human being on the other end of the line. And please understand, I don't want to unfairly lump all telemarketers into one negative, stereotypic category. Some are excellent communicators offering a valuable product or service, and they do so in a respectful and conscientious way. Others are, well, like the call I got last night. Maybe he's called your house too.
This poor guy was peddling long distance phone service. He probably had a long shift to work, a car payment due, rent to pay, a cable bill looming, a script to read, and he had me on the line.
This man was bound and determined to get through his script. Each polite refusal only took him to another section of his script. Each objection I raised only seemed to add fuel to his fire to make a sale. Each additional minute I stayed on the phone was an enticement to him to go for it. This guy just wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
Finally, mercifully, when it became obvious that we were entangled in an epic battle of right and wrong (he was right and I was wrong), of good versus evil (he was good and I was evil), and he dejectedly began to realize that the thrill of victory was not going to be experienced in this call, then and only then did he begin to wind down the sales pitch. In discernable disgust, he at (long) last ended the conversation and released me from the surly bonds that had tethered me to my phone. Surely, given the sound of his sad voice, after ending the call he would excuse himself from his workstation and hands-free phone set and retreat to the restroom for a good cry. Yeah, right.
Now I understand the man had a job to do and he was only trying to make a buck. He was just what his employer was looking for when he posted the ad in the classifieds:
"Wanted: Growing Fortune 1000 company seeks energetic, aggressive person with excellent communication skills for telemarketing position. Must be able to handle rejection well. Work part-time from your home. Day and evening shifts available, excellent benefits, pay commensurate with experience. Call…"
The boss found a guy that could handle a conversation like this:
TELEMARKETER: "Good evening sir, are you busy?"
AVERAGE JOE: "Why yes, I'm giving CPR to a man right now."
TELEMARKETER: "I understand sir, but this will only take a few minutes. May I interest you…?"
The kid got the job and now he was calling me. His trainer more than likely had told him the longer you keep them on the phone the higher percentage of your closing the deal.
All this to say that this young man, all humor aside, reminded me of me. He reminded me of me in my early days of witnessing to sinners about Jesus.
A pagan could have very well written a similar article about me back in my early days of "evangelizing" substituting "the gospel" for the product or service and me in the place of the telemarketer. He could have entitled the article "The Evangelist."
For if the truth were known, I have been rude, crude, and socially unacceptable in "sharing my faith"--all in the name of the Lord, mind you! And I did it "in love"!
Actually, I did NOT win friends or influence people when I was trying to ram and cram my belief system down another citizen's throat. I did not populate heaven with another soul for whom Christ died by tactfully forcing them to listen to my religious script. What I did do was soothe my religious conscience by "witnessing" and doing my "evangelism thing." I was caught up in "cold calling" on obvious sinners who obviously needed eternal life through Jesus, and I was the conductor passing out tickets to heaven.
Now, on the other hand, if a friend of mine were to call one day and tell me he or she had discovered a product or service that had benefited them and they wamted to recommend that I try it, I probably would. But the operative word in the previous sentence is the word "friend."
Friends have influence; friends have relationship; and sooner or later, friends tell friends about Jesus.
Food for thought: Why not consider laying aside memorized "scripts of evangelism" and be real instead? Be yourself. Or better yet, try to be like Jesus, the Friend of sinners.
DSR
6/7/04
I got the call at an inconvenient time. I checked the caller I.D., didn't recognize the number, but decided to pick up anyway just before the call went to the recorder. Within two seconds I winced, realizing that I had been caught in the crosshairs of a telemarketer.
Now, I'm not one of those "just hang up on the telemarketer" kind of guys. I mean, there's a human being on the other end of the line. And please understand, I don't want to unfairly lump all telemarketers into one negative, stereotypic category. Some are excellent communicators offering a valuable product or service, and they do so in a respectful and conscientious way. Others are, well, like the call I got last night. Maybe he's called your house too.
This poor guy was peddling long distance phone service. He probably had a long shift to work, a car payment due, rent to pay, a cable bill looming, a script to read, and he had me on the line.
This man was bound and determined to get through his script. Each polite refusal only took him to another section of his script. Each objection I raised only seemed to add fuel to his fire to make a sale. Each additional minute I stayed on the phone was an enticement to him to go for it. This guy just wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
Finally, mercifully, when it became obvious that we were entangled in an epic battle of right and wrong (he was right and I was wrong), of good versus evil (he was good and I was evil), and he dejectedly began to realize that the thrill of victory was not going to be experienced in this call, then and only then did he begin to wind down the sales pitch. In discernable disgust, he at (long) last ended the conversation and released me from the surly bonds that had tethered me to my phone. Surely, given the sound of his sad voice, after ending the call he would excuse himself from his workstation and hands-free phone set and retreat to the restroom for a good cry. Yeah, right.
Now I understand the man had a job to do and he was only trying to make a buck. He was just what his employer was looking for when he posted the ad in the classifieds:
"Wanted: Growing Fortune 1000 company seeks energetic, aggressive person with excellent communication skills for telemarketing position. Must be able to handle rejection well. Work part-time from your home. Day and evening shifts available, excellent benefits, pay commensurate with experience. Call…"
The boss found a guy that could handle a conversation like this:
TELEMARKETER: "Good evening sir, are you busy?"
AVERAGE JOE: "Why yes, I'm giving CPR to a man right now."
TELEMARKETER: "I understand sir, but this will only take a few minutes. May I interest you…?"
The kid got the job and now he was calling me. His trainer more than likely had told him the longer you keep them on the phone the higher percentage of your closing the deal.
All this to say that this young man, all humor aside, reminded me of me. He reminded me of me in my early days of witnessing to sinners about Jesus.
A pagan could have very well written a similar article about me back in my early days of "evangelizing" substituting "the gospel" for the product or service and me in the place of the telemarketer. He could have entitled the article "The Evangelist."
For if the truth were known, I have been rude, crude, and socially unacceptable in "sharing my faith"--all in the name of the Lord, mind you! And I did it "in love"!
Actually, I did NOT win friends or influence people when I was trying to ram and cram my belief system down another citizen's throat. I did not populate heaven with another soul for whom Christ died by tactfully forcing them to listen to my religious script. What I did do was soothe my religious conscience by "witnessing" and doing my "evangelism thing." I was caught up in "cold calling" on obvious sinners who obviously needed eternal life through Jesus, and I was the conductor passing out tickets to heaven.
Now, on the other hand, if a friend of mine were to call one day and tell me he or she had discovered a product or service that had benefited them and they wamted to recommend that I try it, I probably would. But the operative word in the previous sentence is the word "friend."
Friends have influence; friends have relationship; and sooner or later, friends tell friends about Jesus.
Food for thought: Why not consider laying aside memorized "scripts of evangelism" and be real instead? Be yourself. Or better yet, try to be like Jesus, the Friend of sinners.
DSR
6/7/04
Monday, May 31, 2004
My Valedictiorian Speech
by David Scott Robertson
First of all, I am not, nor have I ever been, a valedictorian at anything academic. As a matter of fact, I botched typing the word "valedictorian" so bad that my spell checker had to come to my rescue.
However, my wife and I did go to my niece's high school graduation last evening and not only did we celebrate a remarkable family moment, but interestingly enough we got to hear several valedictorians give their speeches before the diplomas were distributed. I think it's a charming tradition.
I suppose school officials reason that it's a nice incentive to offer students who have earned a perfect grade point average the chance to get up in front of all their friends, family, and photographers and say something intelligent. Then again, given our general phobia to public speaking, it could act as a deterrent! How ironic! (Sort of like the student who hasn't missed a day of school in four years being absent to receive their perfect attendance plaque due to sickness!)
At any rate, the whole evening got me thinking about what I would have said to my graduating class (class of '78) had I been a valedictorian. I think it would have sounded something like this…
"Friends, faculty, family, and honored guests - it is a great privilege to stand before you this evening. I've been asked to address you, my graduating class, and leave you with some parting words of wisdom. But the truth of the matter is, like many of you, I just turned 18 years old, so what do I really know so profoundly wise that I can pass it on to you?
There is one piece of advice, my fellow graduates, that I want to send you into your future with and that is this: Choose your mentors well.
When choosing a mentor, don't look for the young man with perfect abs and runners' legs, seek out an old man with a pot belly and a limp. Ask him how he got the limp and how you can avoid getting one yourself.
Don't base your important life choices on the opinion of a young girl who has dyed her hair purple. I don't have a problem with purple hair, it's just that an older woman with gray hair is better. Ask a white-headed woman how she survived the Depression without losing her marriage.
Don't look for understanding and knowledge from the young man sporting a brand new tattoo on his chiseled bicep. Look for an arm with a sagging, faded tattoo surrounded by wrinkles and fat and ask the man attached to it for counsel.
Don't look with great expectation to the girl with her nose and belly button pierced for help in charting the course for your life. Look to the woman with an eight-inch scar on her belly that she got from delivering her stillborn baby C-section and ask her how she managed to live through and beyond her grief.
I challenge you, fellow graduates, to choose your mentors well. Consider the words of God, who invented wisdom who said that "wisdom is established in the presence of many counselors." And consider also in looking to Jesus Christ for guidance throughout your entire lifetime, for of Him it has been written that "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ."
My friends, quote the Bible and you will never be wrong. Live by it and your life will turn out all right. Learn from the mistakes of others. In choosing your mentors, look for not only those who have taken risks and failed, but look for those who have taken risks and failed forward, gaining something that you and I don't have yet as teenagers - experience.
My advice to you, graduating class of 1978, is my advice to my own self. Let us choose our mentors well so that one day we may grow and mature into mentors ourselves who will one day pass along the experience we have gained from our successes and failures to those who will follow our leadership.
