Tag Archives: faith

My Prayer for Parents

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1 Chronicles 22

Here is a father’s heart.

In David’s charge to Solomon we see a man devoted to the work of the Lord. Yes, he would not build the temple, would not realize his longing to do something amazing for God. So instead, he poured out his heart to his son and challenged him to carry on.

“I’ve provided what you need, son. Now go do something amazing for the Lord. You will succeed if you carefully follow God’s law. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” (from 22:13)

Parents, do you recognize your own heart’s desire here? Are you devoted to the work of the Lord? Do your children see your passion for the Truth, for the Gospel to reach lost souls? Do they see you actively taking part in the Great Commission? And are you equipping your children to carry on when you are gone? Can you honestly say you are giving them a firm foundation on which to build their lives and ministry?

I think it’s a bit like teaching your child to ride a bike. Do you remember what that was like? You probably provided them with training wheels at first and let them get used to maneuvering the bike with the help of four wheels instead of two. Did you talk to them about balance and show them how to move the handle bars to control the direction of the wheel?

Then the time came for removing the training wheels. Did you grab the seat and run along side the wobbly bike for a distance until you felt your child was balancing the bike on their own? What was it like to finally let go and watch that precious one take off? “Don’t be afraid,” you might have said. “I’ve given you everything you need to be successful. Be strong and courageous.”

Parents, spend time with your children. Read the Bible with them. Talk about what you are reading. Answer their questions. Show them what serving God looks like. Go to church with them and teach them reverence for God’s house. Because one day that child will get on that bike and ride away. He or she will walk out your door and head toward a life you can’t control.

My prayer is on that day, you’ll be able to say, “I’ve given you what you need. Now go do something amazing for the Lord. You will succeed if you carefully obey God. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.”

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

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1 Chronicles 12-15

What is the difference between worship God accepts, and worship God rejects?

Obedience.

It has nothing to do with the music or whether or not hands are raised and people are singing with smiles on their faces. Read about these two examples of identical expressions of worship. (13:8; 15:28)

Worship leaders, stop emphasizing the outward expressions of worship. Stop going for the emotion. Stop worrying about “Bubba” and worry more about whether or not God is accepting our worship. So many of you seem to try so hard to get people engaged. The question you should be asking is, “Is God engaged?”

I’ll tell you right now, He isn’t engaged with expressions of worship coming from unrepentant hearts. That kind of worship makes him sick. That kind of worship makes him angry. That kind of worship ends in death.

Just this morning I heard Josh Howerton, a young paster I respect, defend popular Christian singer, Brandon Lake who is being criticized for saying that when our worship services begin with “Holy, Holy, Holy,” Bubba can’t worship because he doesn’t understand what the song is saying. I guess these men believe we should dumb down our worship so the regular people are satisfied.

My question is: are we worshiping people or God, because I’m pretty sure God understands “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

Worship leaders, please spend more time preparing hearts to worship God. Talk about the importance of presenting clean hearts to the Lord before we sing a note. Talk about the danger of offering worship God can’t accept. (Think about Nadab and Abihu who tried to offer unauthorized fire to the Lord).The people sitting there in that room need to understand that offering worship God can’t accept not only makes God sick, it angers Him, and ends in death. Yes, dear worship leaders, you might be leading someone in that direction.

Worry less about the outward expression of worship and more about the holiness of the people who are there to worship. Worry less about generating an emotion and more about the Holy God to whom we offer our worship. Because God doesn’t accept counterfeit worship, no matter how good it looks or makes us feel.

All that glitters is not gold.

Given

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1 Chronicles 6

When it says these towns and pasturelands were “given” to the Levites, I wonder what that looked like. Were the residence of the towns agreeable? Did they have to give up their homes to make room for the new residents? Surely there were shepherds already using that pastureland. I wonder what they thought.

And who did the “giving” anyway? Was it decided in a boardroom? The US is rearranging voting districts in some states. Lots of red tape. Lots of debate. Lots of anger. I know God was in the assignment of land as we read in Chronicles. But there were people involved, too. I wonder what that looked like.

And… what would God say to us through the oft repeated genealogy and geography lesson?

First, I am reminded that the “giving” was not earned. The very fact the Jews were living in the Promised Land is a picture of God’s grace. God had the authority to give and take, assign and reassign according to His will for His children. Not because they deserved it. But because He is who He is.

Secondly, it reminds me that God has a place in His kingdom for all of us who are His through the blood of Jesus. None of us deserve what is given us. Yet because our gracious God has showered us with blessings, we are free to serve Him.

