So have you been in these places lately? I'm too tired and burned out. I thought I knew what my purpose was but this doesn't feel right. I just don't understand life. I give up. God...seriously? Why?If so, this is for you. If not, read it anyways, your time will be coming.
So God has been revealing so many amazing truths about His goodness to me through the character of Elijah. His story is really amazing from beginning to end. I like Elijah because I am relating to him more than ever and I am seeing God in ways I haven't seen before. So check this out:
The Context: God just showed His amazing power to everyone involved in the Mt. Carmel showdown by allowing fire to fall from Heaven to burn up an altar that was soaked with a lot of water. There is no way this altar could catch on fire except God...and God did it and now He has everyone's attention, especially Elijah's. Next scene: Ahab is in his chariot on his way to Jezreel and Elijah is on foot. It is roughly 18 miles from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel. Well, the power of the Lord (1 Kings 18:46) was on Elijah and he outran Ahab in his chariot. I love how numerous times in Scripture God says those who trust in chariots and horses, it doesn't go well for them in the end. What are we trusting in right now? Anything other than God, doesn't end well for us either.
Here is where it gets real. Ahab finally gets to Jezreel on his chariot while Elijah has been waiting and Ahab goes straight to Jezebel (one of the most wicked individuals in all of Scripture) and tells her what happened at Mt. Carmel. Jezebel doesn't like it one bit and makes a declaration to Elijah, "may the gods punish me and do so severely if I don't make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow" (1 Kings 19:2). She is making reference to all the prophets that Elijah killed with his sword. She has purely given him a death threat. Now catch this part as we move forward. She pulled the gods into this situation who couldn't even show up at Mt. Carmel. Why didn't they show up? Because they are lifeless. They are idols. They never showed up at Mt. Carmel, Elijah mocked them, and then she uses them as a way to threaten Elijah and guess what happens? It worked. Elijah moves from being overwhelmed by Presence of God to now being overwhelmed by an evil queen who is going to use lifeless idols to kill Elijah and Elijah flips out. Oh, how many times am I guilty of this very same act? Uggh. So Elijah runs (1 Kings 19:3) to Beersheba. Well, how far is that? Good question! It is roughly 100 miles and that is after a nice leisurely run of about 18 miles. But I had to ask the question, why Beersheba? Ahab is not king over Beersheba, so it is the nearest place to run too where he is safe from Ahab's men. But, then notice v.4, he walks for a day into the wilderness. Why? Because Jehoshaphat is king over Judah and his son married Ahab's daughter...are you kidding me? So Jehoshaphat won't have any problem handing Elijah over to Ahab, so wilderness he goes. I believe two thoughts crossed Elijah's mind about wilderness. 1. It will be a safe place to hide because no one will dare try to come out to the wilderness to kill me. 2. It will be a perfect place to die because no one will come out to the wilderness to save me.
Shew. Elijah is now not in a very good place at all. He is lying under a broom tree, exhausted, overwhelmed, and done. He just wants to die. And do you know what God does? He absolutely condemns, shames, and gives Elijah a guilt trip because of his lack of faith...right? Not! At! All! Instead, God comforts and cares for Elijah. God knows right now Elijah doesn't need a sermon. He doesn't need a lecture. He doesn't need a scolding. No, Elijah needs a nap. And the beauty of the heart of God is He knows exactly what Elijah needs and let's him have it. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. God also provides and angel who uses a George Foreman to cook for Elijah. Elijah sleeps, wakes up, eats, and goes back to sleep. Sleep, wake, eat, repeat. Now, with strength, he gets up and walks 40 days and nights (since it is a new year - if you want to lose weight here is how you can lose a lot of weight in 43 days: Run 118 miles. Then walk a full day. Then sleep and eat whatever is at your head and then walk another 40 days, but consult your physician before you try this method) to Horeb (THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD). Now that Elijah is in the proper place, it is now time for God to speak. I'm telling you friends, God's timing is PERFECT. He knows. He knows what we need when we need it. I love His faithfulness to us. It is so overwhelming and good. But He isn't going to speak yet because He wants Elijah to have another good night's rest.
