Trouble in Paradise: Sink or Swim

"Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. . . . The islanders showed us unusual kindness. . . .“This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” . . .  they changed their minds and said he was a god." Acts 28: 1-10

Beach on the Island of Malta

     Paul and the crew sailing to Italy had just survived shipwreck, washing ashore on the Island of Malta.  Ahhh, solid ground! Kind islanders! A bonfire! 

     Always one to pitch in and do his part, Paul grabbed a pile of brushwood and dropped it on the growing fire.  A sudden pain gripped Paul's hand. He probably thought a spark from the fire had landed on him, but looked down to see a poisonous snake latched on tightly and dangling from his hand.  

     The Islanders also saw the snake attached to Paul and the speculation and gossip started:

Hmmm. - He survived a shipwreck to be attacked by a poisonous snake?
Hmmm. - He's one of the prisoners from the ship, right? What did he do?
Hmmm. - Must've been bad - like murder!
Hmmm. - Justice says it's payback time.

     Then, Paul shook the snake off of his hand and into the fire to sizzle. 

Hmmm. - He's still walking.
Hmmm. - His color's good.
Hmmm. - No swelling. No blistering. Nothing unusual about his hand.

       *Crickets     *Crackling fire    *Campground songs

Hmmm. - He must be a god to survive both the storm and the snake!

       It's human nature to either vilify or deify people, but no one quite knew what to do with Paul.  He prophesied terrible storms and he was right.  He said "I told you not to sail now," but then shared his faith in God's goodness to encourage hopeless people on a beleaguered ship.  He shared visions of angels and God's promises, and the people lived on those promises for days. He was bitten by a poisonous snake, but shook it off and refused to die. Villain or god?  Neither. Rather, a man of God.

    The literal storms and snakes in Paul's life could have left him faith-shaken; instead, he shook them off and left deep tracks on sandy Malta beaches, turning the hearts of a people from false fertility gods to the One True God. ( http://www.malta.com/en/about-malta/culture/religion-in-malta)
     As Paul swallowed salt water and fought to stay afloat, he shouted encouragement and buoyed his fellow passengers.  Rather than allowing the snake to paralyze him in fear, he fried the poisonous thing. He, a prisoner, prayed for a bed-ridden Islander and God used him to heal all the sick people on the island.  In the middle of snakes and storms, he turned from his own perilous situations to impact a culture with his powerful faith in God. 

Dear Father,  We're so easily discouraged by storms and snakes, but we want to be like Paul - looking out for others and helping them latch onto You.  Give us faith where we lack it.  Increase our compassion. May Your Presence weigh heavily in us so our footprints lead them to You.
In the Name of the Only True Savior, Jesus!

Fat Robin

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Romans 8:26

I saw a fat robin sitting on a fence under a tree yesterday and thought, "That's me."  

I'm looking to get comfortable between the danger on the ground and the needs in the nest.  I don't long to soar or bring home the worms. There's not enough get up and go in these wings to spread them and I can't think of a single springtime tune to trill. This fat Robin just wants to sit here and groan.

Now, as a child of God, I know I'm going to be miserable if I sit on this splintery fence too long.  God didn't give me wings to hang 10 (or is it 8?) on a rail forever. Nope. Something's got to give and it's got to be me. So, 

Note to self: 

Do you not know?                                          (What?)

     Have you not heard?                                 (Tell me!) 

The LORD is the everlasting God,                     (but . . . )

     the Creator of the ends of the earth.           (that's amazing!)      

He will not grow tired or weary,                       (even though I do)

     and His understanding no one can fathom.   (I don't understand . . .)

He gives strength to the weary                        (I'll take two -)

     and increases the power of the weak.          (Weak as water, Lord, feel                                                                         free to amp it up.)

Even youths grow tired and weary,                   (So what hope is there for

     and young men stumble and fall;                   a fat bird on a fence?)

but those who hope in the LORD                      (I want to, LORD)

     will renew their strength.                           (Hope in the LORD=strength)

They will soar on wings like eagles;                  (That's a great goal)

     they will run and not grow weary,                (Maybe soon)

     they will walk and not be faint.                   (That could happen today.)   