These chapters might be tedious reading, but it’s also beautiful! It shows us that God is intimately, personally involved in each of our lives. He knows us by name, and He has given us real estate in His kingdom. You are where you are today by the grace of God, and this little mission field you have has been given to you for a reason.

I’m thanking God for grace today. I’m thanking Him for allowing me to live in this part of His beautiful creation. And I’m thanking Him that not only does He know my name, but He is with me to use me right here for His glory.

What God has “given” me, I give back to Him to be used as He desires. May He be glorified today.

God Forgives

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1 Kings 8-9; Psalm 86:5

Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Temple spoke to me today. He must have looked out at the crowd of eager worshipers and realized their excitement at the moment wouldn’t last. When life happened, they would sin, and God would punish them for their sin.

Solomon prayed that when God allowed war, or famine, or captivity, or drought, or pestilence, mildew, and locusts, and when His people repented of their sin, God would hear and forgive. We will sin, Solomon admitted. But “when (we) return to you with all (our) hearts and all (our) soul…” please forgive us. (8:48)

Several weeks ago I was challenged to ask God to help me memorize a Bible verse a week. I’m old. So I will admit I was skeptical. But God is answering that prayer. I’m on week 9! Nine verses I have hidden in my heart, some of which I remembered from my youth, and some that I’ve never memorized before. I love how God continues to use these verses throughout the week. Like today.

Listen to the verse I started memorizing just yesterday, as it applies to Solomon’s prayer I read today.

For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to all who call on you. Psalm 86:5

Solomon knew the people would sin. But he also had faith that when they sinned, they would eventually repent. And he had faith that God would hear their prayers, and forgive. I think he knew what the psalmist knew: God is kind and ready to forgive!

He is kind and ready to forgive you, too. If you know the Old Testament history of the relationship between God and the Jews, you know the cycle. You know that time after time they would sin, He would punish, they would repent, and He would forgive. Time after time.

Been there. Done that.

I am so thankful how God uses His Word to amplify His Word. What was true for Solomon, was true for the psalmist, and is true for you and me.

God forgives. He is ready and eager to forgive when we go to Him with all our heart and all our soul. And he is abounding in faithful love toward all of us who call on His Name!

Hallelujah!

Where Do You Go?

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1 Samuel 25-28

It always bothers me when I read about David who, without going to God first, thought it was a good idea to hide out in enemy territory to get away from Saul. David spent the next 16 months murdering and looting and lying about it.

Sure, Saul didn’t dare go into Philistine territory to get him, But where was David’s heart during that time? He thought he was safe from his enemy, but he willingly gave himself over to the enemy of his soul.

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes remaining separate from the world seems like fighting a losing battle. We’ve all been there. The question is, what is in your heart during those times?

Fear? God tells His children to “Fear not.”
Turmoil? Jesus says, “Peace I give you.”
Feeling like no one cares? Jesus says, “Come to Me and I’ll give you rest.”
Wavering faith? Jesus says if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, that mountain will move.
Unloved? God shows His love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

So many times we run to the enemy of our souls. We pull out the self-help books, we go into secular therapy, we attach ourselves to social media influencers who tell us what we want to hear. We, like David, try to find shelter anywhere but with God.

Didn’t go well for David. It doesn’t go well for us, either.

So my question is, do you feel the enemy of your souls at your heels? Are you tired of the struggle, and done with feeling alone and afraid? Where will you go?

Don’t do a David. Go to God. Open the Scriptures and do some digging, asking God to reveal Himself and His desires for your life during this time.

Humble yourself. And He will lift you up.

I Had A Reason

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1 Samuel 15-17

Who hasn’t tried to rationalize sin? We disobey God, but only because we had a good reason. Saul’s instructions from God were to destroy the Amalekites, all the people and all the livestock. Completely destroy.

So when the battle was over, Saul proudly announced to Samuel – “Mission accomplished!”

“So why am I hearing the sound of sheep, goats, and cattle?” Samuel asked.

“Oh that. The troops wanted to make a sacrifice to your God so we brought the best of the best back for your God.”

I love Samuel’s reply: STOP!!!

Just stop with your rationalizing what is purely disobedience. Samuel goes on and gives Saul a lesson in obedience. To his credit, Saul responded by saying, “I have sinned. I have disobeyed God.”

Saul should have left it with that. He didn’t. He went on by saying, “But I was afraid of the people so I obeyed them.”

