John happened upon a little shop downtown. As he approached, there was a man who was pushing the door with all his might. The sign in the window said “Open,” but the door clearly would not open, no matter how hard the man pushed. With grunts and groans, the man heaved again and again at times throwing all of his weight against the door. Finally, out of breath and visibly frustrated, the man stormed off. John, a bit perplexed at first, pulled the door open and went in.
The “Abundant life” that Christ committed to us (see John 10:10) is much like this door. If you approach it correctly, negotiate it correctly, and walk through it as it is designed, you will experience the benefits of the covenant. If, however, you try to force something apart from God’s good design, or substitute your thinking for God’s wisdom, you will end up on a different path, with a different outcome altogether.
10All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
Psalm 25:10 (NASB95)
Notice the categorical statement by the Psalmist, David.
“All the paths of the Lord.”
The Psalmist makes clear that there is no relative moralism with God. He is unchanging. You will never find anyone who did precisely what God desired and received something other than what God promised. Every, single, solitary path of the Lord is consistent with His He-Sed (His loyal, covenant love) and is truth. God never uses a bait and switch on you and me. He is transparent and trustworthy. If He said it, it will happen.
The benefit of His covenant with us is enjoyed by everyone who keeps the covenant and His instructions/testimonies. The word translated “truth” is the Hebrew word e-dut and it means laws, instructions, ordinances, or legal provisions. The terms together speak of the totality of what God has made clear through His covenant law and actions. To those to keep God’s covenant and instructions, all of God’s paths result in the fulfillment of the covenant promise.
If you’re like me, then you notice about yourself that while you nod “yes” to that statement, you are also thinking about what you can do on the fringes (or across the line) that may still yield the results. This is the sin nature that we inherited from Grandpa Adam and Grandma Eve. The faith position is to accept God’s instructions as categorically best and true, choosing to respond in obedience because we know (by faith) that our obedience results in the blessing of the covenant. Faith is KNOWING that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the terms of the Covenant and advocates on our behalf (1 John 2:1-2). Faithfulness is working from (not for) that accepted position as we grow in Christlikeness, aligning our lives to the covenant and instructions of God as an act of worshipful obedience/submission.
Someone once said that following God was complicated. I disagree. It is actually quite simple. What did God say? Do that! When in doubt, always do what God said, knowing that all the paths of God are lovingkindness and truth to those who adhere to them.
1Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
Psalm 52:1 (NASB95)
Have you ever been amazed at the faith of some people in the face of overwhelming circumstances? When I was a kid, it was not unusual to watch an afternoon episode of Batman and see the Dynamic Duo (Batman and Robin) trapped, bound, or plummeting to their death when suddenly the tables turned. Further, it seemed that Batman knew it would turn out better all along. Where does that kind of faith come from?
As David wrote this psalm, he is staring down the consequences of Doeg the Edomite’s betrayal of his location to King Saul. Yet David’s reply… “Why do you waste your time? The He-Sed (covenant, loyal, faithful love of God) endures.” David points to His confidence in God and God’s ability to keep His promises for His glory according to His wise counsel. We see a similar outlook from the Apostle Paul while on a storm-tossed ship at sea:
21When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. 22“Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23“For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25“Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.
Acts 27:21–25 (NASB95)
Paul gives us a more direct insight into the answer, “Where does this kind of faith come from?” God said it!
Four challenges if you want to experience and exhibit faith like this.
Wait until you hear from the Lord before you act. This does not mean that you are to be apathetic or lazy; rather, I am saying that you should not change course until God tells you to do so. Keep doing what you’re doing. Act on the last thing God told you to do.
When God speaks, take it to the bank, regardless of the circumstances in front of you. If God tells you to face down a nine-foot tall giant with a sling and a rock…do it.
Action, rather than intention, demonstrates the source of your faith. If you refuse to act, you demonstrate that your guiding directive is the contrary voice rather than the Christ’s. Even if you say you believe otherwise, your actions bear witness.
