Exact Times and Places

Acts 17:26-28a
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'

Have you ever heard someone say "I should’ve been born 100 years ago"? Fascinating comment, really. I wonder if they would think that if they actually lived 100 years ago. Hmmm . . . That, however, is not my point. My point is this – we each live right now, where we are, because it is exactly when and where God wants us. That can be a tough prospect, sometimes, I know.

Living in Arizona, the weather is really less than ideal. Oh, some like it here, some even love it – my husband, for instance. I, however, being from Wyoming, am a cold weather person, so adjusting to the heat has been very difficult for me. When we first moved down here, I was miserable! I remember thinking my flesh was literally going to melt right off me every time I stepped outside. I could not for the life of me figure out why God would want me in such a forsaken land. Ah, but His purpose, His plan, His vision is so much larger than ours, and I praise Him for it. He brought me here, because I have grown and matured in ways that I never would have, had I remained in Wyoming. Much like Moses (no, I’m not even as close to as cool as he was, but I do rather admire him), God had to get me away from everything I had ever known and loved, to get my full attention. He had to bring me to a desert to prepare me for whatever He has planned for me.

Many times we can’t figure out why we are where we are, whether spiritually, physically, or emotionally. But we can rest assured that it is exactly where He wants us, for whatever His reasons may be. I find so much comfort and encouragement in knowing that God has it all under control – He has me in Arizona because this is part of His plan for me. Many times He puts us where we are because it is less than ideal. He is going to find the perfect mixture of all ingredients that will put us in a place where we will seek Him. It may be hot, uncomfortable, miserable, crazy, or even painful, but His ultimate purpose for us is that we would be in a passionate, loving relationship with Him.

So if, like me, you’re in a place you’d rather just leave behind, remember that He’s got something up His sleeve, and He will not move us on until He is finished with that particular ingredient. The process will continue until He has in each and every one of us, a masterpiece.

Truth

Psalm 119:30
I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.

Truth is relative, or at least that’s what many people would like to believe. But when we really consider it, truth cannot be relative, otherwise how could it be truth? I mean, gravity is truth - even if you don’t believe in it, it will still affect you. If you go jump off a building, you can believe with all that you are that gravity is relative, but you’ll still come smashing to the ground.

So, how do we know what truth is? We could poll 10 people and come up with 10 different answers, and they could all seem logical. So, does that mean that truth is logical? Well, again, depends on who you ask. And this is where we must each make up our own minds. Who are we going to believe? The guy next door? The lady on TV? Our friend from High School? There are really so many options . . .

Of course, we could always turn to the One who is Truth. If He is truth, then everything from His mouth would be truth, as well - He cannot lie. So, the next step would be - is the Word of God truly the Word of God? Well, either it is or it isn’t - we can’t pick and choose the verses we like or don’t - because then we’re back to who we’re going to believe. Either the Word of God is true or it is not.

But what about translation? Surely there could be mistakes there. Well, first of all, we can go back and look at the original language, and see for ourselves the use of each word - there are many tools and resources that allow us to do that, even for those of us who are not Hebrew or Greek scholars. So, if you don’t trust the translation, go check it out for yourself. Beyond that, however, what we really need to look at is our idea of God, in this case. Is God so limited and powerless that He can’t make absolutely sure that His Word - His most precious tool sent to help, guide, encourage and challenge us, is translated correctly? If that is the case, then I’m afraid that god isn’t worth serving, is he?

So, this is where it leads us. Our God is mighty, and sovereign. He can make sure that His Word is translated correctly - all in a days work for Him! He is truth and that makes His Word truth. When we open the Bible, we open the very truth of God! Isn’t that amazing? It is almost as though His voice speaks the words into our minds, and His breath goes into our very bones, changing us with each breath.

If we want to walk in the truth, whether it always seems logical or not, whether our neighbors or friends or family believe or not, we need to set our hearts on the Word of God. It is really the only thing we can turn to in full trust, and knowledge that we are getting the full truth. Sometimes the truth is hard, difficult to swallow, even painful. It doesn’t always make sense, or seem the logical thing, especially in our finite minds. But when all else fails, we can trust it, because it comes to us from a loving, holy, righteous, truthful God!