I can just hear God saying, “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were afraid of the people so you needed to do what they said. No worries, bud. We’ll let it slide this time since you had such a good reason to defy Me.”

Not gonna happen.

I’ve known people who have done the same. They don’t want to offend their children so they go along with their sin for fear of “losing” them. I’ve even known some who say God gave them permission to do so.

There are people who compromise at work so as not to lose their jobs. You gotta do what you gotta do to survive.

Why do people lie? Because they are more afraid of what others will think about them than about what God says about telling the truth.

Today as I point my finger at others I remember times when I’ve rationalized sin in my own life. I have even convinced myself God was ok with it. I can rationalize my sin with the best of them.

Friend, God is never ok with that. Our only response to sin that God is ok with is repentance.

Saul didn’t acknowledge God as his God. He considered Him as Samuel’s God. Maybe that’s his excuse. But if you call yourself a Christian, you have no excuse to rationalize sin in your life.

None.

Don’t Stop

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1 Samuel 4-8

Sometimes when I read God’s Words a verse or phrase will stand out to me. When that happens I am cautioned to not make is say something it does not. So I stop and consider what the Bible says about the subject in other places. God will not “say” something that contradicts the entirety of His Word.

Today, the phrase that stood out to me was from something the Israelites said to Samuel when the Philistines had gathered for war against them. The terrified Jews went to Samuel and said, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us.” (7:8)

The context is God’s people – believers – were facing the enemy. They recognized their dependence on Yahweh and wanted Samuel to be their mediator. The context is about a physical war between people. I get that.

But when I read those words this morning, I thought of the members of my family who have rejected God, deconstructed their faith, fashioned gods of their liking and serve the god of self. And I hear God say… “Don’t stop praying for them.”

I will admit the situation seems pretty hopeless.. Each one of these loved ones has a strong personality, most are successful, confident people. But they are heading straight to hell, and some of them are taking their children with them.

Even the Philistines recognized the power of Yahweh. They asked, “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?”

No one.

Not without the blood of Jesus.

In a sense, I hear their God-created souls crying out to me, “Don’t stop praying for us.” They might deny it, but their longing for peace and love and acceptance and hope comes from the God who loves them and gave Himself for them, God who doesn’t want any one of them to perish, but that all of them have eternal life, the gift of God through Jesus.

I can’t stop now. I won’t stop crying out to the Lord my God until all of them give their hearts to Jesus, and accept His work on the cross for themselves God says nothing is impossible for Him. I’m counting on that. Because, like I said it seems pretty hopeless for some of them.

I don’t think I’m off base making the connection between my unsaved loved ones and the cry of the Israelites here in 1 Samuel. If the context is different, the heart of the matter is the same. The heart of the matter is prayer. And I can’t stop praying.

Crossroads

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Ruth

In the Tozer devotional I read this morning, March 26, he talked about being separate from the world, quoting 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.”

Tozer points out this is probably the least favorite command of many people. They want comfort, blessing, and peace. But they reject the “radical, revolutionary break with the world.” I see this in Ruth and Orpah.

The women were at a crossroad, facing the biggest decision of their lives. On one hand was the familiar. Home. Friends and family. It was a comfortable, blessed, and peaceful existence, predictable and safe.

On the other hand was the unknown, every step would take them further from the comfortable, blessed and peaceful familiar life, and closer to something completely new and different. They would have to walk by faith, not by sight.

One path would lead them to the gods they could see and touch. The other path led to the unseeable God they only knew through Naomi. We know Orpah turned her back on Naomi and walked away from Naomi’s God, toward the world she knew. Ruth turned her back on that world and followed Naomi and Naomi’s God toward the unknown.

Ruth started her faith journey. And it separated her from her world. She “came out from among them.” Have you?

Or have you pitched your tent at the crossroad? You’re not ready to totally commit to that faith journey, not totally ready to let go of the familiar. You know you should, but…

Let me suggest you can’t follow God standing at the crossroad. To truly follow Jesus you have to turn your back, walk away, come out and be separate. You have to deny yourself, die to self, submit to a God you cannot see, but a God who promises to walk with you every step of the way. It’s scary. It’s not always comfortable. And sometimes it’s hard to let go.

But letting go is the only way you can be a Jesus-follower. It is impossible to walk toward the east and west at the same time. It’s impossible to follow God and the world. And standing at the crossroad isn’t following Jesus.

