This has been a pretty busy week for me. Hopefully it was a productive week. At times I just felt like I was spinning my wheels but I have realized that I don't always see the results of what I do right away. Using hockey terms, I just keep "going to the net" and eventually you get a shot in!
Reading through the Bible I have been in the book of Job most of this week. I have read and heard about Job most of my life but this is one of the first times I really read through the whole book and thought about it. usually I would wrap up the story like this...Job was a good man, God tested him, Job praised God in spite of his wife and friends, God spoke to Job and then Job was restored. I have been realizing that I have been missing a lot of the story. Here are some of the things that jumped out at me this week.
1. Job lost everything in a short span of time. Talk about a bad day! It happened one right after another..."while he was still speaking, another messenger arrived.." and they all were bringing devastating news. If even one of those things happened to me I would be in rough shape.
2. Job's first response was to praise God. Job 1:20-21 "Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground in worship. He said, I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" Job recognized that God not only gives blessings he also takes blessings away. This is something that the modern Christian really does not get anymore. We think that we need to be blessed all of the time. When things go wrong we question God and think that he has forgotten us. I know I do this all the time. I want to be in the place where Christ is the center of my life and nothing else will change that. No matter what way my emotions go or what happens around me I want to keep my eyes on him.
3. Job's response starts to change a little bit throughout the book. Apparently this suffering went on for months. I never realized that before... Job starts to say things like "I hate my life and don't want to go on living..." Job 7:16. Job starts to question God and why he is allowing these things to happen to him.
4. His friends say good things about God. As I read through their responses they are right in a lot of what they are saying about God. But as John Piper said in a message on Job that I was listening to the other day, knowledge used incorrectly is not useful. His friends knew a lot about God and believed he was sovereign but they were using this knowledge incorrectly in the case of Job. These things did not happen to Job because of sin.
5. At some point Job begins to change his response back to praise and declaring how great God is. Job 26 for example...
6. God speaks and Job covers his mouth in awe. Can you imagine the people today that would cover their mouths in awe at God if they heard him speak right now? So many people that speak against God in proud tones would be on the ground in a second if they heard the voice of God. Paul fell right off his horse when God spoke. Thousands of soldiers fell over backward when Jesus simply said "I am he". When I think of this and the power that God has I am amazed and in awe that this God calls me son! Who am I to complain when God is in control??
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
"diaster"
As a followup to yesterday's post I actually experienced some "diaster" today. The second big account I mentioned in yesterday's post decided at this point not to use us. I have spent the last 45 minutes on the phone with the company and on the phone with my bosses. We still think that at some point we will get business from them but it will be longer than I expected.
So...how do I deal with this imposter called "diaster" today? It really is not a diaster because I did not lose them and it really did not effect me at all. But I am extremely disappointed right now. The tendency is to just have a little pity party for myself and waste the day away. However, what I want to do is what I had planned to do today. I am spending today and tomorrow in my office calling through about 100 leads. Of course in those leads there will be some decent opportunity for my company.
It is so funny that when things are going well it is easy for us to forget about God and think that we are in control. God is in control of every event that occurs today including this disappointment. My steps are ordered by God and I need to walk In step with him.
So...how do I deal with this imposter called "diaster" today? It really is not a diaster because I did not lose them and it really did not effect me at all. But I am extremely disappointed right now. The tendency is to just have a little pity party for myself and waste the day away. However, what I want to do is what I had planned to do today. I am spending today and tomorrow in my office calling through about 100 leads. Of course in those leads there will be some decent opportunity for my company.
It is so funny that when things are going well it is easy for us to forget about God and think that we are in control. God is in control of every event that occurs today including this disappointment. My steps are ordered by God and I need to walk In step with him.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Triumph and disaster
On the wall in my office I have a poem by Rudyard Kipling framed for me to see each day. The poem is called "If". I won't quote the whole poem in this blog but one line has both preplexed me and inspired me over the last few years. "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.