Live For Today

Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

We live for weekends, don’t we? Weekends, vacations, pay-day - it seems we are always looking forward to something. So much so, that I think we have a tendency to live for tomorrow, instead of simply enjoying today.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying, "Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, and today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present." We have such difficulty living as though each and every day is a gift, a gift from God that He wants us to enjoy. The problem with living for tomorrow is that tomorrow may never come. Or if it does it may bring something unexpected, and turn out to be nothing like you thought it would be. Really, today could be the day that changes your life so dramatically that all those things you were looking forward to have changed, or maybe they’re gone altogether. Our hope is in God alone, not in what our futures hold.

We need to be waking up each day with a smile on our faces, rejoicing that God has given us one more day to love Him and serve Him; one more day in which He can love us, and smother us in His grace; one more day to reflect His love and faithfulness so that others can experience Him in some way; one more day to say "I love you" to all those that we care for; one more day to look around and thank God for every little blessing He has sent our way. One more day, unlike any other – once it is gone, we can never get it back.

Have a wonderful, blessed day, today!

Delighting in God's Word

Psalm 119:92-93
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.

Is the Word of God your delight? If it’s not, I would suggest you make it so. The problem is that we tend to wait until we are in trouble to turn to God and His Word, but that is too late. We must make His law, the Word of God, our delight today, in order that we will not perish in our affliction tomorrow.

God uses His Word in so many ways, one of which, as seen in these verses, is to preserve our lives in times of trouble. There are going to be days when we will sit and stare at our Bible, knowing that it contains all the answers we need – all the comfort, encouragement, love, and compassion that we are longing for. Yet, we will not have it within ourselves to pick it up, and open its sweet pages. We must delight in it now, while we have strength and energy. We must commit it to memory, and let it rewrite all that the world has written on our hearts and minds. Then, when those days of desert-dryness come, we will already have within us all that we need to make it through.

It starts with today. How will we choose to spend our time today? Don’t think about tomorrow, or the next day. Find time today. Can you spare 15 minutes – now, at lunch, before bed? Let the Lord fill you with delight. It is not for us to find the delight in ourselves. We just need to let Him drench us in the passion that He wants to give each and every one of us for His truths. Once we take the step – not even a step, really – the moment we commit, God will meet us right there, and give us all that we need to go to Him, and soak up all that He has.

God Delights to Show Mercy

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

Who is a God like Him, indeed, there is none. Not around us, not within us, can we find anything even close to that which is our God. He pardons our sin and transgressions - even the most heinous of crimes, He can forgive! If you’re anything like me, that brings relief, with more than a little raising of the eyebrows. "If God knows what I’ve done in my life, then there surely can’t be any forgiveness for me." Well, take it from one who knows - I’ve made some pretty big mistakes, and yet God has forgiven me and continues to pour out His love and mercy on me each and every day, as there is not a day that goes by that I don’t make some sort of mistake.

Does He get angry at this sin, this transgression against Him? Of course - He is love, and He is forgiving, but He is also righteous, and He is just, and holy. He does not like any unrighteousness, so that is why He sent Christ. Christ alone can purify us and make us clean so that we may commune with this holy and righteous God. Christ alone is the answer to all the yuck in our lives - whether it is a result of our own choices or someone else’s, God provides a glorious answer in Christ. I cannot even express in words the difference Christ has made in my life, but if you don’t believe me, just ask my friends and family!

This passage tells us that God does not remain angry forever, but that He delights to show us mercy. That is my favorite part! We do not have to go to the foot of His throne begging for mercy, as though He is a dictator handing out paltry amounts of mercy here and there. We do not have to twist His arm. On the other hand, He does not have to give us mercy - He is God and can do what He wants to do. Mercy is His to give as He so choose. And He does choose to pour out His mercy upon us. It gives Him pleasure and delight to give us His mercy! He is asking us to reach out to Him, and receive this thick, abundant mercy. Isn’t that amazing? I am continually amazed that the God of this universe, Creator of all things, thinks specifically on me and specifically on you, each and every day, pouring out more mercy than we could ever imagine!

