Category Archives: Knowing Him

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July 27, 2015

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God's Word: The Bible, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Prayer, Trusting God

THE REAL THING

The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering Life he brings into Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn’t even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him. [John 1:9-11 (MSG)]

7-27-15 CARDINAL6991weLast fall, I wrote about false prophets (“The Fraud”) after mistaking a fake bird for a real one. Yesterday, I almost missed the real thing! Wandering through the Botanic Gardens, what I initially thought was a red scarf or a fallen blossom fluttering in the breeze turned out to be a fledgling cardinal. Perhaps he was too young to be frightened by the many people walking past him as he boldly remained perched on a small sign close to the ground. I seemed to be the only one who noticed this beautiful creature, as exquisite as any of the blooms in the gardens. Never expecting a real bird to perch that close to the pathway, it wasn’t until I came within a few inches of him that I knew him to be real! Ignored by everyone but me, he remained there, chirping away, for several minutes and God blessed me with another one of His “Aha!” moments.

Was that what it was like when Jesus walked the Holy Land? Did people just pass Him by, hurrying to their destination, too busy to notice this itinerant preacher? Had they forgotten the promise of a Messiah? Were they so sure they knew what to expect that they didn’t see what was right in front of them? After generations of ignoring God and His messengers, were they so set in their ways they wouldn’t even stop to listen to Jesus’ words? Were they blind and deaf to His message of truth? Those who didn’t notice the bird merely missed an “Aha!” moment; failing to see Jesus, however, has tragic consequences.

When it comes to our relationship with Jesus, are we like those people who missed seeing the bird. How will we know if He is real if we don’t stop, look and listen? Prayer and God’s word will draw us close enough to hear and see Him. Yet, do we use our mouths more than our ears when we pray? Are we so intent on our needs that we don’t hear God’s message to us? When we read the Bible, do we look for what we want to read, cherry-picking our favorite verses, or do we examine what is actually there? Do we ever skim through a chapter and miss the beauty that is hidden in God’s words? Do we fail to experience glory moments with Him simply because we’re neither looking nor listening?

Eyes that see and ears that hear are blessed by God. He made himself known to man through Jesus Christ but it is up to us to see and hear Him. Father in Heaven, let us never pass by the truth; open our hearts and minds to the real presence of Jesus in our lives.

But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. [Matthew 13:16-17 (MSG)]

Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!” [John 14:6-7 (MSG)]

 

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July 21, 2015

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Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Fear & Doubt, Knowing Him, Trusting God, Worry

EXPECT TO SEE HIM

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” [Mark 6:50 (NLT)]

Faith expects God to be there and isn’t surprised by His presence or what He can do for us.

6-19-155andelier10-10 037webAfter Jesus had miraculously fed the 5,000, He went up to the hills to pray while the disciples headed across the lake to Bethsaida. A sudden windstorm occurred and gale force winds and rough seas pummeled their boat. The frightened disciples were rowing hard, struggling against the wind and waves, when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. Instead of being comforted by this sight, however, they became terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.

We can understand the disciples not expecting Jesus to be walking on the water, but it’s difficult to understand why they didn’t even pray during their frightening voyage. They just kept struggling on by themselves, trusting in their own power instead of putting their faith in God. After the all of the miracles Jesus had performed and the messages he’d preached, one would think the disciples would have known that He would be there when they needed him. Unfortunately, they still didn’t recognize Jesus for who He was.

Our God is an awesome God, capable of more than we can possibly imagine. He is with us always so we should never be surprised when we find him standing right at our side. After all, he told us, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage! I am here!”

As you walk through the valley of the unknown, you will find the footprints of Jesus both in front of you and beside you. [Charles Stanley]

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” [Matthew 1:23 (NLT)]

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July 10, 2015

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Bible Stories, God's Promises, Knowing Him, Obedience, Temptation & Sin

WICKEDNESS BRINGS PUNISHMENT

DSC02558-Bern (Cathedral-Munster-Last Judgement)3-cropWEB

“The Last Judgment” – Munster Cathedral, Bern, Switzerland


Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. [Exodus 43:6-7 (NLT)]

If asked to draw a picture of God, many would probably draw a pleasant old gentleman with a gentle smile. Looking a bit like Santa Claus, he’d be dressed in a long white robe instead of a fur-trimmed red coat and hat. This kind-looking grandfatherly man would be seated on a throne with several little children in his lap. Reading the Old Testament, however, makes one rethink this picture. While we meet a loving and forgiving God, we also encounter a judgmental and destructive God: a God who sends plagues to his people, destroys whole towns, and sends his people into slavery. This is not the “warm and fuzzy” God about whom we want to think. He’s certainly not the good-natured God of my Sunday school classes.