My mom gave me a copy of this poem when I graduated from High school many years ago. I remember thinking that line did not make any sense to me. Why would I consider triumph an imposter? Over the last few years I have started to understand the wisdom of that statement. Even this week I have looked up at that poem to help me remember that line.
God has been so faithful to me and as I mentioned several weeks ago, he has continued to work in spite of my whinning. I recently brought in a pretty decent account that is going to bring in a lot of money to my office and of course increase my commission checks. I am also at the final step of bringing in a very big customer soon if all goes well. Most of the financial issues I had will be solved with these 2 accounts and I am just getting started bringing in business to this office.
So that brings me back to that line in the poem. Now that I have been through "diaster" and I am starting to taste some "triumph" again...how do I handle it? Can I stay in Constant Surrender or do I think that I have things under control now so I can go back to the way I have been doing things for so long? Can I say that triumph is an imposter now and continue to "...fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run"? (another line in the poem). Can I keep my arms raised and my body exposed for God to continue working on my life?
God is so faithful and so patient with me. I am thankful for a moment when I can sit back and be happy with my current situation again but I want to be mindful of the lessons I have learned and I want to stay on this path of Constant Surrender. I am hoping that those of you that are reading this can pray for me to do just that.
My mom gave me a copy of this poem when I graduated from High school many years ago. I remember thinking that line did not make any sense to me. Why would I consider triumph an imposter? Over the last few years I have started to understand the wisdom of that statement. Even this week I have looked up at that poem to help me remember that line.
God has been so faithful to me and as I mentioned several weeks ago, he has continued to work in spite of my whinning. I recently brought in a pretty decent account that is going to bring in a lot of money to my office and of course increase my commission checks. I am also at the final step of bringing in a very big customer soon if all goes well. Most of the financial issues I had will be solved with these 2 accounts and I am just getting started bringing in business to this office.
So that brings me back to that line in the poem. Now that I have been through "diaster" and I am starting to taste some "triumph" again...how do I handle it? Can I stay in Constant Surrender or do I think that I have things under control now so I can go back to the way I have been doing things for so long? Can I say that triumph is an imposter now and continue to "...fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run"? (another line in the poem). Can I keep my arms raised and my body exposed for God to continue working on my life?
God is so faithful and so patient with me. I am thankful for a moment when I can sit back and be happy with my current situation again but I want to be mindful of the lessons I have learned and I want to stay on this path of Constant Surrender. I am hoping that those of you that are reading this can pray for me to do just that.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Trials can change a man
I was reading about the life of Joseph today. One thing that really stuck out to me was how his response was a little different after his trials.
Joseph spent many years in prison for something he did not do however, I noticed that when Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret his dream his response was "It is beyond my power to do this, Joseph replied. But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease." (Gen. 41:16)
I sat and wondered what Joseph's response would have been several years earlier? Maybe a little more prideful? It seemed he had trouble with arrogance when he was younger. Even his dad told him that he should tone it down a little. I'm sure he did not mean for it to come across that way but it bothered his brothers enough that they wanted to kill him. I think it was clear that Joseph had some changing to go through for God to use him as mightily as he did. Joseph had to spend several years at the "back of the line" for God to shape him into the man that he wanted him to be. I wonder if Joseph sat there in that prison and wished that things were different. Maybe he thought back to what life was before and longed to go back to the comfortable life he had before? But God changed him enough that when Joseph had his chance to finally shine he directed it back to God and said that he could not do what Pharaoh asked. Only God could... A changed man, a man that God could use to save a nation from disaster.
I have been thinking a lot today that many times we are so focused on what we think will be the outcome of a trial that we really do not listen during the trial. I thought today that I need to realize that God is my All and All and I could spend the rest of my life in a dusty, smelly prison but it will never change the fact that God is in control and I will praise him with my life regardless of the outcome. I think Joseph felt that way too. That is probably why he was so faithful and confident in the God who had changed him.