Isaiah 40:28-31

"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 weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

If, in the very near future, you see a fat robin walking along a fence or running down the rail and shaking our her feathers to take off - don't laugh, just ask God to help her remember Who lifts and empowers His children.

Lord God, I glory in my weakness: I'm nothing without You.  You alone are the strength and wisdom I need. May Your power rest on me as I rest in You. Fill me with Your Spirit so I can release the fence and walk, then run, then soar in Your strength.   May we free You to free us: pry our toes off the fence, build the muscles in our legs, and unfurl our rusty wings.

In the Name of Jesus Who ascended!

LOL

Jesus Calling encourages lighthearted living today. According to the author, our faith in God's power shines through when we can laugh at ourselves and our circumstances.  Our sincere laughter (not the nervous version) expresses faith in God's loving provision. Laughter lightens the mood, breaks the spell of gloom, and sends God the message that we trust Him to handle the situation.  

In the beginning, God assigned people a workload, and in the Gospels, Jesus promised His followers He would put a "load" on them.  
"Come to Me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.  For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light." Matthew 11:28-30 

I evidently think I can handle more than the light load God assigns me since I add to my load until I wobble like an overloaded washing machine.  If I hear about a problem, I feel it's my responsibility to solve it and I figure, re-figure, plan and revise until my mind is worn out. 

"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; 
gloom and doom leave you bone-tired." 
Proverbs 17:22
Amen, Brother Solomon!

The answer? "Mind your own business!" or, to put it nicely, "Find freedom by accepting the boundaries of your domain." (Sarah Young, Jesus Calling)  We may not realize we're minding God's business when we pull other people's problems, circumstances and issues into our domain to solve for them. 

God decides our business (workload), including when and how to help others with His guidance and help. He lays this "yoke" gently on us and sticks with us to carry it to completion.  He's the only one who can carry the weight of the world on His shoulders.  

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means 'God with us.'"  Matthew 1:23

So laugh it up today and tell God you trust Him. 

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; 
she can laugh at the days to come." 
Proverbs 31:25

Sparkly Spots

On the one pretty Saturday we had in March, Tom and I began Phase One of our annual back yard revival.  We cleared out leaves, washed cushions, and assessed damage to plants.  In the process, I accidentally smacked one of our nicer large pots and put a hole in the side. And all this time I thought that pot was made of durable rubbery material! It had endured hard winters and hot summers, heavy wind, torrential rains, chlorine water, and growing roots to suffer at the hands of my clumsiness. 

I didn't throw it out - it would be too expensive to replace and the break didn't affect its ability to hold a plant yet. The hole, however, faces away from the house, out of sight. 

We all have fragile, breaking places in our lives.  Sometimes we try to appear resilient - made of stronger stuff, but the world loves to find or make holes in believers with just a slap of words like: 
"I thought you were a Christian!" 
     "A real Christian wouldn't do  - or say - that." 
          "A real Christian would help me (out of this mess I'm in due to irresponsibility)." 
               "You're such a hypocrite."
                    "I didn't think Christians got angry."
                         "Is that really what Jesus would do?"
                              "You're being judgmental."

Yes, world - we're weak and imperfect. We're flawed and we make mistakes. We fail. We sin. We doubt. We break and we burn out. We're not Jesus, but here's what separates the sheep from the goats - there is more to us than us.   

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay 

to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 

2 Corinthians 4:7

God is interested in the holes in our lives because He wants to fill them with His all-surpassing power. When we point them out to Him for His diagnosis, He doesn't cover the wound but strengthens us with His power. I'm still learning to accept and even embrace my weaknesses as opportunities for God to apply His power. Any one of those statements above could render a believer mute and shamed, chalking one up to Satan in the psychological warfare he's declared on us. Let's not fall for that trick again. God calls us to do the more difficult thing: to trust Him to use our fragile points, our flaws and the gaping holes in our character.  He doesn't want us to hide them but to fill the holes with the treasure He's put in us. The world doesn't need perfect believers but believers with sparkly spots.