Give God the credit. Not with some watered-down, lawyer-inspired (no offense intended to my attorney friends) middle-of-the-road, “if the Lord might allow it” kind of statement. If God spoke… SAY IT! This way, no one thinks you’re anything other than faithfully obedient and your God is awesome enough to trust. If God did not speak, remain silent, steadfastly moving in the direction of the last calling.
But what about my circumstances Chris? If they are more desperate than sitting by a Brook in a drought, or more perilous than a Queen’s threats, or more final than death…listen to them. Otherwise, remember that God already showed His power over all these things…and no circumstance can overwhelm and deter the He-Sed of God.
35On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” 41They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Mark 4:35–41 (NASB95)
The Gospels give us insight into the who, what, and how of Jesus. They teach us about His divine nature, His purpose in coming among us, and the means He employed to secure our righteousness. They also give us a glimpse into the values that Jesus holds exhibits…and by extension to those of us who follow Him, the values we should embrace.
But the Gospels also tell us something about ourselves. In Matthew 8 and Luke 8 we find parallel accounts to this true story involving Jesus and His disciples. In each of those accounts, there is a plea from the disciples to “save them” as the storm was overwhelming and threatened their lives. In all three accounts, Jesus speaks to the storm, calms it, and challenges the anxiety of the disciples as a “faith” issue. Mark alone says out loud what many people are afraid to: “Do you not care…” (Mark 4:38)? The Greek word- melei points to the care and concern that the disciples had. After all, some of them are seasoned, professional fishermen. This is not new territory. Still, it is overwhelming. They are worried and they want to know why Jesus is not worried. How can He sleep through it? Jesus’ response begs a different question: How can you not sleep through it?
For the disciples, the situation was out of control; But Jesus initiated the journey across the lake to begin with (4:35). The tempest of the seas drowned out the disciples’ voices, but Jesus’ voice silenced the storm. The disciples surmised that if they were in this situation, it could only mean that Jesus did not care! Yet, it was Jesus’ concern for the disciple’s faith that prompted Him to put the disciples in the situation to begin with. They respond to the crisis with fear and Jesus redirects them to faith.
Verse 40 pits fear against faith. One cancels out the other. The destructive power of fear emanates from the deficient presence of faith. That means that the power OVER fear is present in our faith. Don’t think of faith as a noun…something we acquire; rather, think of it biblically…a verb if you will…something we exercise. Faithing life is a consciously informed decision to rest in the fact that Jesus is in charge. Nothing occurs beyond His awareness or control. Our training and testing of faith journey are according to His ultimately good plan. When anxiously overwhelmed, our peace is often as close as calling out to Jesus and watching Him work. He’s easy to connect with. In most of the storms of our lives, he is waiting in the back of the boat for us to stop bailing water feverishly and simply call on Him for instructions.
Jan 24th, 2024 marks the one-year anniversary since officiating my brother’s funeral service. I think about him often. Todd was a fun-loving guy, and he had an incredible mechanical aptitude. In his mind, he could visualize the mechanical function of just about anything. This gift allowed him to be quite successful in his machining career. Additionally, at his best, he was a great son, brother, and dad.
This does not mean in any way that Todd was without his faults. From his teen years, he enjoyed drinking. It was fun for him. Through the years though, “fun” Todd became frustrated, emotional, and not so much fun to be around. That which he chose, had now chosen him. What he once controlled now commanded a costly influence in his life. There were many casualties in the wake of his choices. Many. Several failed marriages. Heartbroken children, parents, and siblings. Job losses. Health issues. All the rest.
None of this should remotely be a surprise to any follower of Jesus.
31Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; 32At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.
Proverbs 23:31–32 (NASB95)
Admittedly, this post is a bit different from others I have written. Part of that is because I am mindful of the day. Another part relates to the urgency of action for others who might be slipping ever so subtly toward a similar precipice at the edge of losing everything.
I am a little weird. I stopped drinking back in the 90s. Faith had taken a more proper and significant role in my life. I came to recognize my influence on others. But I also looked at the days of my early adulthood and recognized that the Chris who once drank, did things that were not good, honorable, or healthy. They carried an emotional price that others had to pay with me.
