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Scripture: II Cor. 6:10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
Observation: It seems that it is not unusual, when you are actively ministering to others, to live in two worlds at once. In one world we may be aching, poor and own nothing while at the same time being joyful, having much to share and being fully fulfilled. It seems that it is a matter of which side we put our attention on.
Application: It is too easy for me to live with my eyes only on the poor, aching, having less than I desire side. I need to actively encourage myself by keeping my focus on the joy, sharing and fulfillement that God intends for me.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the reminders, recently, of what my life is accomplishing. Give me the strength to keep my eyes on the joy you have for me and to be constantly fulfilled simply doing what you have given me to do for your people and for your church family.
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Scripture: 2 Cor. 5:18-20 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
Observation: What an incredible thought: we have the job of reconciling people back to their creator. How often do we fail to even recognize that we are called to do this. How different we would live every day if we understood that God is, daily, making His appeal through us.
Application: I just don't live like this often enough. I want to live as Christ's ambassador and let Him make His appeal through me but, so often, I don't. I don't have enough non-christian friends. I don't do enough to make them. I need to live differently.
Prayer: LORD help!! Show me how you want me to be an ambassador for You.
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The Hypocrite and His Kids
REFERENCE: Proverbs 20:7 The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.
Observation: The most important influence we can have is on our own children. Notice that the Proverbist says "their children who follow them." That is what our kids do, they follow us, for better or for worse. They, more than anyone besides our spouse and God, know whether we have integrity - if we are living up to the godly standard we profess. If we do, they will be led toward godliness. If we don’t, our hypocrisy will lead them away from God.
It seems to me that one of the most common reasons that children walk away from God when they get into their Jr. High, High School and college years is that one or both of their parents do not live in private what they profess in public.
If we want our children to be blessed, if we want them to have a close relationship with God, we need to make sure we walk with integrity outside and inside of our private lives.
Application/Confession: I feel like I do pretty well with this. God has helped me deal with anger and my family sees me pursuing God daily. I need to pray with them more. I need to be in the Word with them more. I think this would help me be effective in leading them into Godliness.
PRAYER: Lord, I want my children to be blessed. Help me always to have integrity. Help me to find the time to lead them into prayer and study of your Word. Thank you for my family.
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How To Win
REFERENCE: 2 Chronicles 20:15-22 (NIV) He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’" 18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. 20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." 22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
Observation: Ever feel like there is a "vast army" against you? Maybe it is financial pressure or relationship problems, family situations. They can feel like they are totally overwhelming. How do we deal with them? This passage gives us some good advice.
1. Be aware that if we make it a matter of prayer, it is God’s battle and not ours. (Vs. 15) So often we are activist and want to roll up our sleeves and make something happen and God calls us, instead, to realize that it is His problem, ultimately, and not ours.
2. Take your position (Vs. 17). In other words, we should do what we know we are supposed to do. Love our kids. Work hard to pay every bill we can. Then stand firm and expect God’s hand in it.
3. Recognize that God is with us (Vs. 17). The only reason we have not to be afraid or discouraged is because God is with us. Not only is He our deliverer but He stands with us and beside us as our comforter.
4. Have faith in God and in what He has told us personally or through prophetic people. God expects faith from us. Not just a grim holding on, but a faith filled confidence that He is going to act. If we have a hard time believing, we should remind ourselves of all He has done for us in the past and all the ways He has delivered us from difficulties.
5. Worship Him even before we fight. There are times when we must enter the spiritual battle (even then, it is with the knowledge that He has already won the victory), but the first thing to do is to worship God. Worship Him verbally, worship Him daily. When we are feeling discouraged or afraid, worship Him ever minute of the day, if we need to.
What will be the result? God will bring the victory. Our problems will start to resolve themselves but we need to do our part.
Application/Confession: Right now, maybe because I need the vacation I am about to start, I am feeling a little afraid and discouraged. As soon as I finish my blog I am going to go and worship and pray. I know it is His battle and I’m going to give it to Him to fight.
PRAYER: Lord, You know the pressures I feel. I give them to you. Sunnyside is Your church. You said that You would build it. I am asking You to do just that and I will trust You to do so.