Dear God, You are the Treasure worth living for and worth dying for. Fill my weakness with Your strength. You know my struggles and insecurities. I need Your power to overcome them and to come out of hiding.  Shame and regret can ruin a perfectly good pot, but I know You can and will produce fruit in any jar of clay willing to let You turn weaknesses into sparkly spots for Your glory.  

In Jesus Name, the Name of the only sinless One! 

Let The Drain Begin!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." 
Matthew 11:28-29

Heavy hands, hearts and shoulders weary the soul - even when the weights we carry seem appropriate, good or inevitable. Jesus calls us to lay the burdens down and lift our empty selves for His blessing of rest.

  
Abraham emptied himself of his heritage and left the land of his fathers and their gods to be directed and filled as the father of a new nation who worshiped the one true God.

Ruth released her identity, leaving her family to stay with her mother-in-law to worship the God she came to know as faithful. She became the grandmother of David and part of Jesus' lineage.

Hannah poured out her grief about not having children at the altar and God filled her with a child, a spiritual leader for God's people in dark, uncertain times.

Moses gave up his excuses and self-conscious lack of gifts  for God to fill him with wisdom and power. This shy guy led the Israelites to witness miracle after miracle.

A sinful, repentant woman emptied an alabaster jar of extravagant perfume on the feet of Jesus.  In return, people criticized her harshly, but Jesus fulfilled her need.  She left the house with a drained jar and a new heart - forgiven, free, and at peace.  She's now part of our story of grace. (Luke 7:36-50)

Jesus Himself is the greatest example of the self-emptying we're to practice: 

 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.
 Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man
in His external form,
 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
 For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,
 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
of those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Then there are the others: 
Martha held on to her kitchen gadgets. As her hands busied themselves, her heart became resentful and accusing - critical of a sister who fed on Jesus' teaching. Martha traded knowing Jesus in that moment for maintaining her reputation as a superb hostess.  We've named a syndrome for her. 

The rich young ruler held on to his money and his self-righteousness instead of grasping eternity. Now he's known as someone who walked away from Jesus and nobody knows his name.

Judas grasped his own plans above God's plan for Christ. Filled with sin and remorse, he hung himself and I don't know anyone named Judas, do you?  

You, me - we tightly grasp our:
    regret, worry, control, 
    identity, work, excuses, 
    grudges, habits, attitudes, 
    relationships, locations, stuff . . . 
when He asks us to pour it out at the altar of His feet.


"Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing."  
1 Timothy 2:8



Lord, God, let the drain begin. Pry open our clenched fists.  Help us give every drop of what we value to You. May we lift empty, holy hands as clean, roomy vessels for You to fill with Your best - for always.
In the Name of Jesus Who emptied Himself for our sake and for God's glory!

Syllabus for Saints

Then they asked Him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'

 Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.'"

 John 6:29

Yesterday's sermon was "Faith That Impresses God," based on the Roman centurion who amazed Jesus with his faith (Matthew 8).  Last night our preacher prayed for all students, school staff, administrators and teachers returning to school this morning.  In the morning, Pastor Rick identified true, active faith, and last night he prayed those students and faculty (and all believers) would live out their faith on a Monday. Identify and apply. Easier to study than to do. 

As believers, our CORE class throughout life is "Identifying and Applying Faith."  This class comes with a universe-sized laboratory and no graduation date. Graduation only happens when we bend our knees at Heaven's throne and faith becomes sight.  Today, Monday, (or whichever day offers you the greatest challenge) we may have forgotten that class is in session.  Look at the board to see our learning objective and the exercises God has for us in Jesus' own words:  

Faith 101:

"The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent." 

John 6:29

Easy-peasy. No wonder it's Faith 101. Done. Check it off. Next class.

