When I was little my mom read me this book called Are you there God? It was a story about a kid who searches for God, everywhere he goes. After he goes through several different places he discovers You are Here God, you are everywhere!
Yesterday evening our house was a little chaotic and I decided to get out and have some quiet time at the local train watching platform. It’s a great place to stop and have a picnic, park, watch the sun rise or in my case set and watch trains. Now to me the trains are not that exciting but to others, people from all over the world come to see our trains. I’ve lived here my entire life so trains are just a part of my day. We have both north and south tracks and are one of the busiest train tracks in the south.
I backed up into a parking space, opened the sun roof, and just sat back listening to local instrumental station. Slowly the worries of the day began to fade away as I just began to press into God. There is so much oppression all around it seems to be worldwide and taking over but here I found myself just seeking refuge in the presence of God.
I watched the sun begin to fall behind the clouds and the light framed around them just as God was filling me with His light. It was perfecting timing as I was seeking a fresh word.
I felt Him say, people are wondering if I am here, and I said Lord you are here, you are right here with me. And I quickly remembered that childhood book. How can we show others you are here when all circumstances around us seem hopeless?
I believe He has a word for you today. He hears you, everything your heart is crying out for and he is listening. Although your situation may not be changing yet, he knows you and is holding you in the palm of His hand.
There are billions of people in the universe and millions crying out to God and yet He hears each one of His children. Just as He heard my cry last night, He answered it. And I want you to know He does answer specifically and directly. He is not a genie up in the sky waving a wand. When I asked Him to speak a word, I opened my Bible and my eyes fell on 2 Chronicles 34:27 and it says Because Your heart was tender and penitent and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants and humbled yourself before me and rent your clothes and wept before me, I have heard you, says the Lord.
It’s not luck or coincidence that I came to that verse it’s the power of the Holy Spirit revealing the truth that God is here and He is listening. The passage is actually a word for Josiah. He was only eight years old when he became king and he ruled for 41 years in Jerusalem. He was a good king, he was faithful to God and he tore down the alters that others before him had raised to baal. He was serious about reverencing the Lord. God honored his request even when all the land around him seemed to be corrupt and failing.
I think about our nation, the failing economy and many other nations that are far worse than what we could imagine and it’s just overwhelming. I feel as though I can’t do much but my heart cries out there is hope, I know Him!
I am just a small little dot among millions crying out, but He heard me and He answered. There are brothers and sisters globally ready to rise up and take their place in God’s plan.
Are you one who is crying out? He cares enough to send you a message today. You have been heard, it may look hopeless but don’t give up, stay fixed on Him and will heal you and your land.
You see we have to fight to stay in this place of rest and trust in Him. We will not always have the answers but know He does. He sees a much bigger picture than we do.
Psalms 91:1 says He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the almighty whose power no foe can withstand.
To dwell there means we need to stay there, keep in communication with Him, everywhere we are. Just like that book remember he is not conformed to stay in a church, an alter, a room, a closet, a tree, or the train watching platform in my case.
Here is here, right now in this place. If He is Lord of your life, He hears you now, your every cry. He is listening and answering you now.
Be encouraged today, we are fixed under the shadow of the almighty daddy whose power No one can overtake!
Amen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OS0HDhnuuA
Hillsong London "You Are Here"
(For those of you who tuned in this morning on Blog Talk radio, their server was down and we were unable to broadcast this episode, but hope to at a later time.)
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Good Grief
This morning I spoke on the topic of grief and referenced John 11. I asked is there such a thing as good grief? I really did not get to go into detail and felt like I left a few holes and I wanted to clarify some things. If you missed the show, this blog probably will not make sense to you. Take a listen first http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dreamingbig/2011/07/15/good-grief
Sometimes we feel that when something bad happens to us it is punishment from God. Having the favor of God does not mean that your life will be without troubles, pain or grief. We can read the book of Job and see that his trials were not because of something he did wrong but were for the glory of God.
Now that will not make sense to some people. Why would pain and suffering bring glory to God? Jesus suffered and died on the cross to bring glory to God, did He not?
All people who Jesus loves dearly do experience some form of grief whether it be from terminal sickness, temporary pain and sickness, job loss, significant life changes, or loss of loved ones. His main purpose was to save us from our sins. If we are believers, our main purpose is to live to glorify Him. Even in tough times God can use our situations to bring others to know Him and the power of Him dying on the cross and being raised from the dead.
Think about how much Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Why did He delay on getting there before Lazarus died? God had a plan even though to them it was very delayed.
Even in this we may say, well good for them, they got back their loved one, I'm still left without mine or all those healing stories are great but I'm still dying or I'm still suffering.
Life is a vapor, some have more days than others. Just as we take off our clothes and go to sleep, in the same way we will one day take off the body and die. All of our days are numbered and only God knows the appointed time.