Let’s go to His throne today and let Him pour out His mercy upon us, and then, let’s allow that mercy to work in us and change us. It gives Him pleasure when we come to Him with our problems and mistakes. We are not putting Him out, we are making Him happy! So, let’s each make God’s day today and give Him all our hurts, replacing them with His great love and compassion.

Purpose in God's Word

Isaiah 55:11
So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Every time we read a passage from the Bible, anything, no matter how big or small, God has a purpose for it in our lives. Not something general, but a specific purpose for each and every life. That is some promise! We may not sense it, or understand it, but God has promised us that His Word does not return to Him empty, as an echo in the Grand Canyon. Rather, it accomplishes something on our lives – the very Word of God is at work in each of us this very moment. He speaks, we hear, and He then uses what we hear to transform and change us – to mold us into exactly what He desires for us to be. Each time we open God’s Word, and read it, He is speaking His words of truth directly into our lives, as though it was an IV feeding us the very fluids we need for life.

The problem comes when we don’t even bother to tap into His Word, His source of life, and breath. If there is no Word being spoken into our lives, then there is nothing by which He can transform us. It’s tough, I know. A day comes that we feel tired, or whatever, so we forgo the Bible study. Before we know it, that day has turned into a week, and then a month. It’s a battle, a daily battle that Satan does his best to win, because each day we are apart from the Word is one less day in which we are walking powerfully with God, being transformed for the rest of the world to see.

We must open the pages of Holy Scripture, fighting past all that tries to hold us back, and let God speak a fresh, new word into our lives. We must let it get into us, and begin to do the work for which He sent it. I will do it – will you join me? Let’s dive in and immerse ourselves in all that God has for us.

Whatever You Wish

John 15:7-8
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Whatever I wish, eh? OK, I want a million dollars, a new house, and two new cars. I want to be famous and powerful. I want my husband to be perfect and my children to follow suit . . . it doesn’t work this way? Ah yes, I must remain in Christ and allow His words to remain in me, then, I can ask whatever I wish. This seems as though it could be a strange "if/then" statement, but once we dissect it and look deeper, I think we’ll discover some little gems that will reveal much about the Word of God.

First, we must remain in Him, which isn’t as easy as it may sound. It takes a conscious, daily effort of bending our knee to Him each and every morning. We must give Him the rights to our life for that day – every choice, every action, everything we do must be rooted in Him and His truths. We must make a conscious effort to walk with Him and stay tucked up under His protective wing.

The second part of that "if" statement could be a little more complicated. His words are to remain in us? Interesting. Consuming the Word of God? Well, that’s actually not too far off base. The Greek transliteration for "words" in this verse is rhema, which means "that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word; a series of words joined together into a sentence (a declaration of one's mind made in words); subject matter of speech, thing spoken of." In other words, this verse is not talking about the Word of God in general, it is not speaking of the entire Bible remaining in us. Rather, it is speaking of the specific words of God, individual verses. We must consume His Word, allow it to take us over and change the way we think, the way we view the world, the way we interact with each other.

How does it remain in us? Memorization. Yes, reading and studying the Word is great. That is definitely where we must begin. But to really consume His Word, letting it seep into our every pore so that we will become all that it is, we must chew on it. We must take it in, and keep it in, meditating on it through the day and the night. Memorization is a very important key to living a powerful, victorious life in Christ. Get a memorization partner, or a group together. Carry a new verse around every day, or simply chose one per week. Memorize small pieces or large chunks. Do what we must, it is essential.

Then what? So, we memorize Scripture, and all of a sudden God is at our every beck and call, giving us everything that we want? I don’t think so. Rather, when we live daily in Christ, and His words begin to dwell and take root in us, we will be changed, and as a result our desires will change. Instead of praying for all that we want, we will begin to ask for what we need. We will begin to ask according to His perfect will for our lives. Then, everyone around us will see the change. They will see the fruit and they will marvel at how God answers our prayers, and we can point to God, giving Him all the glory and praise.