Faith 102:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, 

who have been called according to His purpose." 

Romans 8:28

All things? And thus begins the difficult work of trusting that God works for our good on Mondays, in frustration, without funds, under pressure, and with obstacles.  The verse rolls off our tongues and our heads say "true," but our hearts drag their feet when it comes to believing God uses "all things" for our good.  After all,  you and I both have histories from which we've emerged still asking "Where's the 'good' from that?" without seeing the "good." We will have to repeat this class several times.

Faith 201, 202, 203 and 204

"but be filled by the Spirit,
speaking to one anotherin psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
singing and making music
from your heart to the Lord,
giving thanks always for everything
to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
submitting to one another
in the fear of Christ."

Not so easy peasy after all.  Memorizing the material is nothing compared to applying this information in life's lab.
1) Remembering to invite God to fill us?  That takes time, work, and relationship.
2) Making music in our hearts? Requires focus, love, learning a melody.
3) Giving thanks always, for everything?  We're going to be busy this semester.
4) Submitting to one another?  Is it too late to drop this class? 

Faith is . . .
     more than words,
     more than a creed,
     more than a favorite Scripture.

Faith is a laboratory of opportunities to "believe in the One He has sent" from our hearts all the way through our actions. 

Lord God, we like living at our leisure like students on holiday, but nothing compares to life's laboratory for fine-tuning our faith.  Remind us to ask You to fill us with Your Spirit and Your Song.  Prompt us to thank You for every gift, great or small. You send every good gift.  And, Father, the hardest exercise of all may be to trust You enough to submit to others and to situations You allow for our good. In submitting we exercise faith that You see, You know, You understand, You shape, You use, and You reign.  May we seize this day's opportunities to trust You.
In the Name of Jesus Who could submit to others because of His Faith in You

The Gift of A Handicap

Picture the fishermen disciples in their fishing boat facing a strength-gaining storm.  They've used up all their ideas, their knowledge, their prowess, their skill to solve the problem, but even 2,000 years later we don't know how to stop a storm.  Then lightning reveals a figure walking calmly toward them on the water. Jesus. 

Feel the heat as Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego are hustled closer to the fiery furnace and see soldiers ahead of them fall dead from the intensity of the blaze. A quick, hard push and the flames lick impotently at their tender flesh. And Who stands waiting for them? God In Flesh - the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace - Jesus. 

Nowhere in Scripture does it say "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Nor was Christ a proponent of "self-made men."  These ideas drip off proud human tongues.  God installs the furnaces, throws down challenges and commissions us to helpless positions for one reason: to reveal Himself as our shelter, our asbestos, our Hope, our Friend and our God.

Paul learned to see his weakness as a God-gift and found Christ walking with him in his own storms and furnaces. 
Notice the phrase "the gift of a handicap."

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, 
           and so I wouldn’t get a big head, 
I was given the gift of a handicap 
           to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. 
Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; 
           what he in fact did was push me to my knees. 
No danger then of walking around high and mighty! 
At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. 
Three times I did that, and then He told me, 
          'My grace is enough; it’s all you need. 
          My strength comes into its own in your weakness.'
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. 
     I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. 
It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. 
Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, 
          these limitations that cut me down to size—
               abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. 
I just let Christ take over!
And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.   
2 Corinthians 12:8-10  (The Message - italics are mine)

I can't. You can't. We all can't.
God can.

When it's all too much, too big, too intense, too rocky, too sticky, too uncertain - remember our weaknesses are Grace-gifts. Praise God, He's about to reveal Himself through our humble obedience.  

Lord, help us stop focusing on our handicaps, comparing our strengths, and expecting ourselves to be anything but limited humans.  You designed us to be needy and weak so we would run to You. May we be like the three who faced the furnace, allowing You to reveal Yourself through our obedience.  Guide us not to turn molehills into mountains (and many of our "crises" are molehills) but help us stand down as You move the mountains. 
In the Name of Jesus Who revealed Your Glory through His obedience