the unknown

On our journey in Jesus there is always the unknown and fear which we can wrestle with over that. It may not be over just the general unknown, since none of us know all that will happen today or tomorrow, much less the following year, or decade. But it can be over problems and trials that have come and hit us, and make us wonder what is next, imagining at times, the worst case scenario.

This is not to say that the worst case scenario such as a loss of job, or even death, will not overtake us. But it is to say that God is with us in Jesus to see us through, so that on the other side we come out looking more like Jesus.

That is so to the extent that we trust in God through Jesus, and hold on to God's promises. As God bound himself with an oath to Abraham which meant that if God didn't see his promise to Abraham through, a promise that to Abraham seemed less and less likely, then God would destroy himself. We can rely on God's trustworthiness, and that he will fulfill all his promises to us given in Scripture, through Jesus, as we simply commit ourselves to him.

Our faith may indeed be small, weak and wavering, but like a wobbly tire at the top of the hill as it begins to go down, becomes straight, steady and gains momentum, so God can help us to become strong and steady in our faith, even through the hard times. So that like Abraham of old, our faith will be a part of who we are, unshaken and unsettled by life's inevitable changes and trials.

This knowledge can help us face the unknown when we're not sure of what lies ahead. We need to put our faith in God through Christ, and commit our way to him, knowing that he is faithful and will see us through as we seek with others in Jesus to follow him.

What would you like to add to this?

true believers

God's mercies are new every morning. In this life it is true, we're beset by troubles on every side until the day we die. Though some have the disposition to not only see the cup half full, rather than half empty, but they see good on every side until the day they die, as well. Not that they deny the troubles. But they keep their cup full, in the Lord.

We need new eyes to see and new ears to hear and new hearts to understand. Too often worldly perspectives creep in and take over. And you'd never guess that the person talking is a child of God, or a follower of Jesus, and not of this world, but of the kingdom of God in Jesus. I speak from being there myself at times.

Being content and rejoicing in the Lord, finding our joy in him, and giving thanks to him for his goodness and good gifts to us- this is what needs to more and more characterize us. Do we really believe God's word? Or do we just barely do so, with doubts and struggles? Hopefully I'm growing more and more in my trust in God and in his word.

Let us live as God's children in this world. Of another kingdom. Not bogged down by the troubles on every side. That others might see, and believe along with us.

What might you like to add here?

cast on God

At work when I can I've been meditating on Psalm 22 from which Jesus quotes on the cross in his sense of abandonment by God. It is wonderful to slowly work one's way through a passage, and specifically this passage, pondering as one goes along.

Yesterday, among other things, I seemed especially struck with this phrase: "From birth I was cast on you..." (note these two interesting renderings of this).

For the psalmist this began at birth. But it's ongoing through all of life for God's people. I believe it includes all of humanity, but we need the eyes of faith to see and believe it.

To be cast on God for us is ongoing; we never outgrow this need. I think we readily see our need of this through the inevitable troubles we face in life. Some of them are problems we're used to, and up to a point we think we can handle. Though we should learn that our every breath and action is to be done in dependence on God and interdependence on others, particulary others in God.

I think especially of those troubling times and trials which hit us. They can be personal attacks against us. Scripture is filled with examples of that; Psalm 22 is a good example. They can be fears that hit and beset us at times. Anger in reaction to perceived injustice that we know we need to keep in check and deal with, while appropriately acting on it, primarily if not solely through prayer. I'm just trying to think of examples here, in which we are reminded anew of how we need to be cast on God.

It's a blessing to be cast on God, but also a necessity in this life in following Jesus. As we learn to cast ourselves and our cares on God, then we will find God's help and consolations. But this is ongoing for us in Jesus in this life. Part of being weak in Jesus so that we can be strong by God's Spirit to live out God's will for us.

What would you like to add to this?

anxiety over money

We live during a time when people are losing their jobs and wondering about their futures. As Americans, we've been taught to plan ahead. Conventional wisdom is that it's good for most of us to own a house, now get our 401-K's or an equivalent as high as possible, so that we can enjoy our retirement. But like Sharon told us yesterday, we've made gods out of all these things. Not necessarily wrong in themselves, but wrong if we're depending on them, rather than on God.