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Easy Laziness
REFERENCE: Proverbs 20:4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
Observation: The problem with sowing in the right season, the reason it is easy to get lazy, is because we don’t see any harvest in the planting season. Planting is hard work and the payoff is delayed. It is like going to college. There is so much work and expense and the benefits only come years later. A wise man is able to recognize when it’s planting season and work hard even when there seems to be no results. Results will come, if we are faithful and don’t give up in the planting season. Application/Confession: I am in a season of planting. I am not being lazy but I am tempted to give up. I must keep my eyes on the harvest ahead to have the strength to keep going.
PRAYER: Lord, You say that You will not forget the efforts I put into Your Kingdom. I believe that, and I believe that if I give up houses or lands or other things for You and Your Kingdom that You will return in abundance. I’m believing for that blessing.
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Beautiful Feet
REFERENCE: Romans 10:14-15 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"
Observation: We can be really happy simply being believers. We have our friends, we have our church, we’re happy with God and He loves us, but what about the rest of the world? Can we really be happy knowing that they are on their way to an eternity without God? Who is going to tell them if we don’t?
We need to be shaken up by this verse and be ready to be sent out to let them know the Good News. If we don’t who will? NO ONE!!
Application/Confession: I want to be a better witness. I don’t have hardly any non-Christian friends so I don’t get a lot of chances to share, but I want to.
PRAYER: God give me chances to share You, Your love and Your plan with others who do not know You. I want to model what it means to be a messenger with beautiful feet.
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The Upside Of The Downside Of Life REFERENCE: Romans 5:3-5 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Observation: We all hate hard times. We hate facing difficulties and set backs. Paul tells us that we can rejoice when we face these kinds of circumstances. Why? They produce something good in us. They teach us endurance and endurance produces a stronger character inside of us. What kind of person do we instinctively trust? We trust those who have been through tough times and have persevered in the midst of them. We sense that they are not going to easily change on us or give up on us. We sense that they are people of substance. We can be that kind of trustworthy person but only if we are willing to endure through hard times. It´s worth it! It may not, in the middle of it, feel like it, but it is worth it.
Application/Confession: I can see this issue from both sides. I see how hard times have tempered and matured me as a person. I am also currently facing less severe, but trials none the less. I really want to be faithful and grow that next measure that God has for me. He is teaching me about faith and I want to completely learn the lessons.
PRAYER: Thank You for hard times. They are good for me. Even though I hate them, I will rejoice in them because of what You are working in me. Do Your work (and quickly, if You can) through the trials I am facing.
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Stress May Be OK
REFERENCE: Proverbs 19:15 Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.
Observation: Many of us are worried about our stress level in life. We ought to be, stress can kill. It´s not good for ours heart or the rest of your bodies. Still, we must never forget that the only way to be totally stress free is to be at room temperature - to be dead. Working to accomplish something, anything in life will require a certain amount of stress. We may find ourselves, perhaps, not sleeping quite as well because of the effort.
Don´t forget the other side of the equation. If we have no stress, we have no accomplishment and if we have no accomplishment we will be lacking in our lives. Idleness, laziness, the pursuit of the totally stress free life, leaves us in need and wanting for our basic necessities.
Application/Confession: I was telling Gloria, my wife, about how much stress is related to how we look at things. Kids don´t get stressed out because they look at life as a fun adventure. I need to remember that the reason I experience stress is because I am committed to accomplishing things for my family and for the Kingdom of God. Then I can be more at peace even when the pressure rises.
PRAYER: When I am under a load of stress remind me to trust in You and to be thankful that You have made it possible for me to accomplish anything. Remind me that I am doing it for You and help me to do nothing more or less than what You have called me to do.
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Preparing OUr Kids
REFERENCE: I Chronicles 22:5, 11-13 David said, "My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now." So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death. . . 11 "Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. 12 And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. 13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!"
Observation: Just like David could not build the temple for Solomon, we can not deal with the challenges of our childrens lives for them. They have to face them - especially when they get into adulthood. We can't live their lives, but we can prepare them. How did David prepare Solomon to face the challenges that would come up? First, he gathered the stuff that Solomon would need. This is like the education, the training that our kids need to succeed. We can't always pay for college for them but we can help them to figure out how to make it happen. We can train them practically in how to handle money, take care of their things, or manage people effectively. We can pray with them and discuss with them where God wants them to go to college or to finish their training.
