Asking To Be Taught

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1

Have you ever seen something in someone’s life and desired to see it evidenced in your own life? One of Jesus’ disciples wanted to be taught to pray. Who better to go to for that lesson than Christ Himself? What would happen if we learned to take our requests before God in the same way this disciple took his request to Jesus?

Can you think of someone who is loving? Imagine praying something like this: Jesus, teach me to be loving like __________. Jesus, teach me to be a good steward of my money like _______________. Jesus, teach me to be a diligent worker like _______________. Jesus, teach me to be forgiving like _______________. Jesus, teach me to be a bold witness like_____________. Oh, the things we could pray for based on the example of individuals in our life! What better way to express what it is we want Him to do in our life, than to find people who exude those qualities and use their life as a basis for what we ask God to give us.

There must have been something in the way John’s disciples prayed that captured this disciple’s attention. What is it that is capturing your attention in another person’s life? It could very well be that God is urging you to bring that particular area to Him so that He can begin to do a similar work in you. You might even start by asking God to open your eyes to the qualities in other people that He wants to instill in you as well. He can do that without taking away your uniqueness.

Understand of course, that sometimes in order for God to teach you something, the learning process may not always be comfortable. I remember asking God to give me an intimate walk with Himself that I noticed in another individual. He is in the process of answering that prayer but the pain involved is great at times. There are things and people I have to let go of in order to be more dependent on Him. He knows this is hard for me but He has assured me there is no other way to get what I asked for. I believe Him and I trust Him.

Father, I see examples all around me of what I desire to learn myself. You are an exquisite teacher and I desire nothing more than to be taught by You. Amen.

Don't Fight the Life Guard

For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength. But you were not willing. Isaiah 30:15

God’s ways are truly unique. In an age of self made men and women God’s prescription for salvation and strength remains the same ~ repentance, rest, quietness, and trust. It reminds me of a life guard who swims out to a person who is drowning. All the victim’s efforts are working against him. The more he thrashes around in the water the more his energy drains from him. In an effort to stay alive he may even fight against the one who has come to rescue him. As he ceases trying to save himself and places his life in the able hands of the life guard, it is then that he will be saved.

The same is true in my Christian life. As I read some earlier verses in Isaiah 30:9-11 I was struck with the determination God’s people had to remove themselves from the truth. May I not live my Christian life that way.

I must start with honest introspection. I make a BIG mistake when I decide to hide or cover up my sin. Fig leaves did not work for Adam and Eve and they will not work for me. There is a freedom and strength that comes from finally acknowledging to God what He has known all along. Ask anyone who is recovering from an addiction and they will tell you the first step is admitting you have a problem When I refuse to admit my sin to God I am once again “fighting the life guard.”

When my children were small , part of my parenting was in teaching them to do things for themselves. Yet God’s methods are to teach me to rely and depend on Him. Rest, quietness, and trust are gifts I must learn to value. May I not be found telling God, “I can do it myself.” If I would take all the energy I use trying to figure things out by myself, trying to control situations and people, and trying to get life to work for me, and instead look to God for His wisdom and ways I would then realize my salvation and strength.

Father, You continually extend Your hand and Your heart to me. Help me to trust You more each day. Amen.

Disaster or Success?

Woe to the rebellious children, declares the LORD, who execute a plan, but not Mine, and make alliance, but not of My Spirit, in order to add sin to sin, who proceed down to Egypt without consulting Me, to take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! Isaiah 30:1,2

This is God’s list of offenses pertaining to His own children. These two verses can be summed up in five words…..YOU HAVE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED ME!” How often am I guilty of living my Christian life without seeking His face? I too put plans into motion that are not His plans. I make alliances with someone other than God. I take step upon step without consulting Him. I seek shelter and safety in sources other than God. And then when life falls apart I ask God, “Where were You?” I have failed to desire His involvement in my life and then accused Him of abandoning me when the consequences of my own choices came about.

But these verses can become an instruction manual for success rather than a recipe for disaster. It starts with setting my own agendas aside and seeking what it is God wants to accomplish. God knows the plans He has for me ~ to prosper and do me good. THAT’S the plan I ought to be cooperating with. Seeking His plan and then acting on the revelation is much better than coming up with my own plan and desiring God to rubber stamp it with His approval.

Then I must make sure my alliance is with Him. That means connecting with God to further His work. It is the picture I get when two nations join forces to fight a common enemy. My union with God allows me fellowship and friendship of the deepest kind. Also, God desires that I consult Him. God should be the first and primary One from whom I seek advice and counsel. God has stored up wisdom for me. Why should I go after the counterfeits when the genuine is available? He longs for me to ask Him.

Lastly, I need to make sure my place of refuge, safety, and shelter is in Him. Oh, if God’s children would just realize the security found in Him! The bottom line is that God is inviting each of us to carry out His plan, become His ally, consult Him, and seek safety and shelter in Him. It is an invitation that is pregnant with possibilities.

Father, You are so extravagant with Your invitations. May Your desires become my mantras. Amen.

Betrayed By Actions

They feared the LORD, and served their own gods. 2 Kings 17:33

A quick read through of 2 Kings 17 will reveal the sad state of the nation of Israel. It shows the extent they have gone to ignore God, replace God, and oppose God. And these were His chosen people! As a nation, they had seen His mighty works. They had experienced His deliverance from Egypt, provision in the wilderness, protection from enemies, victories in battle, and personal involvement that no other nation could claim their god had done for them. Each time they rebelled and faced the consequences of their actions, the pain would cause them to cry out to God for deliverance and God would deliver them. What a cycle! They would walk with God for a season, turn to idolatry, be in bondage to another nation, cry out for help, and see deliverance, only to start the cycle all over again.

