by David Scott Robertson
SPECIAL NOTE: I have never written anything quite like this before. This thought contains reference to sexual and adult situations that some may find offensive. I felt compelled to share this dream I had as candidly and accurately as possible to accomplish whatever purposes God intends for it to accomplish to purify His Bridegroom, the church.
One recent evening, I attended a wonderful church service.
At the service, the speaker preached on the twin sins of America of immorality and pornography.
I returned home after the service and went to bed.
While I slept, in the early morning hours, I had a dream.
No, it was a nightmare.
I’ll describe the dream to you, then I’ll tell you what I think it means.
A man was walking through an unfamiliar house eating an apple.
As he wandered through the home, he climbed a flight of stairs.
At the top of the stairs,
To his surprise,
There was a woman crouching on the floor.
The woman was extremely obese, very ugly, and her body was covered with all sorts of sores and acne. The woman was naked.
While the man was standing there with the apple in his hand,
Suddenly another man ran up the flight of stairs.
He was grossly overweight, naked, grotesque and malformed in appearance.
This man literally ran directly to the woman.
Immediately the woman began to fondle the naked man to the point of sexual arousal.
As this scene took place, the man who had stumbled upon this situation stood across the room eating an apple.
The scene in my dream suddenly expanded to include another man.
He was a well dressed man sitting on the floor.
Strangely, I knew this man.
He was a very hard worker in the church.
In fact, he was one of the most diligent workers in the church
And I had often admired him for his devotion to the ministry.
The seated man was watching the nude couple engage in sexual activity
And although fully dressed, it was apparent that this dressed man was sexually aroused.
And the first man in my dream still stood there eating an apple.
The scene expanded yet again to include a little girl in a nice dress.
Even though I was dreaming, I remember thinking in disgust and horror to myself how wrong, so very wrong it was for this child to be witnessing such illicit perversion.
Suddenly, as if on cue, all eyes in the bizarre scene seemed to look at the man eating the apple.
As he stood there with the apple in his hand,
They looked at him like he was some sort of moderator as if to say to him, “shall we continue?”
He said nothing and sat down in a chair continuing to eat the apple.
Then the “paused” scene restarted and took a tragic turn for the worse.
Here is where the most hellish part of the nightmare took place.
The woman, after the momentary pause,
Instead of returning her attention to the nude man,
Immediately turned her attention to the little child and began to perform a sexual act on the little girl.
At that moment, the man in the chair eating the apple stopped eating.
The dream ended.
I woke up and thought a long while about the meaning of this bizarre dream.
Here are some thoughts I had about the interpretation of the dream.
First, we have no business wandering through or exploring unfamiliar territories and be in places or situations where we know as believers we should not be.
The woman crouching on the floor was like a lioness waiting to pounce on her prey and devour it.
The woman’s body was neglected, wasted, and diseased. The harsh effects of sin and the toll of an immoral lifestyle.
Her nudity suggests that her brazen lust overrode even her natural shame.
The naked man who ran up the flight of stairs was running in a familiar place to him.
A house of pleasure to his flesh but a house of horrors to his soul.
His running indicates his urgency to rush into sin in an unrestricted fashion, devoid of boundaries.
The neglect of his body was profound and his outer ugliness seemed to be a manifestation of his inner moral depravity.
He ran to the woman and without words they began to engage in illicit activity.
That they traded no words indicated that there was no relationship whatsoever – driven on only by raw and unabated lust.
The well dressed man represented a religious man whose piety and good works at church
Had earned him a reputation of being “faithful”, “reliable”, and “a really nice guy”.
But this man secretly enjoyed watching other people commit sexual acts. This churchgoer was entrenched in pornography. He lived a double life.
The child is the hardest part to write about.
She represents the innocence of children being shamelessly stolen away by careless and unregenerate adults.
Children should never be exposed to such wanton corruption, but in our society of easy access porn, they are but a few mouse clicks or remote control buttons away.
The man eating the apple throughout the dream represents a person who neither approves nor opposes the decadence before his eyes.
The fact that he can eat an apple while witnessing acts of moral depravity indicates the level to which our society, by and large, has been desensitized to the blatant boldness of sin.
I feel there were at least three occasions when the man eating the apple could have stopped the scene from advancing down the road to absurdity.
The first opportunity was when he first encountered the naked woman. He could have covered her nakedness and connected this person with another woman for help.
The second opportunity was when he first encountered the naked man. He could have confronted this man concerning his deviance and connected him with a qualified man to help him (or walked him through deliverance himself.)
The third opportunity was when the expanded scene “paused” and the group looked to the “moderator” as if to say “shall we continue?” The man eating the apple should have/could have objected at this point and put an end to the foolishness.
Since these opportunities were squandered and ignored, the end result was a violation of a child that was so distasteful and criminal that it caused the non-confrontational witness to lose his appetite and stop eating the apple. When good men do nothing the advance of evil is inevitable. People die, women are ravished, and children are exploited.
I don’t know the full implications of this nightmare.
I don’t presume this to be a dream that is prophetic in nature but the Holy Spirit can add His revelation to it.
I do know, however, that we cannot allow toleration of sin to go unchallenged.
We, as a society, as a culture, as a people group, and most specifically as Christian believers in Jesus Christ,
Cannot ignore opportunity after opportunity to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness.
Those that find it in their heart the tolerance to allow into their home and hearts
Television shows that promote immorality…
Videos that import compromise into their living rooms…
Internet web sites that open doors to the demonic…
Or any number of other opportunities to “lower the standard”…
May one day find an innocent person in their life being violated as a direct result of their refusal to allow boundaries to exist and a Christian moral code to reign.
DSR
9/16/02
Monday, September 16, 2002
Sunday, September 8, 2002
Only in the House of God
by David Scott Robertson
“He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
[8] That He may seat him with princes--
With the princes of His people.
[9] He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9 (NKJV)
What a place!
What a deal!
What an opportunity awaits you and I in the house of God!
God has arranged it (think of it!) so that you and I have a place to go
Where we can experience genuine
Acceptance
Belonging
Meaning
Friendship
Purpose
Love
Without having to worry about
Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Education
Economic status
Physical appearance, condition, or handicap
Or past failures.
It’s like a talented young man living in the ghetto
Whose unusual gift in athletics lifts him out of his poverty.
It’s like a young girl living in the inner city projects
Who doesn’t view going to school as a punishment or necessary evil
But joyfully applies herself and excels and eventually earns a college scholarship.
What a place!
What a deal!
What an opportunity awaits you and I in the house of God!
God is presenting you an opportunity to be a “rags to riches” success story!
Right now, you may be earning minimum wage on your job,
But in the house of God you can be groomed to be a leader of leaders.
You may play second string on the ball team or play second fiddle in the band,
But in the house of God you can be groomed to play an important role front and center.
You can be a private first class in the military
But in the house of God you can be a mentor, a coach, a disciple-maker, a person of influence and be the key person to lead a hardened drill instructor to Christ.
God wants to take the foolish things of the world,
The lowly things,
The weak things,
The despised things,
The humble things and exalt them in due season.
Who is God talking about? You.
Why? For the praise of His glory.
Where: In the house of God, the community of believers, the local church.
“He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
[8] That He may seat him with princes--
With the princes of His people.
[9] He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9 (NKJV)
DSR
9/8/02
“He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
[8] That He may seat him with princes--
With the princes of His people.
[9] He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9 (NKJV)
What a place!
What a deal!
What an opportunity awaits you and I in the house of God!
God has arranged it (think of it!) so that you and I have a place to go
Where we can experience genuine
Acceptance
Belonging
Meaning
Friendship
Purpose
Love
Without having to worry about
Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Education
Economic status
Physical appearance, condition, or handicap
Or past failures.
It’s like a talented young man living in the ghetto
Whose unusual gift in athletics lifts him out of his poverty.
It’s like a young girl living in the inner city projects
Who doesn’t view going to school as a punishment or necessary evil
But joyfully applies herself and excels and eventually earns a college scholarship.
What a place!
What a deal!
What an opportunity awaits you and I in the house of God!
God is presenting you an opportunity to be a “rags to riches” success story!
Right now, you may be earning minimum wage on your job,
But in the house of God you can be groomed to be a leader of leaders.
You may play second string on the ball team or play second fiddle in the band,
But in the house of God you can be groomed to play an important role front and center.
You can be a private first class in the military
But in the house of God you can be a mentor, a coach, a disciple-maker, a person of influence and be the key person to lead a hardened drill instructor to Christ.
God wants to take the foolish things of the world,
The lowly things,
The weak things,
The despised things,
The humble things and exalt them in due season.
Who is God talking about? You.
Why? For the praise of His glory.
Where: In the house of God, the community of believers, the local church.
“He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
[8] That He may seat him with princes--
With the princes of His people.
[9] He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:7-9 (NKJV)
DSR
9/8/02
Monday, September 2, 2002
The Way Back
by David Scott Robertson
“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 5:7)
Was there ever a time in you life when you felt closer to God?
Have you recently felt a tiny bit estranged from your Heavenly Father?
Do you feel like your spiritual life has taken two steps backward?
Are you in “dry season” where you feel God may be driving your roots down deep instead of enjoying the refreshing rains of His presence?
If that’s you,
Then consider the following…
Delete from your life any toleration for anything less than God’s best for you.
Don’t put up with crummy prayer times. Press through them and pray anyway. Make an appointment with God is a special place and show up. Faithfully.
Don’t accept mediocrity in your walk with Jesus. Refuse it. Be dogmatic about it. Exercise “stubborn love” and “divine tenacity” to grind forward in your love affair with Jesus Christ despite an “emotional high” or lack thereof. You supply the desire and God will supply the power by His Spirit.
Don’t stand for Bible reading that has become a “habitual ritual.” Read until something happens. Or meditate on a significant verse until the Spirit provides enlightenment and illumination and understanding of how it actually applies to your life and situation.
Use worship as a weapon to defeat the enemy who hates your worship of God.
Return to your First Love.
Retrace the ancient paths that once led you to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Go back to the basics of the faith and train yourself – through steadfast consistency - to do them well again.
Return to the spiritual disciplines that once were proven habits in your life to build spiritual muscle.
Don’t just talk about fasting – actually do it (start by replacing one meal with prayer).
Pull out music that once caused your spirit to soar when you heard it.
Renew friendships that once spurred you on toward love and good deeds.
Press on, press in, and press upward toward the high call of God on your life.
Recount your spiritual markers.
Revisit those monuments in your life that were special times and seasons of spiritual growth and consider what “worked”. The thing to do is the thing that worked well.
Pull out your spiritual journal or diary and read it. If you don’t have one, start one today.
Write your testimony out on paper.
If possible, contact the person who led you to Jesus in the first place and tell them how you feel about your relationship with Jesus right now.
Bear in mind that God always rewards “baby steps.” The anything you’re doing (to improve your relationship with Jesus) is better than the nothing that you have done.
Don’t let the devil fool you into thinking the way back to a strong sense of God’s presence is a LONG way back.
It is NOT a long way back.
The place of closeness, of intimacy, with your Best Friend, Jesus, is but a few…
Decisions, confessions, lifestyle modifications, adjustments, tweaks, and priority changes away.
The way back
To the very center of God’s will
Is a road paved with grace, tenderness, and the love of Father God.
Jesus is waiting for you to renew your journey with Him where you left off.
The Holy Spirit will be your Leader and your Guide to the way back.
Come now, it’s time.
It’s time to go home.
DSR
9/2/02
“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 5:7)
Was there ever a time in you life when you felt closer to God?
Have you recently felt a tiny bit estranged from your Heavenly Father?
Do you feel like your spiritual life has taken two steps backward?
Are you in “dry season” where you feel God may be driving your roots down deep instead of enjoying the refreshing rains of His presence?
If that’s you,
Then consider the following…
Delete from your life any toleration for anything less than God’s best for you.
Don’t put up with crummy prayer times. Press through them and pray anyway. Make an appointment with God is a special place and show up. Faithfully.
Don’t accept mediocrity in your walk with Jesus. Refuse it. Be dogmatic about it. Exercise “stubborn love” and “divine tenacity” to grind forward in your love affair with Jesus Christ despite an “emotional high” or lack thereof. You supply the desire and God will supply the power by His Spirit.
Don’t stand for Bible reading that has become a “habitual ritual.” Read until something happens. Or meditate on a significant verse until the Spirit provides enlightenment and illumination and understanding of how it actually applies to your life and situation.
Use worship as a weapon to defeat the enemy who hates your worship of God.
Return to your First Love.
Retrace the ancient paths that once led you to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Go back to the basics of the faith and train yourself – through steadfast consistency - to do them well again.
Return to the spiritual disciplines that once were proven habits in your life to build spiritual muscle.
Don’t just talk about fasting – actually do it (start by replacing one meal with prayer).
Pull out music that once caused your spirit to soar when you heard it.
Renew friendships that once spurred you on toward love and good deeds.
Press on, press in, and press upward toward the high call of God on your life.
Recount your spiritual markers.
Revisit those monuments in your life that were special times and seasons of spiritual growth and consider what “worked”. The thing to do is the thing that worked well.
Pull out your spiritual journal or diary and read it. If you don’t have one, start one today.
Write your testimony out on paper.
If possible, contact the person who led you to Jesus in the first place and tell them how you feel about your relationship with Jesus right now.
Bear in mind that God always rewards “baby steps.” The anything you’re doing (to improve your relationship with Jesus) is better than the nothing that you have done.
Don’t let the devil fool you into thinking the way back to a strong sense of God’s presence is a LONG way back.
It is NOT a long way back.
The place of closeness, of intimacy, with your Best Friend, Jesus, is but a few…
Decisions, confessions, lifestyle modifications, adjustments, tweaks, and priority changes away.
The way back
To the very center of God’s will
Is a road paved with grace, tenderness, and the love of Father God.
Jesus is waiting for you to renew your journey with Him where you left off.
The Holy Spirit will be your Leader and your Guide to the way back.
Come now, it’s time.
It’s time to go home.
DSR
9/2/02
Sunday, August 25, 2002
The Power of the Anointing
by David Scott Robertson
"As for you, the ANOINTING you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his ANOINTING teaches you about all things and as that ANOINTING is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him" (1 John 2:27). [Emphasis mine]
As a man of God -
The most AWESOME thing I can think of
Is ministering under the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
As a man of God -
The most AWFUL thing I can think of
Is ministering apart from the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Ministry performed in the strength of the flesh
Is, at best, embarrassing to the minister and, at worst, harmful to the recipient.
Effectual ministry originates from God
And flows outward through a yielded vessel.
Valid ministry allows the Lord to use
Your vocal chords, your hands, you mind and muscles
To bring about God's will from heaven to earth.
True ministry carries spiritual weight and authority.
Why?
The power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
It's the difference between public speaking and holy declaration.
It's the difference between a pat on your shoulder and laying hands on the sick and they recover (James 5:15).
It's the difference between sharing information
Versus communicating the "word of the Lord" that will change lives.
Friends, we must seek the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
To activate, energize, and empower our respective ministries.
If you are a man of God,
A woman of God,
A teenager of God,
A child of God…
I counsel you, implore you, encourage you with all the earnestness I possess
To by all means obtain the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
Before you attempt anything in the name of "ministry."
Whether that involves SINGING in the choir,
PREACHING a sermon,
TEACHING a Sunday School lesson,
LEADING a cell group,
PRAYING for a troubled teen,
COUNSELING a co-worker whose marriage is disintegrating,
Or SERVING in any capacity in the name of the Lord.
How do you obtain the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit?
ASK for it (God will surely give it).
SEEK God's face (not His hand).
Be a PURE vessel (deal with any sin in your own life prior to ministering).
DECIDE on the front end to be OBEDIENT to the Spirit's directives (obedience brings the miraculous).
DON'T TOUCH God's glory (no flesh shall glory in His presence).
STAND in faith (the battle and results are the Lord's).
Is the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit available to all born-again believers?
Yes.
Is it really necessary to perform the works of Jesus?
Yes.
Are you ready to walk in the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit this very day?
