In the Beginning

From my perspective, it’s the love story of a lifetime; unexpected, overwhelming, amazing.  It’s a story about rising from the ashes of brokenness, of surrendering everything to God, then amazing blessings.  It’s hard to put into words a timely and descriptive account that does justice to the Author of it all.  Really, it’s two love stories intertwined.  God’s abundant redemptive love for us.  A love that fills us up and makes us whole.  It’s also a love that overflows from our own lives; spills over and becomes shared with others...and in this story, especially between two people.

It’s in a moment of full surrender and contentment that His best work is done.  “Lord, if it’s just you, me and the kids the rest of my life...it’s blessings all the way!”  Sincere words spoken from my heart that I would soon hear echoed from a new friend.  This is where a new chapter, a new story begins.

God had put on my heart, at that time, to teach a Bible study class on a Beth Moore book of all things.  What guy does that?  More importantly, what person ignores God’s leading...only a fool.  Well, I didn’t want to be a fool, even if I might have looked silly teaching from material that had been branded for a “women’s study,”  but also it’s me...since when did I care?  I think God made me just a little bit quirky and with a touch of rebel.  Thank goodness because it led to a series of events only God could have orchestrated.

I went to talk to the minister in charge of Bible studies about teaching the class.  It had been years since I last taught and I was out of the loop.  As I pulled up to the church I had an overwhelming sensation that, for some reason, I would be discouraged to teach this material in a Sunday school setting....interesting, but silly.  It gets more bizarre though.  The thought that kept coming to mind was, “tell him this is from Me, God, and if you offer the class, the right people will show up.”  Ok, so I’m having some kind of a movie moment here, “if you build it they will come”.  Sounds familiar, but I’m not used to having God drop a message on me in this manner.  Perhaps it’s just my wild imagination!

Once in the his office, I spent a fair amount of time explaining how I came to the place where teaching a Beth Moore study in Sunday School was what I was prepared to do. “I’m not sure this is the right setting for you” I was told. It was said in a helpful sincere tone, but seriously? I really couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  Could this really be playing out?  All I could do was smile and kind of chuckle.  Then I realized that wasn’t the appropriate response for what was being communicated to me, especially with the perplexed look on his face. So I did the only reasonable thing I could think of to do at this point.  I passed along the message from God.  

 “Who am I to mess with the leading of the Holy Spirit” he responds.  Huh, what do you know?!  With that, the class began.

Those who showed up for the study know as well as I do that God literally brought us together.  It was inspiring to see how God was moving through our little class and just down the road from my church was another church where a wonderful lady was looking for a Bible study to attend.  Through the social grapevine she heard about the class, didn’t have a clue who was teaching or what it was about, only that she should give it a try.  She showed up for class one Sunday morning and it was the beginning of what would become a truly amazing friendship.

(Next entry) Our stories were one and the same...

Living for the Moment

I’m drained today.  Hours at the pool, in the sun, with the kids pulling on me....I’m spent.  It gets worse.  Problems arise. Issues develop.  It’s coming from all perceivable sides and I’m just physically tired to top it off.  It’s one of those days, ripe for Satan to start beating me down spiritually.  

Thoughts of inadequacy take shape, failure.  I begin to only hope in some future tomorrow.  “It will all get better after I get this done, then that.”  I’ll get back on track AFTER I put out these current fires.  Maybe even a deadline is assigned...two, three months from now...it’ll be different.  It’s the same feeling we get when we’re trying to get into gear after the pain of any spiritual, mental or physical crisis.  Someday it will be better.  Someday we’ll know God’s will for our lives and we will get moving in that direction. Until then, we’re in neutral, or putting out fires and dealing with daily life issues at best.  There’s always something, isn’t there?

“Forget about His will for your life!”  I read this chapter heading in Francis Chan’s new book, “Forgotten God” and I thought maybe Francis had lost his marbles!  Then he explains,

How many times have you heard someone say, “I just wish I knew God’s will for my life?”  I know I’ve longed for this before.  But now I see it as a misguided way of thinking and talking.  There are very few people in the Scriptures who received their life plan from God in advance (or even their five-year plan, for that matter!)  