Then God speaks and He doesn't yell or scream, He speaks in a whisper. Come on, this is so good. God is so good friends. He whispers to Elijah and says, "what are you doing here Elijah?" Now God is ok to hear our responses in this moment, please understand that, but I am learning that the point of this is for Elijah to stay quiet and reflect on the meaning of the question. Why are you here? How did you get to this place? Why are you downcast? What happened that broke you? Elijah speaks and God's response is "go, you are not alone...there are others...rely on them...let them rely on you... (don't know about you but this sounds a lot like what the church is suppose to be like) walk together. There is not just one person to carry the weight of all this (except Jesus, that is a later story) and so I am going to give you Elisha. Oh Elisha! By the way, do you have an Elisha?
So a couple of key truths that I am learning:
1. I am not alone. You are not alone. There is someone out there who needs to know your story and you need to learn their story. We don't know people anymore. Social media does not count because getting to know people is also experiencing body language and eye contact. Social media is making us to be and feel alone. May we learn to step away from stuff and meet people again and tell our story.
2. Take a nap. Yeah, but there are lot of things to get done. I know I know, I get that...but maybe it is time we start trusting in a God who has all that in His hands. He is not shaken by an Ahab or a Jezebeel but He is broken over a child of His who wants to die and be left alone. Rest! If you have to, ask for help! I have been one of the most prideful individuals with "i've got this" or "i'm done, and I just want to be left alone" mentality. Thank you Jesus for a work you have done in my soul because now I'm getting better asking for help. I need help. You need help. Elijah needed help. We really do get ourselves in trouble when we try to do it alone and in our own strength. Ask for help.
3. Instead of running away from the situation, how about we run to Our Father first. So what would it have looked like if Elijah would have created a bit of space from Jezreel and just found a spot and fell facedown before a Holy God? How can start a habit of immediately turning to God in a moment of being overwhelmed? For starters, if you are at work, excuse yourself, go to the bathroom and get on your knees. If you are at home, excuse yourself to the bedroom, lock the door and get on your knees. If you are in the car, turn everything off (not the car) and pray out loud. Create a habit and space to talk to God. Nehemiah was the best at this. Before he made a decision he would ask God quickly for help.
4. GRACE. I was a fool and messed up. Well, can I be blunt and say, we are bigger fools if we stay in that place and allow it to take us deeper into the dark valley. He's not done with you even at your lowest moments. His Story is full of over comers who made foolish decisions but by HIS GRACE, got back up on their feet and climbed the mountain. Which one will you be? His grace is bigger than your greatest sin. May you admit your fault and trust Him. You are covered by His grace always. Don't let "Jezebeel" win. The victory is already won and sealed up, we just have to stay focused on the Prize until the race is over and grace will be our theme. God says, "get up and go...you are not alone. Rest in me. Trust in me. Walk with me. I'm not done with you and the best is yet to come." Wow, He really does get us doesn't He?
Friday, January 17, 2020
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Make Some Noise
It seems as of late that I have had the opportunity of telling my speech problems as a child. I had some major hearing issues as a toddler which led to me not being able to speak, except to make some noise to get my parents attention so that they could figure out what I needed. So at the age of two, I saw my first ear doctor and it would continue for many years. Likewise, I spent some years in speech therapy to catch up with where I needed to be. By the way, on September 18 I did a funeral for a dear friend of mine back in Fairfield, and my speech therapist for all those years was at the funeral...kind of unique isn't it? So even after all those years of therapy I was still afraid to talk. Today, I still struggle to say words correctly, even with the help of my kids. I remember in college dating a girl who was bound and determine to be my adult speech therapist, that relationship didn't last long as I always felt humiliated by her. Also, because of my lack of confidence in speaking, I basically flunked high school speech and barely made it past college speech. So when Moses and Jeremiah both speak of challenges with their speech, I get it...and then I became a communicator for a living. Only God.