[Speak out loud your response to God here…]
DSR
8/25/02
"As for you, the ANOINTING you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his ANOINTING teaches you about all things and as that ANOINTING is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him" (1 John 2:27). [Emphasis mine]
As a man of God -
The most AWESOME thing I can think of
Is ministering under the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
As a man of God -
The most AWFUL thing I can think of
Is ministering apart from the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Ministry performed in the strength of the flesh
Is, at best, embarrassing to the minister and, at worst, harmful to the recipient.
Effectual ministry originates from God
And flows outward through a yielded vessel.
Valid ministry allows the Lord to use
Your vocal chords, your hands, you mind and muscles
To bring about God's will from heaven to earth.
True ministry carries spiritual weight and authority.
Why?
The power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
It's the difference between public speaking and holy declaration.
It's the difference between a pat on your shoulder and laying hands on the sick and they recover (James 5:15).
It's the difference between sharing information
Versus communicating the "word of the Lord" that will change lives.
Friends, we must seek the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
To activate, energize, and empower our respective ministries.
If you are a man of God,
A woman of God,
A teenager of God,
A child of God…
I counsel you, implore you, encourage you with all the earnestness I possess
To by all means obtain the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
Before you attempt anything in the name of "ministry."
Whether that involves SINGING in the choir,
PREACHING a sermon,
TEACHING a Sunday School lesson,
LEADING a cell group,
PRAYING for a troubled teen,
COUNSELING a co-worker whose marriage is disintegrating,
Or SERVING in any capacity in the name of the Lord.
How do you obtain the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit?
ASK for it (God will surely give it).
SEEK God's face (not His hand).
Be a PURE vessel (deal with any sin in your own life prior to ministering).
DECIDE on the front end to be OBEDIENT to the Spirit's directives (obedience brings the miraculous).
DON'T TOUCH God's glory (no flesh shall glory in His presence).
STAND in faith (the battle and results are the Lord's).
Is the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit available to all born-again believers?
Yes.
Is it really necessary to perform the works of Jesus?
Yes.
Are you ready to walk in the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit this very day?
[Speak out loud your response to God here…]
DSR
8/25/02
Saturday, August 17, 2002
The Art of Delighting God
by David Scott Robertson
“The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight” (Proverbs 11:1).
The cashier at McDonald’s gives you back $1 too much in change.
You give it back.
The art of delighting God.
The man at the produce stand on the side of the road sells a dozen ears of corn for $2.
He always gives an extra ear of corn to the customer just in case one ear is bad.
The art of the delighting God.
The driver comes to a 4-way stop in the middle of Kansas.
You can see for 30 miles in any direction and no other cars are even visible.
The driver makes a complete stop at the stop sign.
The art of delighting God.
Your friend rides his brand new motorcycle to your house to show it off.
He invites you to take it around the block for a spin.
You tell him you can’t because your license in not endorsed to drive motorcycles.
The art of delighting God.
The business owner buys a widget for $10 each.
He resells it in his shop for $25 instead of his competitor selling it for $100.
The art of delighting God.
The mechanic repairs the lady’s car and receives payment.
A week later the symptoms return to the vehicle.
It takes the mechanic 2 hours to diagnose and repair the problem at no additional charge.
The art of delighting God.
The man says “I’ll be there at 9:00am.”
At 9:00am the man is there.
The art of delighting God.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
“The LORD detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless” (Proverbs 11:20).
“This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,
“but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Is it worth it to take the high road of integrity every time --
Even when it costs you time, money, energy, effort, and lost profits?
What is the payoff for doing things right and doing the right things?
“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4)
“When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7).
DSR
8/17/02
“The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight” (Proverbs 11:1).
The cashier at McDonald’s gives you back $1 too much in change.
You give it back.
The art of delighting God.
The man at the produce stand on the side of the road sells a dozen ears of corn for $2.
He always gives an extra ear of corn to the customer just in case one ear is bad.
The art of the delighting God.
The driver comes to a 4-way stop in the middle of Kansas.
You can see for 30 miles in any direction and no other cars are even visible.
The driver makes a complete stop at the stop sign.
The art of delighting God.
Your friend rides his brand new motorcycle to your house to show it off.
He invites you to take it around the block for a spin.
You tell him you can’t because your license in not endorsed to drive motorcycles.
The art of delighting God.
The business owner buys a widget for $10 each.
He resells it in his shop for $25 instead of his competitor selling it for $100.
The art of delighting God.
The mechanic repairs the lady’s car and receives payment.
A week later the symptoms return to the vehicle.
It takes the mechanic 2 hours to diagnose and repair the problem at no additional charge.
The art of delighting God.
The man says “I’ll be there at 9:00am.”
At 9:00am the man is there.
The art of delighting God.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
“The LORD detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless” (Proverbs 11:20).
“This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,
“but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Is it worth it to take the high road of integrity every time --
Even when it costs you time, money, energy, effort, and lost profits?
What is the payoff for doing things right and doing the right things?
“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4)
“When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7).
DSR
8/17/02
Monday, August 5, 2002
The One Needful Thing
by David Scott Robertson
(Luke 10:41 KJV) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
(Luke 10:42 KJV) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
I got up on time.
I slid into my favorite chair.
I got out my Bible.
I read passages from the
Old Testament,
New Testament,
Psalms,
And Proverbs.
I read today's quota of the classic Oswald Chamber devotional
"My Utmost For His Highest."
I turned on some praise & worship music
And sang along with three or four songs.
I prayed for my wife and daughter,
My pastors and church,
My country and for the peace of Jerusalem.
Then I hit the showers and headed off to work.
In your estimation,
Do you think I had what you would judge a successful "morning devotion?"
Do you suppose my time with the Lord
Was really a time with the Lord?
Can you see anything I missed?
I'm certain the reader could quickly identify
Any number of missing elements
In my morning meeting with God -
Depending upon your spiritual or religious tradition.
For example, you might recommend
Partaking of the Lord's Table (holy communion),
Dancing before the Lord in worship,
Praying in the Spirit (in tongues),
Journaling my prayers,
Speaking scriptural declarations out loud
(You always pray God's will when you pray God's Word),
Or perhaps sitting quietly in silence and listen for the Spirit's still, small voice.
All of the above are excellent embellishments
To any devotional time spent with the Lord.
My point today
Is the same as Rabbi Jesus' point to Martha regarding Mary:
"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
The one needful thing…
Is to get the “Word of the Lord.”
God can speak to us while we are in our favorite chair
Reading passages from the
Old Testament,
New Testament,
Psalms and Proverbs.
God can speak, and often does, to us
Through incredibly moving praise & worship songs.
God can speak to us through
Oswald Chamber's classic devotional "My Utmost For His Highest,"
Guideposts,
The Navigator's Discipleship Journal,
Or a comic strip in the Sunday funny papers.
HOW He chooses to speak to us
Is not nearly as important as
THAT He speaks to us.
The one needful thing
In my and your devotional time
Is to actually communicate with God.
Communication is a two-way street.
We talk, God listens.
God talks, we listen.
Have you noticed that sometimes God's voice seems evasive?
Now I'm not one of those "hyper-spiritual people"
That has angels show up in my bedroom every night for 30 days
To tell me great and mighty things that I knowest not.
Please understand that I don't have a problem with that,
And would love to have the experience,
But my faith is not rocked if I don't.
To me,
The one needful thing
Is to take responsibility in my relationship with Father God
To do what Mary did and got commended for...
To sit quietly at the feet of Jesus and
Pay attention,
Listen,
Hear the words of the Lord…
Be they corrective, instructive, or encouraging in nature,
And then apply them to my life.
The one needful thing
Is to get in and stay in God's presence,
To drink it in,
To hang out with the Master.
Just being in the presence of Jehovah
Is a soothing, calming, settling, satisfying, and fulfilling experience.
In His presence there is fullness of joy
And at His right hand there are pleasures evermore (Psalm 16:11).
Doing the one needful thing --
Simply hanging out with Jesus and listening on a regular basis,
Has the potential for His will and ways to rub off on you
And generate a testimony like that of two of Jesus’ close buddies, Peter and John:
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say” (Acts 4:13-14).
The one needful thing
I need to learn about the presence of God
Is that it's not limited to any particular space or time or routine.
All day, everyday,
Anywhere and everywhere,
The Lord can (and I believe desires to) appear on the scene
And transform the ordinary into the extraordinary,
The natural into the supernatural.
Oh, the power of His presence!
So as we approach our time of "devotions,"
Let us strive for a "moment-by-moment relationship" with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Expect to hear from Him daily, hourly, and why not even “moment-to-moment”
(or shall I say from “glory to glory” as promised in 2 Corinthians 3:18?)
Expect to hear from Him
In a variety of means and methods
And don't get stuck in a rut,
A habitual ritual
Or some religious tradition
That demands God to do it a certain way every time.
Sure as you and I do that
He'll upset our applecart of religious expectation
And speak through a donkey or some other unorthodox method!
But whatever you have to do,
By all means do
The one needful thing.
"And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him" (Luke 9:35).
DSR
8/5/02
(Luke 10:41 KJV) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
(Luke 10:42 KJV) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
I got up on time.
I slid into my favorite chair.
I got out my Bible.
I read passages from the
Old Testament,
New Testament,
Psalms,
And Proverbs.
I read today's quota of the classic Oswald Chamber devotional
"My Utmost For His Highest."
I turned on some praise & worship music
And sang along with three or four songs.
I prayed for my wife and daughter,
My pastors and church,
My country and for the peace of Jerusalem.
Then I hit the showers and headed off to work.
In your estimation,
Do you think I had what you would judge a successful "morning devotion?"
Do you suppose my time with the Lord
Was really a time with the Lord?
Can you see anything I missed?
I'm certain the reader could quickly identify
Any number of missing elements
In my morning meeting with God -
Depending upon your spiritual or religious tradition.
For example, you might recommend
Partaking of the Lord's Table (holy communion),
Dancing before the Lord in worship,
Praying in the Spirit (in tongues),
Journaling my prayers,
Speaking scriptural declarations out loud
(You always pray God's will when you pray God's Word),
Or perhaps sitting quietly in silence and listen for the Spirit's still, small voice.
All of the above are excellent embellishments
To any devotional time spent with the Lord.
My point today
Is the same as Rabbi Jesus' point to Martha regarding Mary:
"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
The one needful thing…
Is to get the “Word of the Lord.”
God can speak to us while we are in our favorite chair
Reading passages from the
Old Testament,
New Testament,
Psalms and Proverbs.
God can speak, and often does, to us
Through incredibly moving praise & worship songs.
God can speak to us through
Oswald Chamber's classic devotional "My Utmost For His Highest,"
Guideposts,
The Navigator's Discipleship Journal,
Or a comic strip in the Sunday funny papers.
HOW He chooses to speak to us
Is not nearly as important as
THAT He speaks to us.
The one needful thing
In my and your devotional time
Is to actually communicate with God.
Communication is a two-way street.
We talk, God listens.
God talks, we listen.
Have you noticed that sometimes God's voice seems evasive?
Now I'm not one of those "hyper-spiritual people"
That has angels show up in my bedroom every night for 30 days
To tell me great and mighty things that I knowest not.
Please understand that I don't have a problem with that,
And would love to have the experience,
But my faith is not rocked if I don't.
To me,
The one needful thing
Is to take responsibility in my relationship with Father God
To do what Mary did and got commended for...
To sit quietly at the feet of Jesus and
Pay attention,
Listen,
Hear the words of the Lord…
Be they corrective, instructive, or encouraging in nature,
And then apply them to my life.
The one needful thing
Is to get in and stay in God's presence,
To drink it in,
To hang out with the Master.
Just being in the presence of Jehovah
Is a soothing, calming, settling, satisfying, and fulfilling experience.
In His presence there is fullness of joy
And at His right hand there are pleasures evermore (Psalm 16:11).
Doing the one needful thing --
Simply hanging out with Jesus and listening on a regular basis,
Has the potential for His will and ways to rub off on you
And generate a testimony like that of two of Jesus’ close buddies, Peter and John:
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say” (Acts 4:13-14).
The one needful thing
I need to learn about the presence of God
Is that it's not limited to any particular space or time or routine.
All day, everyday,
Anywhere and everywhere,
The Lord can (and I believe desires to) appear on the scene
And transform the ordinary into the extraordinary,
The natural into the supernatural.
Oh, the power of His presence!
So as we approach our time of "devotions,"
Let us strive for a "moment-by-moment relationship" with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Expect to hear from Him daily, hourly, and why not even “moment-to-moment”
(or shall I say from “glory to glory” as promised in 2 Corinthians 3:18?)
Expect to hear from Him
In a variety of means and methods
And don't get stuck in a rut,
A habitual ritual
Or some religious tradition
That demands God to do it a certain way every time.
Sure as you and I do that
He'll upset our applecart of religious expectation
And speak through a donkey or some other unorthodox method!
But whatever you have to do,
By all means do
The one needful thing.
"And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him" (Luke 9:35).
DSR
8/5/02
Monday, July 29, 2002
The Cross on the Side of the Road
by David Scott Robertson
I had driven that route at least a hundred times before.
Why had I never seen it?
Yet, there it was, plain as day, fastened to the guardrail.
A cross on the side of the road.
Now that I think about it,
Throughout my years traveling the highways and by-ways,
I’ve seen many crosses on the side of the road.
Perhaps you have too.
Some crosses have artificial flowers wired to them.
Some have a small sign attached.
Some are fancy crosses
And some are crude, wooden crosses like the kind Jesus died on.
All of the crosses on the side of the road
Have one thing in common, though.
They all have a story behind them.
A tragic story.
The cross more than likely marks the spot
Where a dearly loved one (or ones) died in an accident.
The cross on the side of the road
Is a permanent memorial to the fateful and fatal day.
A small emblem that says, “I remember.”
You and I may drive down a stretch of road
And think nothing about it except getting from point A to point B.
Another person may drive down the same stretch of road
And for them,
When they pass the cross on the side of the road
A feeling, an emotion, a memory, a thought erupts.
Why? Because they are the one that put the cross there.
The next time I notice
A cross on the side of the road,
I purpose in my heart to breathe a prayer to God
On behalf of the family and friends of their departed loved on.
His or her memorial not only stands on perpetual duty at a graveyard,
But also on a cross on the side of the road.
DSR
7/29/02
I had driven that route at least a hundred times before.
Why had I never seen it?
Yet, there it was, plain as day, fastened to the guardrail.
A cross on the side of the road.
Now that I think about it,
Throughout my years traveling the highways and by-ways,
I’ve seen many crosses on the side of the road.
Perhaps you have too.
Some crosses have artificial flowers wired to them.
Some have a small sign attached.
Some are fancy crosses
And some are crude, wooden crosses like the kind Jesus died on.
All of the crosses on the side of the road
Have one thing in common, though.
They all have a story behind them.
A tragic story.
The cross more than likely marks the spot
Where a dearly loved one (or ones) died in an accident.
The cross on the side of the road
Is a permanent memorial to the fateful and fatal day.
A small emblem that says, “I remember.”
You and I may drive down a stretch of road
And think nothing about it except getting from point A to point B.
Another person may drive down the same stretch of road
And for them,
When they pass the cross on the side of the road
A feeling, an emotion, a memory, a thought erupts.
Why? Because they are the one that put the cross there.
The next time I notice
A cross on the side of the road,
I purpose in my heart to breathe a prayer to God
On behalf of the family and friends of their departed loved on.
His or her memorial not only stands on perpetual duty at a graveyard,
But also on a cross on the side of the road.
DSR
7/29/02
Sunday, July 21, 2002
R.P.
by David Scott Robertson
I love to play racquetball.
I love the sport.
I love the cardiovascular workout that it gives me.
I love the brotherhood and fellowship of my partners.
I love the thrill of competition –
And I love to win.
There’s only one minor technical difficulty I have to overcome in my game – R.P.
R.P. stands for Retinitus Pigmentosa.
That’s a fancy medical term for scar tissue on my retinas that block light from reaching the cones and rods in my eyeballs thereby rendering affected portions blind.