It certainly is more comforting for us to think of God as loving and merciful and, indeed, He is. But, as the Old Testament reminds us and the New Testament warns us, God can get angry with his people. He hates sin and he is ready to hand out punishment to those who defy him. Fortunately, we also have a loving and forgiving Heavenly Father who hasn’t lost faith in his children. He saved Noah and his family from the flood. He rescued Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He saved Jonah from the whale after Jonah said he’d obey God’s directions. After telling Nineveh they would be destroyed in forty days, God relented when they repented their sinful ways. After punishing the Israelites for their disobedience, God finally led them to the Promised Land. Later, He rescued them from their exile in Babylon. Although we continually disappoint God with our disobedience, He mercifully gave us his only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

The righteous character of God includes both his anger and judgment along with his love and mercy. It is not enough to read and hear only God’s comforting words. We must remember that His justice goes hand in hand with His love.

Your wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord your God and not to fear him. I, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken! [Jeremiah 2:19 (NLT)]

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June 20, 2015

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Knowing Him

GOD THE FATHER – Father’s Day 2015

fdayhorzAnd I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. [2 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT)]

What are the qualities of the ideal father? I think he’d be loving and upright, wise and patient, gentle and kind. He’d be a comforter and good provider, a teacher and a helper. He’d be a firm but fair disciplinarian with a forgiving heart. The perfect father would be easy to approach and always ready with an encouraging word. He’d have a wonderful imagination, a great sense of humor and would always have a few surprises up his sleeve. He would protect his children and never abandon them. Some of us were blessed with fathers who had all or most of these qualities and others, unfortunately, had fathers who fell short in some (or many) of them. It’s comforting to know we all have a Father in Heaven who has every one of these good characteristics plus many more!

Thank you, Lord, for being the perfect father and for loving us, your imperfect children, as only a father can!

It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father. [Pope John XXIII]

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. [Romans 8:15-16 (NLT)]

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! [1 John 3:1a (NLT)]

 

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June 12, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, God's Grace & Love, Knowing Him, Salvation: A New You, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

BEEN HERE BUT DIDN’T DO THAT!

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried – our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. [Isaiah 53:2-4a (MSG)]

Writing yesterday’s message reminded me of another common teen complaint: “But you just don’t understand!” My teenagers were positive that I’d never experienced any of the challenges, temptations and angst they were having. I’m sure my grandchildren are equally sure their parents have no idea what their life is like. We may not have had all of the gadgets and technology of today’s teens; we didn’t have Facebook, smart phones, texting, and the Internet. We did, however, struggle with many of the same issues: mean people, SATs, crushes, insecurity, rejection, being grounded, alcohol and parties when the parents were gone.

Sometimes we’re not much different than teenagers when we talk to God. “You just don’t understand!” we protest. But, He really does. Jesus actually experienced life and all of its adversities and struggles during his thirty-three years as a man. Granted, He experienced them in a dramatically different setting and time. The First Century didn’t have the bells and whistles of today, but the temptations and challenges were much the same: sexual immorality, pride, pain, abuse, anger, doubt, desire, envy, deceit, sorrow, injustice. Not everyone liked Him, not everyone listened to Him, and not everyone believed or respected Him. He truly knows what it means to be human; He certainly knows what it is to suffer.

When we talk with God, He truly does understand. He’s been here and he was sorely tempted by Satan; the only difference is that He never sinned.

Now that we know what we have – Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God – let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all – all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. [Hebrews 4:14-16 (MSG)]

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June 11, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Obedience, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

BECAUSE I SAID SO!

God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones. [Proverbs 2:6-8 (MSG)]

5-1-15baboons3002S-1crop-cropWEBI remember my parents responding to my teenage pleas of “Why not?” with the vague but decisive response, “Because I‘m the parent and I said so.” I hated that answer because I wanted an excuse to keep the discussion open in hopes of finally wearing one of them down and getting my way. Eventually, I occasionally used the same response with my own children, knowing that further explanation would just mean more debate and there were some issues that simply were non-negotiable.

It’s not just teenagers, however, that seem to have difficulty understanding that “No!” can be a complete sentence. Even though we’re adults, we still have trouble accepting that God’s directions are not open to debate or compromise. At times, we can be as willful as we were as teens. Sure that we’ve got a better plan, we argue with God’s wisdom to justify our planned actions.

Everything we need to know, every bit of wisdom we need, every guideline for behavior, is right there the Bible. We need to remember that God’s directions are not mere suggestions or good ideas; they are commands and meant to be followed. All we have to do is be obedient which, I admit, is sometimes much easier said than done. The power of the Holy Spirit, however, makes it possible.

Many years ago I heard a speaker say…, “Either sin will keep you from God’s Word or God’s Word will keep you from sin.” [Billy Graham]

God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me – my whole life one long, obedient response. Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway! [Psalm 119:33-35 (MSG)]