Jeremiah 29 - Seek Me in prayer and worship

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

God has directed me to Jeremiah 29 this morning, and it couldn't be timelier.

The book starts out with an order. Verse 5 states "Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce." Meaning, we must keep going. We can't sit around and wait to be delivered. It is God's desire that we have an abundant life in our current situation as we await future plans that have been put in place for us. Even if our circumstances are not "ideal" now, we must live in complete trust and faith. We must act.

Verse 10 talks about His promise to restore us to His purpose. It is also a reminder that God's timing is not our own. Waiting on the Lord does not mean to do nothing. We are to continue doing our part in turning to Him and directing others to do the same, and in His time, He will do His part.

Jeremiah 29 then reminds us of His promise. Verse 11 could be called "the verse of hope". God tells us that He has great plans for us. We are to revive this promise as our own. This is not a message only to the Jews thousands of years ago, but to all people. THEN!! It couldn't be clearer. Pray to Him, call upon Him, come to Him, He will listen. He says it Himself in verse 12. He tells us that when we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. "…and will bring you back from captivity, and gather you from the nations and places where I have banished you, I will bring you back from where you are in exile."

This has hit me particularly hard, knowing that God has promised certain things over me, but I haven't seen any of those promises come to fruition. Jeremiah 29 is a good reminder that If we are to continue in the path set before us, as hard as it may be, He will be faithful in return. He promises that as long as we come to Him, He will always be there for us.

Verse 13 is clear, there is no other translation necessary. "When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul..."

Carry Me

On my knees, searching within
I've come to the end of me and I'm ready to begin
To find my purpose, to find my way
Now I'm reaching for You

And I am desperate
And I can't do this on my own

Would You carry me?
My arms are wide open, I'm giving everything
Would You carry me?
Oh Lord, I surrender, I'm letting go today

I'm forgiven 'cause You paid the price
I still can't seem to leave it all behind
All my failures, all of my mistakes
Still I'm reaching for You

And all of these years, so lost and broken
And all of these tears, I've walked alone
Now reaching for You

Would You carry me?
My arms are wide open, I'm giving everything
Would You carry me?
Oh Lord, I surrender, I'm letting go today

--"Carry Me" by Sevent Day Slumber

Don't give up because of your experiences or because your view of yourself has been blocked. There is one lens with the proper vision correction that can allow us to see ourselves in this life. And through that clarity we are offered a view of beauty so perfect, a view of life so divine, that it is hard to recognize it as our own. Our Christ offers that to us, and for a lot of us, it takes a trip to hell and back to awaken our spirits to that which He has given us. We can never forget we are HIS creation, and therefore are beautiful to Him.

Surrendering our self to His will is the best thing we can ever do in this life. The song "carry me" by Seventh Day Slumber says: "I'm forgiven because you paid that price, I still can't seem to leave it all behind, all my failures, all of my mistakes" and then answers: "Would You carry me? My arms are wide open, I'm giving everything. Would You carry me? Oh Lord, I surrender, I'm letting go today."

That act is different for everyone, the act of surrender. I strongly encourage you to find out what that means for you. That you take the time to talk with Jesus, and then to LISTEN to Jesus. As much as He enjoys hearing us talk to Him, he also enjoys talking to us, and all to often we forget to listen.

Listen for His voice.

Out of the darkness, into His marvelous light...

The gospel of John tells us that Jesus came as the Source of light to lift humanity out of darkness. “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” (John 12:46).

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” (John 1:4)

We do not need to depend on the world to lift us. We do not need to depend on promotions to lift us. We do not need to rely on our status or the things we have to elevate us. If you are a child of God, you are already a part of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, that is going to descend out of Heaven from God. This city does not need or rely on the sun or the moon for lighting, for the Glory of God will illuminate it, and it will stand brighter than any light before it. As children of God, we are illuminated where we stand, and we are hated for it. Persecuted by those jealous of what we have found. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)

Lord, surrounded by filth, and distractions, and darkness, I ask that you embolden me to stand tall and shine forth with your Spirit. That fear would not hold me, that timidity would not take me captive, but that through your Grace, and through your compassion for those in the darkness, I can be your light to lead them out. Amen.

GOD'S UNDYING AND UNQENCHABLE LOVE (Hosea, here we go!)

I read through the book twice this morning, and suddenly my morning had a damper. Nothing like the sun shining through the windows, basking you in it's glory, glinting off the steaming cup of freshly poured coffee, shining on a hardbacked study bible, and filling you with a sense of joy that just doesn't exist on a grey, rainy typical Northwest day. And then Hosea happens.

Nothing like a spoonfull of "your unworthy, I'm leaving" to start your day off. Stick that in your coffee and stir it, right? So, I read it twice.

Here's why:

Hosea 10:13 -
"You have plowed wickedness; " great.
"You have reaped iniquity; " awesome.
"You have eaten the fuit of lies, " wow.
Here's the kicker: "Because you trusted in your own way." Pause for affect.