Thank you, good night, God bless you, and God bless America!"
DSR
5/31/04
First of all, I am not, nor have I ever been, a valedictorian at anything academic. As a matter of fact, I botched typing the word "valedictorian" so bad that my spell checker had to come to my rescue.
However, my wife and I did go to my niece's high school graduation last evening and not only did we celebrate a remarkable family moment, but interestingly enough we got to hear several valedictorians give their speeches before the diplomas were distributed. I think it's a charming tradition.
I suppose school officials reason that it's a nice incentive to offer students who have earned a perfect grade point average the chance to get up in front of all their friends, family, and photographers and say something intelligent. Then again, given our general phobia to public speaking, it could act as a deterrent! How ironic! (Sort of like the student who hasn't missed a day of school in four years being absent to receive their perfect attendance plaque due to sickness!)
At any rate, the whole evening got me thinking about what I would have said to my graduating class (class of '78) had I been a valedictorian. I think it would have sounded something like this…
"Friends, faculty, family, and honored guests - it is a great privilege to stand before you this evening. I've been asked to address you, my graduating class, and leave you with some parting words of wisdom. But the truth of the matter is, like many of you, I just turned 18 years old, so what do I really know so profoundly wise that I can pass it on to you?
There is one piece of advice, my fellow graduates, that I want to send you into your future with and that is this: Choose your mentors well.
When choosing a mentor, don't look for the young man with perfect abs and runners' legs, seek out an old man with a pot belly and a limp. Ask him how he got the limp and how you can avoid getting one yourself.
Don't base your important life choices on the opinion of a young girl who has dyed her hair purple. I don't have a problem with purple hair, it's just that an older woman with gray hair is better. Ask a white-headed woman how she survived the Depression without losing her marriage.
Don't look for understanding and knowledge from the young man sporting a brand new tattoo on his chiseled bicep. Look for an arm with a sagging, faded tattoo surrounded by wrinkles and fat and ask the man attached to it for counsel.
Don't look with great expectation to the girl with her nose and belly button pierced for help in charting the course for your life. Look to the woman with an eight-inch scar on her belly that she got from delivering her stillborn baby C-section and ask her how she managed to live through and beyond her grief.
I challenge you, fellow graduates, to choose your mentors well. Consider the words of God, who invented wisdom who said that "wisdom is established in the presence of many counselors." And consider also in looking to Jesus Christ for guidance throughout your entire lifetime, for of Him it has been written that "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ."
My friends, quote the Bible and you will never be wrong. Live by it and your life will turn out all right. Learn from the mistakes of others. In choosing your mentors, look for not only those who have taken risks and failed, but look for those who have taken risks and failed forward, gaining something that you and I don't have yet as teenagers - experience.
My advice to you, graduating class of 1978, is my advice to my own self. Let us choose our mentors well so that one day we may grow and mature into mentors ourselves who will one day pass along the experience we have gained from our successes and failures to those who will follow our leadership.
Thank you, good night, God bless you, and God bless America!"
DSR
5/31/04
Monday, May 24, 2004
Let's Ask God First
by David Scott Robertson
"Then Saul said, 'Let's chase the Philistines all night and destroy every last one of them.' His men replied, 'We'll do whatever you think is best.' But the priest said, 'Let's ask God first'" (1 Samuel 14:36).
* * *
Leaders, like King Saul in this instance, will often make decisions out of emotion instead of wisdom gained by seeking God. Unfortunately, there are those who will follow right along saying, "we'll do whatever you think is best." But priceless is the person who will interrupt the process by saying, "let's ask God first."
In Saul's case, the words of the priest prompted the king to inquire of the Lord which led to the discovery that there was sin in the camp that would have prohibited God from supporting Saul's battle orders.
Earlier, Saul had initiated inquiring of the Lord but bailed out prematurely.
"Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, 'Bring the ephod here…But while Saul was talking to the priest, the shouting and confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to Ahijah, 'Never mind; let's get going!' Then Saul and his six hundred men rushed out to the battle…" (1 Samuel 14:18-19).
Saul's career as king was plagued with poor decisions, rash vows, and blatant disobedience to the Lord. Saul's chronic habit of making soulish decisions (based on his reasoning ability and emotional state at the time) caused God's first choice of a king for His people to become disqualified and the Lord replaced him with David (a man after His own heart).
Had Saul learned early in his reign to observe two key rules of effective leadership consistently, he would have enjoyed an enduring dynasty, for God had said through the prophet Samuel:
"...Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time" (1 Samuel 13:13).
The two principles Saul (and any aspiring leader) should consistently observe are:
1. Ask God first
2. Wait until you hear His reply before acting
Untold grief, heartache, and peril can be avoided by observing these two simple rules.
Saul and his men "rushed off into battle" without the word of the Lord and in the process of time it cost them all their lives. True wisdom lies in the ability to learn from the mistakes of others without repeating them yourself.
God's will for you and me is to successfully navigate around the many pitfalls and booby traps the enemy has set before us. To do this requires asking God before entering the minefield and having the good sense to wait on Him to reveal where the explosives are hidden before rushing off into spiritual battle.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him"(James 1:5).
DSR
5/24/04
"Then Saul said, 'Let's chase the Philistines all night and destroy every last one of them.' His men replied, 'We'll do whatever you think is best.' But the priest said, 'Let's ask God first'" (1 Samuel 14:36).
* * *
Leaders, like King Saul in this instance, will often make decisions out of emotion instead of wisdom gained by seeking God. Unfortunately, there are those who will follow right along saying, "we'll do whatever you think is best." But priceless is the person who will interrupt the process by saying, "let's ask God first."
In Saul's case, the words of the priest prompted the king to inquire of the Lord which led to the discovery that there was sin in the camp that would have prohibited God from supporting Saul's battle orders.
Earlier, Saul had initiated inquiring of the Lord but bailed out prematurely.
"Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, 'Bring the ephod here…But while Saul was talking to the priest, the shouting and confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to Ahijah, 'Never mind; let's get going!' Then Saul and his six hundred men rushed out to the battle…" (1 Samuel 14:18-19).
Saul's career as king was plagued with poor decisions, rash vows, and blatant disobedience to the Lord. Saul's chronic habit of making soulish decisions (based on his reasoning ability and emotional state at the time) caused God's first choice of a king for His people to become disqualified and the Lord replaced him with David (a man after His own heart).
Had Saul learned early in his reign to observe two key rules of effective leadership consistently, he would have enjoyed an enduring dynasty, for God had said through the prophet Samuel:
"...Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time" (1 Samuel 13:13).
The two principles Saul (and any aspiring leader) should consistently observe are:
1. Ask God first
2. Wait until you hear His reply before acting
Untold grief, heartache, and peril can be avoided by observing these two simple rules.
Saul and his men "rushed off into battle" without the word of the Lord and in the process of time it cost them all their lives. True wisdom lies in the ability to learn from the mistakes of others without repeating them yourself.
God's will for you and me is to successfully navigate around the many pitfalls and booby traps the enemy has set before us. To do this requires asking God before entering the minefield and having the good sense to wait on Him to reveal where the explosives are hidden before rushing off into spiritual battle.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him"(James 1:5).
DSR
5/24/04
Monday, May 17, 2004
Restitution
by David Scott Robertson
"Then Samuel addressed the people again: 'I have done as you asked and given you a king…Now tell me as I stand before the Lord and before his anointed one - whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong'" (1 Samuel 12:1,3-4).
* * *
The prophet Samuel is an impressive example of a man of integrity. No wonder God used him so mightily. Samuel was a man of sterling character and it shines very bright in the statement above which he has just made at King Saul's inauguration. Samuel demonstrates before all Israel the importance of a powerful principle called "restitution."
Simply put, restitution means making right whatever you have done wrong. It means (gulp) admitting you were wrong and taking action to correct it. It means doing everything possible within your power to convert a negative into a positive. The phrase "I'll make it up to you" is a good example of the principle of restitution in operation.
Here's how it might have worked in Samuel's case. If someone were to have stepped forward at his pointed questions and reminded him of a time when he (perhaps unintentionally) borrowed an ox or donkey and failed to return it - I believe Samuel would have left the platform immediately and made the matter right.
If Samuel had cheated someone, he would have paid back the offended party with interest. If at that moment it came to light that he had unfairly oppressed someone, he would have offered a public apology to them on the spot. If he were to have taken a bribe he would have confessed that as sin and worked diligently to undo the injustice he had been responsible for through his lapse in character. Knowing Samuel and God's call on his life, I believe he would have relentlessly worked to make whatever wrong he had caused right in the lives of those whom he was called to serve.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to live a lifetime and never offend, hurt, or inconvenience another person in some way. To think otherwise is an unrealistic expectation. But once the violation has been discovered where you have infringed on someone else's property, rights, or feelings, simply activate the principle of restitution. That is to say, immediately (or as soon as reasonably possible) begin the process of making it right! As much as possible, and as far as it has to do with you, make it right! And do it with a good attitude!
Here are some contemporary examples of restitution at work:
- A father is out of town on a business trip and misses his son's 12th birthday party. He returns with a present and takes an extra day off work to take his son to Six Flags theme park.
- A man's pickup truck slides off a rain-slicked curve and plows down a mailbox. He not only replaces the mailbox with a brand new (and better one picked out by the homeowner) but he plants a patch of beautiful flowers around it.
- A teenager borrows his parent's car and wrecks it. The insurance company pays for the repair but the kid pays the deductible and pays to have the car detailed when it comes out of the body shop.
- A girl borrows a neighbor's car and returns it filled with gas.
- A high school student slanders a classmate but later apologizes in front of her friends and invites her to sit with her at lunch.
