Value Recognized

Exodus 3: 1 – 4 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” and Moses said, “Here I am.”

Moses is about to be called into the service of God. God is going to ask him to go back to Egypt and get all the Israelites and lead them out of bondage. Moses however has something to say about this.

Exodus 3: 11 – 12 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Moses will continue to explain to God that He has the wrong man for the job. He makes excuses that he isn’t thinking that anyone will believe he is really sent by God, or that he isn’t well spoken. God however shows Moses powers that will be given to him so that people will believe. God also promises that He will be with Moses through the entire event.

Exodus 4: 11 – 12 The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

Scripture tells us that God knew us before we were conceived in our mothers womb. God had a plan for us before we were ever born. We were held from existence until this very day and age. This very moment, we are here for purpose. God designed us for right now.

I’ve had the fortune to travel to Africa. Tanzania is known as the friendly nation, and to visit you find it is true. Africa has unusual sets of circumstances compared to us. Most of the citizens live in poverty. Some of them have experienced illness that has left them mentally unbalanced and because of this they are rejected. I traveled into the bush of Africa to assist in showing the Jesus film. Many people would walk from surrounding villages to see a motion picture. Most had never witnessed such an event. During our bush travels I saw a man who likely was a victim of rejection because of mental illness. He was outside a village living under a tree. He crouched beneath the tree and appeared delirious. A short distance from there a woman in tattered clothes stood off in the distance. She was likely also an outcast. I had to ask God in prayer, “Why Lord have you allowed me to be American, healthy and wealthy compared to these whom you also love?” I didn’t get a booming voice for an answer but I felt confident that the answer was: “Because I trust you to make a difference with what I’ve trusted you with. I’ve designed you as Doug and I have value in what you can do.”

I am not a Moses and only Moses of Exodus can be that Moses. I am Doug and no one can be this Doug. (For this you should be thankful:) My value must be recognized by me, and I must be available for God to use me for what He designed me for. The same value is on all of us. It is even on the man stooped beneath the tree and the woman outside the village. It is irrelevant to social standing or physical appearance. It is not based on who we are, where we live, physical ability or any other issue. Our value is recognized and provided by God. It is up to us on how we regard the call.

Ephesians 2: 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It is essential to be a child of God. We must next be available to accept the responsibility set before us.

God, Please show us how to respond to your call and give us peace and understanding in how to accomplish all you have planned for us. Not my will Father, but thine be done. Amen

Power, Honor, Glory

I’ve been reading and examining the book of Revelations. There are praise scriptures that speak to the heart.

Revelation 4: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

This was spoken in heaven as the twenty four elders fell to their knees in front of God and placed their crowns at His feet. They realize that God is the one who created all things. We are part of that creation. “By Your Will They Were Created.” We are here today as part of God’s will. We aren’t here by accident or by chance. We were created for today. You were created for today. Today comes with its own set of good and bad circumstances. God knows what those circumstances are.

Revelation 5: 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

There will be a time when all beings will recognize that God is the creator. He came to earth and was slain. He left His throne to die for sin so that we might live eternally with Him. For that reason alone He is worthy of all Glory, Honor and Praise. For those who believe; It was by His Loving Gift that we have eternity and peace ahead of us.

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This verse is the good news for the world. It is the good news for us today.

I Don’t Believe

I have a very dear friend who is in the twilight years of his life. I have known him for about 9 years. He likes to hang out at our office and is helpful in many ways around the warehouse. He is physically fit, even though he is in his eighties. He was forced as a child to attend church by his mother. The church she attended had ideas about God and Jesus that didn’t fit scripture. When he became an adult he decided against church and is not prone to believe in anything other than saying he believes there is a supreme being. He believes that he is a good person and that will perhaps count when he passes away.

2 Corinthians 4: 4 – 6 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

I have witnessed to this man about Jesus and explained scripture to what appears to be “a deaf ear.” I hold this person in prayer. I pray for his eyes and ears to be open and for God to shine the light of salvation into his soul. It appears that I’ve reached no level of success. The good news is that it isn’t just up to me. The Holy Spirit is active. He is the one who can shine the light of understanding into people. I’m to share the gospel.