For the most part I worry very little about our finances. Deb handles them (we've traded back and forth, but she does better than I on them, so I let her have at it, now for some time). Something happened which made me wonder what was going on, though nothing Deb did wrong at all. But this threw me for a loop on Saturday. But in that, I was able to pray and think through Scripture. And when I arrived at church on Sunday morning, I was asked to read the Luke passage of the parable of the rich fool along with some of Luke's equivalent of what I was looking at in Matthew (the entire passage). Then Sharon gave us a message that hit the spot. Quite an encouraging time, though because of being so tired, I did not make it through the Dallas Willard material on it in The Divine Conspiracy (but will do so today, or very soon).

Do we really trust God? Are we living as those who seek God's kingdom and his righteousness? Or is it to pile up many goods and possessions for ourselves? Most of us are not perfect in this. We need to take an unflinching look at ourselves, in prayer. And seek to grow in our faith and commitment to God on this. Being rich toward God is key for us, which involves doing good for others.

Many will be tested during this time, perhaps the next year or so. How well will we do? And we must remember we're all in this together. Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." Not give me. Like Paul, I want to learn to be content in whatever circumstance. As long as I can serve God through Christ. And in that, know God will give us all we need.

Just kind of preliminary thoughts on this. What wisdom might you like to share with us- or anything in regard to this?

quote for the week: Dallas Willard on freedom from anxiety over money (in the section "And the Lilies"- Matthew 6)

...when our trust is in things that are absolutely beyond any risk or threat, and we have learned from good sources, including our own experience, that those things are there, anxiety is just groundless and pointless. It occurs only as a hangover of bad habits established when we were trusting things - like human approval and wealth - that were certain to let us down. Now our strategy should be one of resolute rejection of worry, while we concentrate on the future in hope and with prayer and on the past with thanksgiving.

Paul...got it: "Don't be anxious about anything," he says, "but in every situation, with prayer and supplications, with thanksgiving, let God know what you want. And the peace which God himself has will, beyond anything we can intellectually grasp, stand guard over your hearts and minds, which are within the reality of Jesus the Anointed" (Phil. 4:6-7).

We will find all this so much easier, of course, once we have been freed from our old dependency upon the opinions of others and upon our "treasure" of material goods.

Dallas Willard from The Divine Conspiracy, 212, 213.

God's goodness

A big part of the life of faith consists in really learning to trust in God's goodness. We affirm what Scripture says, that God is good. Yet we struggle when bad things happen to us and around us. And we struggle with fears over what might happen, since we live in a world which is full of trouble. And there's no doubt that we will have troubles in this life.

To learn to begin to really rest in God's goodness is an important aspect of the life of faith for us in Jesus. As we persist in that, through the bad times and good, we will begin to see God's goodness at work in our lives, in a kind of unfolding way. In a way in which we can see progress in ourselves. And seeing change towards becoming holy and more like the Lord, is at the same time satisfying to us. We are becoming more as our Creator made us to be, more human. By grace we are tasting more and more that the Lord is good, and we are remaining in that goodness.

I am learning this in my own life. Certainly requires faith, and sometimes prayers from others to help us overcome our lack of faith, as well as dependence on God to keep going on in that. True for myself!

When we depart, of course the Lord is faithful to work to bring us to our senses. We all need to keep learning more and more to trust in God's goodness. To learn more and more to rest in that. And to even revel in it. Seeing it in the little things of life, as well as the bigger. And trusting through the dark and difficult times that God's goodness will prevail.

Anything you'd like to share on God's goodness?

the tenacity of faith

Faith must end up being tenacious, and this is especially needed at certain points in our journey. There will always be seemingly insurmountable problems along the way. These can take numerous forms, though often they are the same kind of struggles common to us as individuals in our different makeup and variables.

Faith in God through Jesus by the Spirit, and in community, the community of God in Jesus, will find a way. This can take time and certainly effort on our part. And at times, simply waiting on and trusting in God. We need to become more and more aware of God's revealed will given to us from Scripture in Christ. How this unfolds will be beyond us, indeed it is "a God-thing." But it will, if we in faith hold on in one way or another.

This is particularly evident to me lately. And this is a faith not just to see us through, although that's important so that we'll continue on in our faith, in the faith. But it's a faith that in that continuing, will help grow us up together into conformity to God's will in Jesus. Towards being like Jesus. Certainly again beyond us, but a big part of the work that God does here on earth. That others may see Jesus through us, God's people.

What would you like to add here?

in God's project

For me after more than a week off from work it's back to the grind today. Actually back to God's good will in Jesus.