- A next door neighbor borrows the lawn mower and hits a tree root and bends the blade but he pays for the repair and has the oil and spark plug changed to boot.
- In a fit of anger, a hole is punched in the wall - it is fixed and new wallpaper is put up in its place.
Restitution. When it works well it almost seems like the offended party comes out ahead! They actually are better off in the long run than before the incident happened! They get something new or better or nicer. The principle of restitution is so potent that even enemies can be transformed into friends through its power.
In discussing this principle, we must admit that sometimes full restitution is difficult or even impossible. In the case where you have been directly or indirectly responsible for someone's losing their life or being permanently disabled as a result of your mistake, then restitution is not easy. Committing adultery with another person's spouse is another example where restitution is very complex:
"But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away; for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is" (Proverbs 6:32-35).
In these cases, I recommend doing the best you can under the circumstances and under the guidance of the Lord and godly counselors. Doing nothing is not good; doing what you can is good. You CAN express remorse. You CAN share grief. You CAN demonstrate repentance and ask for forgiveness. If you genuinely repent, God will forgive you even if men will not. But bitter, unforgiving hearts are a job for the Holy Spirit to deal with, not you.
My encouragement to you in this thought is to make the principle of restitution one of the core values of your life. When (not if) you discover you have hurt another person in any way, either intentionally or unintentionally, begin right away to make it right. Don't let the sun go down until you begin making preparation and plans to deal with the matter as best you can. Don't let sleep come to your eyes until you come up with a tentative plan and a workable solution to redeem the situation where it benefits the person you hurt as much as humanly possible.
Remember: In attempting to make restitution, (where applicable) you should ask the offended party: "What can I do to make it up to you?" Then try to meet their demand, and add a little bit extra, just for the trouble.
Offenses will come; they are absolutely inevitable. But as far as it has to do with you, be a man or woman of principle by applying as often as necessary the principle of restitution. People will notice this unusual quality about you and some will begin to imitate you and the gift of restitution will spread. And God will be pleased.
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
-- The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians in Rome (Romans 12:17-18)
DSR
5/17/04
"Then Samuel addressed the people again: 'I have done as you asked and given you a king…Now tell me as I stand before the Lord and before his anointed one - whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong'" (1 Samuel 12:1,3-4).
* * *
The prophet Samuel is an impressive example of a man of integrity. No wonder God used him so mightily. Samuel was a man of sterling character and it shines very bright in the statement above which he has just made at King Saul's inauguration. Samuel demonstrates before all Israel the importance of a powerful principle called "restitution."
Simply put, restitution means making right whatever you have done wrong. It means (gulp) admitting you were wrong and taking action to correct it. It means doing everything possible within your power to convert a negative into a positive. The phrase "I'll make it up to you" is a good example of the principle of restitution in operation.
Here's how it might have worked in Samuel's case. If someone were to have stepped forward at his pointed questions and reminded him of a time when he (perhaps unintentionally) borrowed an ox or donkey and failed to return it - I believe Samuel would have left the platform immediately and made the matter right.
If Samuel had cheated someone, he would have paid back the offended party with interest. If at that moment it came to light that he had unfairly oppressed someone, he would have offered a public apology to them on the spot. If he were to have taken a bribe he would have confessed that as sin and worked diligently to undo the injustice he had been responsible for through his lapse in character. Knowing Samuel and God's call on his life, I believe he would have relentlessly worked to make whatever wrong he had caused right in the lives of those whom he was called to serve.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to live a lifetime and never offend, hurt, or inconvenience another person in some way. To think otherwise is an unrealistic expectation. But once the violation has been discovered where you have infringed on someone else's property, rights, or feelings, simply activate the principle of restitution. That is to say, immediately (or as soon as reasonably possible) begin the process of making it right! As much as possible, and as far as it has to do with you, make it right! And do it with a good attitude!
Here are some contemporary examples of restitution at work:
- A father is out of town on a business trip and misses his son's 12th birthday party. He returns with a present and takes an extra day off work to take his son to Six Flags theme park.
- A man's pickup truck slides off a rain-slicked curve and plows down a mailbox. He not only replaces the mailbox with a brand new (and better one picked out by the homeowner) but he plants a patch of beautiful flowers around it.
- A teenager borrows his parent's car and wrecks it. The insurance company pays for the repair but the kid pays the deductible and pays to have the car detailed when it comes out of the body shop.
- A girl borrows a neighbor's car and returns it filled with gas.
- A high school student slanders a classmate but later apologizes in front of her friends and invites her to sit with her at lunch.
- A next door neighbor borrows the lawn mower and hits a tree root and bends the blade but he pays for the repair and has the oil and spark plug changed to boot.
- In a fit of anger, a hole is punched in the wall - it is fixed and new wallpaper is put up in its place.
Restitution. When it works well it almost seems like the offended party comes out ahead! They actually are better off in the long run than before the incident happened! They get something new or better or nicer. The principle of restitution is so potent that even enemies can be transformed into friends through its power.
In discussing this principle, we must admit that sometimes full restitution is difficult or even impossible. In the case where you have been directly or indirectly responsible for someone's losing their life or being permanently disabled as a result of your mistake, then restitution is not easy. Committing adultery with another person's spouse is another example where restitution is very complex:
"But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away; for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is" (Proverbs 6:32-35).
In these cases, I recommend doing the best you can under the circumstances and under the guidance of the Lord and godly counselors. Doing nothing is not good; doing what you can is good. You CAN express remorse. You CAN share grief. You CAN demonstrate repentance and ask for forgiveness. If you genuinely repent, God will forgive you even if men will not. But bitter, unforgiving hearts are a job for the Holy Spirit to deal with, not you.
My encouragement to you in this thought is to make the principle of restitution one of the core values of your life. When (not if) you discover you have hurt another person in any way, either intentionally or unintentionally, begin right away to make it right. Don't let the sun go down until you begin making preparation and plans to deal with the matter as best you can. Don't let sleep come to your eyes until you come up with a tentative plan and a workable solution to redeem the situation where it benefits the person you hurt as much as humanly possible.
Remember: In attempting to make restitution, (where applicable) you should ask the offended party: "What can I do to make it up to you?" Then try to meet their demand, and add a little bit extra, just for the trouble.
Offenses will come; they are absolutely inevitable. But as far as it has to do with you, be a man or woman of principle by applying as often as necessary the principle of restitution. People will notice this unusual quality about you and some will begin to imitate you and the gift of restitution will spread. And God will be pleased.
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
-- The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians in Rome (Romans 12:17-18)
DSR
5/17/04
Monday, May 10, 2004
To This Day
by David Scott Robertson
* * *
"And Samson said, 'With the jawbone of a donkey, I've made heaps on heaps! With the jawbone of a donkey, I've killed a thousand men!'" (Judges 15:16)
"Now Samson was very thirsty, and he cried out to the Lord, 'You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagan people?'" (Judges 15:18)
"So God caused water to gush out of a hollow in the ground at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank. Then he named that place 'The Spring of the One Who Cried Out" [En-hakkore], and it is still in Lehi to this day." (Judges 15:19, emphasis mine).
* * *
Samson, the son of Manoah of the tribe of Dan, was the last of the major judges over Israel about 1100 B.C. (Judges 13:1-16:31). This legendary hero frequently did battle with the Philistines, who at that time had dominion over Israel (Judges 14:4).
I personally believe that Samson was an ordinary looking man, not some muscle-bound bodybuilder type. The source of his great strength, which often was converted into supernatural exploits, came through the "Spirit of the Lord" who would "come upon him" and enable him to perform amazing feats of physical strength (Judges 14:6,19; 15:14; 16:28-29). (Another example of this phenomena in Old Testament times was when the power of the Lord came upon the prophet Elijah and enabled him to outrun the chariots of King Ahab to Jezreel (1 Kings 18:46).
Before his conception, Samson was dedicated to the Lord by his parents to be a lifelong Nazarite. Part of his vow was letting his hair grow long and abstaining from wine and strong drink. Tragically, Samson did not live a consecrated life to the Lord and was careless with the calling of God on his life and his unbridled lust eventually cost him not only his eyesight but also his very life.
These Samson factoids may be conversation starters but they are not my point at all. Here is my point:
In the opening passage that I quoted, Samson had just clubbed to death one thousand Philistine loyalists and at this point was so thirsty that he felt in danger of perishing himself. Here is where I noticed something so captivating to my thinking that I wanted to write about it.
Here we have one man with one need (one time only) praying one prayer to the one true God to provide for that one need that one time and God immediately answers that prayer.
"So God caused water to gush out of a hollow in the ground at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank…" (Judges 15:19)
Samson drank, his physical body revived; prayer answered, problem solved. But notice especially the last part of that verse where the life-giving gift of water goes on…
"…Then he named that place 'The Spring of the One Who Cried Out" [En-hakkore], AND IT IS STILL IN LEHI TO THIS DAY" (Judges 15:19, emphasis mine).
Samson is dead and gone but the spring God opened up for him remains to this day. There is no telling how many countless other men and creatures who have been refreshed from drinking from the spring called En-hakkore.
What can we learn from this ancient story of a backslidden judge of Israel that can teach us spiritual truth TO THIS DAY? Here's at least five observations:
1. God answers prayer - Go ahead and call on God in your time of crisis and He will come and save you.
2. God knows your difficult situation - God is an ever-present help in time of trouble. He is not far away when a child of His is in trouble.
3. God is able - God can not only make water gush from a rock, He can, in fact, do anything for anybody at anytime and anywhere He chooses.
4. God thinks long-term - We think answered prayers are disposable, but God recycles. He is thinking about meeting the needs of someone else down the road, perhaps decades or centuries later, and His provision for them may have stemmed from His previous dealings with you. .