I encourage you to know this truth. Don’t lose heart in telling others of the Lord. We are to spread the gospel, not drag people across some line.

Father, please give us the words to say, then the understanding and faith in your Holy Spirit to do the rest.

Faithful Prayer

A famous country and western singer (Garth Brooks) has a popular hit that deals with unanswered prayers. If you listen or know the lyrics you know that the song is dealing with God knowing the future so the prayer was answered with no answer at all. The prayer was for a certain love but in the delay the real husband or wife was found later.

Recently there was a young, very sick woman in our congregation that had cancer. She wasn’t that old and there were many prayers uttered on her behalf for healing. Her healing is complete as she is now in heaven. She passed away because of the cancer but as a Christian she is now in the presence of Jesus.

There was a pastor who had cancer. He was on his death bed and was breathing his last breaths. An acquaintance (not a close friend) was jogging and praying for the man. He had an out of body experience where he was carried along in the spirit and was informed the man was going to get well. The pastor did get well and was effective in the Lords work for several years and then died of cancer.

A young man who works for me got leukemia after playing four years of collegiate basketball. We prayed for him as he underwent chemo and he is in remission.

One of my best friends 24 year old son was recently diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. We prayed for him as he went through chemo and he is currentlly in remission.

James 5: 15 – 16 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

I don’t even begin to understand the reason why some are healed and some are not. I have prayer requests that are answered without delay and at other times it seems my head is wrapped in plastic and God isn’t hearing me. The fact is however that He hears and answers. I might not always like the answer, but He is answering. The answer comes with a: Yes / No / or Wait.

Regarding healing, I think there are three elements  recognizable  by which God operates. (I’m sure there are more but these three stand out to me today:

• Mercy (The action shows Gods love, compassion and mercy for all mankind regardless to their relationship to Him.)
• Message (Answered prayer sends a clear picture of Gods power and might. A look at the majestic mountains or creation will do the same.)
• Purpose (of which there are two elements 1. personal healing and 2. Gods spiritual purpose.)

A question came to mind as I was pondering all this. “Does the depth of the prayer effect the power of the prayer?”

In my view our faith is expressed in our sincere prayer. It isn’t the form or format as much the faith under which the prayer is uttered. Sincerity isn’t a guarantee of result. Faith in prayer allows for any answer without personal expectation as to the result.

When God visits us in healing, anything can happen. Anything!

Let’s encourage one another to have child like sincere faith in our prayers. We know our Father God loves each one of us. I want to rest in this truth.

Change

Many times, while working in law enforcement, I came in contact with individuals who wanted to change their lives. The conversation would come during a time of incarcerated confession. They would talk about how they wanted to have another chance. Often the individual making the statement had tears and deep momentary emotions. Many of these individuals would get that second chance, third chance, fourth, and so on. Change looks easy on the surface, especially when we are facing the penalty for our mistake. What frequently happens is we want to change but we don’t change the way we live and so we fall into the same traps that got us where we are to begin with.

Acceptance of Jesus in our lives brings a new way of life. The Bible says that we are to put off the old self and take new. Colossians 3: 1 – 3 Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Notice that two things are recommended for change: Ones heart and ones mind.

One of the places I’ve had a privilege of speaking into lives is at a juvenile detention facility. Incarcerated individuals have made decisions for following Jesus and have prayed forgiveness and have truly repented. One of the problems with this setting is lack of ability for follow up visits and continued encouragement for those who really want to change. There is no doubt that some of the youth who make decisions to become followers of Jesus find certain success in change. Unfortunately, most do not find the path to a maintained relationship with the Lord. But what about the rest of us? What is preventing some of us from spiritual change that is long lasting and real.

Colossians 3: 5 – 10 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Well that is a list of what not to do. It is definitely pointing us to change. The next verses are the descriptive change patterns.

Colossians 3: 12 – 15 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Verse 16 is then a key to finding the path of success in all this:) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Many of us have not had to endure the pain of being arrested. We have had the opportunity to make decisions for change without trauma. Many others have endured trauma. Many have come to change because of issues bigger than them. What is important for us to realize is that it doesn’t matter how we arrive. What matters is how we remain in the blessing of relationship with the Father.