I've lost three young cousins close together. Sometimes it's hard to understand why God would take a young person with so much life ahead. I can also see where God is glorified. It's times like these where we might actually take the time to think about how short life really is, how valuable the time we have here is and the relationships we have with family and friends. Some of us carry on with our life like an endless bank account wasting away our days on things that do not matter. I'll leave it up to you and God to figure out what does not matter. What would happen if you turned over everything you have and all that you are to God? Would the way you spend your time and money change? Would the way you view people and issues of life change? I think so.
Romans 8 tells us nothing, not even death can separate us from the love of Christ or keep us from the calling He has placed on our lives. In John 11:16 what Thomas meant by "Let us also go so that we may die with Him" is this. He was encouraging the other disciples. For us the dying of Jesus Christ should make us willing to die to ourselves whenever God calls us. We should be encouragers to fellow believers.
Well what about when we have faith and God does not answer? It's natural for us to doubt, but remember where doubt comes from. Doubt and confusion are never from God. In verse 38 Martha was worried about them opening the tomb of her brother and the odor of death. And Jesus responds to her, did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? You see we are worried about the little things when all the while God is seeing the big picture.
Our minds can't comprehend the things He has planned for us. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. You see the wisdom of man cannot understand the wisdom of God.
Only God holds the power and is in control. Even when He does not come through as we expect Him to we keep on believing and He will be faithful. Don't become a bitter person because life has not turned out the way you planned it or expected it or because you feel God has not answered in the way you wanted Him to answer.
God never changes, His power is always ready and available. As His children we are vessels of that power. In His time that power is released. But in order for it to be released we must believe and have faith and do not doubt!
Grief is a natural part of life. It is a good thing to realize how powerless we really are without Jesus Christ. It is a good thing we don't know everything but God does. Even more comforting to know that one day we will be in place where there are no tears, pain or sickness. Our time of grief can be of glory to God, which in turn is Good Grief.
Sometimes we feel that when something bad happens to us it is punishment from God. Having the favor of God does not mean that your life will be without troubles, pain or grief. We can read the book of Job and see that his trials were not because of something he did wrong but were for the glory of God.
Now that will not make sense to some people. Why would pain and suffering bring glory to God? Jesus suffered and died on the cross to bring glory to God, did He not?
All people who Jesus loves dearly do experience some form of grief whether it be from terminal sickness, temporary pain and sickness, job loss, significant life changes, or loss of loved ones. His main purpose was to save us from our sins. If we are believers, our main purpose is to live to glorify Him. Even in tough times God can use our situations to bring others to know Him and the power of Him dying on the cross and being raised from the dead.
Think about how much Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Why did He delay on getting there before Lazarus died? God had a plan even though to them it was very delayed.
Even in this we may say, well good for them, they got back their loved one, I'm still left without mine or all those healing stories are great but I'm still dying or I'm still suffering.
Life is a vapor, some have more days than others. Just as we take off our clothes and go to sleep, in the same way we will one day take off the body and die. All of our days are numbered and only God knows the appointed time.
I've lost three young cousins close together. Sometimes it's hard to understand why God would take a young person with so much life ahead. I can also see where God is glorified. It's times like these where we might actually take the time to think about how short life really is, how valuable the time we have here is and the relationships we have with family and friends. Some of us carry on with our life like an endless bank account wasting away our days on things that do not matter. I'll leave it up to you and God to figure out what does not matter. What would happen if you turned over everything you have and all that you are to God? Would the way you spend your time and money change? Would the way you view people and issues of life change? I think so.
Romans 8 tells us nothing, not even death can separate us from the love of Christ or keep us from the calling He has placed on our lives. In John 11:16 what Thomas meant by "Let us also go so that we may die with Him" is this. He was encouraging the other disciples. For us the dying of Jesus Christ should make us willing to die to ourselves whenever God calls us. We should be encouragers to fellow believers.
Well what about when we have faith and God does not answer? It's natural for us to doubt, but remember where doubt comes from. Doubt and confusion are never from God. In verse 38 Martha was worried about them opening the tomb of her brother and the odor of death. And Jesus responds to her, did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? You see we are worried about the little things when all the while God is seeing the big picture.
Our minds can't comprehend the things He has planned for us. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. You see the wisdom of man cannot understand the wisdom of God.
Only God holds the power and is in control. Even when He does not come through as we expect Him to we keep on believing and He will be faithful. Don't become a bitter person because life has not turned out the way you planned it or expected it or because you feel God has not answered in the way you wanted Him to answer.
God never changes, His power is always ready and available. As His children we are vessels of that power. In His time that power is released. But in order for it to be released we must believe and have faith and do not doubt!
Grief is a natural part of life. It is a good thing to realize how powerless we really are without Jesus Christ. It is a good thing we don't know everything but God does. Even more comforting to know that one day we will be in place where there are no tears, pain or sickness. Our time of grief can be of glory to God, which in turn is Good Grief.
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