Second, David prepared Solomon in regards to his character. He taught him to obey God. He taught him how important strength and courage is. He trained him not to give up when things get hard or fear inducing.
We must do this too with our kids. Training their character is even more important than providing for them educationally or financially - and it is something every one of us as parents can do. It costs us nothing more than our time and commitment.
Like David, if we want to have children who can successful face the challenges God will put before them in their lives, we need to commit ourselves to preparing them. We can't live their lives for them but we can get them ready.
Application/Confession: It is not time again to dive in with both feet with my second "crop" of kids. My older three are moving into adulthood and I am so proud of what they are becoming.
My twins are 11 years old and my daughter Sarah asked me today for a monthly "date". It should have been asking her! With the older girls, these monthly get togethers we so valuable in training their character and generally inputting into their lives. I am thankful that I can start again, when I know better how to do it, with Sarah.
PRAYER: Thank you Lord for Rachel, Krystal and Angel. They are a gift from you and I can honestly say that they are substantially ready to face the life challenges that you will have for them.
Help me with Sarah and Sam. I want them to be prepared as well. If I am faithful and You bless them, they will be.
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So You Want To change?
REFERENCE: Romans 2:29b And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God´s Spirit.
Observation: Life and growth is all about changing. I have often been asked if I believe that people can change. I have to believe it. I preach for change every Sunday morning. I counsel for it all the time. I train leaders to change to be better at what God has called them to do. I insist that my younger children change and become more of what God wants them to be.
It is obvious that everyone needs to change; the question we must face is "how"? How do we change? We can try to just be better. That is the equivalent of following the law. When Paul wrote this, his audience could reflect on thousands of years the Jewish people had tried to change in order to conform to the law - and failed. Trying harder simply does not work. The more we try, the more we think about our old ways and more we continue to live in them. As we all know, about 90% of all diets fail because change is hard!! If trying harder rarely works, what does? I agree with this scripture. The permanent change in my life has been by the work of God´s Spirit changing me; making me gentler, more loving, less angry, and less driven. I tried to change those things on my own and found myself unable but when I sought the Spirit to change me and let God make of me what He wanted, change came because He changed my heart and not just my actions.
Application/Confession: There are still areas in my life that I know God wants to change; some that I have worked at for a long time. I know that change will come not by trying to make myself but by throwing myself fully into the arms of the Spirit and allowing Him to make me what I should be.
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, change me. Don't let the wrong kind of desires gain control of me. Allow me to love more deeply and live in peaceful trust as you would want me to. Create in me a new heart that will always follow you. Spirit make me more like God Himself.
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If You Really Love Yourself . . .
REFERENCE: Proverbs 19:8 To acquire wisdom is to love oneself.
Observation: How do we show love for ourselves? Buy ourselves something? Go have a "Spa Day"? Indulge our desires, maybe even not so noble ones? Solomon suggests true love for ones self is to acquire wisdom. Wisdom simply makes our lives work better. It ultimately brings happiness and fulfillment. It makes things work.
Sometimes our indulgences, in the name of caring for ourselves, actually bring destruction instead of fulfillment. For example, there are a lot of people today mired in debt because of money spent on self care. The self care was temporary; the debt feels like it will last forever. Others have, unwisely, violated their marriage vows because some other relationship seemed to offer them happiness and fulfillment. In the name of loving themselves they pursued folly instead of wisdom and brought destruction into their life and family.
Let´s do what this verse says; let´s really love ourselves and let´s get some wisdom.
Application/Confession: I have done unwise things out of the feeling of; "I deserve it!" It´s too bad. I can see the terrible results in my life for every time I have acted unwisely to try to please myself. I want wisdom and I can see that Solomon is right, its pursuit is the ultimate way to show that I really do love myself.
PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for the sin and waste that I have indulged in trying to care for myself. Teach me to pursue Your wisdom knowing that it will bring happiness and fulfillment.
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Fools Encouraging Fools
REFERENCE: Romans 1:28 & 32 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. . . . 32 They know God´s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
Observation: Boy, if this doesn´t sound like the world we live in!! "They thought it foolish to acknowledge God." These days, if you admit that God is real and active you are labeled an idiot. One commentator, Christopher Hitchens, wrote a whole book (God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything) about how religious belief is responsible for most of the problems in the world. This scripture tells us that the result of thinking that a belief in God is foolish, is to become foolish. The result of rejecting the idea of God, active in the universe, is the ridiculous conclusion that all we can see has come about on its own, without design or pattern. Now that´s foolishness. The result of rejecting a God who sets a moral code is the belief that we can live however each one sees fit and not end up with chaos and destruction. We are finding out, practically, how foolish that is.