5. God keeps His Word - To this day God is keeping His promises to whomever He has cut covenant with. We can trust the Lord to hold up His end of the bargain.
- To this day the rainbow that follows a rain shower proves that a universal flood will never again destroy the earth.
- To this day the waves of seas and oceans obey God's order to travel no further than the shorelines that He set as their boundaries (Proverbs 8:29).
- To this day gravity has not been repealed and the laws of physical science remain intact because God has decreed that it be so.
- To this day God extends His loving mercy toward humankind in the Person of Jesus Christ that we might be reconciled to God and destroy the curse of sin through grace and faith.
May I encourage you to call on the name of the Lord today for whatever issue, situation, or technical difficulty you may be experiencing? God's response to your cry may ultimately provide relief for countless others.
DSR
5/10/04
* * *
"And Samson said, 'With the jawbone of a donkey, I've made heaps on heaps! With the jawbone of a donkey, I've killed a thousand men!'" (Judges 15:16)
"Now Samson was very thirsty, and he cried out to the Lord, 'You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagan people?'" (Judges 15:18)
"So God caused water to gush out of a hollow in the ground at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank. Then he named that place 'The Spring of the One Who Cried Out" [En-hakkore], and it is still in Lehi to this day." (Judges 15:19, emphasis mine).
* * *
Samson, the son of Manoah of the tribe of Dan, was the last of the major judges over Israel about 1100 B.C. (Judges 13:1-16:31). This legendary hero frequently did battle with the Philistines, who at that time had dominion over Israel (Judges 14:4).
I personally believe that Samson was an ordinary looking man, not some muscle-bound bodybuilder type. The source of his great strength, which often was converted into supernatural exploits, came through the "Spirit of the Lord" who would "come upon him" and enable him to perform amazing feats of physical strength (Judges 14:6,19; 15:14; 16:28-29). (Another example of this phenomena in Old Testament times was when the power of the Lord came upon the prophet Elijah and enabled him to outrun the chariots of King Ahab to Jezreel (1 Kings 18:46).
Before his conception, Samson was dedicated to the Lord by his parents to be a lifelong Nazarite. Part of his vow was letting his hair grow long and abstaining from wine and strong drink. Tragically, Samson did not live a consecrated life to the Lord and was careless with the calling of God on his life and his unbridled lust eventually cost him not only his eyesight but also his very life.
These Samson factoids may be conversation starters but they are not my point at all. Here is my point:
In the opening passage that I quoted, Samson had just clubbed to death one thousand Philistine loyalists and at this point was so thirsty that he felt in danger of perishing himself. Here is where I noticed something so captivating to my thinking that I wanted to write about it.
Here we have one man with one need (one time only) praying one prayer to the one true God to provide for that one need that one time and God immediately answers that prayer.
"So God caused water to gush out of a hollow in the ground at Lehi, and Samson was revived as he drank…" (Judges 15:19)
Samson drank, his physical body revived; prayer answered, problem solved. But notice especially the last part of that verse where the life-giving gift of water goes on…
"…Then he named that place 'The Spring of the One Who Cried Out" [En-hakkore], AND IT IS STILL IN LEHI TO THIS DAY" (Judges 15:19, emphasis mine).
Samson is dead and gone but the spring God opened up for him remains to this day. There is no telling how many countless other men and creatures who have been refreshed from drinking from the spring called En-hakkore.
What can we learn from this ancient story of a backslidden judge of Israel that can teach us spiritual truth TO THIS DAY? Here's at least five observations:
1. God answers prayer - Go ahead and call on God in your time of crisis and He will come and save you.
2. God knows your difficult situation - God is an ever-present help in time of trouble. He is not far away when a child of His is in trouble.
3. God is able - God can not only make water gush from a rock, He can, in fact, do anything for anybody at anytime and anywhere He chooses.
4. God thinks long-term - We think answered prayers are disposable, but God recycles. He is thinking about meeting the needs of someone else down the road, perhaps decades or centuries later, and His provision for them may have stemmed from His previous dealings with you. .
5. God keeps His Word - To this day God is keeping His promises to whomever He has cut covenant with. We can trust the Lord to hold up His end of the bargain.
- To this day the rainbow that follows a rain shower proves that a universal flood will never again destroy the earth.
- To this day the waves of seas and oceans obey God's order to travel no further than the shorelines that He set as their boundaries (Proverbs 8:29).
- To this day gravity has not been repealed and the laws of physical science remain intact because God has decreed that it be so.
- To this day God extends His loving mercy toward humankind in the Person of Jesus Christ that we might be reconciled to God and destroy the curse of sin through grace and faith.
May I encourage you to call on the name of the Lord today for whatever issue, situation, or technical difficulty you may be experiencing? God's response to your cry may ultimately provide relief for countless others.
DSR
5/10/04
Monday, May 3, 2004
Daniel: A Real Wise Guy
by David Scott Robertson
"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel…" (Daniel 1:8-9)
* * *
Attention all politicians and business executives! Anyone desiring to be successful in a political or business career should take note of a man in the Bible named Daniel.
Students pursuing a business administration or political science degree would also do well to include in their curriculum a personal study in "Daniel 101." Why? Because in this Bible figure we find a man whose career spanned the administrations of at least FOUR kings. That's like being appointed to be Vice-President of the United States of America for George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Sr., and Ronald Reagan!
But unlike our current politicians, Daniel didn't campaign for office. He didn't seek position, authority, and influence - these things sought him. The Bible describes Daniel's personal and professional life as being "above reproach." He's one of the few characters in the Bible who we don't find any "dirt" on. To be sure he was not perfect but the scriptures omit any personal flaws and emphasizes Daniel's fidelity to his faith in God and practice of Judaism during his exile in a pagan culture.
The cycle of events in Daniel's life usually went something like this:
1. Work and pray hard (3 times each day)
2. The current king has a problem and the existing magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners can't help him - so they call for Daniel.
3. God works supernaturally through Daniel to interpret the dream, solve the enigma, foretell future events, or perform some other miracle in or through Daniel's life.
4. The king exalts Daniel and his God to high places.
For example, here is the end result of God working through Daniel in the presence of some of the most powerful figures in human history in their day and age:
KING Nedbuchadnezzar
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery." Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men" (Daniel 2:46-48).
King Belshazzar
"This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means" (Daniel 5:12).
[Daniel correctly interprets the "writing on the wall"]
"Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom" (Daniel 5:29).
KING DARIUS, THE MEDE & KING CYRUS, THE PERSIAN
"The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly! "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian" (Daniel 6:23-28).
THE GREAT GOD JEHOVAH
Even Almighty God Himself thought highly enough of Daniel to include him in the line-up of some the all-time Bible greats:
"Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath upon it through bloodshed, killing its men and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness" (Ezekiel 14:19-20).
Now why do you suppose Daniel seems to possess this unusual and incredible ability to garner the favor of God and man? I think the answer is found in our opening verse.
"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel…" (Daniel 1:8-9)
Daniel adhered to a simple Biblical principle that paid off for him throughout his lifetime: Be faithful in little things and God will put you in charge of bigger things.
Daniel passed the test time after time when confronted with the temptation to defile himself through compromise, deviate from the truth, or sacrifice his belief in the One True God. It started with not defiling himself with the food he ate but that act was only an outward demonstration of an inward transformation that had already taken place in his spiritual life.
Daniel refused to be intimidated by anyone regardless of power or position. As a result, God could trust him with incredible spiritual gifts of interpreting dreams, reading mysterious handwriting on walls, and prophesying in detail the rise and fall of entire civilizations.
Let's break this down to where we live and how it impacts us today. I believe - wholeheartedly - that if you and I purpose in our hearts not to defile ourselves with the "meat" and "delicacies" of this world, then we, like Daniel, position ourselves for favor and a good name with God. And when you are "approved unto God" (1 Th. 2:4), look out world!
Daniel was a real wise guy but not because he was abnormally intelligent, but because he developed a great relationship with God who owns all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3) and is glad to share it with those He can trust (James 1:5).
DSR
5/3/04
"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel…" (Daniel 1:8-9)
* * *
Attention all politicians and business executives! Anyone desiring to be successful in a political or business career should take note of a man in the Bible named Daniel.
Students pursuing a business administration or political science degree would also do well to include in their curriculum a personal study in "Daniel 101." Why? Because in this Bible figure we find a man whose career spanned the administrations of at least FOUR kings. That's like being appointed to be Vice-President of the United States of America for George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Sr., and Ronald Reagan!
But unlike our current politicians, Daniel didn't campaign for office. He didn't seek position, authority, and influence - these things sought him. The Bible describes Daniel's personal and professional life as being "above reproach." He's one of the few characters in the Bible who we don't find any "dirt" on. To be sure he was not perfect but the scriptures omit any personal flaws and emphasizes Daniel's fidelity to his faith in God and practice of Judaism during his exile in a pagan culture.
The cycle of events in Daniel's life usually went something like this:
1. Work and pray hard (3 times each day)
2. The current king has a problem and the existing magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners can't help him - so they call for Daniel.
3. God works supernaturally through Daniel to interpret the dream, solve the enigma, foretell future events, or perform some other miracle in or through Daniel's life.
4. The king exalts Daniel and his God to high places.
For example, here is the end result of God working through Daniel in the presence of some of the most powerful figures in human history in their day and age:
KING Nedbuchadnezzar
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery." Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men" (Daniel 2:46-48).
King Belshazzar
"This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means" (Daniel 5:12).
[Daniel correctly interprets the "writing on the wall"]
"Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom" (Daniel 5:29).
KING DARIUS, THE MEDE & KING CYRUS, THE PERSIAN
"The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly! "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian" (Daniel 6:23-28).