Joseph spent many years in prison for something he did not do however, I noticed that when Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret his dream his response was "It is beyond my power to do this, Joseph replied. But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease." (Gen. 41:16)
I sat and wondered what Joseph's response would have been several years earlier? Maybe a little more prideful? It seemed he had trouble with arrogance when he was younger. Even his dad told him that he should tone it down a little. I'm sure he did not mean for it to come across that way but it bothered his brothers enough that they wanted to kill him. I think it was clear that Joseph had some changing to go through for God to use him as mightily as he did. Joseph had to spend several years at the "back of the line" for God to shape him into the man that he wanted him to be. I wonder if Joseph sat there in that prison and wished that things were different. Maybe he thought back to what life was before and longed to go back to the comfortable life he had before? But God changed him enough that when Joseph had his chance to finally shine he directed it back to God and said that he could not do what Pharaoh asked. Only God could... A changed man, a man that God could use to save a nation from disaster.
I have been thinking a lot today that many times we are so focused on what we think will be the outcome of a trial that we really do not listen during the trial. I thought today that I need to realize that God is my All and All and I could spend the rest of my life in a dusty, smelly prison but it will never change the fact that God is in control and I will praise him with my life regardless of the outcome. I think Joseph felt that way too. That is probably why he was so faithful and confident in the God who had changed him.
Monday, January 12, 2009
I must decrease so he can increase
I must decrease so he can increase............. That is hard for me...... It is not hard just because I want everyone to notice me and think I am great. Although I admit I have struggled with that. I am at a place where that is slowly dying. I have been through a lot this past year and have basically have had the rug pulled out from everything that I thought was so important about who I am...career wise, as a leader, financially, etc.
I am just starting to understand the new name of my blog...constant surrender... When someone surrenders they have their hands up and open. In this position you cannot hold on to anything and you are very exposed. When I am in constant surrender to God I cannot hold onto anything on my own. I have nothing to give except myself...everything exposed...
But I have to admit that is hard to do. I am surrendered, I am decreasing, everything I thought was so important is now just rags. Where is the glory in this? It seems like everyday I feel the exposure and I am not always sure how to handle it. I want to put my arms down to defend myself and what I think is important.
I must decrease so he can increase. I must decrease so he can increase... what does that really mean to me? I must truly lay everything, everything! down. I must give up everything for the sake of Christ. I must be like the man who sold everything he had to buy the pearl of great price. I have said those words so many times in the last 15 years or so. Have I really meant it? I mean it now... And I am realizing that it is a very hard thing to do.
But the joy of knowing Christ is far, far more valuable than ANYTHING on earth. Yesterday I was playing on the worship team at church and was getting choked up when I was singing "Made to Worship". "...you and I are made to worship, you and I are called to love, you and I are forgiven and free. When you and I embrace surrender, You and I choose to believe, You and I will see how we were meant to be."
When I surrender I give up all rights to running my life...I give up control...I give up thinking that I know what is best for me. But I give it up to the creator of all I see. The glorious, awesome, powerful God who holds the universe in his hands. This God wants me to give up the rags that I have clung to for so long and become what he wants me to be. This awesome, amazing God who brought me out of death into his glorious life wants me to give him all I have...is that worth it to me? I think so.....
I am just starting to understand the new name of my blog...constant surrender... When someone surrenders they have their hands up and open. In this position you cannot hold on to anything and you are very exposed. When I am in constant surrender to God I cannot hold onto anything on my own. I have nothing to give except myself...everything exposed...
But I have to admit that is hard to do. I am surrendered, I am decreasing, everything I thought was so important is now just rags. Where is the glory in this? It seems like everyday I feel the exposure and I am not always sure how to handle it. I want to put my arms down to defend myself and what I think is important.
I must decrease so he can increase. I must decrease so he can increase... what does that really mean to me? I must truly lay everything, everything! down. I must give up everything for the sake of Christ. I must be like the man who sold everything he had to buy the pearl of great price. I have said those words so many times in the last 15 years or so. Have I really meant it? I mean it now... And I am realizing that it is a very hard thing to do.
But the joy of knowing Christ is far, far more valuable than ANYTHING on earth. Yesterday I was playing on the worship team at church and was getting choked up when I was singing "Made to Worship". "...you and I are made to worship, you and I are called to love, you and I are forgiven and free. When you and I embrace surrender, You and I choose to believe, You and I will see how we were meant to be."