R.P. is an incurable, untreatable, inoperable, irreversible and progressive eye disorder that leads to blindness.
As an R.P. sufferer, I have zero night vision (better known as “night blindness”)
And “experts” tell me my peripheral vision will gradually disappear from sight over time.
(NOTE: To simulate what a person with R.P. sees, take two empty cardboard toilet paper tubes and hold them over your own eyes – that’s basically what I see.)
My ophthalmologist reports that I have only 20% vision left in one eye and 10% in the other thanks to R.P.
Now trying to function normally in life with R.P. is challenging,
But R.P. to a racquetball player is really a bummer.
Because of R.P. I lose lots of games.
Because of R.P. points are played that I never see.
Sometimes my opponent will hit a hard serve and I’ll just stand there without moving having never seen the ball at all as he wins the point uncontested.
Many times, my opponent will hit a high ball and it will zig-zag around the upper walls of the court and I’ll lose it and have to listen for a clue of its location in hopes of getting a glimpse and a split-second to react if I can catch it in my limited field of vision.
More times that I’d care to tell you, I’ve had the ball hit me in the face, the head, all over my body because, truly, I never saw it coming.
R.P. has brought to my racquetball game
Frustration,
Aggravation,
Anger,
Disappointment,
Humiliation,
And much discouragement.
So, if that’s the way things are,
Why subject myself to such an ordeal?
Because it’s better to play and lose than not play at all.
Because when I do win it’s against all odds.
I’m always the underdog.
And yet, God helps me to prevail in many matches,
And at those times I am in awe at God’s grace operating in my life.
(I dedicate ALL victories to Jesus Christ!)
I tell you why I continue to play racquetball –
Because I can’t let R.P. beat me.
If I do, then other “little foxes” will stealthily creep in and try to bully me as well.
I cannot let R.P. discourage me to the point of giving up something I love to do.
Jesus never gave up, why should I?
Every time I enter a racquetball court,
In a way,
It is a prophetic act that proclaims that “my God is able to deliver me.”
God can and will teach us the advantages of adversity.
We may not be thankful “for” all circumstances but we can be thankful “in” all circumstances.
I heard a preacher say one time:
“There’s not but two times to praise God:
When you feel like and when you don’t, and when you don’t is the best time of all.”
In the school of suffering much learning takes place.
I’m learning a lot about life by climbing into a racquetball court and playing with R.P…
1. I’m learning who my friends are.
Brave souls who continue to play with me in spite of my handicap.
2. I’m learning that losing with integrity is a superior victory.
3. I’m learning that you can be a good sport without being a Christian
But you cannot maintain a solid Christian witness without being a good sport.
4. I’m learning that humiliation builds character.
5. I’m learning that there are some opponents that I couldn’t beat even if I had two good eyes!
Now this next statement I want to put in writing and date it for posterity.
This is a faith declaration to the Lord Jesus Christ
And a declaration of war to the enemy of my soul:
“I am a miracle in the making!”
God will heal my eyes!
I believe by the authority of God’s Word and in the name of Jesus Christ
That Father God send His Word in the form of His Son to heal me.
One day,
Either instantaneously or progressively,
My sight will be fully restored!
(Fair warning to my racquetball opponents! – watch out!)
Until then…
I draw strength from what the Lord said to the apostle Paul
And what the Apostle Paul said to the Lord in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”
Until then…
I will walk [and play racquetball] by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
“The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” (Mat 15:31 NIV)
DSR
7/21/02
I love to play racquetball.
I love the sport.
I love the cardiovascular workout that it gives me.
I love the brotherhood and fellowship of my partners.
I love the thrill of competition –
And I love to win.
There’s only one minor technical difficulty I have to overcome in my game – R.P.
R.P. stands for Retinitus Pigmentosa.
That’s a fancy medical term for scar tissue on my retinas that block light from reaching the cones and rods in my eyeballs thereby rendering affected portions blind.
R.P. is an incurable, untreatable, inoperable, irreversible and progressive eye disorder that leads to blindness.
As an R.P. sufferer, I have zero night vision (better known as “night blindness”)
And “experts” tell me my peripheral vision will gradually disappear from sight over time.
(NOTE: To simulate what a person with R.P. sees, take two empty cardboard toilet paper tubes and hold them over your own eyes – that’s basically what I see.)
My ophthalmologist reports that I have only 20% vision left in one eye and 10% in the other thanks to R.P.
Now trying to function normally in life with R.P. is challenging,
But R.P. to a racquetball player is really a bummer.
Because of R.P. I lose lots of games.
Because of R.P. points are played that I never see.
Sometimes my opponent will hit a hard serve and I’ll just stand there without moving having never seen the ball at all as he wins the point uncontested.
Many times, my opponent will hit a high ball and it will zig-zag around the upper walls of the court and I’ll lose it and have to listen for a clue of its location in hopes of getting a glimpse and a split-second to react if I can catch it in my limited field of vision.
More times that I’d care to tell you, I’ve had the ball hit me in the face, the head, all over my body because, truly, I never saw it coming.
R.P. has brought to my racquetball game
Frustration,
Aggravation,
Anger,
Disappointment,
Humiliation,
And much discouragement.
So, if that’s the way things are,
Why subject myself to such an ordeal?
Because it’s better to play and lose than not play at all.
Because when I do win it’s against all odds.
I’m always the underdog.
And yet, God helps me to prevail in many matches,
And at those times I am in awe at God’s grace operating in my life.
(I dedicate ALL victories to Jesus Christ!)
I tell you why I continue to play racquetball –
Because I can’t let R.P. beat me.
If I do, then other “little foxes” will stealthily creep in and try to bully me as well.
I cannot let R.P. discourage me to the point of giving up something I love to do.
Jesus never gave up, why should I?
Every time I enter a racquetball court,
In a way,
It is a prophetic act that proclaims that “my God is able to deliver me.”
God can and will teach us the advantages of adversity.
We may not be thankful “for” all circumstances but we can be thankful “in” all circumstances.
I heard a preacher say one time:
“There’s not but two times to praise God:
When you feel like and when you don’t, and when you don’t is the best time of all.”
In the school of suffering much learning takes place.
I’m learning a lot about life by climbing into a racquetball court and playing with R.P…
1. I’m learning who my friends are.
Brave souls who continue to play with me in spite of my handicap.
2. I’m learning that losing with integrity is a superior victory.
3. I’m learning that you can be a good sport without being a Christian
But you cannot maintain a solid Christian witness without being a good sport.
4. I’m learning that humiliation builds character.
5. I’m learning that there are some opponents that I couldn’t beat even if I had two good eyes!
Now this next statement I want to put in writing and date it for posterity.
This is a faith declaration to the Lord Jesus Christ
And a declaration of war to the enemy of my soul:
“I am a miracle in the making!”
God will heal my eyes!
I believe by the authority of God’s Word and in the name of Jesus Christ
That Father God send His Word in the form of His Son to heal me.
One day,
Either instantaneously or progressively,
My sight will be fully restored!
(Fair warning to my racquetball opponents! – watch out!)
Until then…
I draw strength from what the Lord said to the apostle Paul
And what the Apostle Paul said to the Lord in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”
Until then…
I will walk [and play racquetball] by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
“The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” (Mat 15:31 NIV)
DSR
7/21/02
Monday, July 15, 2002
Hidden Pleasures and Treasures
by David Scott Robertson
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).
The next time you begin to thank God for all that He’s done for you --
For all the simple pleasures,
And all the complex pleasures,
Remember to thank Him for all the hidden pleasures and treasures too.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are invisible.
One example is behind-the-scenes angelic activity that --
More often than we realize --
Prevents unseen spiritual warfare against us from manifesting into tragic reality.
Take the case of a loved one who miraculously and narrowly escapes a potentially fatal accident.
They never saw it coming - they never saw it going.
In fact, they were completely oblivious to the whole thing.
Nonetheless it happened –
A combat situation between angels and demons transpired and both sides paid a price.
This is a hidden pleasure and treasure.
They exist as a thousand other manifestations of the grace of God operating in our lives.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are, quite simply,
Those unknown blessings that the Lord God orders, orchestrates and arranges on our behalf
For no other reason than to add value, safety, enjoyment, or meet needs in our lives.
And we are unaware of all of them because they are hidden.
But I assure you they are there.
It would be impossible to do the math,
But could it be
That for every one thing we see and notice and observe in our lives that are grace gifts from God,
That there are dozens, hundreds, perhaps even thousands
Of other hidden pleasures and treasures that we do not see and observe and notice?
My faith thinks so.
With this thought in mind I want to end with a prayer of thanksgiving
(And if you agree with it say “amen” out loud at the end):
“Thank You, Lord, for all the hidden pleasures and treasures that You have lavished on me.
I appreciate them and You with all my heart.
Give me an attitude of gratitude to discern more each day
The unfathomable riches of your grace to us who believe. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
DSR
7/15/02
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).
The next time you begin to thank God for all that He’s done for you --
For all the simple pleasures,
And all the complex pleasures,
Remember to thank Him for all the hidden pleasures and treasures too.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are invisible.
One example is behind-the-scenes angelic activity that --
More often than we realize --
Prevents unseen spiritual warfare against us from manifesting into tragic reality.
Take the case of a loved one who miraculously and narrowly escapes a potentially fatal accident.
They never saw it coming - they never saw it going.
In fact, they were completely oblivious to the whole thing.
Nonetheless it happened –
A combat situation between angels and demons transpired and both sides paid a price.
This is a hidden pleasure and treasure.
They exist as a thousand other manifestations of the grace of God operating in our lives.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are, quite simply,
Those unknown blessings that the Lord God orders, orchestrates and arranges on our behalf
For no other reason than to add value, safety, enjoyment, or meet needs in our lives.
And we are unaware of all of them because they are hidden.
But I assure you they are there.
It would be impossible to do the math,
But could it be
That for every one thing we see and notice and observe in our lives that are grace gifts from God,
That there are dozens, hundreds, perhaps even thousands
Of other hidden pleasures and treasures that we do not see and observe and notice?
My faith thinks so.
With this thought in mind I want to end with a prayer of thanksgiving
(And if you agree with it say “amen” out loud at the end):
“Thank You, Lord, for all the hidden pleasures and treasures that You have lavished on me.
I appreciate them and You with all my heart.
Give me an attitude of gratitude to discern more each day
The unfathomable riches of your grace to us who believe. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
DSR
7/15/02
Sunday, July 7, 2002
Kinks in the Hose
by David Scott Robertson
Well, it happened again.
Here I am minding my own business,
Performing a routine, mundane, even boring task (watering the flowers),
And WHAM!
The Holy Spirit begins to teach me about life.
He uses a garden hose to illustrate a powerful truth!
First the natural, then the spiritual.
Let me quickly set the scene for you,
Then I'll connect the dots on the nugget of truth I gleaned from watering the flowers.
It's been hot and dry around here lately.
All the outdoor green things are thirsty.
So early this morning I dragged out the garden hose
And began to water the flowers, shrubs, bushes, and tomato plants in our yard.
Funny thing, though.
As I pulled the garden hose across the lawn,
The water stopped flowing. Why?
"Kinks" in the hose.
This is when the hose gets twisted and knotted up and the water can't flow out.
Over and over and over again as I was dragging the hose and watering
I got kinks in the hose and the water stopped coming out the spigot.
I had to stop watering and go straighten out every kink before the water flow was restored.
Suddenly, and I feel this was the Holy Spirit using a teachable moment in my life,
These thoughts began to bubble up in my mind and settle in my heart:
We human beings are very similar to flowers in a garden.
We are organisms that require water from an outside source to survive.
If we don't get it, it's just a matter of time…
Father God, raised us up from seeds and transplanted us to a garden.
His desire is that none of His precious creations should perish.
To ensure their survival, God sent His Son, Jesus, to tend the garden.
The Holy Spirit is that life-giving, life-sustaining water that flows through the hose.
Through the light of the Son,
The water of the Holy Spirit,
Planted in a stable soil from which to absorb nutrients (God's Word)
We not only survive, but flourish, in a beautiful and unique ecosystem
Which God has carefully and purposefully planted us in,
With the intention of
Bearing fruit to feed others,
Produce seed to reproduce after our own kind,
And to add value and beauty to the garden for all to see and enjoy.
Without the Son, we would die.
Without the water of the Spirit, we would die.
Without the soil to feed on we would die.
Everything the water touches is green and full of life.
Everything that the water doesn't touch is brown, brittle, and dry - in a process of dying.
Enter the problem.
Sin.
Sin puts kinks in the hose
That stops the flow of God's living water.
Unless the kinks are removed,
The water is permanently cut off
And the plants eventually die.
My confession of sin allows Jesus to "undo" the kinks in the hose.
It restores the flow of water
And thus makes restoring my soul possible.
It was interesting to note
That as I watered one plant,
The plant next to it usually got soaked as well.
I suppose the parables and parallels, meanings and metaphors
Could continue on and on
Describing in fantastic detail
Just how a garden and a human soul are a lot alike.
One thing's for sure though…
If the kinks in the hose are not taken care of,
It ruins the entire project.
"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11 NIV).
DSR
7/7/02
Well, it happened again.
Here I am minding my own business,
Performing a routine, mundane, even boring task (watering the flowers),
And WHAM!
The Holy Spirit begins to teach me about life.
He uses a garden hose to illustrate a powerful truth!
First the natural, then the spiritual.
Let me quickly set the scene for you,
Then I'll connect the dots on the nugget of truth I gleaned from watering the flowers.
It's been hot and dry around here lately.
All the outdoor green things are thirsty.
So early this morning I dragged out the garden hose
And began to water the flowers, shrubs, bushes, and tomato plants in our yard.
Funny thing, though.
As I pulled the garden hose across the lawn,
The water stopped flowing. Why?
"Kinks" in the hose.
This is when the hose gets twisted and knotted up and the water can't flow out.
Over and over and over again as I was dragging the hose and watering
I got kinks in the hose and the water stopped coming out the spigot.
I had to stop watering and go straighten out every kink before the water flow was restored.
Suddenly, and I feel this was the Holy Spirit using a teachable moment in my life,
These thoughts began to bubble up in my mind and settle in my heart:
We human beings are very similar to flowers in a garden.
We are organisms that require water from an outside source to survive.
If we don't get it, it's just a matter of time…
Father God, raised us up from seeds and transplanted us to a garden.
His desire is that none of His precious creations should perish.
To ensure their survival, God sent His Son, Jesus, to tend the garden.
The Holy Spirit is that life-giving, life-sustaining water that flows through the hose.
Through the light of the Son,
The water of the Holy Spirit,
Planted in a stable soil from which to absorb nutrients (God's Word)
We not only survive, but flourish, in a beautiful and unique ecosystem
Which God has carefully and purposefully planted us in,
With the intention of
Bearing fruit to feed others,
Produce seed to reproduce after our own kind,
And to add value and beauty to the garden for all to see and enjoy.
Without the Son, we would die.
Without the water of the Spirit, we would die.
Without the soil to feed on we would die.
Everything the water touches is green and full of life.
Everything that the water doesn't touch is brown, brittle, and dry - in a process of dying.
Enter the problem.
Sin.
Sin puts kinks in the hose
That stops the flow of God's living water.
Unless the kinks are removed,
The water is permanently cut off
And the plants eventually die.
My confession of sin allows Jesus to "undo" the kinks in the hose.
It restores the flow of water
And thus makes restoring my soul possible.
It was interesting to note
That as I watered one plant,
The plant next to it usually got soaked as well.
I suppose the parables and parallels, meanings and metaphors
Could continue on and on
Describing in fantastic detail
Just how a garden and a human soul are a lot alike.
One thing's for sure though…
If the kinks in the hose are not taken care of,
It ruins the entire project.
"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11 NIV).
DSR
7/7/02
Monday, June 24, 2002
Experiencing God at the Window
by David Scott Robertson
One day I stood in front of a window looking out.
Although it seems like an unlikely place to have an encounter with God,
I believe that I did.