What is sad is not just that people have rejected God and His principles for life, but that they have encouraged others to do so as well. The message of much of the entertainment media in our country is; "Do what your heart desires and it will all work out." If we are brave enough to look around us carefully, we can see the obvious and negative results of a whole society that, increasingly, believes that God is irrelevant to the moral choices we make. We have become foolish, as a country, as a result.
PRAYER: Lord, save our country from our own foolishness. Forgive us for rejecting You. We have come to believe in and trust only ourselves and it has brought destruction and ruin to us. Please forgive us and bring a revival of faith in You to our land.
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Only Believe
REFERENCE: Romans 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed-a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Observation: We all accept that salvation is by faith. We must believe that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins and offered us eternal life. We have to believe that enough to reach out and accept it - then we are saved. The problem is that our faith stops there. Paul says that we should live by faith, not just get saved by it.
It seems that, in so many areas, we say to God, "thanks for the salvation, I´ll take it from here." We say that when we should be trusting God with our finances. We say that when we should be trusting God with our families. We say that when we are trying to overcome temptation in our own power. We need to learn that this Christian walk is all about faith - from first to last. Every challenge we face should be responded to with belief exhibited by fervent prayer that counts on the fact that God will do what He has promised.
Application/Confession: To be very honest, I´m not very good at this faith thing. I feel like I am constantly crying out, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." I want to be a man of faith but I find myself falling into the pattern of trusting my own mind and abilities instead of His promises. God is challenging me to do better.
PRAYER: I know You never change. I know that I can trust You. Forgive me for my unbelief and help me learn to put my faith in You always--no matter what happens.
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Don´t Get So Excited! (at Least So Quickly)
REFERENCE: Proverbs 19:2-3 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. 3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.
Observation: Why is enthusiasm without knowledge a dangerous thing? For at least two reasons; first, we may be enthusiastic about the wrong thing. Haven´t we all seen someone who was totally wound up about something that wasn´t worth the energy they were putting into it, or worse, was leading them down the Garden Path? Before we invest our enthusiasm in something, we owe it to ourselves to take the time to check it out carefully. As Proverbs says elsewhere, "in a multitude of counselors there is safety". In other words, ask others who are wise and get their advice as well before plunging in.
The second reason that enthusiasm without knowledge is no good is that enthusiasm alone is not enough. Gloria and I remodeled our home. Beyond getting excited about doing it, we had to find out how to do it. I wanted to refinish the wood floors we have myself. My brother, who is a contractor, tells me that this would not be a good idea. I have the enthusiasm, I don´t have the knowledge and so I probably would do a poor job. Before we dove into any of our projects, we studied and asked knowledgably people. We wanted to add to our excitement wisdom and that is what knowledge brings. Many people dive into whatever catches their fancy. They don´t ask God, they don´t get wise counsel. Then, when it blows up in their face, (as this approach inevitably will) they blame God. I have had perfectly intelligent people sit across from me in counseling and ask of their obviously poor choice; "why didn´t God stop me!" They had not asked Him, they were not listening to Him, but they are upset at Him that He did not stop Him.
If we want God´s involvement in our decisions and directions, the time to involve Him is at the beginning. Before we pursue our enthusiasms, ask Him; find out if He is as excited about it as we are. Then we will be in a place of true safety.
Application/Confession: I can have a million ideas. Some are good, some are not. I really need to slow down and get God´s wisdom before I pursue any of them. It is easy to mistake a good idea for a God idea. I want to be doing what He is blessing, not just what I excites me at the moment.
PRAYER: Thank you for my enthusiasm and energy. Teach me to focus them on the things You are doing and blessing.
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If I Could See ME NOW!
REFERENCE: Psalms 8:3-8 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority; 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.