THE GREAT GOD JEHOVAH
Even Almighty God Himself thought highly enough of Daniel to include him in the line-up of some the all-time Bible greats:
"Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath upon it through bloodshed, killing its men and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness" (Ezekiel 14:19-20).
Now why do you suppose Daniel seems to possess this unusual and incredible ability to garner the favor of God and man? I think the answer is found in our opening verse.
"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel…" (Daniel 1:8-9)
Daniel adhered to a simple Biblical principle that paid off for him throughout his lifetime: Be faithful in little things and God will put you in charge of bigger things.
Daniel passed the test time after time when confronted with the temptation to defile himself through compromise, deviate from the truth, or sacrifice his belief in the One True God. It started with not defiling himself with the food he ate but that act was only an outward demonstration of an inward transformation that had already taken place in his spiritual life.
Daniel refused to be intimidated by anyone regardless of power or position. As a result, God could trust him with incredible spiritual gifts of interpreting dreams, reading mysterious handwriting on walls, and prophesying in detail the rise and fall of entire civilizations.
Let's break this down to where we live and how it impacts us today. I believe - wholeheartedly - that if you and I purpose in our hearts not to defile ourselves with the "meat" and "delicacies" of this world, then we, like Daniel, position ourselves for favor and a good name with God. And when you are "approved unto God" (1 Th. 2:4), look out world!
Daniel was a real wise guy but not because he was abnormally intelligent, but because he developed a great relationship with God who owns all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3) and is glad to share it with those He can trust (James 1:5).
DSR
5/3/04
Monday, April 26, 2004
The Incomplete Person
by David Scott Robertson
(Gen 1:26 NIV) Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
Human beings were the ingenious creation of God. The "let us" and "in our image" in the scripture above refers to, of course, the Holy Trinity. In the same way that there is one God who eternally exists in three persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - similarly mankind whom He created exists in three aspects - body, soul, and spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, among other scriptures, proves this to be true: "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Each of these aspects of the human being must receive appropriate care and feeding and nurturing in order for proper development to occur. If this does not happen, malfunction and dysfunction result.
I have observed an interesting phenomenon in our culture. There seems to be enormous attention given to the development of two-thirds of what makes up a human being leaving one-third in a very undeveloped state. The net result of this practice is a generation comprised of incomplete persons. We see this truth manifest all the time.
A young woman is on a low-carb diet and works out 4 days per week at the health club. She is a graduate student at a local university. However, she only goes to church on Easter and Christmas. The incomplete woman.
A young college graduate lands an executive position with a Fortune 500 company. On the weekends he participates in regional triathlons. He is the picture of health poised to climb to the pinnacle of corporate success. His competitions take him away from home on Sundays so he rarely attends church. The incomplete man.
A young couple has a baby. They painstakingly feed it, clothe it, shelter it, and rear it to the point where they eventually send it off to school for 12-16 years to educate it. Tragically, the parents totally omit the spiritual rearing of their offspring. The incomplete family.
My point is that we can look at a person who is beautiful and attractive (whatever that means to you) and intelligent and successful (whatever that means to you) and ERRONEOUSLY suppose that this individual is full and complete. Wrong.
- The gold medal-winning gymnast with bulging biceps and perfect abs has an anger problem.
- The Nobel Prize winner smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day.
- The MTV idol is working on her fourth marriage.
- The college professor drinks…a lot.
- The drop-dead gorgeous blond at the office is eaten up inside with bitterness against her father.
Incomplete persons, one and all. And you and I rub shoulders with tens of thousands of them in a lifetime. It doesn't help that we exist in a culture in America when we rate, judge, and reward people based on two-thirds of who they really are. But that's the way that a carnal culture operates.
So what if someone is incomplete? What difference does it make? If a person is pretty and smart, isn't that enough? It may well be, unless you're interested in marrying an incomplete person. Or employing one. Or electing one to public office. Personality, charisma, charm, pedigree, appearance, accomplishments, etc. all take a back seat to the fruit of the Spirit.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Unless you are "born of the Spirit" (saved, regenerated, a believer in/disciple of Jesus Christ) you are ineligible to receive the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, any super-model or power-executive who is not a Christian is an incomplete person.
"You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17).
Natural beauty will eventually fade; time and gravity will take care of that. Earthy intelligence and reasoning will eventually prove to be inferior to godly wisdom; experience and history each testify to that. Success without God is not success at all. Kings, politicians, CEOS, and movie stars all eventually die. At that time, the only thing that matters is whether or not you are a complete person.
"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15).
My counsel to you who are reading this today is to eat right, exercise, drink plenty of water and read your Bible. Complete your education, exercise your mind and imagination, enjoy the arts, and spend lots of time in prayer. Plant a garden, play ball with your kids, go on vacation, and make sure you are in church as regularly as possible. Fellowship with complete persons who will help your faith in Jesus grow strong. Reach out to share the love of God with those who are not yet complete in Christ. Make sure that your spiritual life development is the top priority in your life and then the other two-thirds of who you are will follow in proper order.
DSR
4/26/04
(Gen 1:26 NIV) Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
Human beings were the ingenious creation of God. The "let us" and "in our image" in the scripture above refers to, of course, the Holy Trinity. In the same way that there is one God who eternally exists in three persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - similarly mankind whom He created exists in three aspects - body, soul, and spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, among other scriptures, proves this to be true: "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Each of these aspects of the human being must receive appropriate care and feeding and nurturing in order for proper development to occur. If this does not happen, malfunction and dysfunction result.
I have observed an interesting phenomenon in our culture. There seems to be enormous attention given to the development of two-thirds of what makes up a human being leaving one-third in a very undeveloped state. The net result of this practice is a generation comprised of incomplete persons. We see this truth manifest all the time.
A young woman is on a low-carb diet and works out 4 days per week at the health club. She is a graduate student at a local university. However, she only goes to church on Easter and Christmas. The incomplete woman.
A young college graduate lands an executive position with a Fortune 500 company. On the weekends he participates in regional triathlons. He is the picture of health poised to climb to the pinnacle of corporate success. His competitions take him away from home on Sundays so he rarely attends church. The incomplete man.
A young couple has a baby. They painstakingly feed it, clothe it, shelter it, and rear it to the point where they eventually send it off to school for 12-16 years to educate it. Tragically, the parents totally omit the spiritual rearing of their offspring. The incomplete family.
My point is that we can look at a person who is beautiful and attractive (whatever that means to you) and intelligent and successful (whatever that means to you) and ERRONEOUSLY suppose that this individual is full and complete. Wrong.
- The gold medal-winning gymnast with bulging biceps and perfect abs has an anger problem.
- The Nobel Prize winner smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day.
- The MTV idol is working on her fourth marriage.
- The college professor drinks…a lot.
- The drop-dead gorgeous blond at the office is eaten up inside with bitterness against her father.
Incomplete persons, one and all. And you and I rub shoulders with tens of thousands of them in a lifetime. It doesn't help that we exist in a culture in America when we rate, judge, and reward people based on two-thirds of who they really are. But that's the way that a carnal culture operates.
So what if someone is incomplete? What difference does it make? If a person is pretty and smart, isn't that enough? It may well be, unless you're interested in marrying an incomplete person. Or employing one. Or electing one to public office. Personality, charisma, charm, pedigree, appearance, accomplishments, etc. all take a back seat to the fruit of the Spirit.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Unless you are "born of the Spirit" (saved, regenerated, a believer in/disciple of Jesus Christ) you are ineligible to receive the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, any super-model or power-executive who is not a Christian is an incomplete person.
"You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17).
Natural beauty will eventually fade; time and gravity will take care of that. Earthy intelligence and reasoning will eventually prove to be inferior to godly wisdom; experience and history each testify to that. Success without God is not success at all. Kings, politicians, CEOS, and movie stars all eventually die. At that time, the only thing that matters is whether or not you are a complete person.
"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15).
My counsel to you who are reading this today is to eat right, exercise, drink plenty of water and read your Bible. Complete your education, exercise your mind and imagination, enjoy the arts, and spend lots of time in prayer. Plant a garden, play ball with your kids, go on vacation, and make sure you are in church as regularly as possible. Fellowship with complete persons who will help your faith in Jesus grow strong. Reach out to share the love of God with those who are not yet complete in Christ. Make sure that your spiritual life development is the top priority in your life and then the other two-thirds of who you are will follow in proper order.
DSR
4/26/04
Monday, April 12, 2004
The Planet's Most Extreme
by David Scott Robertson
NOTE: This thought was the text for a sermon I preached in 2003.
My daughter Abigail and I very much enjoy watching nature shows on television. She, like me, is fascinated at the wonders of nature and rightly so. God had done such a magnificent, spectacular, (fill in the blank with your own adjective), job in creating creation, don't you think?
To be sure there are vast wonders in the areas of astronomy, biology, physical science, geography, and all the other complex segments of our universe, but it's the animal world that has captured my daughter's attention.
As Abbey and I watch these programs together, it is my delight as her father to have opportunity after opportunity to teach her about the many facets of the Inventor of the animals - Creator God.
It was God who gave the Crocodile Hunter (Steve Irwin), and Jeff Corwin, and the explorers on Wild Kingdom, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel and all other nature shows something to talk about. In fact, as these scientists perform their excellent job of bringing nature up close and personal to the rest of the world by way of a television camera, they are also, whether they realize it or not, glorifying God who created the subjects of their commentary.
Abbey and I particularly enjoy a series on Animal Planet called "The Planet's Most Extreme." It's a show that counts down backwards from ten to one the most peculiar organisms in the natural world: The most extreme camouflage, the most extreme intelligence, the most extreme speed, the most extreme strength, and so forth. We love it!