For in that moment of time,
I became unusually aware of my circumstances.
And consequently there arose within me a profound spirit of thankfulness and appreciation
To God for supplying all the factors and phenomena
That worked together to bring me to that very sacred place…
And I experienced God at the window.
The fact that I could stand up at the window was, to be sure, a grace gift of God.
Seeing out the window meant that my eyes worked.
“All systems were go” in my physical body system
To permit me to experience God at the window.
The window itself separated me from the elements outside
Reminding me that winter is survive-able if you’re in the right spot.
The window was attached to a building,
And that building was a church,
And that church was my employer.
And, oh the joy of being employed.
Oh, the joy of being able to pay my bills.
The joy of being employed doing something I like to do.
The joy of working with people I like.
The joy of working for the Lord for a living.
The joy of walking out the will and plan and destiny of God for my life.
When the work has become play and I would gladly do it for no money,
There is a reason to worship at the window.
The church was located in a town called Murfreesboro,
In a state called Tennessee,
In a country called the United States of America.
Here religious freedom is protected by law.
And in that moment of time,
I considered the implications of this freedom…
I could stand there and pray at the window and be seen by passersby
Without fear of retaliation, imprisonment, punishment, or persecution.
As we are fully aware,
That is not the case in front of every window on earth.
The Bible describes a man who three times a day
Basically did what I was doing --
Prayed to his God in front of a window --
And as a result Daniel got thrown into a lion’s den because he had broken the law of the king.
At the window I considered that I was in a church.
How many people are “out of church” these days?
How many souls on our planet have never stepped foot in a church?
How many, instead, step into a temple, a shrine, or grotto of idols to worship false gods?
How many have never heard the wonderful saving name of Jesus Christ?
Billions.
And here I stand at the window,
Not only in a church,
But “in Christ Jesus”.
Amazing love how can it be?
I suppose I could go on and on
And list in great detail
The many other factors and favorable blessings that culminated in that moment in time
Causing me to experience God at the window --
But I think you get the point.
I also hope you understand
That this experience with God can happen not only in front of a window --
But in a car,
In an elevator,
At your desk in a classroom,
In the shower,
At your cubicle at work,
On a factory assembly line,
On a loading dock driving a fork lift
In the checkout line at Wal-Mart….
God is not limited by space and time in reaching out to us.
Let us not limit the time and place in which we reach up to Him.
DSR
6/24/02
One day I stood in front of a window looking out.
Although it seems like an unlikely place to have an encounter with God,
I believe that I did.
For in that moment of time,
I became unusually aware of my circumstances.
And consequently there arose within me a profound spirit of thankfulness and appreciation
To God for supplying all the factors and phenomena
That worked together to bring me to that very sacred place…
And I experienced God at the window.
The fact that I could stand up at the window was, to be sure, a grace gift of God.
Seeing out the window meant that my eyes worked.
“All systems were go” in my physical body system
To permit me to experience God at the window.
The window itself separated me from the elements outside
Reminding me that winter is survive-able if you’re in the right spot.
The window was attached to a building,
And that building was a church,
And that church was my employer.
And, oh the joy of being employed.
Oh, the joy of being able to pay my bills.
The joy of being employed doing something I like to do.
The joy of working with people I like.
The joy of working for the Lord for a living.
The joy of walking out the will and plan and destiny of God for my life.
When the work has become play and I would gladly do it for no money,
There is a reason to worship at the window.
The church was located in a town called Murfreesboro,
In a state called Tennessee,
In a country called the United States of America.
Here religious freedom is protected by law.
And in that moment of time,
I considered the implications of this freedom…
I could stand there and pray at the window and be seen by passersby
Without fear of retaliation, imprisonment, punishment, or persecution.
As we are fully aware,
That is not the case in front of every window on earth.
The Bible describes a man who three times a day
Basically did what I was doing --
Prayed to his God in front of a window --
And as a result Daniel got thrown into a lion’s den because he had broken the law of the king.
At the window I considered that I was in a church.
How many people are “out of church” these days?
How many souls on our planet have never stepped foot in a church?
How many, instead, step into a temple, a shrine, or grotto of idols to worship false gods?
How many have never heard the wonderful saving name of Jesus Christ?
Billions.
And here I stand at the window,
Not only in a church,
But “in Christ Jesus”.
Amazing love how can it be?
I suppose I could go on and on
And list in great detail
The many other factors and favorable blessings that culminated in that moment in time
Causing me to experience God at the window --
But I think you get the point.
I also hope you understand
That this experience with God can happen not only in front of a window --
But in a car,
In an elevator,
At your desk in a classroom,
In the shower,
At your cubicle at work,
On a factory assembly line,
On a loading dock driving a fork lift
In the checkout line at Wal-Mart….
God is not limited by space and time in reaching out to us.
Let us not limit the time and place in which we reach up to Him.
DSR
6/24/02
Monday, June 17, 2002
How to Change the World
by David Scott Robertson
So you want to change the world, huh?
You want to be a citizen of earth that makes a difference, do you?
You want your life to count for something significant, right?
Moreover, this is not just talk, mere “lip service” --
You are prepared to back it up with action.
In fact, you are willing to involve yourself,
Sacrificially if necessary (up to and including death),
In a cause that is larger than life,
Greater than yourself,
Farther-reaching than your life span.
Such a desire in your heart is indeed a noble thing.
It is a good and proper thing.
Depending upon your motives,
I would even venture to guess that it is more than likely a God-thing.
After all, no sane, reasonable person
Would actually believe that he or she can change the world.
And please note,
When I say “change the world” I am not referring to “your world.”
For example, your neighborhood, your workgroup, your family, your region, etc.
Those are all valid and figurative expressions of “the world,”
But in this context I am referring to “the world” as the global community
That which makes up the civilized and uncivilized people groups of the earth.
Having clarified that…
If it were possible,
Just how might
One man,
One woman,
Go about changing the world?
Here are a few simple steps to follow:
1. Admit that one person – acting alone – cannot change the world.
An individual needs help, for you see, changing the world is an exceedingly large task.
2. Realize that world change comes in two forms: change for good or change for evil.
With power to change comes a stewardship to act responsibly.
3. The job is so enormous it will take a miracle.
There are only two sources of miracles available to a human being: the power of God or the power of satan to work false signs and lying wonders.
4. You must choose to partner with one or the other.
Not choosing Jesus as Lord defaults you to satan’s camp in advancing his cause on the earth. Choosing God is an act of your free will that positions you for true greatness.
5. You must understand that to possess the authority to bring about world change you must be under authority.
Both God and satan have the ability, willingness, and passionate desire to work in you and through you to change the world. Both offer to you their authority to wield power in their name.
6. You must know that your choice will determine your eternal destination and the destination of your followers.
Never sacrifice long-term goals for short-term gain. Choosing to partner with God opens up limitless possibilities. Electing to partner with satan forces you and those you lead to be consigned to inherit the same destiny and condemnation of the devil and his angels.
The conclusion of the matter:
To change the world you must first hold an election.
Each man and woman must decide who will rule in the government of their heart.
There’s only two candidates in the running – Jesus Christ or Lucifer.
And if you opt to vote for neither and claim to reign in absolute self-authority,
Then …
Whether you like it or not or believe it or not
Your vote is automatically cast to install the prince of this world – satan
(Who is more than willing to allow you to believe that you can rule as good as God
Just like he convinced Adam and Eve through delusion and deception.)
Once that profound choice has been made,
The new administration of government begins to download into our souls a new agenda.
Transference of power begins immediately to take effect in ever-increasing measure.
We begin to discharge our duties as ambassadors of
Our new King, Lord, and Master (if we have surrendered to Christ) –
Or our new king, lord, and master (if we have willfully or unwittingly surrendered to satan.)
We then begin to live our lives in the dispensation of the new government –
Either living by faith and grace through Jesus Christ
Or practicing lawlessness under the father of lies.
Once the decision of lordship has been settled in our hearts
We begin to be conformed into the image of the one we have elected to serve.
Henceforth, our actions are extremely purpose-driven
To line up with the (supernatural) program, scope and sequence of our new leader.
Simply put,
The candle of our life is now lit,
And we go around lighting other unlit candles --
One soul at a time,
Teaching them to go and do likewise.
The Great Commission of both God and satan is…
Therefore go and make disciples.
And thus and at last,
The potential for genuine world change becomes reality.
One man,
One woman,
Called and commissioned,
Appointed and anointed,
For good or for evil,
Is strategically “sent” to an unsuspecting global community
With marching orders of universal conquest.
Friend,
For which cause will you die for?
DSR
6/17/02
So you want to change the world, huh?
You want to be a citizen of earth that makes a difference, do you?
You want your life to count for something significant, right?
Moreover, this is not just talk, mere “lip service” --
You are prepared to back it up with action.
In fact, you are willing to involve yourself,
Sacrificially if necessary (up to and including death),
In a cause that is larger than life,
Greater than yourself,
Farther-reaching than your life span.
Such a desire in your heart is indeed a noble thing.
It is a good and proper thing.
Depending upon your motives,
I would even venture to guess that it is more than likely a God-thing.
After all, no sane, reasonable person
Would actually believe that he or she can change the world.
And please note,
When I say “change the world” I am not referring to “your world.”
For example, your neighborhood, your workgroup, your family, your region, etc.
Those are all valid and figurative expressions of “the world,”
But in this context I am referring to “the world” as the global community
That which makes up the civilized and uncivilized people groups of the earth.
Having clarified that…
If it were possible,
Just how might
One man,
One woman,
Go about changing the world?
Here are a few simple steps to follow:
1. Admit that one person – acting alone – cannot change the world.
An individual needs help, for you see, changing the world is an exceedingly large task.
2. Realize that world change comes in two forms: change for good or change for evil.
With power to change comes a stewardship to act responsibly.
3. The job is so enormous it will take a miracle.
There are only two sources of miracles available to a human being: the power of God or the power of satan to work false signs and lying wonders.
4. You must choose to partner with one or the other.
Not choosing Jesus as Lord defaults you to satan’s camp in advancing his cause on the earth. Choosing God is an act of your free will that positions you for true greatness.
5. You must understand that to possess the authority to bring about world change you must be under authority.
Both God and satan have the ability, willingness, and passionate desire to work in you and through you to change the world. Both offer to you their authority to wield power in their name.
6. You must know that your choice will determine your eternal destination and the destination of your followers.
Never sacrifice long-term goals for short-term gain. Choosing to partner with God opens up limitless possibilities. Electing to partner with satan forces you and those you lead to be consigned to inherit the same destiny and condemnation of the devil and his angels.
The conclusion of the matter:
To change the world you must first hold an election.
Each man and woman must decide who will rule in the government of their heart.
There’s only two candidates in the running – Jesus Christ or Lucifer.
And if you opt to vote for neither and claim to reign in absolute self-authority,
Then …
Whether you like it or not or believe it or not
Your vote is automatically cast to install the prince of this world – satan
(Who is more than willing to allow you to believe that you can rule as good as God
Just like he convinced Adam and Eve through delusion and deception.)
Once that profound choice has been made,
The new administration of government begins to download into our souls a new agenda.
Transference of power begins immediately to take effect in ever-increasing measure.
We begin to discharge our duties as ambassadors of
Our new King, Lord, and Master (if we have surrendered to Christ) –
Or our new king, lord, and master (if we have willfully or unwittingly surrendered to satan.)
We then begin to live our lives in the dispensation of the new government –
Either living by faith and grace through Jesus Christ
Or practicing lawlessness under the father of lies.
Once the decision of lordship has been settled in our hearts
We begin to be conformed into the image of the one we have elected to serve.
Henceforth, our actions are extremely purpose-driven
To line up with the (supernatural) program, scope and sequence of our new leader.
Simply put,
The candle of our life is now lit,
And we go around lighting other unlit candles --
One soul at a time,
Teaching them to go and do likewise.
The Great Commission of both God and satan is…
Therefore go and make disciples.
And thus and at last,
The potential for genuine world change becomes reality.
One man,
One woman,
Called and commissioned,
Appointed and anointed,
For good or for evil,
Is strategically “sent” to an unsuspecting global community
With marching orders of universal conquest.
Friend,
For which cause will you die for?
DSR
6/17/02
Monday, June 10, 2002
The Holy Place
by David Scott Robertson
I want to tell you about a holy place.
A sacred place.
A secret place.
A place so special to me that I used to meet with God there on a regular basis.
Different religions have different holy places.
The Jews have Jerusalem.
The Muslims have Mecca.
The Mormons have a central temple in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Various shrines and mosques and temples and altars
Dot the global geography designating some type of “holy place” for their various brands of religion.
Let me describe my holy place to you.
My holy place was approximately three feet wide by four feet long.
It was dimly lit and had an exhaust fan in the ceiling.
It had a little latch on a hinged door that I could close and lock for privacy.
The holy place had a paper dispenser on the wall
So I could have plenty of tissue to wipe my tears away as I prayed to my God.
Underneath my feet was a simple tile floor that was mopped daily.
There were about three more holy places right next to mine
With a handicapped-accessible holy place down on the end.
The predominate fixture in my holy place that took up nearly half the space
Was a white porcelain bowl half-filled with water.
The bowl is called a toilet bowl.
By now you may have correctly identified my holy place as a typical bathroom stall.
This bathroom stall was located at
The Nissan Motor Manufacturing automotive plant located in Smyrna, Tennessee
Where I used to work for three years -
But I will tell you that this stall was anything but typical.
While my co-workers would reach for their morning cup of coffee and donut,
My custom was to go directly to “the holy place” to reach for God
And receive my “manna in the morning.”
I went to the same bathroom stall each day.
Closing the stall door behind me,
I would began to worship and magnify and glorify the Lord with raised hands
In soft tones so as not to disturb the other “worshippers.”
It was here in this place
That I would call out to God and ask for grace to succeed that day,
For the unction to function well for my employer,
And represent him and the Lord Jesus Christ appropriately throughout the day.
I asked for wisdom to solve the problems that I would face as a computer technician.
I needed physical and emotional stamina to withstand the rigors of a stressful job.
I need the moral fiber to overcome temptation and spiritual warfare.
And I certainly needed the ability to get along with my workgroup
And the people whose computers I would be fixing.
And you know what?
God heard my prayers in the holy place.
And He answered them.
For three years I flourished at a job
For which I had no professional training,
No formal education
And no previous experience whatsoever.
I became known as an excellent and very competent computer technician
Who brought favor and a good name to my employer.
The “end users” whose computer problems I fixed daily enjoyed me as a person
And the quality of my work spoke for itself.
Word would get back to my boss and his bosses that I was an asset to the organization.
May I point out to you that
This is the finger of God!
This is the Lord’s activity in and through me
Enabling me to do my job “as unto the Lord.”
I believe that the raises and the promotions and awards
That I earned during that three period of employment in an automotive factory
Was a direct result of time spent in the holy place --
Which ironically, was a simple ordinary bathroom stall.
It was there that the presence of God would show up in power and anointing
To equip me for yet another day of gainful employment.
By the way,
The holy place worked so well
That frequently while I was out in the plant working around the assembly lines
I would pop in other “remote holy places” that were strategically set up throughout the plant!
Thank you, Nissan, for constructing so many holy places for me to meet with my God
During that wonderful season of my life!
DSR
6/10/02
I want to tell you about a holy place.
A sacred place.
A secret place.
A place so special to me that I used to meet with God there on a regular basis.
Different religions have different holy places.
The Jews have Jerusalem.
The Muslims have Mecca.
The Mormons have a central temple in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Various shrines and mosques and temples and altars
Dot the global geography designating some type of “holy place” for their various brands of religion.
Let me describe my holy place to you.
My holy place was approximately three feet wide by four feet long.
It was dimly lit and had an exhaust fan in the ceiling.
It had a little latch on a hinged door that I could close and lock for privacy.
The holy place had a paper dispenser on the wall
So I could have plenty of tissue to wipe my tears away as I prayed to my God.
Underneath my feet was a simple tile floor that was mopped daily.