Observation: We have no comprehension of who we really are! The fall of man has hidden our true nature. When Jesus came to earth and died for us it was to restore us to this previous, glorious state. In Him, in the Spirit, we can be people of "glory and honor". Since it is sin that has diminished our grandeur, as Jesus has dealt with the sin issue, we can return to our previous state. What this means to us practically is that now we can, and must, live as people of honor and glory. If we could grasp what that means, we would never allow the glorious beings that we are roll in the mud of sin. We would never think of ourselves as worthless or unlovable. We would not put ourselves in situations where we would be devalued and abused. We would pray and take authority over the situations around us like people of real power. In Jesus, this is who we are. We can, we must, live like it.
Application/Confession: When I get angry, which I do from time to time. When I give in to my flesh and yield to temptation, which I do from time to time. I am living beneath who I really am. I am a glorious, honorable creature. Such a person does not allow anger or lust or pettiness to control them. This wonderful creature is who I am and how I want to live.
PRAYER: God You made me a little lower than You Yourself, full of glory and honor. Please give me the grace to live up to who I really am.
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How You Treat Them Is How They will Be
REFERENCE: Proverbs 18:22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.
Observation: Here is an interesting thought: if we act as though our spouses are a treasure, a grace-filled favor from God. If we love them as the gift as they are in our lives instead of pointing out their flaws and complaining that they are not "like us", we may very well discover that they live up to our expectations instead of down to our rebukes. A person who feels treasured acts out of love. A person who feels put down and devalued acts out of a need to reestablish their position of value and may resort to anger, demands, recriminations and, ultimately, bitterness. There is great value in every human, including your spouse!! We should remind ourselves of that and live like it.
Application/Confession: I can find myself focusing on my wife’s perceived flaws. When I do so I can watch it let the air out of her and bruise her heart. I need to, even more, remind her of the gift she is in my life.
PRAYER: Lord forgive me for not treasuring more greatly the gift of my wife Gloria that you have given me. She really is a treasure and a grace/favor from You. Remind me to treat her like that all of the time.
Technorati Tags: bible, husbands, marriage, proverbs, value, wives
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The Value of Experience
REFERENCE: Acts 26:13-16, 22b-23 "One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 13 About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 14 We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ 15 "'Who are you, lord?’ I asked. "And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future'". . . . 22b "I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen - 23 that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike." Observation: There has been, for quite some time, a controversy about the place of experience in the Christian life. Some believe that there is way too much emphasis placed on it, and that this leads to the danger of being led astray from biblical orthodoxy. Others will make the point that Christianity is by nature an experiential religion. While they acknowledge the dangers inherent in emphasizing experience, they also realize this is the way God seemed to have planned it.
Into this discussion comes this story of Paul. He had, no doubt, studied the scripture from the time of his youth and when the Christians began saying that Jesus was the Messiah, he opposed them and their ideas to the point of having them imprisoned and even killed. So what happened to him that made him the greatest proponent of Christianity? It was an experience. We see in this passage, very clearly, that Paul himself interpreted scripture, very clearly, in the light of his experience. After his encounter with Jesus in a dramatic vision, he went back to the Old Testament and found the Jesus was predicted by the prophets and taught that to anyone who would listen.
What can we learn by this? Certainly not to take every experience and make a new orthodoxy ought of it. Both God and Satan are in the experience business. Yet it ought to make us become more open to allowing God to speak to us through experience. Certainly, having had the experience, we should, like Paul, go back to scripture to authenticate what has happened to us. Still, we need to see that God reveals His truth to us both in His Word and directly in what happens between us and Him. The kind of insight that comes purely by revelation is no less valuable and important. God wants us to be people who know Him, experience Him and learn from our interaction with Him. Let’s just be careful not to allow our experience to negate the written Word of God but rather to give us new insight into it and confirmation of what it says.
Application/Confession: My daily reading and journaling can take so much time that it can interfere with my worship and personal interaction with God in prayer. I have noticed that over the last years I have grown tremendously in my understanding of God’s Word and that has brought growth, maturity and wisdom into my life. Unfortunately, I have also noticed that I have also had less time to simply commune with Him. I need to change this. God is calling me to a balanced approach - both the Word and the Spirit, and in that balanced discipline is great safety and deep intimacy.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, please give me the time and draw me into the experience of simply being with You. I have found such joy there and I want to back. Forgive me for being unbalanced. I want to know You!
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My thoughts and insights on the "scriptures of the day" from the One Year Bible Daily Reading Plan.
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