Then my mind goes to our nation, America! A land that claims to be one nation under God and stamps the motto ‘In God we trust’ on our coins. A land that celebrates Christian holy days, prints Bibles, sends out missionaries to other nations, and practically has a church on every corner. A land that professes to be a Christian nation. But as a nation we seem to be doing the same thing Israel did…..we served our own gods. The god of materialism, god of self, god of humanism. Our actions betray us. The battles to remove religious symbols from state buildings, to take God out of the pledge, to rewrite history, to remove prayer from the schools, and so on merely show what happens when a nation has already removed God from their individual lives.
Then my mind goes to the church as a whole. While we say we fear God our actions once again betray us. God’s call to unity is answered with denominational walls. God’s call to love one another is answered with preferential treatment of some and cold shoulders to others. We pick and choose what we want to obey according to our preferences, standards, and personal taste. And all the while we are fighting among ourselves the world looks on and we wonder why more are not drawn to Christ.

Then I look at my own life and I conclude that any time I choose to sin I too am serving my own god. Someone once said, “You serve the one you love the most.”

God, help our nation! God, help our churches! God, help me! Amen.

Our Teacher/Student Relationship

For his God instructs and teaches him properly. Isaiah 28:26

It touches my heart to know that the God of the universe, the Creator of everything, is the very One who teaches me. He is my Tutor. What kind of teacher is He? A couple years ago I would have said He was harsh, demanding, unrealistic, impatient, and critical. To sit in His classroom was uncomfortable to say the least. But when I began to see His true character the whole scene changed.

Now I would say He is loving and extremely patient. He is thorough and does not hesitate to repeat a lesson until I actually have it. He knows me intimately so is aware of my individual learning style. He knows my past as well as my future and already has each day of instruction planned. His desire is to have my undivided attention and notices when that is not the case.

There are times when my heart is divided, my love for learning is dulled, and my lack of motivation is apparent. But He remains the same. He knows when the light bulb has come on for me and rejoices to see it! To see His look of approval and hear His words of pleasure are such great rewards.

And yet, I know there are times I grieve Him. Times when, although He loves me, He does not approve of my actions or attitudes. Times when I fail to do my assignments. Times when I do poorly on tests. Times when I am not even close to an ideal student. Times when discipline becomes part of the process. All is done in an effort to reintroduce me to a hunger for learning and a thirst for Himself.

I am learning it is okay to go to God and admit what is really in my heart. When I lack motivation I am free to ask Him to put that in me. When I lack love for others I am free to ask Him to give me His heart. In other words, whatever I am in need of, I can take it to Him, admit it, and ask for His filling in that area. This is a new truth and new experience for me in this new year.

Father, I am present in Your classroom throughout my life. May I be receptive to ALL You teach me. Amen

Built and Maintained

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, he that believeth shall not make haste. Isaiah 28:16

How firm a foundation, Jesus is the Rock of my salvation, My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, The wise man built his house upon the rock. These are just a few of the songs that came to mind as I read this verse. How true that Jesus is the basis upon which our faith and hope is supported and stands. Come what may we know that our salvation is built upon truth that never changes, solid ground that never shifts, and absolutes that never give way to public opinion.

But a new aspect of this verse became apparent to me when I realized another meaning for foundation. It can refer to an organization or institution established by endowment with provision for future maintenance. Think of your life as the organization or institution that was established by Christ. Through faith in Him, He put us in a favorable position with Himself. It was then that we became members of His family and are given the full rights and privileges due to His children.

But the second part is what made my spirit leap. He has made provision for future maintenance. Just like when God created the universe and provided it with the necessary laws to keep it gong and continues to be involved in that process, He does the same thing with us as His new creations. He has given us all the things we need for the journey. As Ephesians 1:3 says, "He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing." The journey is not in seeking to obtain all that God has promised, but in realizing what is already ours. To embrace it, own it, and gain the full advantage of it.

We have a loving heavenly Father who is actively involved in the maintenance of our Christian life. He keeps us, preserves us from failure and decline, sustains us against opposition or danger, upholds and defends us, supports us, and provides for us. Our part is to cooperate with God as He does His work in us. May we not get in His way.

Father, You continue to amaze me with Your personal involvement in my life. May I never resist You. Amen.

The Right Kind of Refuge

For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception. Isaiah 28:15

Have you ever been lied to or deceived by someone you trusted? Living your life daily under the banner of "buyer beware" can leave you feeling drained. Someone has wisely said, "Growth in the Christian life begins with learning the truth about God, learning the truth about me, and letting the truth about God impact the truth about me."

It is easy to trust others to give us all the answers. I have seen many people follow false leaders to spiritual ruin. For those of you who are old enough to remember Jim Jones, you immediately see the 900 plus dead bodies lying all over the ground of the compound in Guiana. They had been lied to and they sought refuge in those lies. I am sure many people tried to warn them but they could not let go of what they thought the truth was.

At one time I held tightly to numerous lies about God and the Christian life. Let me share a few ~
God's love is dependent on what I do.
God tolerates me more than loves me.
I am saved by grace but must work at staying in His favor.
Conformity to church standards means conformity to God.
Other people can properly define my Christian life for me.

The list could go on and on but my point is this....true freedom in Christ began with letting go of what I THOUGHT was the truth and allowing God to show me what He was really like. He is now my refuge and I am concealed in His hands.

Sometimes the journey gets difficult but not as difficult as it was when I depended on others to tell me what to believe, how to act, what music to listen to, who to fellowship with, what version of the Bible to read, etc..... Now I place my hand in His on a daily basis and together we walk in truth!

Father, You waited decades for me to join You. Thank you for not giving up on me even now. Amen.