There were about three more holy places right next to mine
With a handicapped-accessible holy place down on the end.
The predominate fixture in my holy place that took up nearly half the space
Was a white porcelain bowl half-filled with water.
The bowl is called a toilet bowl.
By now you may have correctly identified my holy place as a typical bathroom stall.
This bathroom stall was located at
The Nissan Motor Manufacturing automotive plant located in Smyrna, Tennessee
Where I used to work for three years -
But I will tell you that this stall was anything but typical.
While my co-workers would reach for their morning cup of coffee and donut,
My custom was to go directly to “the holy place” to reach for God
And receive my “manna in the morning.”
I went to the same bathroom stall each day.
Closing the stall door behind me,
I would began to worship and magnify and glorify the Lord with raised hands
In soft tones so as not to disturb the other “worshippers.”
It was here in this place
That I would call out to God and ask for grace to succeed that day,
For the unction to function well for my employer,
And represent him and the Lord Jesus Christ appropriately throughout the day.
I asked for wisdom to solve the problems that I would face as a computer technician.
I needed physical and emotional stamina to withstand the rigors of a stressful job.
I need the moral fiber to overcome temptation and spiritual warfare.
And I certainly needed the ability to get along with my workgroup
And the people whose computers I would be fixing.
And you know what?
God heard my prayers in the holy place.
And He answered them.
For three years I flourished at a job
For which I had no professional training,
No formal education
And no previous experience whatsoever.
I became known as an excellent and very competent computer technician
Who brought favor and a good name to my employer.
The “end users” whose computer problems I fixed daily enjoyed me as a person
And the quality of my work spoke for itself.
Word would get back to my boss and his bosses that I was an asset to the organization.
May I point out to you that
This is the finger of God!
This is the Lord’s activity in and through me
Enabling me to do my job “as unto the Lord.”
I believe that the raises and the promotions and awards
That I earned during that three period of employment in an automotive factory
Was a direct result of time spent in the holy place --
Which ironically, was a simple ordinary bathroom stall.
It was there that the presence of God would show up in power and anointing
To equip me for yet another day of gainful employment.
By the way,
The holy place worked so well
That frequently while I was out in the plant working around the assembly lines
I would pop in other “remote holy places” that were strategically set up throughout the plant!
Thank you, Nissan, for constructing so many holy places for me to meet with my God
During that wonderful season of my life!
DSR
6/10/02
Monday, June 3, 2002
The Grace to Hear the Voice of God
by David Scott Robertson
I came in this morning to my prayer closet with an expectation to experience God.
I came to worship,
To intercede for others,
To present my personal petitions,
To read His word and reap,
And hopefully, ideally, to hear His voice.
My understanding of how the pattern works
In order to get into the presence of God and hear His voice
Goes something like this:
First, I enter into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
I begin to thank Him for everything I can think of that He’s done for me in the last 24 hours.
I thank Him for the simple pleasures.
I thank Him for the complex pleasures.
I thank Him for the hidden pleasures and the things He’s done for me of which I’m oblivious.
I thank Him for who He is
His unchanging character
And the fact that He alone is God.
I repent of my known sins
And invite the Holy Spirit to search my heart
And see if there be any wicked way in me that I might quickly
Repent,
Renounce,
And break any of sin’s power of me
While counter-attacking and “sealing the deal” by speaking the Word of God over myself.
I’ll read my daily quota of the Bible,
A selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs –
All neatly arranged in my handy devotional Bible.
Perhaps I’ll take communion.
Then I’ll intercede for my “prayer list” of close relationships,
My wife, my parents, my daughter, my pastors, my president, my small group, and so on.
After that I may put in a worship CD and sing along
Or pull from my memory a half dozen hymns or contemporary worship choruses
And croak out a “joyful noise unto the Lord.”
And then I’ll try to be quiet…
To shut up and listen,
To be still and know that He is God.
(This is the tough part for me when 5 minutes of silence seems so sacrificial, almost unbearable!)
Now here’s the climax of the whole experience:
For God to have His chance to speak to me.
This “stillness” is God’s cue to begin to speak to me.
I’ve done my part
Now it’s His turn to do His part.
I punched my “devotional” time clock and did my spiritual duty
And now,
(So I think, reason, and ignorantly understand)
He is scheduled to arrive “on time” and speak to me
So that I can go write it down it a journal as a spiritual marker and date it.
What do you think?
Is that a corny way to approach God?
Is that an absurd approach to a quiet time to obtain “manna in the morning” from God?
Would you counsel a brand new Christian to begin a short devotional life
That at least somewhat resembled this format?
The ultimate goal is this scenario,
Obviously and ideally,
Is to hear God’s voice.
To experience God through intimate communion and fellowship with His Son, Jesus.
To have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.
C’mon, doesn’t that all sound logical, reasonable, maybe even spiritual?
Perhaps, like me, you’ve observed that God
Has this way about Him that explodes our thinking.
Imagine! The infinite God doing anything at all my way!
Why just this morning…
Today when I came into my prayer closet with an expectation to experience God,
To worship,
To intercede for others,
To present my personal petitions,
To read His word and reap,
And hopefully, ideally, to hear His voice…
Ready for this?
I used “the approach”, “the prescription,” “the order,”
To “get the pattern right so the glory will fall”
To “set the mood” (what a religious thought) to become eligible to obtain a word from God.
Almost immediately this morning as I quietly knelt down before the Lord
Ready to “do my little do and say my little say”
The Lord God began to speak to me.
His word to me was something that I will try to paraphrase to you here:
“David, there’s nothing you have to do or can do to earn your way into My presence.
If that were the case it wouldn’t be grace.”
With that the Lord began to gently and kindly admonish me as only He can with words of
Edification, exhortation, and comfort.
At this point I now have a choice.
I can leave my prayer closet,
Eat a bowl of cereal,
And jump right on into my day because, after all, I’ve already gotten “a word” from God.
I’ve already heard His voice and that’s the point, isn’t it?
Well, yes and no.
I still think I need to enter my prayer closet with an expectation to experience God.
To worship,
To intercede for others,
To present my personal petitions,
To read His word and reap,
And hopefully, ideally, to hear His voice…again.
Consider grace.
Explore grace.
Experience God’s love through grace.
It is true that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
But it is also true that it is a wonderful thing to fall into the hands of the loving, gracious God.
DSR
6/3/02
I came in this morning to my prayer closet with an expectation to experience God.
I came to worship,
To intercede for others,
To present my personal petitions,
To read His word and reap,
And hopefully, ideally, to hear His voice.
My understanding of how the pattern works
In order to get into the presence of God and hear His voice
Goes something like this:
First, I enter into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
I begin to thank Him for everything I can think of that He’s done for me in the last 24 hours.
I thank Him for the simple pleasures.
I thank Him for the complex pleasures.
I thank Him for the hidden pleasures and the things He’s done for me of which I’m oblivious.
I thank Him for who He is
His unchanging character
And the fact that He alone is God.
I repent of my known sins
And invite the Holy Spirit to search my heart
And see if there be any wicked way in me that I might quickly
Repent,
Renounce,
And break any of sin’s power of me
While counter-attacking and “sealing the deal” by speaking the Word of God over myself.
I’ll read my daily quota of the Bible,
A selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs –
All neatly arranged in my handy devotional Bible.
Perhaps I’ll take communion.
Then I’ll intercede for my “prayer list” of close relationships,
My wife, my parents, my daughter, my pastors, my president, my small group, and so on.
After that I may put in a worship CD and sing along
Or pull from my memory a half dozen hymns or contemporary worship choruses
And croak out a “joyful noise unto the Lord.”
And then I’ll try to be quiet…
To shut up and listen,
To be still and know that He is God.
(This is the tough part for me when 5 minutes of silence seems so sacrificial, almost unbearable!)
Now here’s the climax of the whole experience:
For God to have His chance to speak to me.
This “stillness” is God’s cue to begin to speak to me.
I’ve done my part
Now it’s His turn to do His part.
I punched my “devotional” time clock and did my spiritual duty
And now,
(So I think, reason, and ignorantly understand)
He is scheduled to arrive “on time” and speak to me
So that I can go write it down it a journal as a spiritual marker and date it.
What do you think?
Is that a corny way to approach God?
Is that an absurd approach to a quiet time to obtain “manna in the morning” from God?
Would you counsel a brand new Christian to begin a short devotional life
That at least somewhat resembled this format?
The ultimate goal is this scenario,
Obviously and ideally,
Is to hear God’s voice.
To experience God through intimate communion and fellowship with His Son, Jesus.
To have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.
C’mon, doesn’t that all sound logical, reasonable, maybe even spiritual?
Perhaps, like me, you’ve observed that God
Has this way about Him that explodes our thinking.
Imagine! The infinite God doing anything at all my way!
Why just this morning…
Today when I came into my prayer closet with an expectation to experience God,
To worship,
To intercede for others,
To present my personal petitions,
To read His word and reap,
And hopefully, ideally, to hear His voice…
Ready for this?
I used “the approach”, “the prescription,” “the order,”
To “get the pattern right so the glory will fall”
To “set the mood” (what a religious thought) to become eligible to obtain a word from God.
Almost immediately this morning as I quietly knelt down before the Lord
Ready to “do my little do and say my little say”
The Lord God began to speak to me.
His word to me was something that I will try to paraphrase to you here:
“David, there’s nothing you have to do or can do to earn your way into My presence.
If that were the case it wouldn’t be grace.”
With that the Lord began to gently and kindly admonish me as only He can with words of
Edification, exhortation, and comfort.
At this point I now have a choice.
I can leave my prayer closet,
Eat a bowl of cereal,
And jump right on into my day because, after all, I’ve already gotten “a word” from God.
I’ve already heard His voice and that’s the point, isn’t it?
Well, yes and no.
I still think I need to enter my prayer closet with an expectation to experience God.
To worship,
To intercede for others,
To present my personal petitions,
To read His word and reap,
And hopefully, ideally, to hear His voice…again.
Consider grace.
Explore grace.
Experience God’s love through grace.
It is true that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
But it is also true that it is a wonderful thing to fall into the hands of the loving, gracious God.
DSR
6/3/02
Saturday, May 18, 2002
My Offering to the Lord
by David Scott Robertson
What do you give a God that’s got everything?
I mean, He created it all,
He owns it all
In fact, the great I AM is all in all.
You can’t add to Him, because He’s infinite.
You can’t take away from Him, because He’s omnipotent.
What have you thought up that He has not altogether known in advance?
What new thing under the sun could you and I possibly offer to the Lord
Since He knows the sum of our words and actions before our birth?
What, then, is a mortal man to do when trying to present an offering to God?
What thing or act or expression of value can we as created beings offer to a priceless Diety?
Just what does He want and expect from us anyway?
Apparently, incredibly, God saw value and worth in us in that
While we were yet sinners – Christ died for the ungodly.
You see it was Father God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…
And, like Father like Son, Jesus so loved the world that He voluntarily agreed to come and pay sin’s penalty…
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Holy Spirit so loved the world that he consented to stay and lead and guide us into all truth.
What an outrageous arrangement!
Now here’s the bizarre part…
Although we as human beings have been created in the image of God
And represent His divine genius in its highest form,
Nevertheless we have inherited from Adam and Even the flaw of the sinful nature.
Therefore, we have, as it were, eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,
And it has skewed our view of the Tree of Life.
With the power of choice comes the ability to make poor choices.
To eat forbidden fruit or not to eat, that is the question.
To love God and one another or not, that’s the option.
To obey or disobey, these are the choices.
Who among us has not through either willful disobedience or passive indifference
Chosen bad over good and good over best?
And so, the plot thickens.
Not only did God create us and loan us His breath
(Which by the way He reserves the right to withdraw at any time)
But lo and behold we use the power of free choice to ignore His commands.
We are a sin-tainted people group,
Covering our nakedness and feebly attempting to hide from Creator God.
So what is the Lord’s response to this incredible predicament?
The Lord Jesus Christ comes to each of us and asks us a question:
“Will you marry Me?
“I want to spend the rest of My eternal life with you.”
“I have chosen you to become My bride.”
But we, gasping, respond:
“Lord God, I’m not worthy to be Your bride.”
“Lord, I’m damaged goods.”
“You found me in the scratch and dent section.”
“My wineskin has burst and my wine is spilled out and ruined.”
“I’m not Your type.”
“I’m not holy, like You, Lord.”
“I’m too young.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m disqualified.”
“I’m ugly.”
“I’ve been unfaithful.”
“I’ve experimented with other lovers and gave away my virginity long ago.”
“You deserve better than me for Your bride.”
“Lord, surely not I.”
Patiently listening, the Lord responds: “Will you marry Me?”
“But Lord, what will your Father think?”
Jesus replies:
“In my Father’s house are many mansions, one of which I have prepared for you, My dear Shulammite.”
“Marry Me.”
“Follow Me.”
“Come away, My beloved.”
So, at last, I’m convinced. I’m convicted. I humbly accept
His astonishing invitation to me to become His bride,
Though I am ugly and scarred in my own eyes,
He has declared me altogether lovely,
Thus I have become in His eyes like one who brings contentment.
So Lord, here, now, I present to You my freewill offering…myself.
Just as I am, such as I am, O Lamb of God I come.
Though ten thousand voices tell me “no” – still, I come.
Though the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve counsel me otherwise,
Still, I come to You, Lord.
I love You, because You first loved me.
I love you with all my heart, mind, body, soul, and strength.
And with Your help, I’ll love others as you have loved me.
I covenant with You, Lover of my soul, to be Your bride.
I accept the terms of our betrothal.
I gladly receive the gifts of Your redemption, Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit.
Spread the corner of your garment over me
And let your banner over me be love.
“Lord, may I ask what will be the time and season for the wedding?”
“Surely,” says Jesus, “I will come quickly for you, My beloved.”
“Amen, even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
DSR
5/18/02
What do you give a God that’s got everything?
I mean, He created it all,
He owns it all
In fact, the great I AM is all in all.
You can’t add to Him, because He’s infinite.
You can’t take away from Him, because He’s omnipotent.
What have you thought up that He has not altogether known in advance?
What new thing under the sun could you and I possibly offer to the Lord
Since He knows the sum of our words and actions before our birth?
What, then, is a mortal man to do when trying to present an offering to God?
What thing or act or expression of value can we as created beings offer to a priceless Diety?
Just what does He want and expect from us anyway?
Apparently, incredibly, God saw value and worth in us in that
While we were yet sinners – Christ died for the ungodly.
You see it was Father God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…
And, like Father like Son, Jesus so loved the world that He voluntarily agreed to come and pay sin’s penalty…
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Holy Spirit so loved the world that he consented to stay and lead and guide us into all truth.
What an outrageous arrangement!
Now here’s the bizarre part…
Although we as human beings have been created in the image of God
And represent His divine genius in its highest form,
Nevertheless we have inherited from Adam and Even the flaw of the sinful nature.
Therefore, we have, as it were, eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,
And it has skewed our view of the Tree of Life.
With the power of choice comes the ability to make poor choices.
To eat forbidden fruit or not to eat, that is the question.
To love God and one another or not, that’s the option.
To obey or disobey, these are the choices.
Who among us has not through either willful disobedience or passive indifference
Chosen bad over good and good over best?
And so, the plot thickens.
Not only did God create us and loan us His breath
(Which by the way He reserves the right to withdraw at any time)
But lo and behold we use the power of free choice to ignore His commands.
We are a sin-tainted people group,
Covering our nakedness and feebly attempting to hide from Creator God.
So what is the Lord’s response to this incredible predicament?
The Lord Jesus Christ comes to each of us and asks us a question:
“Will you marry Me?
“I want to spend the rest of My eternal life with you.”
“I have chosen you to become My bride.”
But we, gasping, respond:
“Lord God, I’m not worthy to be Your bride.”
“Lord, I’m damaged goods.”
“You found me in the scratch and dent section.”
“My wineskin has burst and my wine is spilled out and ruined.”
“I’m not Your type.”
“I’m not holy, like You, Lord.”
“I’m too young.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m disqualified.”
