Opposition

Opponents can make life miserable.  They are the kind of people who watch you carefully, waiting for you to make a mistake that they can exploit.  They set themselves up as rivals to your own progress and success.  They seem to take great joy in causing you distress and harm.  Perhaps you already have a mental picture of an opponent in your own life. It may be someone where you work.  Sadly, it could also be someone within your own family, maybe a spouse or a relative.  Or it might be the brother or sister in Christ who sits on the other side of the auditorium on Sundays.  Whoever it is, an opponent can be a real thorn in your side.

As troubling as an earthly opponent can be, imagine how much worse it would be if God Himself became your opponent!  Notice God’s words to the captive Israelites in Babylon: “Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you and have not walked in My statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the nations which surround you,’ therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations’” (Ezekiel 5:7-8).  What chilling words!  To have God declare Himself as an opponent!

The Bible teaches that when God is for us, it doesn’t matter who or what else seeks to oppose us (Romans 8:31-39).  We will ultimately conquer all opponents when God is on our side.  But the inverse is also true.  When God is opposed to us, it doesn’t matter who or what else claims to be our allies.  We are guaranteed to fail when God is our opponent.

Lord, please help me to live in such a way that You can be for me instead of against me.  I desperately need You to be on my side.  May I forever claim You as a friend instead of an opponent.

God loves you!

Mike

Hard-Headedness

Ezekiel had a difficult job ahead of him.  God was giving him the unenviable task of bringing a message of discipline and judgment to His people.  “Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.  I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD’” (Ezekiel 2:3–4).  Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it?  But, thankfully, God also had a plan in place to prepare Ezekiel for what lay ahead.  “Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. “Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house”” (Ezekiel 3:8–9).

Some children are more compliant than others.  Compliant kids don’t take a lot of parenting expertise.  But other children seem to be born shaking their little fist at the world around them.  These small packages of defiance are a whole different ballgame.  We euphemistically refer to them as “strong-willed.”  Parents of strong-willed children have their work cut out for them.  They learn (some sooner and some later) that the strength of their will must exceed the strength of the will of their little “rebel.”  Strong-willed children require strong-willed parents!

God had some stubborn, obstinate, and rebellious children on His hands.  That is why He needed a hard-headed prophet!  As a spokesman for God, Ezekiel was going to need a determination that matched and exceeded the determination of those who heard him.  He would be tempted to give up.  His patience would be tested to the limit.  But with God’s help, he could do it!

Lord, help me to be hard-headed without being hard-hearted.  As a disciple of Jesus, may I learn to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) in every circumstance.

God loves you!

Mike

Dangerous Prayers

The famous English mariner, Sir Frances Drake,  penned the following prayer in 1577 as he prepared to embark on another adventure: "Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim. Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love."

These words challenge me.  Frankly, when I reflect on my own prayers, I struggle to remember a time when I prayed for God to disturb me.  Much more common are the times when I pray for difficulties to be taken away or resolved.  While there is nothing wrong with those kinds of prayers, perhaps I need to expand my prayer horizons.  Instead of always praying for ease, do I have the courage to pray for struggles?  Instead of always praying that my needs are met, do I have the courage to pray for seasons of deprival?  Instead of always praying for safety, do I have the courage to pray for opportunities to exercise my faith in dangerous ways?  I wonder...

Jesus prayed a dangerous prayer in John 17:1: “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You.”  Those words might not sound too perilous, but, in essence, He is saying, “Bring on the cross!”  Disturbing? Yes!  But God-honoring as well.  Lord, as a disciple of Jesus, give me the courage to pray dangerous prayers!

God loves you!

Mike

24 \ 7 Christianity

This past week I read a book titled “While The World Watched” by Carolyn Maull McKinstry and Denise George.  In the book, Mrs. McKinstry tells her story of growing up as an African American in the deep South during the 1950’s and 60’s.  As a fifteen year old, she was in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on September 15, 1963 when a bomb planted by racists exploded.  She escaped death, but four other young girls, all friends of Carolyn, died in the blast.  This church bombing was one of the main sparks that helped to ignite the Civil Rights movement of that era of American history.

Being just a young child in the 60’s and growing up in the Midwest, I was really unaware of what was happening in our nation during the turbulent events of those years.  The farm I grew up on in my little corner of the world seemed to be pretty tranquil.  McKinstry’s eyewitness account of how black people were treated in much of our country at that time, even by “church” people, was a sobering read for me.  The battle to secure equal rights for every American, regardless of race, was a costly one for so many.  Many gave their lives for the cause.