I want you to know that this show is the inspiration for this "Thought About God."
It got me thinking about how God holds the title for "The Planet's Most Extreme." Extreme what? Let's take a look at some of the attributes of God that are unparalleled in this or any universe. Let's begin our countdown of what I think may be 10 of the most extreme characteristics about God. Coming in at #10, is the fact that God possesses…
#10: The Planet's Most Extreme GENIUS
God is so smart. Abbey and I get giddy with laughter as we look at the innumerable, incomparable, ingenious variety of wildlife on the planet! Recently we visited the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg (Tennessee) and saw colorful fish of every shape and size - it was fantastic! But God's genius and creativity doesn't stop with fish! In His creation are tiny and huge birds of every description - tiny birds like a hummingbird that can fly backwards and large birds like geese that somehow migrate thousands of miles back to their original nesting grounds.
God invented insects that look like they're from outer space! Yesterday, in my daily devotions, I was reading about the Noah and the ark and I had this funny picture flash through my mind of Noah feeding the animals and suddenly and instinctively he realizes something is biting his neck and - SLAP! - Noah squashes a mosquito and cries out: "What have I done? I've killed a species!"
Anyway, the genius of God has created critters ranging in size from microscopic to massive.
Moreover, it's not just what they look like, it's where they live and how God has crafted their bodies to survive their environment. Critters survive in the oceans, the lake and river systems, the savannahs, the desserts, the frozen wastelands of polar regions, the rainforests, the everglades - they flourish on top of the ground, underground, or spend their days soaring in the sky -- the ecosystem and chain of plant and animal life are beyond incredible!
I watched a documentary one time about volcanic holes in the floor of the ocean where the water pumping out of the earth's crust was superheated and poisonous and guess what? God invented tubeworms to thrive there! Friends, it would take a Genius to think all this up. And it did.
To believe that all of this was the result of a process called evolution takes more faith than to believe in the creation account.
Evolution basically says that TIME + CHANCE = EVERYTHING.
To believe that everything evolves over billions of years is tantamount to believing that you can throw a grenade into a print shop and out of the explosion comes an unabridged dictionary! If you believe that then you'll have no problem believing that the United States Navy can fire a cruise missile into an airplane hanger and out of that explosion will come the space shuttle!
No, things don't go from chaos to order all by themselves (investigate the "law of entropy"). You can look at your kid's room and figure that out! No, things don't go from simple to more complex all by themselves! Evolution is a THEORY, not a fact, and it's a bad theory at that based on lies and false assumptions.
You see, the earth has a very complex design, therefore it must have a Designer. Seasons follow a plan, so there must have been a Planner. Creation had a Creator, His name is God, and He is a genius!
It is Abbey and my firm conviction that when it comes to high intelligence and creativity, God is the Planet's Most Extreme GENIUS.
Coming in at #9 on the countdown of God's extreme attributes is that God is the owner of…
The Planet's Most Extreme PATIENCE
God is so patient. He's more patient that you or me or all of us called humanity put together. And it's a good thing too because if God were not patient, there would be no humanity. The Lord God could have, at any given time, spoken the word and the earth could have been reduced to a sterile ball of matter floating through space.
And it's not like we haven't tried His patience. By and large, every people group on the earth today has offended God, transgressed His laws, and for the most part ignored Him.
As a matter of fact, the Bibles predicts a day in which the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth to claim His Bride, the Church, and leave the rest of humanity to contend with a period of history known as "The Great Tribulation." What's preventing Him from showing up? Patience.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
I could go on and but suffice it to say that God is the clear winner when it comes to longsuffering and exercises the Planet's Most Extreme PATIENCE.
#8 - God possesses The Planet's Most Extreme GLORY
God is so glorious. In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, he writes "that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1:29). When we compare the glory of man with the glory of God, there is no comparison!
God is so great and so glorious that the angels in heaven bow down and give Him glory and praise with complete adoration continually.
His glory provided light in the beginning before there was a sun (Genesis 1:3) and His glory will illuminate the universe when the sun is extinguished in the new heavens and new earth at the consummation of the age (Revelation 21:25).
A man in the Bible named Saul got a glimpse of the glory of God and the brightness blinded him for three days (Acts 9:8-9). Peter, James and John caught a glimpse of the glory of God on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2) and they instantly fell on their faces deeply afraid! The Israelites saw the glory of the Lord settle on Mount Sinai for seven days and it looked like a consuming fire (Exodus 24:16-17). When King Solomon was dedicating the newly built temple of God the glory of the Lord was so thick that the priests could not perform their service (1 Kings 8:10-11).
Friends, the glory of the Lord is beyond description and human understanding. When it comes to magnificence, splendor and wonder, the Lord God most definitely possesses the Planet's Most Extreme GLORY.
#7 - The Planet's Most Extreme HOLINESS
God is so holy. God is unspeakably holy. He is utterly good, flawless, sinless, He is perfection personified. He is so holy that there are living creatures in heaven right now who day and night never stop saying:
"...holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8).
It's a good thing God is holy. You see, if God were not holy, then Jesus' sacrifice on the cross would have been insufficient to purchase mankind's salvation and restore the severed relationship between God and Man lost in the Garden of Eden through Adam and Eve's sin.
But because God is holy, and Jesus is God, then His sacrifice was all-sufficient (Hebrews 7:27) and allowed Christ to die a vicarious and atoning death as the ultimate sin offering. It worked! Now, whosoever calls on the name of the Lord can be saved! (Acts 2:21).
Why? Because when it comes to sanctity, godliness, and consecration, nothing even comes close to God who has the Planet's Most Extreme HOLINESS.
#6 - The Planet's Most Extreme POWER
God is so powerful.
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3).
Can you do that? When God speaks, it is so powerful that whatever He says happens.
Let me illustrate the power of God's creative power this way. Since it is impossible for God to lie, if God were to say to me: "David, you're 8 feet tall." Before I could get the words out of my mouth saying "no, I'm 6 feet 1 inch tall…" - I'd be 8 feet 0 inches tall! Why? Simply because God's word would cause it to be so.
God is so powerful that - as Nahum 1:5 tells us - that…
"The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it" (Nahum 1:5).
God is so powerful that no man can see him face-to-face and live (Exodus 33:20).
All the atomic weapons in the world combined couldn't rival one atom of His power.
As a matter of fact, God is so powerful that there's a special word in the English language reserved exclusively for Him and nobody else: the word is "OMNIPOTENT." That means "all-powerful."
I think that means God can handle the mess you've gotten yourself in to.
When it comes to supremacy, command, and authority, God is most assuredly the Planet's Most Extreme POWER.
Well, at this point, we're halfway through the countdown! We're talking about attributes of the Lord our God that are so extreme that nothing on earth, nothing in heaven, and nothing under the earth can compare with the majesty of Almighty God.
We're talking about the One who is going to lead us into 2004. This is the One that who says, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." This is the one who said in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" This is the One who said "ALL authority in heaven and in earth has been given to ME!" and this same Jesus wants to be your Best Friend in the New Year - if you'll let Him!
His GENIUS is extreme. His PATIENCE is extreme. His GLORY is extreme. His HOLINESS is extreme and to be sure, His POWER is extreme. But although these are incredible qualities that our Lord King possesses, there's still more! The half has not yet been told!
Have a look at my #5 most extreme attribute of God...
#5 - The Planet's Most Extreme WISDOM
God is so wise. He doesn't possess a portion, part, slice, or fraction of wisdom, He IS wisdom embodied. Everything He does is just and fair and right (Proverbs 2:9).
There's not a single decision or plan He's made that wasn't perfectly wise. There hasn't been a solitary incident of Him saying or doing anything that wasn't the exact right thing to say or do. His counsel and advice are wise, His laws and decrees are wise, His commands and statues are wise. Even His rebukes and judgments are completely wise!
Without a doubt, God has a monopoly on wisdom.
"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:3)
If that's not enough, the Bible teaches that ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ! (Colossians 2:2-3). And where is Christ? That's the mystery of the ages - "Christ in you, the hope of glory!" (Colossians 1:27).
Compared to God, man's wisdom is foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:20), and yet God has generously consented to share His wisdom with whoever needs it.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).
When it comes to being intelligent, prudent, and judicious, God most certainly wins the award for the Planet's Most Extreme WISDOM.
Coming in at #4, please consider that God is also…
#4. The Planet's Most Extreme DREAMER.
God is such a dreamer. You see, in the beginning there was a perfect God walking in the cool of the day through a perfect garden on a perfect earth with a perfect atmosphere and perfect environment in perfect balance with a perfect man and a perfect woman in perfect fellowship with each other and God. That's what's called "paradise."
Enter sin…and the rest is history.
Now listen to this: God's dream is to restore fallen mankind back to that original state. He's not going to just refurbish or remodel the planet, He's going to make it brand new!
Let's take a quick look at a couple of verses out of the Book of Revelation:
"He [God] who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea" (Revelation 21:1).
Before God concludes His plan for the ages, He's going to restore all that was lost in the fall of man. Before all is said and done, we are going to end up with a perfect God visibly and physically living with perfect men and perfect women on a perfect earth in perfect relationship with each other and God. (By the way, God will be on the throne and the devil, that old serpent, will be in the lake of fire!)
In my daily devotions I'm reading through Genesis right now and I just finished reading the account of creation. It never ceases to amaze me that in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, that He made all that real estate but only put two people on the planet. The earth is a large land mass 12,000 miles in diameter at the equator. Why do you suppose, then, that God only put Adam and Eve on the planet in the first place? It's because God is a Dreamer!