When I surrender I give up all rights to running my life...I give up control...I give up thinking that I know what is best for me. But I give it up to the creator of all I see. The glorious, awesome, powerful God who holds the universe in his hands. This God wants me to give up the rags that I have clung to for so long and become what he wants me to be. This awesome, amazing God who brought me out of death into his glorious life wants me to give him all I have...is that worth it to me? I think so.....
Thursday, January 8, 2009
God's promises
I have started to read through the Bible this year using the Chronological Bible. I have been reading about the life of Abraham and for the first time things about his life are really jumping out at me. I mentioned the other day about God's promise to Abram (as he was named back then) and how he questioned God. Today I was reading Gen 25 and read a sentence that I must have passed over many times in my Bible reading life. Here it is... "Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah." Yeah...so what?
Here is what jumped out at me this morning. In Gen 17:17 Abram said "...will a son be born to a man a 100 years old?" Many, many years later after Sarah died Abraham, being well over a 100 years old, takes a wife and GOD blesses him with SIX children! I actually stopped and read that again, pulled out a pen and questioned in my Bible..how old was Abraham?
Is anything impossible for God? Abram back in his young age of 100 did not think God could fulfill his promise because he was too old. Well God sure proved him wrong! Why do I think that I know the formula for God's plan and will? I think I need to see all of the steps to make sure that they make sense according to my calculations. God, how could you use me now that I am in my 30's with 2 kids and a mortgage? It would have been so much easier when I was in college and carefree! How do I know what God intends to do with my life when it is totally surrendered to him!
I was thinking today when I was taking my dog for a walk (at least the dog is good for something!! :) ) I will probably never know every step of God's will for my life. In fact, all I really know is that I have this moment. When I am surrendered to God that means I don't stand up and say "ok, I think I figured your will out..thanks God talk at ya later!". It means I stay in constant surrender to him and not try to jump ahead to figure things out. This is what I want to do in 2009. Learn to stay in constant surrender to God. That sure does not sound very comfortable but I think I have learned that a comfortable life is not what God intended. If that was the case then I think Jesus would have been riding in a limo wearing $1000 sandals when he went around and preached.
Here is what jumped out at me this morning. In Gen 17:17 Abram said "...will a son be born to a man a 100 years old?" Many, many years later after Sarah died Abraham, being well over a 100 years old, takes a wife and GOD blesses him with SIX children! I actually stopped and read that again, pulled out a pen and questioned in my Bible..how old was Abraham?
Is anything impossible for God? Abram back in his young age of 100 did not think God could fulfill his promise because he was too old. Well God sure proved him wrong! Why do I think that I know the formula for God's plan and will? I think I need to see all of the steps to make sure that they make sense according to my calculations. God, how could you use me now that I am in my 30's with 2 kids and a mortgage? It would have been so much easier when I was in college and carefree! How do I know what God intends to do with my life when it is totally surrendered to him!
I was thinking today when I was taking my dog for a walk (at least the dog is good for something!! :) ) I will probably never know every step of God's will for my life. In fact, all I really know is that I have this moment. When I am surrendered to God that means I don't stand up and say "ok, I think I figured your will out..thanks God talk at ya later!". It means I stay in constant surrender to him and not try to jump ahead to figure things out. This is what I want to do in 2009. Learn to stay in constant surrender to God. That sure does not sound very comfortable but I think I have learned that a comfortable life is not what God intended. If that was the case then I think Jesus would have been riding in a limo wearing $1000 sandals when he went around and preached.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Crazy love and 2009
It has been awhile since I put any thoughts down. I have so much I want to ramble on about but I have limited time. So here is a quick version of what I have been thinking about...
First of all I was reading the Bible this morning and came across these verses in Gen 15:1-3 "After this the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. ' But Abram said 'O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?' And Abram said, 'You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir'"
As I was reading this with groggy eyes this morning I stopped after verse 1 and thought 'wow, God's promises are great". Then I read the next few verses and realized that Abram did not feel that way since he did not have a son. As I was walking my dog later I started to think about that. I am the same way... God has given me so many blessings, so many promises and all I can do is complain.