Early on in the book, McKinstry said something that I highlighted: “It seemed that what people learned at their churches on Sundays about unity and love they placed on the shelf during the remainder of the week” (p. 36).  As difficult as it is for me to understand how people in general can treat another person with such hate and violence, it is even more baffling to me that many did it (and continue to do it) in the name of God.  There are really only two scenarios that make it possible.  Either the hate and violence was taught in such churches or the people ignored what they heard on Sunday as they lived from Monday through Saturday.

Lord, help me to live Your truth EVERY day of the week.

God loves you!

Mike

Regal Residency

Queen Elizabeth of England was honored on June 4, 2013 with an impressive ceremony on the 60th anniversary of her coronation.  She was only 27 years old when she was thrust into the world spotlight as the successor to her father, King George VI, following his death in 1953.  Only one other English monarch in history has occupied the throne for a longer period of time.  Queen Victoria died in 1901 following a reign which lasted for 63 years and 7 months.  Given continued health, its possible that Queen Elizabeth could claim the title for herself in a few more years (Source: news.yahoo.com).
Sixty years is an impressive time span for any leader, especially in a world where rulers and leaders come and go frequently.  But let me tell you about my King.  He was born some 20 centuries ago and an angelic messenger spoke to his mother of his regal longevity: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end" (Luke 1:32-33).  In contrast to human kingdoms which rise and fall, the kingdom of Jesus Christ was established by God his Father as one which will “endure forever” (Daniel 2:44).  In fact, the reign of King Jesus will last until God’s redemptive and restorative work is fully accomplished: “...then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).
Queen Elizabeth’s 60 year reign, as impressive as it may be, can’t hold a candle to the enduring reign of Jesus Christ.  He was King long before England (or America) existed and will be King long after they are gone.  Every knee will bow before Him (Philippians 2:9-11).  Long live the King!!!

God loves you!

Mike

Cutting Corners

“A wealthy man before leaving on an extended vacation said to a contractor, "While I am away, I want you to build me a fine new home according to these plans. Be sure you work with extreme care, and use the best of everything. Tell me the cost as soon as you have it and I’ll send you a check." During the process of construction the contractor discovered many opportunities to substitute inferior materials; he put in his own pocket the money he saved. His employer would never know the difference, and he himself would profit. But he soon regretted his dishonesty, for the wealthy man upon his return inspected the finished home and said: "You have built it exactly as I wanted it, and I’m sure that you used the best of everything in its construction. Now, in appreciation for your long years of service to me, I am giving you this new home for your very own. Here’s the deed!"” (sermoncentral.com).

Reading this illustration brought to my mind the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Lord, grant us the strength and courage to not cut corners as we share in building Your kingdom.

God loves you!

Mike

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web celebrated its 20th birthday this past week.  It seems like it has been around forever, doesn’t it?  But on April 30, 1993, the public first gained access to the information highway that had previously been available only to the scientific community.  Depending on your affection (or lack thereof) for the internet, you may view this milestone as a cause for celebration or disgust.  But regardless of our personal feelings on the matter,  the internet has changed the world we live in.  Referring to it as a “web” is an appropriate description.  Like the individual strands of a spider’s web, we now have nearly instant connection points with people, places, and information from all corners of the globe.  That can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how we use the connections.  It can be bad if we view, learn, or share things that are destructive to ourselves or others.  But it can be good if we use it wisely in healthy ways.  But, either way, it is a part of our lives whether we like it or not.

Long before the World Wide Web became the rage, God understood the value of connectedness.  He is the architect of a “web” known as the kingdom of Christ or the church (Colossians 1:23; Matthew 16:18).  As repentant sinners turn to Him in faith, God connects them with other believers (Acts 4:41,47).  From its initial launch in Jerusalem, the strands of God’s web eventually stretched into all corners of the known world (Colossians 1:6,23).  As Paul said, “...we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25).  As a disciple of Christ, I share a global spiritual connection with believers in all corners of the world.

Access to God’s world wide web is provided for through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  You don’t even need a computer -- just the blood of Jesus to cover your sins.  If you are not connected to God’s web, maybe its time to get online.

God loves you!

Mike