sending & going

Acts 16:6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.

Sometimes, God really does tell us to not go to, or do, or be perfectly good things.

Asia & Bithynia were perfectly good places for Paul & Silas to go preach the Gospel.

But that's not what God had in mind. And they didn't dare go against what He had told them to do. Why? The favor of God would probably evaporate. They needed all the favor they could get. (Read the rest of the chapter to find out about favor.)

Sometimes it seems God is moving us away from perfectly good things - things we are, things we do, places we are, places we could go to.

We have to trust Him when He says be this, go here, do this. It may not seem to make sense, but it makes sense to Him. He sees the BIG picture.

We often have a hard time just seeing, let alone the BIG picture.

This isn't something I'm postulating about - this is something I'm living, right now.

It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

quiet

Psalm 131:1 LORD, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don't concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
just as a small child is quiet with its mother.
Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD—
now and always

Anyone tried to do this in regular life, let alone when you're in transition?

When should we be proactive, & when should we wait?

When are we responsible for walking toward something, & when do we wait?

I'm a lot better at this than I used to be, but even now, I sometimes still wonder when do I act & when do I wait?

success

I've just finished reading through Jeremiah - 52 chapter - almost 2 months - whew!

Here' what my Life application Bible says at the end of this book...

"In the world's eyes, Jeremiah looked totally unsuccessful. He had no money, family, or friends. He prophesied the destruction of the nation, the capital city, & the Temple. but the political & religious leaders would not accept or follow his advice.

"No group of people liked him or listened to him. Yet as we look back, we see that he successfully completed the work God gave him to do.

"Success must never be measured by popularity, fame, or fortune, for these are temporal measures. King Zedikiah, for example, lost everything by pursuing selfish goals.

God measures our success with the yardstick of obedience, faithfulness, & righteousness. If we are faithfully doing the work God has given us, we are successful in His eyes."

Interesting words as many of the people in HOG are going off or will be going off to do the World Race, internships at IHOPMacon or IHOPKC, or who are off in foreign lands like Cambodia, Uganda, Haiti, Tanzania, Jordan, or Israel.

Interesting words as many people who read this are off on less glamorous but just as important adventures with God - med school, internships, new jobs, new relationships, new everything.

Interesting words as Lynn & I walk toward our "next"

sins

This morning I came to my regular Bible reading feeling pretty sinful.

Are you ever impressed with your own sinfulness? I have been lately.

In the sequential reading I do, I was supposed to read Jeremiah 51 (all about the fall of Babylon), Psalm 129 (all about being strong against your enemies), Acts 13 (Paul's 1st missionary journey).

Then, toward the end of Acts 13, here lies these 2 verses, underlined sometime in the past...

Acts 13:38 In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for all your sins.39 Everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt & declared right with God

Mere coincidence?

I don't think so.

What are the chances of me reading exactly what I needed to hear this morning? Sure, the new testament is filled with thoughts exactly, or similarly, to what's said in these 2 verses. But why would I read these two verses this morning?

This is why I tell people ever & over to read the Bible EVERY day. God REALLY does speak through it.

It spoke to me this morning, again, in exactly the way I needed to be spoken to.

fruit

Psalm 128:1 How joyful are those who fear the LORD—
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the LORD's blessing
for those who fear him.

I underlined these verses & dated them on 12.29.06, a very very dark time in my life.

It's interesting to me how in such a dark time, God gave me a word that has comes true in ways I could not have ever imagine.

makin' it happen

Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the LORD protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
2 It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.

For decades, as a music minister, I made things happen.

I could go crazy wondering how much during that 30 years I made things happen, rather than let God make things happen.

These days, particularly as Lynn & I walk into what we think is our "next", it would be so very, very easy for me to start making things happen.

I think making things happen rather than letting God make things happen basically comes from a lack of trust in Him. I guess I felt like I needed to help the process along.

Besides, God helps those who help themselves - right?!

(btw, that saying is NOT in the Bible!)

Anyway, I guess this morning, the Lord poked me (not in the eye) & reminded me that unless I let Him be in charge of moving into our next, & the playing out of it once we're in it, well, it's a waste of time.

The King James translation says they labor "in vain".

Here's what The Message paraphrases it to be...
"If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks."

So...

Don't do like I've done way too many times - making things happen, "helping" God out - rather than waiting for God's timing, & God's plan to unfold.

This ain't something I've read in a book, or something I've seen - it's something I'm livin' right now. It's unfolding for me, just like it coud be unfolding for you.

Let's walk in it together & let each other know how it all comes out.

hope

Don't know who this is for, but it's for somebody out there...

Psalm 126:5 Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.