On that note, let's hit up the good news first. The book of Hosea is ultimately about the loyalty of God's love. In spite of our dirt, in spite of our sickness, in spite of our utter unworthiness of Him, in the end we're clean, we aren't sick, and we are, in fact worthy in His eyes. How does that work? (read my blogs "A new taste..." and "What IS so amazing about grace?") Grace, and as in the message of the book of Hosea, Forgiving Love.

Hosea uses the metaphor of an unfaithful wife to parallel with the spiritually unfaithful Israel. The first 10 chapters drive this home. Although sprinkled throughout those first 10 chapters are little rays of hope. Little rays of sunshine not unlike those same rays that were shining through the window this morning.

Hosea 3:1 - "Then the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans."

Hosea 3:1 perfectly illustrates God's unquenchable love for faithless Israel. God tells Hosea to take BACK his wife (who was still in the occupation of prostitution). Let's back up a step. Hosea 1:2 - "Go take yourself a wife of harlotry, and children of harlotry..."

Most of us know that this is a literal referance to the fallen state of Israel, and her relationship with God, but a little spark went off inside me as I read this. Just as Hosea was instructed to take a sinner as a wife, and to take the children born as a result of her sin, so God took us at the beginning of our existence, and thanks to his sacrifice, the results of our sin don't have to be ours in eternity. Our sin didn't change anything about the way He has ever thought about us. Matter of fact, the very fall of man, may have made our Creator that much more passionate for us to succeed in Him. (But that is a debate for theologians to take on, not me...)

Back from that trail, and finishing up, Hosea spends 10 chapters describing God's words of rebuke and judgment, Chapter 11 describing God's continuous love, chapter 12 and 13 were almost like a courtroom scene, bringing charges and judgment, and the last chapter, chapter 14 was only 9 verses. But in those 9 verses described exactly what God is and how He works.

God is LOVE, and FORGIVENESS. After all the punishments and judgments, God says in Hosea 14 - "Return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity..." (no longer out of judgment) and Verses 4-8 simply state what He will do in our forgiveness. Amazing, that it can take hundreds of verses and statements to describe our state of sin (and that's on the lighter side), but only 4 verses to describe how eager our Lord is to take us back. And in ALL those Chapters and verses in Hosea is ONE underlying theme to take home: GOD'S UNDYING AND UNQUENCHABLE LOVE.

A new taste.

In order to find God and receive the grace He freely gives, we first must lose ourselves to pursuing Him. As He is the lover of our souls, and as He is the Great artist of the canvas of our existence, so is He also in desperation for us. Our starvation is pleasing to Him, our brokenness is perfect for Him, our desperation for Him is evident of our desire and proof of our love.

Augustine wrote, “I was astonished that although I now loved you … I did not persist in enjoyment of my God. Your beauty drew me to you, but soon I was dragged away from you by my own weight and in dismay I plunged again into the things of this world … as though I had sensed the fragrance of the fare but was not yet able to eat it.”

Seeking after God MUST be a full time job. We still have the ability to lose things after we find them. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've lost my keys, and had to find them. Again, and Again. If we are not eager in our desire for Him, and we lose sight of Him, we lose Him.

We must remember that our indwelling sin stands in the way of our full satisfaction in God. It is that indwelling sin that distorts and perverts our need, our want, our desire for Him. Here's the kicker: Christian life is impossible. Here's the OTHER kicker: Christian life is supernatural.

And since Christian life if supernatural, we can only depend on the supernatural to save us. Your best friend can not, your brother can not, your dad can not, MAN can not. John Piper says, “There is only one hope. The sovereign Grace of God.” When we come to the realization that life cannot be lived fullest on our own, and we're left alone after this life, there begins a transformation in our Heart. It's that transformation that awakens us the the joy of life, offered by the Grace of God. A promise that our searching, our desire, our desperation to know the heart of God, will result in the fulfillment of joy, and at the same time, the satisfaction of suffering for Him in our temporary station on earth. It is those internal changes that are only possible with divine grace.

True salvation is the awakening of a NEW taste for God.

What IS so amazing about Grace?

Grace is God's to give, God's sole prerogative, and is freely offered.

Hebrews 4:16 says "Let us then approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

The word “boldness” meaning without doubt or uncertainty. Draw near unto the throne of God, our reconciled Father. Grace constructed it, has sovereignty over it, and dispenses unmerited, undeserved favor. So why should we doubt it? Why should we approach with uncertainty. Wesley compares the Jewish high priest that passes through the veil into the holy of holies, carrying with him the blood of the sacrifices, on the yearly day of atonement; so our great high priest went once for all through the visible heavens, with the virtue of his own blood, into the immediate presence of God.

Verse 15 says “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” He identifies with us our guiltless sickness, wants, and weaknesses. YET since he was without sin, He is indisputably able to preserve us from sin in all our temptations.