The Father's dream right from the beginning was to ultimately have billions and billions of sons and daughters on the earth that look like Jesus. And He sent Jesus to reconcile a fallen race to Himself and to challenge us with a Great Commission to go and win souls and make disciples so that His Father could have His dream fulfilled. When you say "yes" to God's Great Commission ("Therefore go and make disciples..." - Matthew 28:19-20), you are saying yes to becoming a part of making God's dream come true.
What a Visionary God is! Talk about positive thinking! This is one dream that is guaranteed to come true because it's God's dream.
When it comes to thinking big thoughts and dreaming big dreams, wouldn't you agree that God is absolutely the Planet's Most Extreme DREAMER?
#3. God, undeniably, is the title-holder of The Planet's Most Extreme GRACE.
God is so gracious. Grace means that you don't have to do it but you do it anyway.
Somebody somewhere once wrote that God's grace was amazing. Grace is the ex-murderer going to heaven. Grace is the former homosexual walking down streets of gold. Grace is the disabled man's body functioning properly again. Grace is the woman who once only used God's name as profanity who now cherishes that name and worships her precious Lord with all her heart.
There is no grace found on planet earth greater than the grace of God.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
Jesus volunteering to leave the comforts and glories of heaven to intercept fallen humanity's death sentence was the single most profound act of grace in the history of the world.
Therefore, when it comes to unmerited favor, God has a corner on the market making Him the owner of the Planet's Most Extreme GRACE.
I'm thankful for God's grace, but I'm also thankful that God is…
#2. The Planet's Most Extreme GIVER.
God is so generous. There is no greater giver than God.
He gives food to the animals, sun and soil to the plants, and water for the creatures of the sea to play in. He gives weather and atmosphere and environment to keep things running smooth.
He gives man and beast the basic staples of life to sustain their existence, and yes, He even gives all creatures great and small the very breath of life itself.
His compassion knows no bounds as in His benevolence He gives time, money, resources, energy, willpower, choice, understanding, common sense, wisdom, self-worth, and a reason to live to mankind. And get this: God's generosity extends to everyone, good and evil alike! Even the wicked benefit from the kind, benevolent, giving hand of the Lord.
2 Peter 1:3 says it well what God has given us. The World's Greatest Giver through
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."
But God went beyond giving the basics of life or providing people with a higher quality of life, He went on to give a Gift that purchased for mankind eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
My dear friends, when it comes to giving, no one has yet to out give God! That's why God is the undisputed champion of giving and by far the Planet's Most Extreme GIVER.
And so we've come to end of our countdown. We've talked about various aspects of our God that demonstrate to us, unequivocally, that He is without equal. There is no God like our God, the Holy One that does awesome wonders!
But there 's outstanding quality about God that perhaps stands out more than any other. And that attribute is #1 in our countdown…[this would be the place where Animal Planet would put a commercial - but I'm not going to do that to you!] #1: God is the possessor of…
#1. The Planet's Most Extreme LOVE
God is so loving. As we come to the end of our countdown, we have examined several attributes of God that has recognized Him to be THE Most Extreme Deity. This great God we serve is not just the greatest of many lesser gods, He is in fact the One True and Living God! (1 Corinthians 8:6)
Although the Lord is strong, He has also chosen to be loving (Psalm 62:11-12). He is big enough and tough enough to be and do anything He wants to - after all, He's God!
What makes God so incredible, so wonderful, so extreme, is that
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8).
The prophet Jeremiah commented that "His loving kindness and tender mercies are from everlasting to everlasting" (Jeremiah 31:3) and went on to say that God's plans for us are for good and not for evil (Jeremiah 29:11) - plans to give us a hope and a bright future.
God the Father demonstrated the full extent of His love for us in sending Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16).
Jesus demonstrated the full extent of His love for us in agreeing to become the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world on the cross (John 13:1).
The Holy Spirit demonstrates the full extent of His love for us in agreeing to remain on earth in the hearts of every believer and lead and guide us continually into all truth (John 16:13).
In this God confirmed that "greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
When all is said and done, at the end of the day - as 1 Corinthians 13:13 says - there are three things that remain…
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
We end our countdown of the Planet's Most Extreme with a quote from God Himself proclaiming His name in Exodus 34:6-8:
"And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped" (Exodus 34:6-8).
My question to you is: Will you follow the example of Moses the man of God and bow down to the God of all men?
DSR
4/12/04
NOTE: This thought was the text for a sermon I preached in 2003.
My daughter Abigail and I very much enjoy watching nature shows on television. She, like me, is fascinated at the wonders of nature and rightly so. God had done such a magnificent, spectacular, (fill in the blank with your own adjective), job in creating creation, don't you think?
To be sure there are vast wonders in the areas of astronomy, biology, physical science, geography, and all the other complex segments of our universe, but it's the animal world that has captured my daughter's attention.
As Abbey and I watch these programs together, it is my delight as her father to have opportunity after opportunity to teach her about the many facets of the Inventor of the animals - Creator God.
It was God who gave the Crocodile Hunter (Steve Irwin), and Jeff Corwin, and the explorers on Wild Kingdom, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel and all other nature shows something to talk about. In fact, as these scientists perform their excellent job of bringing nature up close and personal to the rest of the world by way of a television camera, they are also, whether they realize it or not, glorifying God who created the subjects of their commentary.
Abbey and I particularly enjoy a series on Animal Planet called "The Planet's Most Extreme." It's a show that counts down backwards from ten to one the most peculiar organisms in the natural world: The most extreme camouflage, the most extreme intelligence, the most extreme speed, the most extreme strength, and so forth. We love it!
I want you to know that this show is the inspiration for this "Thought About God."
It got me thinking about how God holds the title for "The Planet's Most Extreme." Extreme what? Let's take a look at some of the attributes of God that are unparalleled in this or any universe. Let's begin our countdown of what I think may be 10 of the most extreme characteristics about God. Coming in at #10, is the fact that God possesses…
#10: The Planet's Most Extreme GENIUS
God is so smart. Abbey and I get giddy with laughter as we look at the innumerable, incomparable, ingenious variety of wildlife on the planet! Recently we visited the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg (Tennessee) and saw colorful fish of every shape and size - it was fantastic! But God's genius and creativity doesn't stop with fish! In His creation are tiny and huge birds of every description - tiny birds like a hummingbird that can fly backwards and large birds like geese that somehow migrate thousands of miles back to their original nesting grounds.
God invented insects that look like they're from outer space! Yesterday, in my daily devotions, I was reading about the Noah and the ark and I had this funny picture flash through my mind of Noah feeding the animals and suddenly and instinctively he realizes something is biting his neck and - SLAP! - Noah squashes a mosquito and cries out: "What have I done? I've killed a species!"
Anyway, the genius of God has created critters ranging in size from microscopic to massive.
Moreover, it's not just what they look like, it's where they live and how God has crafted their bodies to survive their environment. Critters survive in the oceans, the lake and river systems, the savannahs, the desserts, the frozen wastelands of polar regions, the rainforests, the everglades - they flourish on top of the ground, underground, or spend their days soaring in the sky -- the ecosystem and chain of plant and animal life are beyond incredible!
I watched a documentary one time about volcanic holes in the floor of the ocean where the water pumping out of the earth's crust was superheated and poisonous and guess what? God invented tubeworms to thrive there! Friends, it would take a Genius to think all this up. And it did.
To believe that all of this was the result of a process called evolution takes more faith than to believe in the creation account.
Evolution basically says that TIME + CHANCE = EVERYTHING.
To believe that everything evolves over billions of years is tantamount to believing that you can throw a grenade into a print shop and out of the explosion comes an unabridged dictionary! If you believe that then you'll have no problem believing that the United States Navy can fire a cruise missile into an airplane hanger and out of that explosion will come the space shuttle!
No, things don't go from chaos to order all by themselves (investigate the "law of entropy"). You can look at your kid's room and figure that out! No, things don't go from simple to more complex all by themselves! Evolution is a THEORY, not a fact, and it's a bad theory at that based on lies and false assumptions.
You see, the earth has a very complex design, therefore it must have a Designer. Seasons follow a plan, so there must have been a Planner. Creation had a Creator, His name is God, and He is a genius!
It is Abbey and my firm conviction that when it comes to high intelligence and creativity, God is the Planet's Most Extreme GENIUS.
Coming in at #9 on the countdown of God's extreme attributes is that God is the owner of…
The Planet's Most Extreme PATIENCE
God is so patient. He's more patient that you or me or all of us called humanity put together. And it's a good thing too because if God were not patient, there would be no humanity. The Lord God could have, at any given time, spoken the word and the earth could have been reduced to a sterile ball of matter floating through space.
And it's not like we haven't tried His patience. By and large, every people group on the earth today has offended God, transgressed His laws, and for the most part ignored Him.
As a matter of fact, the Bibles predicts a day in which the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth to claim His Bride, the Church, and leave the rest of humanity to contend with a period of history known as "The Great Tribulation." What's preventing Him from showing up? Patience.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
I could go on and but suffice it to say that God is the clear winner when it comes to longsuffering and exercises the Planet's Most Extreme PATIENCE.
#8 - God possesses The Planet's Most Extreme GLORY
God is so glorious. In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, he writes "that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1:29). When we compare the glory of man with the glory of God, there is no comparison!
God is so great and so glorious that the angels in heaven bow down and give Him glory and praise with complete adoration continually.
His glory provided light in the beginning before there was a sun (Genesis 1:3) and His glory will illuminate the universe when the sun is extinguished in the new heavens and new earth at the consummation of the age (Revelation 21:25).