“I’m ugly.”
“I’ve been unfaithful.”
“I’ve experimented with other lovers and gave away my virginity long ago.”
“You deserve better than me for Your bride.”
“Lord, surely not I.”
Patiently listening, the Lord responds: “Will you marry Me?”
“But Lord, what will your Father think?”
Jesus replies:
“In my Father’s house are many mansions, one of which I have prepared for you, My dear Shulammite.”
“Marry Me.”
“Follow Me.”
“Come away, My beloved.”
So, at last, I’m convinced. I’m convicted. I humbly accept
His astonishing invitation to me to become His bride,
Though I am ugly and scarred in my own eyes,
He has declared me altogether lovely,
Thus I have become in His eyes like one who brings contentment.
So Lord, here, now, I present to You my freewill offering…myself.
Just as I am, such as I am, O Lamb of God I come.
Though ten thousand voices tell me “no” – still, I come.
Though the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve counsel me otherwise,
Still, I come to You, Lord.
I love You, because You first loved me.
I love you with all my heart, mind, body, soul, and strength.
And with Your help, I’ll love others as you have loved me.
I covenant with You, Lover of my soul, to be Your bride.
I accept the terms of our betrothal.
I gladly receive the gifts of Your redemption, Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit.
Spread the corner of your garment over me
And let your banner over me be love.
“Lord, may I ask what will be the time and season for the wedding?”
“Surely,” says Jesus, “I will come quickly for you, My beloved.”
“Amen, even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
DSR
5/18/02
My Offering to the Lord
by David Scott Robertson
What do you give a God that’s got everything?
I mean, He created it all,
He owns it all
In fact, the great I AM is all in all.
You can’t add to Him, because He’s infinite.
You can’t take away from Him, because He’s omnipotent.
What have you thought up that He has not altogether known in advance?
What new thing under the sun could you and I possibly offer to the Lord
Since He knows the sum of our words and actions before our birth?
What, then, is a mortal man to do when trying to present an offering to God?
What thing or act or expression of value can we as created beings offer to a priceless Diety?
Just what does He want and expect from us anyway?
Apparently, incredibly, God saw value and worth in us in that
While we were yet sinners – Christ died for the ungodly.
You see it was Father God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…
And, like Father like Son, Jesus so loved the world that He voluntarily agreed to come and pay sin’s penalty…
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Holy Spirit so loved the world that he consented to stay and lead and guide us into all truth.
What an outrageous arrangement!
Now here’s the bizarre part…
Although we as human beings have been created in the image of God
And represent His divine genius in its highest form,
Nevertheless we have inherited from Adam and Even the flaw of the sinful nature.
Therefore, we have, as it were, eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,
And it has skewed our view of the Tree of Life.
With the power of choice comes the ability to make poor choices.
To eat forbidden fruit or not to eat, that is the question.
To love God and one another or not, that’s the option.
To obey or disobey, these are the choices.
Who among us has not through either willful disobedience or passive indifference
Chosen bad over good and good over best?
And so, the plot thickens.
Not only did God create us and loan us His breath
(Which by the way He reserves the right to withdraw at any time)
But lo and behold we use the power of free choice to ignore His commands.
We are a sin-tainted people group,
Covering our nakedness and feebly attempting to hide from Creator God.
So what is the Lord’s response to this incredible predicament?
The Lord Jesus Christ comes to each of us and asks us a question:
“Will you marry Me?
“I want to spend the rest of My eternal life with you.”
“I have chosen you to become My bride.”
But we, gasping, respond:
“Lord God, I’m not worthy to be Your bride.”
“Lord, I’m damaged goods.”
“You found me in the scratch and dent section.”
“My wineskin has burst and my wine is spilled out and ruined.”
“I’m not Your type.”
“I’m not holy, like You, Lord.”
“I’m too young.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m disqualified.”
“I’m ugly.”
“I’ve been unfaithful.”
“I’ve experimented with other lovers and gave away my virginity long ago.”
“You deserve better than me for Your bride.”
“Lord, surely not I.”
Patiently listening, the Lord responds: “Will you marry Me?”
“But Lord, what will your Father think?”
Jesus replies:
“In my Father’s house are many mansions, one of which I have prepared for you, My dear Shulammite.”
“Marry Me.”
“Follow Me.”
“Come away, My beloved.”
So, at last, I’m convinced. I’m convicted. I humbly accept
His astonishing invitation to me to become His bride,
Though I am ugly and scarred in my own eyes,
He has declared me altogether lovely,
Thus I have become in His eyes like one who brings contentment.
So Lord, here, now, I present to You my freewill offering…myself.
Just as I am, such as I am, O Lamb of God I come.
Though ten thousand voices tell me “no” – still, I come.
Though the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve counsel me otherwise,
Still, I come to You, Lord.
I love You, because You first loved me.
I love you with all my heart, mind, body, soul, and strength.
And with Your help, I’ll love others as you have loved me.
I covenant with You, Lover of my soul, to be Your bride.
I accept the terms of our betrothal.
I gladly receive the gifts of Your redemption, Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit.
Spread the corner of your garment over me
And let your banner over me be love.
“Lord, may I ask what will be the time and season for the wedding?”
“Surely,” says Jesus, “I will come quickly for you, My beloved.”
“Amen, even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
DSR
5/18/02
What do you give a God that’s got everything?
I mean, He created it all,
He owns it all
In fact, the great I AM is all in all.
You can’t add to Him, because He’s infinite.
You can’t take away from Him, because He’s omnipotent.
What have you thought up that He has not altogether known in advance?
What new thing under the sun could you and I possibly offer to the Lord
Since He knows the sum of our words and actions before our birth?
What, then, is a mortal man to do when trying to present an offering to God?
What thing or act or expression of value can we as created beings offer to a priceless Diety?
Just what does He want and expect from us anyway?
Apparently, incredibly, God saw value and worth in us in that
While we were yet sinners – Christ died for the ungodly.
You see it was Father God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…
And, like Father like Son, Jesus so loved the world that He voluntarily agreed to come and pay sin’s penalty…
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Holy Spirit so loved the world that he consented to stay and lead and guide us into all truth.
What an outrageous arrangement!
Now here’s the bizarre part…
Although we as human beings have been created in the image of God
And represent His divine genius in its highest form,
Nevertheless we have inherited from Adam and Even the flaw of the sinful nature.
Therefore, we have, as it were, eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,
And it has skewed our view of the Tree of Life.
With the power of choice comes the ability to make poor choices.
To eat forbidden fruit or not to eat, that is the question.
To love God and one another or not, that’s the option.
To obey or disobey, these are the choices.
Who among us has not through either willful disobedience or passive indifference
Chosen bad over good and good over best?
And so, the plot thickens.
Not only did God create us and loan us His breath
(Which by the way He reserves the right to withdraw at any time)
But lo and behold we use the power of free choice to ignore His commands.
We are a sin-tainted people group,
Covering our nakedness and feebly attempting to hide from Creator God.
So what is the Lord’s response to this incredible predicament?
The Lord Jesus Christ comes to each of us and asks us a question:
“Will you marry Me?
“I want to spend the rest of My eternal life with you.”
“I have chosen you to become My bride.”
But we, gasping, respond:
“Lord God, I’m not worthy to be Your bride.”
“Lord, I’m damaged goods.”
“You found me in the scratch and dent section.”
“My wineskin has burst and my wine is spilled out and ruined.”
“I’m not Your type.”
“I’m not holy, like You, Lord.”
“I’m too young.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m disqualified.”
“I’m ugly.”
“I’ve been unfaithful.”
“I’ve experimented with other lovers and gave away my virginity long ago.”
“You deserve better than me for Your bride.”
“Lord, surely not I.”
Patiently listening, the Lord responds: “Will you marry Me?”
“But Lord, what will your Father think?”
Jesus replies:
“In my Father’s house are many mansions, one of which I have prepared for you, My dear Shulammite.”
“Marry Me.”
“Follow Me.”
“Come away, My beloved.”
So, at last, I’m convinced. I’m convicted. I humbly accept
His astonishing invitation to me to become His bride,
Though I am ugly and scarred in my own eyes,
He has declared me altogether lovely,
Thus I have become in His eyes like one who brings contentment.
So Lord, here, now, I present to You my freewill offering…myself.
Just as I am, such as I am, O Lamb of God I come.
Though ten thousand voices tell me “no” – still, I come.
Though the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve counsel me otherwise,
Still, I come to You, Lord.
I love You, because You first loved me.
I love you with all my heart, mind, body, soul, and strength.
And with Your help, I’ll love others as you have loved me.
I covenant with You, Lover of my soul, to be Your bride.
I accept the terms of our betrothal.
I gladly receive the gifts of Your redemption, Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit.
Spread the corner of your garment over me
And let your banner over me be love.
“Lord, may I ask what will be the time and season for the wedding?”
“Surely,” says Jesus, “I will come quickly for you, My beloved.”
“Amen, even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
DSR
5/18/02
Monday, May 6, 2002
My Thoughts About Adventure Racing
by David Scott Robertson
“Adventure racing” is a relatively new sport
That has captured the attention of millions.
Teams of four persons, three men and one woman (or the other way around)
All compete against other teams to be the first to cross the finish line as a group.
If any one member of the team cannot continue the race, the entire team is disqualified.
The sport is well named because the event truly is an “adventure.”
It requires participants to engage
In all sorts of rigorous and physically challenging events such as
Hiking, mountaineering, orienteering, rafting, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
These and other rugged outdoor activities advance teams towards the finish line
At the fastest pace their human bodies can tolerate.
The finish line usually is over 200 miles away,
Strategically placed at the end of a perilous course
That often requires a 10-12 day non-stop adventure to get there.
The entire race is meticulously recorded by agile television crews
So that racers experiencing the most incredible physical and emotional challenges
Can literally be seen and heard on tops of mountains,
Crossing icy cold rivers,
Navigating their way across desserts,
Rappelling down steep cliffs,
Pushing mountain bikes up vertical inclines
Or picking leeches off of their bodies in a steamy jungle.
One of the most fascinating aspects of adventure racing
Is that both participant and spectator have the rare opportunity to observe human beings Who are pushing themselves to the very limit.
At the front of the pack,
Experienced teams display almost super-human strength, stamina, and endurance
Battling for first place by forgoing sleep for days and pressing on at an unbelievable pace.
At the rear of the pack,
Teams struggle to accomplish their dream of simply finishing an adventure race.
All of this extreme human drama and extraordinarily innovative competition
Unfolds before a backdrop of intense natural beauty
In a different exotic location each year.
That, in an overly simplified nutshell, is adventure racing.
Those who race and those who watch the race will not soon forget the experience.
Curiously, I have found myself to having become an enthusiastic fan of adventure racing.
I am drawn to watch and witness each of these televised competitions (there are a couple of major events each year)
I think the major magnetic pull that draws my attention to these races
Is how similar they are and closely related to the spiritual race we run as Christians.
There are, quite frankly, striking parallels that motivate and challenge me
As a follower of Jesus Christ in the life-long race towards Christ likeness in this life and heaven in the next.
That is not an original thought,
I got the idea from the Apostle Paul who was a top competitor in his own spiritual race:
(Gal 2:2 NIV) I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.
(1 Cor 9:24 NIV) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
(1 Cor 9:25 NIV) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
(1 Cor 9:26 NIV) Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
(1 Cor 9:27 NIV) No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
(Acts 20:24 NIV) However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
(2 Tim 4:7 NIV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
The Apostle Paul was an adventure racer.
He competed, he ran hard, and he finished the course.
As I watch adventure races,
I study with interest the hard to believe personal sacrifices and pain that racers endure
Just to win an earthly prize (the first-place finishers barely receive enough money to cover their expenses.)
They race for pride, they race for prestige, they race to see how fast and far they can go against all odds and human limitations.
And as I watch these teams compete in adventure racing,
I can only conclude in my own mind,
In my opinion,
In my situation
For me, it is just not worth it to compete in an adventure race.
I am not willing to undergo the extreme conditions of cold and heat and sleep deprivation
To push so hard for so long to win an earthly prize.
But the reason that I am drawn to watch these competitions
Is to gain motivation, incentive, drive, inspiration, enthusiasm, impetus, and stimulation
To spur me on in the Christian race towards the finish line of heaven.
Whether we realize it or not,
The race we are running on our spiritual journey has many viewers:
(Heb 12:1 NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Someone else in the crowd is my little daughter, Abigail.
I want her to see her daddy run the race with integrity and character,
Diligence and faithfulness,
Heart and soul,
Grit and determination not to quit the race of a lifetime.
Perhaps, she too, will be motivated to do the same when she sees that the impossible becomes possible through God.
I do hope you’ll take the time to view an adventure race and see for yourself
The unmistakable similarities that are analogous to the Christian life.
Perhaps like me, you will be encouraged to run harder.
Below are a few other observations I have noted after watching an adventure race:
* I’d rather come in dead last with a good attitude than first place with a bad attitude.
* When the pressure is on, what’s on the inside is squeezed out.
* Wisdom and strategy trumps strength and muscle any day of the week.
* It is possible to have a good time under excruciating circumstances.
* If you’re not careful the only time you’ll enjoy an adventure is while reviewing the film.
* The art of enjoying racing is superior to the art of winning races.
* Races are won in training, not on race day.
* A human prize fades quickly, but eternal rewards are just that.
* To have your lowest moments preserved on video is both a good and bad thing.
* Without teamwork nobody wins.
* A team can win but words spoken hastily along the way can make it a hollow victory.
* There is no prize worth sacrificing your character and integrity for.
* To lose with dignity is a fantastic victory.
* Not everyone who finished the race is a winner and not everyone who fails to finish is a loser.
* To face your fears and beat them is better than a plaque on the wall.
* To be nervous is one thing, to be scared another, but to not try at all is unacceptable.
* Adventure racing has innumerable spiritual parallels to the Christian life.
* The accomplishments of the human spirit pale in comparison to the accomplishments of the Holy Spirit.
* The rocks that some adventure racers climb over, in some cases, are not nearly as hard as the hearts of the racers themselves.
* It would be possible for some to adventure race through the Garden of Eden and miss all the beauty because of crushing competitiveness.
* It is a good thing to pray before repelling down a 2,000 foot cliff.
* Winston Churchill was right, never give up.
* Life is an adventure race without corporate sponsors.
* Risk taking is not an option in adventure racing…or life.
* Men and women will gladly endure the temporal inconveniences of sleep deprivation, pain, suffering, mental and physical agony and anguish in exchange for the memory of having endured it.
* People who criticize those who adventure race have very obviously never done it.
* There is as much motivational value in watching an adventure race as there is in participating in one.
* It’s amazing how few of us ever “push the envelope” of our human experience.
* If we are willing to forego a little sleep, a little inconvenience, a little suffering, we can reap major benefits.
* If you are willing to endure great sacrifice, people are more apt to listen to what you have to say.
* If I were a prospective employer looking for a high power executive, I’d consider the racers to be excellent prospects.
* Discipline on the field of competition can successfully translate to discipline into many other areas of life.
* There are long term benefits to be reaped both before and after a huge event in one’s life for which you have trained hard.
* The needs of the team transcend the individual desires of the team member.
* When a team pulls together it is hard to pull them apart.
* When all is said and done, it is God who should ultimately get the glory.
* To cross any finish line and say “I did it by my own strength” is an inaccurate statement.
DSR
5/6/02
“Adventure racing” is a relatively new sport
That has captured the attention of millions.
Teams of four persons, three men and one woman (or the other way around)
All compete against other teams to be the first to cross the finish line as a group.
If any one member of the team cannot continue the race, the entire team is disqualified.
The sport is well named because the event truly is an “adventure.”
It requires participants to engage
In all sorts of rigorous and physically challenging events such as
Hiking, mountaineering, orienteering, rafting, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
These and other rugged outdoor activities advance teams towards the finish line
At the fastest pace their human bodies can tolerate.
The finish line usually is over 200 miles away,
Strategically placed at the end of a perilous course
That often requires a 10-12 day non-stop adventure to get there.