I hope you read Ruth’s story today. Then I pray that you will take the steps needed to separate yourself from the world, and toward a glorious relationship with your Savior. The world offers nothing that compares to what God gives. Sure, it’s a walk of faith. But once you’ve traveled that road, you won’t ever want to go back.

But I…

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Judges 6-7

Sometimes life gets overwhelming. We may face loss, illness, unfair circumstances, opposition, rejection, danger – you name it. Life can be really, really hard.

Maybe you, like Gideon, want to hide in the winepress, tucked away from the world. But then you hear, like Gideon heard, the voice of God telling you to get out there and fight.

You reply, “But I can’t. I don’t have it in me. I’m too weak. What you’re asking is too hard.” If that’s the case, my friend, I want you to stop and listen to what God told Gideon…

“But I will be with you.”

When you are down for the count and feel like you are drowning in a raging sea, you will never hear God tell you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. He won’t cheer you on by saying, “You can do it. Try harder.” You don’t have to convince yourself how strong you are, or beat yourself up because you think you should be stronger.

I know it’s a paradox, but Christianity is full of them. The truth is, we win our battles when we surrender our wills to the Lord’s. God knows are weakness. But Paul testified what? When we are weak, GOD IS STRONG.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” …I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. In the case of Gideon, he asked God, “why” bad things were happening. God didn’t answer the “why,” he told Gideon to go with the strength he had at the moment, and fight. Do you know how much strength old Gideon must have had hiding there in the winepress? I would guess next to none. So God said, “You might be weak son. BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU.”

YOU might be weak. But God is not.

We all know it took a bit more convincing before Gideon took that first step into battle. (read about the whole meat and fleece thing in these chapters. Isn’t our God patient with us?). But Gideon eventually did take the first step, and God gave him victory over his enemies.

I don’t know what you are going through, how beaten down you feel, how weak you are right now. But my prayer is that when you hear God say, “Go,” and you convince you can’t, you will remember He said, “But I will go with you.”

Surrender, dear one. Trust God with your battles. Stop telling Him what He ought to do, and let Him show You what He can do. I’m praying for you.

A Deafening Silence

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Joshua 24

When Joshua addressed the Israelites for the last time he said, “get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (vs 23)

He had been reminding them of God’s history with their ancestors, how blessed they were with God protecting them and providing for them and fighting for them. He warned them that if they abandoned the Lord by worshiping foreign gods, God would turn against them and, although He had been very good to them in the past, He would destroy them as He’d destroyed their enemies.

Then Joshua said they should worship God only, so they needed to get rid of any lingering idol they might be holding onto. Get. Rid. Of. Them.

Here is Israel’s sad reply: “We will worship the Lord our God, and obey HIm.” (vs 24)

Did you catch the silence? What is missing in their vow?

Repentance.

Getting rid of their idols would mean an acknowledgment that those idols were sin in their homes. It seems they weren’t ready to turn from their sin. They were only agreeable to turning toward God. Is that even possible?

No! Regardless of what Satan would have you believe. You simply cannot serve two masters. God will not share your devotion with anyone or anything. Not a family member. Not a job. Not yourself.

Too may Christians think they can worship God on Sunday, and live for themselves, or blend in with the world the rest of the week. They would call themselves Christians, but a true Christian cannot ride that fence.

“I’m a Christian, but I cuss.”

“I’m a Christian but I affirm gender choice, or abortion, or all religions.”

Or, and here is what I see in Joshua 24, “I’m a Christian but I will stay silent about sin.”

Our tolerance of sin, our dabbling in sin, our silence in regard to sin and its consequences speaks volumes. It’s a deafening silence. And what it is shouting is the admission, “My Christianity is a lie.”

Dear One, you can’t follow Jesus AND follow the world. You can’t die to yourself AND live for yourself. You can’t be separate from the world AND blend in. The scary truth is: you can’t be for Christ AND against HIm.

I say scary because many of us have tried to blur the lines. I don’t now how much clearer God can be than what He has written in Scripture. You are either all in, or you’re not in at all.

I pray that each of us will search our hearts for lingering idols, sins we consider secret or tiny, harmless sins. I pray that we will guard against the temptation to think God somehow is ok with that sin in your life even though He’s clearly against it in others. I pray that we will recognize the inclination we have of putting ourselves on the throne, then telling God that He should just be happy we’ve included Him at all.

I pray that each of us will consider what our silence is saying. Because, friend, it can be a deafening silence that is revealing loudly and strongly, where your heart truly is. People are listening to your silence. God is certainly listening to your silence. And He knows exactly what you are saying.