It is these reasons that have allowed us to be able to freely approach the throne of God (grace) without disbelieve and distrust. He freely gives grace to those who understand that we cannot conceal our sin, and that we cannot self-remedy it. Hebrews 4:12-13 says “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” We stand naked and exposed before Him who holds us accountable. Our one hope, our promised hope, is in the sinless One who cannot only feel our weaknesses but who has conquered and succeeded right where we have failed.

This brings us back to where we started, Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

True Wisdom Begins When It Is Valued Above All Other Knowledge (Proverbs 2)

Proverbs 2 is divided into two sections. The first section talks about the promises that come to those who search for wisdom, and the second section focuses on the benefits of wisdom.

The promises given to us are plain as day, and as obviously are hard to ignore. Any heavenly promise given to us are ignored only by the ignorant *or fools, as Solomon likes to call them). The first promise, if we choose to exploit the values of wisdom, is that we will never complain about the things we've lost. In other words, the times of turbulence or confusion that we face (ex. losing a job), won't faze us. It will, in no way, affect us, because our knowledge (spiritual knowledge) is grounded in, well, the Spirit. And with things grounded in something as solid as that, there is no question who is in charge of our situation. That is just one of the promises given to us.

This first section goes on to tell us that if we seek it, we will find it. Let them ask, and it shall be given them. It tells us to take example from the ones that are favored, because they are the upright, the virtuous, the good, the just, the honorable. They are the ones that represent true dependence on God, and we are the ones that MUST make every effort to be the delegates for dependency on God.

The second section of Proverbs 2 (vs. 10-22), tells us that the initial stages of being truly wise, is to steer clear of sin, or the enticement of sin, to run from it until the soles of our shoes are worn out, and our feet are bleeding. If sin has authority over us, not only does it fill every cell of our brain, but it begins to aggravate the heart, and make it easier for temptation to be triumphant. On the other hand, if wisdom has influence over us, then not only does it fill our head, but our hearts are overcome, and it will protect us from the enticement of sin. Verse 20 closes this chapter out nicely, by telling us "that you may walk in the midst of good men, and keep the paths of the upright." Wisdom is telling us to surround ourselves with wisdom. Go figure.

31 days of Proverbs (Proverbs 1)

I've been wanting to start a blog for quite some time now. I'm alone with my thoughts for about 10 hours a day, as I work alone, and as A.D.D. as some of you know I am, you can only imaging the utter torment I go through as thought and idea pass between the black hole that is my brain, never to be heard from again.

The most intense periods of learning that I, personally, go through are born through these thoughts. Whether it is spiritual wisdom or earthly discernment is, at times, hard to tell. Only because Satan likes to blur the lines of our own wit and the omniscience of God. The Proverbs do a great job of expressing timeless truths and wisdom, and make simple, moral statements that teach deep-seated realities about life.

John MacArthur once said about the proverbs of Solomon, "...they arrest one's thoughts, causing the reader to reflect on how one might apply divine principles to life situations. Proverbs contains insights both in poetry and prose; yet, at the same time, it includes commands to be obeyed."

Further study on King Solomon show that as he became King, he sought and received wisdom and knowledge from the Lord, which led him to riches, honor, and fame. Solomon came to write these very principles he followed, and they became over half of the book of Proverbs. So not only is the book of Proverbs a book of witty sayings and truthful obedience principals, but it is a book of testimony that if those principals are followed with diligence, it can lead to blessing and spiritual wealth.

The introduction to the book (Proverbs 1:2-7) says:

2 - To know wisdom and instruction,

To perceive the words of

understanding,

3 - To receive the instruction of wisdom,

Justice, judgment, and equity;

4 - To give prudence to the simple,

To the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 - A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

6 - To understand a proverb and an enigma,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

7 - The fear of the Lord is the

beginning of knowledge,

But fools despise wisdom and

instruction.

Verses 8-19 warns us against the attraction of sinners if we fail to embrace wisdom; sin must be rejected by even declining the association that can lead to sin. Sinners tempt and entice the innocent in secret, so as not to be exposed. Which leads us to the drastic difference in foolishness and Wisdom. One of the major differences between verses 8-19 (enticement) and the last half of the chapter (20-33, Wisdom in the first person) is that temptation is concealed and hidden, whereas wisdom, with nothing to hide, is available to everyone.

While it is easy to fall into the entrapment of sin, at the same time, Wisdom is not needing to trap or fool you. It's already there shouting, contending for your attention. The proverbs is pointed mainly to the simple, the scorners or mockers, and the fools. But even they can hear what's being shouted. It's that ignorance of wisdom that makes them what they are. As leaders, hearers of wisdom, it is our job to contend with Wisdom against the enticements of evil for those that don't know better for themselves.

God, I ask for ears open to your Wisdom, and a heart that can receive Your words and emotionally bind them to myself. That when Wisdom calls, I am not deceived by lies, and am quick to answer that call. Thank you for your Holy Spirit, Your love, Your mercy, Your forgiveness, and Your gift of everlasting life.

~Amen