The entire race is meticulously recorded by agile television crews
So that racers experiencing the most incredible physical and emotional challenges
Can literally be seen and heard on tops of mountains,
Crossing icy cold rivers,
Navigating their way across desserts,
Rappelling down steep cliffs,
Pushing mountain bikes up vertical inclines
Or picking leeches off of their bodies in a steamy jungle.
One of the most fascinating aspects of adventure racing
Is that both participant and spectator have the rare opportunity to observe human beings Who are pushing themselves to the very limit.
At the front of the pack,
Experienced teams display almost super-human strength, stamina, and endurance
Battling for first place by forgoing sleep for days and pressing on at an unbelievable pace.
At the rear of the pack,
Teams struggle to accomplish their dream of simply finishing an adventure race.
All of this extreme human drama and extraordinarily innovative competition
Unfolds before a backdrop of intense natural beauty
In a different exotic location each year.
That, in an overly simplified nutshell, is adventure racing.
Those who race and those who watch the race will not soon forget the experience.
Curiously, I have found myself to having become an enthusiastic fan of adventure racing.
I am drawn to watch and witness each of these televised competitions (there are a couple of major events each year)
I think the major magnetic pull that draws my attention to these races
Is how similar they are and closely related to the spiritual race we run as Christians.
There are, quite frankly, striking parallels that motivate and challenge me
As a follower of Jesus Christ in the life-long race towards Christ likeness in this life and heaven in the next.
That is not an original thought,
I got the idea from the Apostle Paul who was a top competitor in his own spiritual race:
(Gal 2:2 NIV) I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.
(1 Cor 9:24 NIV) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
(1 Cor 9:25 NIV) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
(1 Cor 9:26 NIV) Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
(1 Cor 9:27 NIV) No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
(Acts 20:24 NIV) However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
(2 Tim 4:7 NIV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
The Apostle Paul was an adventure racer.
He competed, he ran hard, and he finished the course.
As I watch adventure races,
I study with interest the hard to believe personal sacrifices and pain that racers endure
Just to win an earthly prize (the first-place finishers barely receive enough money to cover their expenses.)
They race for pride, they race for prestige, they race to see how fast and far they can go against all odds and human limitations.
And as I watch these teams compete in adventure racing,
I can only conclude in my own mind,
In my opinion,
In my situation
For me, it is just not worth it to compete in an adventure race.
I am not willing to undergo the extreme conditions of cold and heat and sleep deprivation
To push so hard for so long to win an earthly prize.
But the reason that I am drawn to watch these competitions
Is to gain motivation, incentive, drive, inspiration, enthusiasm, impetus, and stimulation
To spur me on in the Christian race towards the finish line of heaven.
Whether we realize it or not,
The race we are running on our spiritual journey has many viewers:
(Heb 12:1 NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Someone else in the crowd is my little daughter, Abigail.
I want her to see her daddy run the race with integrity and character,
Diligence and faithfulness,
Heart and soul,
Grit and determination not to quit the race of a lifetime.
Perhaps, she too, will be motivated to do the same when she sees that the impossible becomes possible through God.
I do hope you’ll take the time to view an adventure race and see for yourself
The unmistakable similarities that are analogous to the Christian life.
Perhaps like me, you will be encouraged to run harder.
Below are a few other observations I have noted after watching an adventure race:
* I’d rather come in dead last with a good attitude than first place with a bad attitude.
* When the pressure is on, what’s on the inside is squeezed out.
* Wisdom and strategy trumps strength and muscle any day of the week.
* It is possible to have a good time under excruciating circumstances.
* If you’re not careful the only time you’ll enjoy an adventure is while reviewing the film.
* The art of enjoying racing is superior to the art of winning races.
* Races are won in training, not on race day.
* A human prize fades quickly, but eternal rewards are just that.
* To have your lowest moments preserved on video is both a good and bad thing.
* Without teamwork nobody wins.
* A team can win but words spoken hastily along the way can make it a hollow victory.
* There is no prize worth sacrificing your character and integrity for.
* To lose with dignity is a fantastic victory.
* Not everyone who finished the race is a winner and not everyone who fails to finish is a loser.
* To face your fears and beat them is better than a plaque on the wall.
* To be nervous is one thing, to be scared another, but to not try at all is unacceptable.
* Adventure racing has innumerable spiritual parallels to the Christian life.
* The accomplishments of the human spirit pale in comparison to the accomplishments of the Holy Spirit.
* The rocks that some adventure racers climb over, in some cases, are not nearly as hard as the hearts of the racers themselves.
* It would be possible for some to adventure race through the Garden of Eden and miss all the beauty because of crushing competitiveness.
* It is a good thing to pray before repelling down a 2,000 foot cliff.
* Winston Churchill was right, never give up.
* Life is an adventure race without corporate sponsors.
* Risk taking is not an option in adventure racing…or life.
* Men and women will gladly endure the temporal inconveniences of sleep deprivation, pain, suffering, mental and physical agony and anguish in exchange for the memory of having endured it.
* People who criticize those who adventure race have very obviously never done it.
* There is as much motivational value in watching an adventure race as there is in participating in one.
* It’s amazing how few of us ever “push the envelope” of our human experience.
* If we are willing to forego a little sleep, a little inconvenience, a little suffering, we can reap major benefits.
* If you are willing to endure great sacrifice, people are more apt to listen to what you have to say.
* If I were a prospective employer looking for a high power executive, I’d consider the racers to be excellent prospects.
* Discipline on the field of competition can successfully translate to discipline into many other areas of life.
* There are long term benefits to be reaped both before and after a huge event in one’s life for which you have trained hard.
* The needs of the team transcend the individual desires of the team member.
* When a team pulls together it is hard to pull them apart.
* When all is said and done, it is God who should ultimately get the glory.
* To cross any finish line and say “I did it by my own strength” is an inaccurate statement.
DSR
5/6/02
Monday, April 22, 2002
Jesus Went His Way
by David Scott Robertson
(Luke 4:28 NIV) “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
(Luke 4:29 NIV) They got up, drove him [Jesus] out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.
(Luke 4:30 NIV) But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Can you imagine the drama of this scene in the Bible?
Think about what was going on behind the scene between the angels and demons!
Were there any words spoken by Christ that persuaded the enraged crowd to change their mind?
Did He do something spectacular or miraculous that -
Suddenly, dramatically, amazingly -
Transformed a bloodthirsty mob into a passive crowd of spectators
Who cleared the way as Jesus walked (casually I’m sure) through the crowd?
Let’s quickly recreate the scene.
Jesus was in His hometown of Nazareth.
He was in church as usual (Luke 4:16) among His family and friends that He had grown up with.
Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah and He began to read:
(Isa 61:1 NIV) “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
(Isa 61:2 NIV) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor….”
Jesus stopped in mid-sentence on the last verse and sat down.
Everybody was staring at Him when He said:
(Luke 4:21 NIV) “…’Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’"
What was their reaction?
(Luke 4:22 NIV) “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn't this Joseph's son?’ they asked.”
First, be careful when all speak well of you.
Mankind is so fickle.
They can bless you one minute and curse you the next.
It comes so, so natural to us.
Secondly, it seems that this last part of the people’s statement is what got Jesus explicit attention.
Their question absolutely demanded a response from the Messiah.
Whether He heard their whispers with His ears
Or He received the revelation by the Spirit as a word of knowledge,
The Lord discerned their question:
“Is this not Joseph’s son?”
(No as a matter of fact,
Jesus was not merely a man’s son with a little “s”
But God’s Son with a capital “S.”)
It was Jesus’ response to that question that tipped the scales against Him in their eyes.
When their wonder turned to
Religious fervor,
Righteous indignation,
And murderous rage.
Jesus spoke 100% truth when He replied:
(Luke 4:23 NIV) “Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'"
(Luke 4:24 NIV) "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Then He began to cite two examples,
One a Sidonian widow who Elijah ministered to
And next a Syrian leper whom Elisha healed
Of how Jehovah had mercy
On foreigners who accepted Him
Over His elect people who rejected Him.
Well, with that, the congregation of the local synagogue determined
That Jesus Christ of Nazareth was not fit to live.
(Luke 4:28 NIV) “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
(Luke 4:29 NIV) They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.”
What?
They “drove him out of town?”
They “took him to the brow of the hill?”
They desired to “throw him down the cliff?”
Part of what amazes me is that Jesus allowed them to do this.
It reminds me of when He allowed Satan to led him to the pinnacle of the temple
To tempt Him to jump off (Luke 4:9).
Another thing that intrigues me is that if this was His home synagogue where He had grown up,
Where was His family?
If Jesus were speaking at church that Sabbath, surely they would be there.
So where were His earthly brothers, sisters, and mother?
Were they in the press of the crowd screaming in His defense?
Were they fighting for Him?
Were they struggling against the mob to try and pacify them to leave their loved One alone?
Now comes the climax of this incredible scene
Where they are actually at the brow of the cliff
Ready to physically and forcibly toss Jesus over the side.
Then the most awesome thing happens.
(Luke 4:30 NIV) “But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Now I want to return to my original questions:
Were there any words spoken by Christ that persuaded the enraged crowd to change their mind?
Did He do something spectacular or miraculous that -
Suddenly, dramatically, amazingly -
Transformed a bloodthirsty mob into a passive crowd of spectators
Who cleared the way as Jesus walked (casually I’m sure) through the crowd?
My answer?
I don’t know!
Only God knows.
One thing I do know
Is that according to the scriptures,
The Lamb of God was born to die nailed to a cross to atone for the sins of the world.
He could die in no other way,
At no other time,
For no other reason.
The scriptures could not (and cannot and will not) be broken.
That is the answer for “why” Jesus did not get tossed over the cliff that day.
But as for the “how” He turned around and walked through the crowd…
I’ll guess we’ll just have to wait until we get to heaven
And watch the instant replay – in slow motion, I hope!
DSR
4/22/02
(Luke 4:28 NIV) “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
(Luke 4:29 NIV) They got up, drove him [Jesus] out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.
(Luke 4:30 NIV) But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Can you imagine the drama of this scene in the Bible?
Think about what was going on behind the scene between the angels and demons!
Were there any words spoken by Christ that persuaded the enraged crowd to change their mind?
Did He do something spectacular or miraculous that -
Suddenly, dramatically, amazingly -
Transformed a bloodthirsty mob into a passive crowd of spectators
Who cleared the way as Jesus walked (casually I’m sure) through the crowd?
Let’s quickly recreate the scene.
Jesus was in His hometown of Nazareth.
He was in church as usual (Luke 4:16) among His family and friends that He had grown up with.
Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah and He began to read:
(Isa 61:1 NIV) “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
(Isa 61:2 NIV) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor….”
Jesus stopped in mid-sentence on the last verse and sat down.
Everybody was staring at Him when He said:
(Luke 4:21 NIV) “…’Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’"
What was their reaction?
(Luke 4:22 NIV) “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn't this Joseph's son?’ they asked.”
First, be careful when all speak well of you.
Mankind is so fickle.
They can bless you one minute and curse you the next.
It comes so, so natural to us.
Secondly, it seems that this last part of the people’s statement is what got Jesus explicit attention.
Their question absolutely demanded a response from the Messiah.
Whether He heard their whispers with His ears
Or He received the revelation by the Spirit as a word of knowledge,
The Lord discerned their question:
“Is this not Joseph’s son?”
(No as a matter of fact,
Jesus was not merely a man’s son with a little “s”
But God’s Son with a capital “S.”)
It was Jesus’ response to that question that tipped the scales against Him in their eyes.
When their wonder turned to
Religious fervor,
Righteous indignation,
And murderous rage.
Jesus spoke 100% truth when He replied:
(Luke 4:23 NIV) “Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'"
(Luke 4:24 NIV) "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Then He began to cite two examples,
One a Sidonian widow who Elijah ministered to
And next a Syrian leper whom Elisha healed
Of how Jehovah had mercy
On foreigners who accepted Him
Over His elect people who rejected Him.
Well, with that, the congregation of the local synagogue determined
That Jesus Christ of Nazareth was not fit to live.
(Luke 4:28 NIV) “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
(Luke 4:29 NIV) They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.”
What?
They “drove him out of town?”
They “took him to the brow of the hill?”
They desired to “throw him down the cliff?”
Part of what amazes me is that Jesus allowed them to do this.
It reminds me of when He allowed Satan to led him to the pinnacle of the temple
To tempt Him to jump off (Luke 4:9).
Another thing that intrigues me is that if this was His home synagogue where He had grown up,
Where was His family?
If Jesus were speaking at church that Sabbath, surely they would be there.
So where were His earthly brothers, sisters, and mother?
Were they in the press of the crowd screaming in His defense?
Were they fighting for Him?
Were they struggling against the mob to try and pacify them to leave their loved One alone?
Now comes the climax of this incredible scene
Where they are actually at the brow of the cliff
Ready to physically and forcibly toss Jesus over the side.
Then the most awesome thing happens.
(Luke 4:30 NIV) “But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
Now I want to return to my original questions:
Were there any words spoken by Christ that persuaded the enraged crowd to change their mind?
Did He do something spectacular or miraculous that -
Suddenly, dramatically, amazingly -
Transformed a bloodthirsty mob into a passive crowd of spectators
Who cleared the way as Jesus walked (casually I’m sure) through the crowd?
My answer?
I don’t know!
Only God knows.
One thing I do know
Is that according to the scriptures,
The Lamb of God was born to die nailed to a cross to atone for the sins of the world.
He could die in no other way,
At no other time,
For no other reason.
The scriptures could not (and cannot and will not) be broken.
That is the answer for “why” Jesus did not get tossed over the cliff that day.
But as for the “how” He turned around and walked through the crowd…
I’ll guess we’ll just have to wait until we get to heaven
And watch the instant replay – in slow motion, I hope!
DSR
4/22/02
Tuesday, April 2, 2002
Momentos of a Hard Day
by David Scott Robertson
This morning I sat in a chair drinking a cup of coffee.
Enjoying the quietness of the moment,
I glanced down at my fingernails and saw dirt under them,
The remnants of working in the garden yesterday.
A tiny reminder, a memento of working hard out in the hot sun.
There are other mementos of the hard day I had yesterday…
Playing hard.
Today I have sore muscles from playing racquetball yesterday with a good friend.
I am sore from the lactic acid still in my muscles
The stiffness reminds me of the fantastic fellowship and good healthy exercise
I enjoyed with my partner.
Thinking hard.
This morning my mind still entertains some thoughts resulting from an engaging conversation
I had yesterday with a good friend.
I’m meditating hard on what was said.
I’m pondering its meaning and application to my life.
Laughing hard.
My thoughts drift this morning to the funny things I saw and experienced yesterday.
Playing tag with my daughter and watching her run through the creek to get away from me.
Listening to our crazy cockatiel whistle the most original tunes.
Laughing at the corny jokes and puns of friends as we work together on a project.
Praying hard.
I am living out today
Some of the things I began to pray yesterday.
I am reaping what I have sowed in prayer.
I tarried before the Lord yesterday and as a result today peace abides.
Studying hard.
I’m still challenged in my spirit
By what I read in the Bible in my personal devotions yesterday.
I’m reading the account of Noah and God’s covenant with this man who found grace in His eyes.
This morning I saw a rainbow on the television
And again I was reminding of the doctrinal truth that God is a covenant keeping God.
As you can see,
A hard day is not necessarily a negative thing at all.
To press in and grind forward with good things and through tough things
Grants you the right to enjoy the mementos of a hard day.
Even a scar can generate a good memory if the incident
Produced in you the fruit of righteousness.
Take it from a man after God’s own heart, King David,
Who clearly understood the benefits of a hard day:
(Psa 63:8 KJV) “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”
DSR
4/2/02
This morning I sat in a chair drinking a cup of coffee.
Enjoying the quietness of the moment,
I glanced down at my fingernails and saw dirt under them,
The remnants of working in the garden yesterday.
A tiny reminder, a memento of working hard out in the hot sun.
There are other mementos of the hard day I had yesterday…
Playing hard.