Francis uses the example of Abraham who was told by God to pack up and start walking.  He didn’t know ANY details.  How long, where to, would there be a benefits package, etc.  God said to go, he went.  Francis points out that we need to stop waiting on God to show us the whole picture and instead respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading today, in this moment. He says, “It is easy to use the phrase ‘God’s will for my life’ as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience.  It’s much less demanding to think about God’s will for your future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes.  It’s safer to commit to following Him someday instead of this day.”

So true, isn’t it?  Satan can debilitate us from living fully for God today by simply making us think of a future day and keeping us busy with issues or in waiting on “plans to be revealed.”  What we really need to remember, what I need to remember, is that the Holy Spirit lives in me NOW, wants to work in me and through me NOW.  

There will always be fires and the next thing to keep me at bay.  What really needs to be done in some moments is, as Paul said, “I resolved to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Cor 2:2   Suddenly my day just changed :) Thank you Lord!

Today's Song - Blink by Revive

Teach me to number my days
And count every moment before it slips away
Taking all the colors before they fade to gray
I don’t want to miss even just a second more of this

It happens in a blink
It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there’s no stopping time
What is it I’ve done with my life
It happens in a blink

When it’s all said and done
No one remembers how far we have run
The only thing that matters is how we have loved
I don’t want to miss even just a second more of this

(Chorus)

Slow down, slow down
Before today becomes our yesterday
Slow down, slow down
Before you turn around and it’s too late

Purity - What does it mean and why is it important?

I bought a purity ring last week to mark a new beginning; another season in life.  A constant reminder of how God calls us to live.  Then it spurred me to write again after having spent some time in silence. So here we are, once again...

A search for common definitions on purity from several places yields these results:

freedom from contaminants: the absence, or degree of absence, of anything harmful, inferior, unwanted, or of a different type

innocence, virtue, clarity

Freedom from sin or guilt; innocence; chastity: "Teach your children . . . the belief in purity of body, mind and soul"

purity of heart or of life.

Freedom from any sinister or improper motives or views.

The theme being purity brings freedom for the body, mind and soul.  Freedom from guilt, sin, harmful things, even improper motives or views.  It has been a subject resonating with me for some time now; a challenge at times.  In the physical sense there is the obvious...I’ve been 14 months now roughly without my spouse by my side.  If you would have asked me 15 months ago if it was a possible task to take on, foregoing the physical for so long...I would have said you’re crazy! :)  I would have dubbed myself the least likely candidate for that job (as well as most other men I’m sure.)

I’m not saying it’s been a breeze or I haven’t had to face temptations, BUT there is something amazing in abstinence and purity.  For starters, it puts the focus all on God and off of self. (Perhaps we’ll elaborate on this another time)  Equally important areas in purity are of the mind and soul.  When we strive towards purity in all areas of our lives (even though we may stumble at times) the resulting freedom is priceless.  Our accuser can’t hold anything over us.  When we are selfless in our motives and actions it becomes difficult for Satan to make us question ourselves so we can stand firmly on the rock. “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Tim 2:22

What would it be like to daily ask God to reveal our hidden motives and expose our hearts openly before the Lord? “...He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts...” 1 Cor 4:5 We have to be willing to accept and change our thought process and our actions to be in line with His will for our lives...even when it’s inconvenient for us.  After all, if God is convicting us, isn’t it because He loves us and wants what is best for our lives?

Besides, the alternative is willingly giving Satan a foothold in our lives to create guilt, shame, helplessness, low self esteem, timidity, etc.  “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7  Satan can tear us down and incapacitate our lives.  Perhaps this one area has been holding you back from the abundant life God has for you. 

Don’t buy into the lies anymore, you know the ones that liar tells you (and I know the ones he tells me.)  If it feels good... OR ...many other Christians are ok with (fill in the blank)... OR...it’s not a sin if I only take it “this” far...OR... music and movies don’t affect me...

“...let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

Whatever it is that contaminates and the lies we buy into...you know.  Choose purity, walk it out with God, set apart.  In the world, but not of the world, right?!! :)

Jesus is very fond of you and so am I,

Brian