I continue to abstain from alcohol today. Not because I believe the Scripture universally condemns consuming alcohol. Drunkenness is condemned. Abstention is commended as wise. But it is a stretch to say that any consumption of beverage alcohol is sinful. Frankly, too much attention is often given to this subject by those who want to press the case for total abstinence or Christian liberty. I make my case a bit differently.
Two primary motivations influence my position and both feed into a posture of worship.
First, there is a cost. I can look at my own foolishness of youth. I can look at the deaths and destructive patterns in my family that are directly attributed to alcohol consumption. The cost is too high and even if the Scriptures do not condemn the consumption of alcohol, wisdom beckons us to avoid it at any cost.
Second, I abstain because I want to be as missionally effective for the King as possible. Most people associate alcohol with conduct other than that of a disciple of Jesus. Many of the world’s religions reject drinking by those of their faith. The Bible universally commends the pursuit of wisdom and universally treats avoiding alcohol as wise conduct. For example, It is the only position commended for King Lemuel in Proverbs 31. What I know is, that my ordering a Coke Zero, sparkling water, or sweet tea at a party has never cost me an opportunity to share the gospel. A beer in my hand just might. Do I care that others who are disciples of Jesus see this differently? Of course I do, but it is not a test of fellowship for me.
What I am painfully aware of today is the weighty burden that alcohol placed on the shoulders of my nieces and others in my family. Alcohol was voluntarily chosen until suddenly, and against his will, my brother was taken captive by it. I watched him battle the addiction for many years. Today, I take some comfort in knowing that my brother no longer wrestles against this demonic influence that razed the harvest fields of his life.
For those who see alcohol as a social grace, a prop for peace, or help of some other sort…know that I once did also, and so did my brother. I stepped away before it was too late for me. It caught him. And the only sure defense for you is to turn back now. You’ll not regret it. Yes, some will think you’re weird. I will join the counsel of Scripture in thinking you’re wise.
Have you ever given consideration to the stewardship of “the day?” By that, I mean, “What if today was not what you made it (as if you were master of the day) but an assignment to be discerned, carried out, and celebrated?”
I have been “the guy” who thought of the calendar as an obstacle rather than an opportunity; a challenge rather than a commission. If I could control the appointments, arrange the flow of activities, choose the level of energy needed for each encounter, delegate away some of the less significant tasks…THEN I could look back on the day and talk about all that I had done. What if though, I had an assignment in the day that was completely overlooked in the hustle and hurry of my effective administration?
Someone asked me recently about a weakness or struggle that I knew about myself. I responded that, at times, I moved too quickly through a room. Even when pastoring, my default was to maximize my time and get to the front and in position at just the right time. In fact, after watching one of my mentors engage the same crowds, I realized that I needed to intentionally slow down. I would often pray for the Lord to show me His divine appointments in the conversations that I might have along the way. Sure, I needed to be at the front when the clock struck 00:00, but I also needed to maximize the appointments that God might have along the way.
The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us that God is in the appointment business. He appoints everything under heaven.
1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
Ecclesiastes 3:1, NASB95
Often, the moments that we pass through are appointments affecting eternity for others. That disabled vehicle on the side of the road. The conversation after prayers with your son as you tuck him in. The Car rider line. The chit-chat with a co-worker over lunch. Any one of these may be an appointment that affects eternity.
2for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
2 Corinthians 6:2, NASB95
Finally, since God assigns the moments and controls all of the circumstances, we can rejoice in every element of the day. We can be grateful for the traffic stall on the highway, or the appliance repair that we have to arrange on the hone. We can thank the Lord that our coffee order is delayed for a fresh pot that is being brewed. Each one of these moments is divinely appointed.
24This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24, NASB95
Today, the Lord will entrust you with 86,400 seconds. He has appointed some of them for eternal purposes. Make the most of every opportunity and rejoice…for the Lord made the day!
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