Today I have sore muscles from playing racquetball yesterday with a good friend.
I am sore from the lactic acid still in my muscles
The stiffness reminds me of the fantastic fellowship and good healthy exercise
I enjoyed with my partner.
Thinking hard.
This morning my mind still entertains some thoughts resulting from an engaging conversation
I had yesterday with a good friend.
I’m meditating hard on what was said.
I’m pondering its meaning and application to my life.
Laughing hard.
My thoughts drift this morning to the funny things I saw and experienced yesterday.
Playing tag with my daughter and watching her run through the creek to get away from me.
Listening to our crazy cockatiel whistle the most original tunes.
Laughing at the corny jokes and puns of friends as we work together on a project.
Praying hard.
I am living out today
Some of the things I began to pray yesterday.
I am reaping what I have sowed in prayer.
I tarried before the Lord yesterday and as a result today peace abides.
Studying hard.
I’m still challenged in my spirit
By what I read in the Bible in my personal devotions yesterday.
I’m reading the account of Noah and God’s covenant with this man who found grace in His eyes.
This morning I saw a rainbow on the television
And again I was reminding of the doctrinal truth that God is a covenant keeping God.
As you can see,
A hard day is not necessarily a negative thing at all.
To press in and grind forward with good things and through tough things
Grants you the right to enjoy the mementos of a hard day.
Even a scar can generate a good memory if the incident
Produced in you the fruit of righteousness.
Take it from a man after God’s own heart, King David,
Who clearly understood the benefits of a hard day:
(Psa 63:8 KJV) “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”
DSR
4/2/02
You Have My Attention
by David Scott Robertson
Prayer.
A vital component of any Christian’s lifestyle.
Believers in Jesus can do more after they have prayed
But they cannot do more until they have prayed.
God, it seems, has linked the internal workings of His activity on earth
To the effectual, fervent prayer of righteous men and women.
As I understand it,
There are different types of prayer,
All of which find valid expression in the scriptures.
I want to share a prayer principle and then give you three Bible references
Just so you don’t think I’m making this stuff up:
There is personal prayer – praying on behalf of yourself.
1. (James 4:2 NIV) You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
2. (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
3. (Mat 7:7 NIV) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There is intercessory prayer – praying on behalf of others.
1. (Ezek 22:30 KJV) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
2. (1 Sam 7:5 NIV) Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you."
3. (1 Ki 13:6 NIV) Then the king [King Jeroboam] said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
There is prayer with fasting – a dynamic duo.
1. (Mark 9:28 KJV) And when he [Jesus] was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
2. (Mark 9:29 KJV) And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
3. (Ezra 8:23 NIV) So we [Ezra and leaders in Israel] fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
(Est 4:16 NIV) "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me [Esther]. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
There is “agreeing” prayer – the principle of divine synergy.
1. (Mat 18:19 KJV) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
2. (Deu 32:30 NIV) How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
3. (Eccl 4:12 KJV) And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
There is praying in the Spirit – in perfect harmony with God’s will.
1. (1 Cor 14:14 NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
(1 Cor 14:15 NIV) So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
2 (Eph 6:18 NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
3. (Jude 1:20 NIV) But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
You must believe and not doubt when you pray.
1. (James 1:6 NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
2. (Mat 9:28 NIV) When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
(Mat 9:29 NIV) Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
3. (Mat 21:22 NIV) If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
You must have faith that God hears and answers prayer.
1. (1 Ki 9:3 NIV) The LORD said to him [Solomon]: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
2. (2 Ki 19:20 NIV) Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
3. (2 Chr 30:27 NIV) The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
And now I want to share with you something that was a revelation to me.
I had been familiar with these aforementioned types and characteristics of prayer,
But yesterday, out in the front yard, I discovered a new type of prayer.
I was enjoying my day off work,
And boy was it a beautiful, warm Spring day in Tennessee (tennis anyone?)
I had plenty of chores and errand to do and the thought of sneaking off
And hitting some tennis balls or pleasuring riding my bike was tempting.
En route to tackle my todo list or pursue my wish list,
My father-in-law drives up
With his pickup bed full of all sorts of plants, shrubs, and a few trees to plant in his yard.
Well, I had a decision to make.
What do I do?
Do I tend to my own business
Or do I help my father-in-law tend his yard?
I chose to put my own agenda aside and help.
A half an hour or so later,
On my knees in the dirt digging a hole to put a plant in,
Right then and there in this most unlikely spot,
I heard the Lord speak to me…clearly.
Here I had been minding my own business,
Or, more accurately, minding someone else’s business,
When God unexpectedly showed up on the scene.
I hadn’t even been thinking about God.
I hadn’t been thinking about anything spiritual.
In fact, knowing me, I was probably doing a little mumbling under my breath
Griping to myself that now I won’t have time to get the oil changed on the van today.
But I heard so clearly the voice of the Lord say to me:
“You have My attention.”
A few more phrases came explaining to my heart
The principle of getting the attention of God when I am serving others.
God so gently, so sweetly, began to bring revelation to me that
When you are doing something that you don’t necessarily want to do,
But you do it anyway,
You draw the attention of the Father.
When you do something
Because it is the right thing to do,
The selfless thing to do,
The sacrificial thing to do,
The thing that Jesus would do if He were there…
That moment is sacred in a way and garners the attention of God.
In that moment,
I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
To pray those types of prayer that I mentioned earlier.
I prayed personal prayers.
I prayer intercessory prayers.
I happened to be fasting all day yesterday
So the divine synergy of fasting was in effect.
I prayed in the Spirit in my heavenly prayer language.
I prayed in faith and did not doubt that God was hearing me, clearly.
Later in the day,
I mowed the lawn for a friend
And felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray again.
So I made my requests known to God.
Later that evening,
I helped two other friends move to their new apartments.
As I was picking up chairs, a microwave, and lots of boxes,
Once again, I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
So as I worked, as I served others, I called on the name of the Lord.
So, yesterday, on a Monday,
I got a massive sermon preached to me out in the yard.
And to me, it was revelation.
The point and principle I carried with me to bed,
And awoke with this morning to write it down so you could read it later,
Was that if I want to “turbo-charge” my prayer time,
One additional way to accomplish that
Is to find a need and meet it.
To seek out somebody who could use a helping hand and lend it.
And while I’m lifting, or mowing, or digging for others,
As an act of service to them,
I have discovered that it becomes a spiritual act of worship to God.
And in those precious times of serving others,
There is a clear word from heaven that will come:
“You have My attention.”
DSR
4/2/02
Prayer.
A vital component of any Christian’s lifestyle.
Believers in Jesus can do more after they have prayed
But they cannot do more until they have prayed.
God, it seems, has linked the internal workings of His activity on earth
To the effectual, fervent prayer of righteous men and women.
As I understand it,
There are different types of prayer,
All of which find valid expression in the scriptures.
I want to share a prayer principle and then give you three Bible references
Just so you don’t think I’m making this stuff up:
There is personal prayer – praying on behalf of yourself.
1. (James 4:2 NIV) You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
2. (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
3. (Mat 7:7 NIV) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There is intercessory prayer – praying on behalf of others.
1. (Ezek 22:30 KJV) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
2. (1 Sam 7:5 NIV) Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you."
3. (1 Ki 13:6 NIV) Then the king [King Jeroboam] said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
There is prayer with fasting – a dynamic duo.
1. (Mark 9:28 KJV) And when he [Jesus] was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
2. (Mark 9:29 KJV) And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
3. (Ezra 8:23 NIV) So we [Ezra and leaders in Israel] fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
(Est 4:16 NIV) "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me [Esther]. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
There is “agreeing” prayer – the principle of divine synergy.
1. (Mat 18:19 KJV) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
2. (Deu 32:30 NIV) How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
3. (Eccl 4:12 KJV) And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
There is praying in the Spirit – in perfect harmony with God’s will.
1. (1 Cor 14:14 NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
(1 Cor 14:15 NIV) So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
2 (Eph 6:18 NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
3. (Jude 1:20 NIV) But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
You must believe and not doubt when you pray.
1. (James 1:6 NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
2. (Mat 9:28 NIV) When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
(Mat 9:29 NIV) Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
3. (Mat 21:22 NIV) If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
You must have faith that God hears and answers prayer.
1. (1 Ki 9:3 NIV) The LORD said to him [Solomon]: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
2. (2 Ki 19:20 NIV) Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
3. (2 Chr 30:27 NIV) The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
And now I want to share with you something that was a revelation to me.
I had been familiar with these aforementioned types and characteristics of prayer,
But yesterday, out in the front yard, I discovered a new type of prayer.
I was enjoying my day off work,
And boy was it a beautiful, warm Spring day in Tennessee (tennis anyone?)
I had plenty of chores and errand to do and the thought of sneaking off
And hitting some tennis balls or pleasuring riding my bike was tempting.
En route to tackle my todo list or pursue my wish list,
My father-in-law drives up
With his pickup bed full of all sorts of plants, shrubs, and a few trees to plant in his yard.
Well, I had a decision to make.
What do I do?
Do I tend to my own business
Or do I help my father-in-law tend his yard?
I chose to put my own agenda aside and help.
A half an hour or so later,
On my knees in the dirt digging a hole to put a plant in,
Right then and there in this most unlikely spot,
I heard the Lord speak to me…clearly.
Here I had been minding my own business,
Or, more accurately, minding someone else’s business,
When God unexpectedly showed up on the scene.
I hadn’t even been thinking about God.
I hadn’t been thinking about anything spiritual.
In fact, knowing me, I was probably doing a little mumbling under my breath
Griping to myself that now I won’t have time to get the oil changed on the van today.
But I heard so clearly the voice of the Lord say to me:
“You have My attention.”
A few more phrases came explaining to my heart
The principle of getting the attention of God when I am serving others.
God so gently, so sweetly, began to bring revelation to me that
When you are doing something that you don’t necessarily want to do,
But you do it anyway,
You draw the attention of the Father.
When you do something
Because it is the right thing to do,
The selfless thing to do,
The sacrificial thing to do,
The thing that Jesus would do if He were there…
That moment is sacred in a way and garners the attention of God.
In that moment,
I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
To pray those types of prayer that I mentioned earlier.
I prayed personal prayers.
I prayer intercessory prayers.
I happened to be fasting all day yesterday
So the divine synergy of fasting was in effect.
I prayed in the Spirit in my heavenly prayer language.
I prayed in faith and did not doubt that God was hearing me, clearly.
Later in the day,
I mowed the lawn for a friend
And felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray again.
So I made my requests known to God.
Later that evening,
I helped two other friends move to their new apartments.
As I was picking up chairs, a microwave, and lots of boxes,
Once again, I felt the irresistible urge and prompting of the Holy Spirit to begin to pray.
So as I worked, as I served others, I called on the name of the Lord.
So, yesterday, on a Monday,
I got a massive sermon preached to me out in the yard.
And to me, it was revelation.
The point and principle I carried with me to bed,
And awoke with this morning to write it down so you could read it later,
Was that if I want to “turbo-charge” my prayer time,
One additional way to accomplish that
Is to find a need and meet it.
To seek out somebody who could use a helping hand and lend it.
And while I’m lifting, or mowing, or digging for others,
As an act of service to them,
I have discovered that it becomes a spiritual act of worship to God.
And in those precious times of serving others,
There is a clear word from heaven that will come:
“You have My attention.”
DSR
4/2/02
Monday, April 1, 2002
The Devil Goes to Church
by David Scott Robertson
(Mark 1:23 NIV) Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,
(Mark 1:24 NIV) "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
(Mark 1:39 NIV) So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
The devil goes to church.
Demons go to church.
The scriptures prove that.
Hiding behind a human host,
Tucked away in the crevices of a tormented man or woman’s soul,
Demons do their wicked master’s bidding
Enslaving the lives of human beings.
Whatever the root cause –
The lust of the flesh,
The lust of the eyes,
The pride of life –
Some human decision of the will has given the underworld the legal right
To encroach upon forbidden territory;
To inhabit a domain designed for the Holy Spirit of God.
Nonetheless,
By invitation
Through passive indifference,
Willful disobedience,
Or just plain careless abandon to the paranormal and esoteric as a thrill-seeker,
The demons come.
They camp, crouch, confuse, and control an unwitting victim
Who has been foolish enough to lower the barrier of the free will
And cross boundaries that God firmly established that they should not.
I’m not sure how the demonic hierarchy functions,
But I imagine it is more prestigious
To occupy a man than a pig:
(Mat 8:31 NIV) The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
I also imagine the more powerful and influential the human host the better.
I wonder if one of the high points of a demonic career
Is not so much “GOING” to a church service in a human host
But “LEAVING” a church service STILL in the human host.
This may be a high water mark for a demon
But it is a sad commentary on the powerlessness of a community of believers.
But such was not the case when Jesus went to church.
(Mark 1:25 NIV) "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"
(Mark 1:26 NIV) The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
(Mark 1:27 NIV) The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
When Jesus came, demons left.
When He showed up, they shoved off.
As a matter of fact,
Jesus was so full of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
That when He merely set foot on the shore of “occupied territory”
Deliverances began to take place!
(Mat 8:28 NIV) When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
(Mat 8:29 NIV) "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
One word (what authority!) sent a legion of demons scurrying: “Go!” (Matthew 8:32).
That’s where this awesome power of God in us leads to…
His very presence, get this, IN US, generates results.
(1 John 3:8 KJV) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
(Luke 10:17 NIV) The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
(Luke 10:19 NIV) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
(Mark 16:17 NIV) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
(John 14:12 NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
So the next time you go to church,
Don’t make a beeline for your normal pew.
Ask the Holy Spirit who you should sit next to.
You just never know how many may be occupying the seat next to you.
DSR
4/1/02
(Mark 1:23 NIV) Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,
(Mark 1:24 NIV) "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
(Mark 1:39 NIV) So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
The devil goes to church.
Demons go to church.
The scriptures prove that.
Hiding behind a human host,
Tucked away in the crevices of a tormented man or woman’s soul,
Demons do their wicked master’s bidding
Enslaving the lives of human beings.
Whatever the root cause –
The lust of the flesh,
The lust of the eyes,
The pride of life –
Some human decision of the will has given the underworld the legal right
To encroach upon forbidden territory;
To inhabit a domain designed for the Holy Spirit of God.
Nonetheless,
By invitation
Through passive indifference,
Willful disobedience,
Or just plain careless abandon to the paranormal and esoteric as a thrill-seeker,
The demons come.
They camp, crouch, confuse, and control an unwitting victim
Who has been foolish enough to lower the barrier of the free will
And cross boundaries that God firmly established that they should not.
I’m not sure how the demonic hierarchy functions,
But I imagine it is more prestigious
To occupy a man than a pig:
(Mat 8:31 NIV) The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
I also imagine the more powerful and influential the human host the better.
I wonder if one of the high points of a demonic career
Is not so much “GOING” to a church service in a human host
But “LEAVING” a church service STILL in the human host.
This may be a high water mark for a demon
But it is a sad commentary on the powerlessness of a community of believers.
But such was not the case when Jesus went to church.
(Mark 1:25 NIV) "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"
(Mark 1:26 NIV) The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
(Mark 1:27 NIV) The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
When Jesus came, demons left.
When He showed up, they shoved off.
As a matter of fact,
Jesus was so full of the anointing of the Holy Spirit
That when He merely set foot on the shore of “occupied territory”
Deliverances began to take place!
(Mat 8:28 NIV) When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
(Mat 8:29 NIV) "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
One word (what authority!) sent a legion of demons scurrying: “Go!” (Matthew 8:32).
That’s where this awesome power of God in us leads to…
His very presence, get this, IN US, generates results.
(1 John 3:8 KJV) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
(Luke 10:17 NIV) The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
(Luke 10:19 NIV) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
(Mark 16:17 NIV) And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
(John 14:12 NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
So the next time you go to church,
Don’t make a beeline for your normal pew.
Ask the Holy Spirit who you should sit next to.
You just never know how many may be occupying the seat next to you.
DSR
4/1/02
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)