But let me get very honest with you. Although my speech has already had its challenges, my life in general has always been against me to be confident to even speak at all. I can't tell you how many times in my life I have literally said to myself, "who I am to be able to speak on this topic." When I spent 4 years as the preaching pastor in Mt. Pulaski, my battle every Sunday morning was, "who the heck am I to preach about Jesus." I would lay there in bed asking for Jesus to find another way. Then I would muster up the courage to go and my hope was to only give glory to God and paint a correct picture of Jesus Christ. And then the feeling of being done, I lived for noon every Sunday. And I promise you, since Mt. Pulaski I still struggle with speaking of Jesus but continue to do so because nothing brings me to life like those moments do and then when I am done, I think I never want to do that again. Isn't that funny? But what is that? I think it is two things: 1. I am a deep sinner. I think the deeper I get in my faith the more overwhelmed I am of my depravity. And like David in Psalm 8:4, I really do think to myself, "whom am I that God would be mindful of me." I fight against that almost daily. 2. I think it is the enemy also trying to keep me quiet. I mean think about it, if I am quiet, then the people that I am around that day, won't hear of my Hope. I think that is actually pretty clever on Satan's part, don't you? If we stay quiet, who will hear?
Check this out, Paul writes in Romans 10:14-15 these words, which are borrowed from Isaiah 52:7:
"How then, can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."
If what Paul is saying is true, then when we stay quiet, we are keeping the Great Commission from happening...we keep the Kingdom of Heaven from growing. And then of course, we see the word preacher in there and it throws the whole thing out of whack for us common people because our first reaction is, "I'm not a preacher." But let me remind you that the greek word for preacher simply means to proclaim. So let's do this, "how can they hear without a proclaimer? And how can they proclaim unless they are sent?" Now that means everyone who calls on the Name of Jesus is called to proclaim the Name of Jesus. And again, I find myself many times thinking and "who am I to proclaim the Name of Jesus" because I am a sinner, but Jesus reminds me time and time again, that I am His child before I am anything else. I am always moved when Jesus says to His disciples in the context of them coming back joyful because the demons were submitting to them in His name, and Jesus says, "However, don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20) Who we are is more important to Jesus than what we do. Jesus also knows that when we truly know who we are, it will carry out what we do. I only do what I do because of who I am. I used to do what I did for others, but no more. I am actually free from that burden. I do what I do because of Him...the rest plays itself out however He desires. I rejoice that my name is written in heaven which now leads me to not stay quiet.
Let me finish up by sharing with your where the idea of this blog came from. Mark 9:38-41:
John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn't following us. Don't stop him, said Jesus, because there is no one who will perform a miracle in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ - truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward."
I confess that I have tried to stay quiet. I have thought that it would be best if I was quiet. Again, who am I to even speak about Jesus. I have wrestled with these as well as being reminded by the enemy of how much of a sinner I am. But I declare to you that Jesus keeps winning that battle within me. As I continually sit at His table to eat His fresh bread, He moves my heart. And like Jeremiah 20:9 - I just can't stay quiet. Even if people were to try and shut me up, it won't happen. Jesus is way too important to me. And so I have made this my 2020 goal and I am seriously asking you to join me.
Knowing that Satan wants us to be quiet, my goal is to MAKE SOME NOISE each day for the Glory of Jesus. Think about this, 365 days of MAKING SOME NOISE for Jesus...haha. I love it. And I am going to do it...so get ready. And the beauty of that is that it can come in any form possible. A text. A phone call. An email. A blog. A sermon. A cup of cold water. A card. Lunch. A face-to-face conversation. But I am telling you this friends, every day I will make some noise. I went from a young boy who couldn't talk to being afraid to talk because of my obstacles to now making sure that I make some noise each day. So yes, I am a sinner, but I am redeemed only by Jesus. Yes, the enemy wants to shut me up, but I won't let Him. My NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN and I am going to celebrate that...who is with me?