God gave Abram a promise and all Abram could do is look around and say "how are you going to do this God. I don't have a son..." Do I respond the same way?? I want God to give me a roadmap, show me the website that has all of the steps to your plan for my life. I want to see every step of your plan before I trust you God. Do I look around and question God about his plan because it does not make sense to me? Can I just cling to verse one of this chapter and believe that God is faithful? I don't have all of the answers, in fact I doubt I have any answers right now about God's will for my life. But I want to learn how to (as Pastor Jeff mentioned the other day) breath in and out the presence of God. I just want to be consumed with him so that I understand that every step is ordered by God.
Second thing I wanted to mention is that I finished the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. This book describes a life of total surrender and worship of a God who is worthy of all praise. This book made me think about a lot of different things. I realized that I was so caught up in trying to run my life. It was clear to me that a life that is not lived for God is very much a life lived in vain.
One of the things he mentioned a lot in the book is about joy in giving. I was amazed to read that his church gives 50% of their tithes to other ministries, missions, etc. They decided to scale down a building project so they would have more to give. What an amazing way to live your life. I have worked so long with people that made a lot of money and all they did was build big houses, drive expensive cars, spend, spend, spend. And these people are some of the most miserable people you will ever meet. I don't want to live a life of making money, buying a lot of nice stuff for myself and then dying. I want to live a life of total surrender to God. I want each day to be a day lived for him. It struck me again during the holiday season that Jesus did not live a life of luxury. But each day he was surrendered to the Father's will. And what an exciting life he lived!
That is the exciting life I want to live. Probably won't make me rich, probably won't be comfortable, probably won't make sense most of the time but if I am consumed by God then I will cling to his promises and enjoy the ride!!!!!!
First of all I was reading the Bible this morning and came across these verses in Gen 15:1-3 "After this the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. ' But Abram said 'O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?' And Abram said, 'You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir'"
As I was reading this with groggy eyes this morning I stopped after verse 1 and thought 'wow, God's promises are great". Then I read the next few verses and realized that Abram did not feel that way since he did not have a son. As I was walking my dog later I started to think about that. I am the same way... God has given me so many blessings, so many promises and all I can do is complain.
God gave Abram a promise and all Abram could do is look around and say "how are you going to do this God. I don't have a son..." Do I respond the same way?? I want God to give me a roadmap, show me the website that has all of the steps to your plan for my life. I want to see every step of your plan before I trust you God. Do I look around and question God about his plan because it does not make sense to me? Can I just cling to verse one of this chapter and believe that God is faithful? I don't have all of the answers, in fact I doubt I have any answers right now about God's will for my life. But I want to learn how to (as Pastor Jeff mentioned the other day) breath in and out the presence of God. I just want to be consumed with him so that I understand that every step is ordered by God.
Second thing I wanted to mention is that I finished the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. This book describes a life of total surrender and worship of a God who is worthy of all praise. This book made me think about a lot of different things. I realized that I was so caught up in trying to run my life. It was clear to me that a life that is not lived for God is very much a life lived in vain.
One of the things he mentioned a lot in the book is about joy in giving. I was amazed to read that his church gives 50% of their tithes to other ministries, missions, etc. They decided to scale down a building project so they would have more to give. What an amazing way to live your life. I have worked so long with people that made a lot of money and all they did was build big houses, drive expensive cars, spend, spend, spend. And these people are some of the most miserable people you will ever meet. I don't want to live a life of making money, buying a lot of nice stuff for myself and then dying. I want to live a life of total surrender to God. I want each day to be a day lived for him. It struck me again during the holiday season that Jesus did not live a life of luxury. But each day he was surrendered to the Father's will. And what an exciting life he lived!
That is the exciting life I want to live. Probably won't make me rich, probably won't be comfortable, probably won't make sense most of the time but if I am consumed by God then I will cling to his promises and enjoy the ride!!!!!!
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