A man in the Bible named Saul got a glimpse of the glory of God and the brightness blinded him for three days (Acts 9:8-9). Peter, James and John caught a glimpse of the glory of God on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2) and they instantly fell on their faces deeply afraid! The Israelites saw the glory of the Lord settle on Mount Sinai for seven days and it looked like a consuming fire (Exodus 24:16-17). When King Solomon was dedicating the newly built temple of God the glory of the Lord was so thick that the priests could not perform their service (1 Kings 8:10-11).
Friends, the glory of the Lord is beyond description and human understanding. When it comes to magnificence, splendor and wonder, the Lord God most definitely possesses the Planet's Most Extreme GLORY.
#7 - The Planet's Most Extreme HOLINESS
God is so holy. God is unspeakably holy. He is utterly good, flawless, sinless, He is perfection personified. He is so holy that there are living creatures in heaven right now who day and night never stop saying:
"...holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8).
It's a good thing God is holy. You see, if God were not holy, then Jesus' sacrifice on the cross would have been insufficient to purchase mankind's salvation and restore the severed relationship between God and Man lost in the Garden of Eden through Adam and Eve's sin.
But because God is holy, and Jesus is God, then His sacrifice was all-sufficient (Hebrews 7:27) and allowed Christ to die a vicarious and atoning death as the ultimate sin offering. It worked! Now, whosoever calls on the name of the Lord can be saved! (Acts 2:21).
Why? Because when it comes to sanctity, godliness, and consecration, nothing even comes close to God who has the Planet's Most Extreme HOLINESS.
#6 - The Planet's Most Extreme POWER
God is so powerful.
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3).
Can you do that? When God speaks, it is so powerful that whatever He says happens.
Let me illustrate the power of God's creative power this way. Since it is impossible for God to lie, if God were to say to me: "David, you're 8 feet tall." Before I could get the words out of my mouth saying "no, I'm 6 feet 1 inch tall…" - I'd be 8 feet 0 inches tall! Why? Simply because God's word would cause it to be so.
God is so powerful that - as Nahum 1:5 tells us - that…
"The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it" (Nahum 1:5).
God is so powerful that no man can see him face-to-face and live (Exodus 33:20).
All the atomic weapons in the world combined couldn't rival one atom of His power.
As a matter of fact, God is so powerful that there's a special word in the English language reserved exclusively for Him and nobody else: the word is "OMNIPOTENT." That means "all-powerful."
I think that means God can handle the mess you've gotten yourself in to.
When it comes to supremacy, command, and authority, God is most assuredly the Planet's Most Extreme POWER.
Well, at this point, we're halfway through the countdown! We're talking about attributes of the Lord our God that are so extreme that nothing on earth, nothing in heaven, and nothing under the earth can compare with the majesty of Almighty God.
We're talking about the One who is going to lead us into 2004. This is the One that who says, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." This is the one who said in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you nor forsake you!" This is the One who said "ALL authority in heaven and in earth has been given to ME!" and this same Jesus wants to be your Best Friend in the New Year - if you'll let Him!
His GENIUS is extreme. His PATIENCE is extreme. His GLORY is extreme. His HOLINESS is extreme and to be sure, His POWER is extreme. But although these are incredible qualities that our Lord King possesses, there's still more! The half has not yet been told!
Have a look at my #5 most extreme attribute of God...
#5 - The Planet's Most Extreme WISDOM
God is so wise. He doesn't possess a portion, part, slice, or fraction of wisdom, He IS wisdom embodied. Everything He does is just and fair and right (Proverbs 2:9).
There's not a single decision or plan He's made that wasn't perfectly wise. There hasn't been a solitary incident of Him saying or doing anything that wasn't the exact right thing to say or do. His counsel and advice are wise, His laws and decrees are wise, His commands and statues are wise. Even His rebukes and judgments are completely wise!
Without a doubt, God has a monopoly on wisdom.
"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:3)
If that's not enough, the Bible teaches that ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ! (Colossians 2:2-3). And where is Christ? That's the mystery of the ages - "Christ in you, the hope of glory!" (Colossians 1:27).
Compared to God, man's wisdom is foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:20), and yet God has generously consented to share His wisdom with whoever needs it.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).
When it comes to being intelligent, prudent, and judicious, God most certainly wins the award for the Planet's Most Extreme WISDOM.
Coming in at #4, please consider that God is also…
#4. The Planet's Most Extreme DREAMER.
God is such a dreamer. You see, in the beginning there was a perfect God walking in the cool of the day through a perfect garden on a perfect earth with a perfect atmosphere and perfect environment in perfect balance with a perfect man and a perfect woman in perfect fellowship with each other and God. That's what's called "paradise."
Enter sin…and the rest is history.
Now listen to this: God's dream is to restore fallen mankind back to that original state. He's not going to just refurbish or remodel the planet, He's going to make it brand new!
Let's take a quick look at a couple of verses out of the Book of Revelation:
"He [God] who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea" (Revelation 21:1).
Before God concludes His plan for the ages, He's going to restore all that was lost in the fall of man. Before all is said and done, we are going to end up with a perfect God visibly and physically living with perfect men and perfect women on a perfect earth in perfect relationship with each other and God. (By the way, God will be on the throne and the devil, that old serpent, will be in the lake of fire!)
In my daily devotions I'm reading through Genesis right now and I just finished reading the account of creation. It never ceases to amaze me that in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, that He made all that real estate but only put two people on the planet. The earth is a large land mass 12,000 miles in diameter at the equator. Why do you suppose, then, that God only put Adam and Eve on the planet in the first place? It's because God is a Dreamer!
The Father's dream right from the beginning was to ultimately have billions and billions of sons and daughters on the earth that look like Jesus. And He sent Jesus to reconcile a fallen race to Himself and to challenge us with a Great Commission to go and win souls and make disciples so that His Father could have His dream fulfilled. When you say "yes" to God's Great Commission ("Therefore go and make disciples..." - Matthew 28:19-20), you are saying yes to becoming a part of making God's dream come true.
What a Visionary God is! Talk about positive thinking! This is one dream that is guaranteed to come true because it's God's dream.
When it comes to thinking big thoughts and dreaming big dreams, wouldn't you agree that God is absolutely the Planet's Most Extreme DREAMER?
#3. God, undeniably, is the title-holder of The Planet's Most Extreme GRACE.
God is so gracious. Grace means that you don't have to do it but you do it anyway.
Somebody somewhere once wrote that God's grace was amazing. Grace is the ex-murderer going to heaven. Grace is the former homosexual walking down streets of gold. Grace is the disabled man's body functioning properly again. Grace is the woman who once only used God's name as profanity who now cherishes that name and worships her precious Lord with all her heart.
There is no grace found on planet earth greater than the grace of God.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
Jesus volunteering to leave the comforts and glories of heaven to intercept fallen humanity's death sentence was the single most profound act of grace in the history of the world.
Therefore, when it comes to unmerited favor, God has a corner on the market making Him the owner of the Planet's Most Extreme GRACE.
I'm thankful for God's grace, but I'm also thankful that God is…
#2. The Planet's Most Extreme GIVER.
God is so generous. There is no greater giver than God.
He gives food to the animals, sun and soil to the plants, and water for the creatures of the sea to play in. He gives weather and atmosphere and environment to keep things running smooth.
He gives man and beast the basic staples of life to sustain their existence, and yes, He even gives all creatures great and small the very breath of life itself.
His compassion knows no bounds as in His benevolence He gives time, money, resources, energy, willpower, choice, understanding, common sense, wisdom, self-worth, and a reason to live to mankind. And get this: God's generosity extends to everyone, good and evil alike! Even the wicked benefit from the kind, benevolent, giving hand of the Lord.
2 Peter 1:3 says it well what God has given us. The World's Greatest Giver through
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."
But God went beyond giving the basics of life or providing people with a higher quality of life, He went on to give a Gift that purchased for mankind eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
My dear friends, when it comes to giving, no one has yet to out give God! That's why God is the undisputed champion of giving and by far the Planet's Most Extreme GIVER.
And so we've come to end of our countdown. We've talked about various aspects of our God that demonstrate to us, unequivocally, that He is without equal. There is no God like our God, the Holy One that does awesome wonders!
But there 's outstanding quality about God that perhaps stands out more than any other. And that attribute is #1 in our countdown…[this would be the place where Animal Planet would put a commercial - but I'm not going to do that to you!] #1: God is the possessor of…
#1. The Planet's Most Extreme LOVE
God is so loving. As we come to the end of our countdown, we have examined several attributes of God that has recognized Him to be THE Most Extreme Deity. This great God we serve is not just the greatest of many lesser gods, He is in fact the One True and Living God! (1 Corinthians 8:6)
Although the Lord is strong, He has also chosen to be loving (Psalm 62:11-12). He is big enough and tough enough to be and do anything He wants to - after all, He's God!
What makes God so incredible, so wonderful, so extreme, is that
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8).
The prophet Jeremiah commented that "His loving kindness and tender mercies are from everlasting to everlasting" (Jeremiah 31:3) and went on to say that God's plans for us are for good and not for evil (Jeremiah 29:11) - plans to give us a hope and a bright future.
God the Father demonstrated the full extent of His love for us in sending Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16).
Jesus demonstrated the full extent of His love for us in agreeing to become the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world on the cross (John 13:1).
The Holy Spirit demonstrates the full extent of His love for us in agreeing to remain on earth in the hearts of every believer and lead and guide us continually into all truth (John 16:13).
In this God confirmed that "greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
When all is said and done, at the end of the day - as 1 Corinthians 13:13 says - there are three things that remain…
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
We end our countdown of the Planet's Most Extreme with a quote from God Himself proclaiming His name in Exodus 34:6-8:
"And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped" (Exodus 34:6-8).
My question to you is: Will you follow the example of Moses the man of God and bow down to the God of all men?
DSR
4/12/04
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