But let me get very honest with you. Although my speech has already had its challenges, my life in general has always been against me to be confident to even speak at all. I can't tell you how many times in my life I have literally said to myself, "who I am to be able to speak on this topic." When I spent 4 years as the preaching pastor in Mt. Pulaski, my battle every Sunday morning was, "who the heck am I to preach about Jesus." I would lay there in bed asking for Jesus to find another way. Then I would muster up the courage to go and my hope was to only give glory to God and paint a correct picture of Jesus Christ. And then the feeling of being done, I lived for noon every Sunday. And I promise you, since Mt. Pulaski I still struggle with speaking of Jesus but continue to do so because nothing brings me to life like those moments do and then when I am done, I think I never want to do that again. Isn't that funny? But what is that? I think it is two things: 1. I am a deep sinner. I think the deeper I get in my faith the more overwhelmed I am of my depravity. And like David in Psalm 8:4, I really do think to myself, "whom am I that God would be mindful of me." I fight against that almost daily. 2. I think it is the enemy also trying to keep me quiet. I mean think about it, if I am quiet, then the people that I am around that day, won't hear of my Hope. I think that is actually pretty clever on Satan's part, don't you? If we stay quiet, who will hear?
Check this out, Paul writes in Romans 10:14-15 these words, which are borrowed from Isaiah 52:7:
"How then, can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."
If what Paul is saying is true, then when we stay quiet, we are keeping the Great Commission from happening...we keep the Kingdom of Heaven from growing. And then of course, we see the word preacher in there and it throws the whole thing out of whack for us common people because our first reaction is, "I'm not a preacher." But let me remind you that the greek word for preacher simply means to proclaim. So let's do this, "how can they hear without a proclaimer? And how can they proclaim unless they are sent?" Now that means everyone who calls on the Name of Jesus is called to proclaim the Name of Jesus. And again, I find myself many times thinking and "who am I to proclaim the Name of Jesus" because I am a sinner, but Jesus reminds me time and time again, that I am His child before I am anything else. I am always moved when Jesus says to His disciples in the context of them coming back joyful because the demons were submitting to them in His name, and Jesus says, "However, don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20) Who we are is more important to Jesus than what we do. Jesus also knows that when we truly know who we are, it will carry out what we do. I only do what I do because of who I am. I used to do what I did for others, but no more. I am actually free from that burden. I do what I do because of Him...the rest plays itself out however He desires. I rejoice that my name is written in heaven which now leads me to not stay quiet.
Let me finish up by sharing with your where the idea of this blog came from. Mark 9:38-41:
John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn't following us. Don't stop him, said Jesus, because there is no one who will perform a miracle in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ - truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward."
I confess that I have tried to stay quiet. I have thought that it would be best if I was quiet. Again, who am I to even speak about Jesus. I have wrestled with these as well as being reminded by the enemy of how much of a sinner I am. But I declare to you that Jesus keeps winning that battle within me. As I continually sit at His table to eat His fresh bread, He moves my heart. And like Jeremiah 20:9 - I just can't stay quiet. Even if people were to try and shut me up, it won't happen. Jesus is way too important to me. And so I have made this my 2020 goal and I am seriously asking you to join me.
Knowing that Satan wants us to be quiet, my goal is to MAKE SOME NOISE each day for the Glory of Jesus. Think about this, 365 days of MAKING SOME NOISE for Jesus...haha. I love it. And I am going to do it...so get ready. And the beauty of that is that it can come in any form possible. A text. A phone call. An email. A blog. A sermon. A cup of cold water. A card. Lunch. A face-to-face conversation. But I am telling you this friends, every day I will make some noise. I went from a young boy who couldn't talk to being afraid to talk because of my obstacles to now making sure that I make some noise each day. So yes, I am a sinner, but I am redeemed only by Jesus. Yes, the enemy wants to shut me up, but I won't let Him. My NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN and I am going to celebrate that...who is with me?
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