We live in God's project. It's a project bigger than any of us, but includes us all. It's neat to see how it can end up bringing so many disparate people together in ways as God builds us together in Jesus. It's a project that has nothing to do with the American dream or the way we ordinarily look at things. If I did that, which for some brief moments I did this morning, it would seem rather hopeless or at least not optimistic in some ways. But when we look at God's will revealed for us in Jesus, we can have an optimism based on the assurance in faith that God's good promises in Jesus will be fulfilled. We need to hang in there and see them worked out in the difficult places over time. And keep responding to God's grace in every circumstance.

It certainly gives plenty of assurance to know we are in God's project in Jesus. That we are a part of that. That in Jesus, what we do does make a difference through God in this world. How encouraging and reassuring!

So as I get back into the swing of it, or better stated the step and often tedious steps of it, I do so with a renewed anticipation that just as the rest was good, so the work now is good, in God's hands. That indeed, in Jesus, it's God's good project we are in, to be completed someday, but beginning and being worked out here and now.

What would you like to add to these thoughts?

when our love comes up short

I have to wonder at times whether or not I'm living well according to "the Jesus Creed". At times I don't think I'm living as well with reference to that, as at other times. But it's a creed we do well to recite daily, and to prayerfully in Jesus seek to live out.

I'm not one who wants to analyze all I do. Yet I want to remain open to God's correction. God knows our limitations and weaknesses. Jesus grew tired of his disciples at least at one point, but he certainly never abandoned his love for them or for his Father. But Jesus lived within himself. What I mean here is that he lived as a human being, getting sleep, yet getting up early regularly to pray to his Father. I have to think that living as a human Jesus did that out of necessity- knowing he needed to, as well as out of a sense of longing and love. And he lived by the Spirit.

I know that God's work in Jesus prevails in our lives as we in faith carry on. Even when hitting those rough and difficult places which at times seem to come out of no where. Sometimes I must acknowledge that these are times when I really question my commitment of love. But God lets me in on where I need to learn more obedience, as well as where I need to grow, and where I fall short of God's goal for me in Jesus.

Thank God for his faithfulness in showing us where we may be falling short, as well as God's encouragement along the way in helping us see how we are growing. We need both, and God is faithful to give us both, as we follow on in Jesus together here and now in this world.

What would you like to add to this?

expectation

I am actually amazed at just how down I might be over something one day, or just exhausted, yet how a new day brings with it hope and expectation. I see this as part of God's ongoing faithfulness in our lives in Jesus.

Our hope and expectation in the Lord is not just something about the sweet by and by, but is for now. But an important key here is that we just have to remain open to God's will and working. In other words we can't know just what we're to expect, except in general terms as God gives us from his word. Like we find in the "Our Father" prayer.

If we keep our expectations grounded in God through Christ, we won't in the long run be disappointed, even if what we experience in this life would never meet our own expectations. We need to learn to see life more and more in terms of God's expectations and working for us in Christ.

But though this is beyond us, it's truly wonderful how God keeps putting this sense of expectation in us over and over again to help us keep going on in Jesus, through all the trials and life that comes our way.

What would you like to add to these thoughts?

confidence in the Lord

Confidence in the Lord is my only hope of keeping me going and growing in Jesus, remaining on "the narrow way", and being recovered when I get off that way. Confidence in myself is assuredly a disaster, or a false assurance and even false existence that would go with it. Pity the people who live all their lives in some sort of confirmed confidence in themselves, doing well in that without having confidence in the Lord.

This confidence in the Lord does help us to learn to know more and more our true selves and the good gift that God has given each of us in Jesus from the Spirit. So that we can realize that even in our weakness, and really especially so, the Lord and his strength will be present for us. This also helps us when we see our shortcomings and know we need more change in our hearts. We know the Lord is faithful as we bring this to him in prayer. And so we know that he will work in our lives in that matter, according to his good will for us.

This helps me. I need it. Because I'm all too aware of my shortcomings and the fact that I need to keep being changed so that my life is more and more a clear reflection of who I am in Jesus. But above all I just want to make the point in this posting that our confidence needs to be in the Lord, no matter what we face and no matter what troubles we are experiencing. He will see us through into his good will as we simply place and keep our confidence in him.

What would you like to add to this?

our humanity

Yesterday, for a time, I felt "inspired" to do something along the line of prayer, and I sensed the Holy Spirit on me in so praying. This was a good time, right in the midst of busy work, which I had to keep doing, while doing this when I could. Afterwards we had our "devotions" which I'm now leading. That went alright I thought, though by that time, right after lunch, I'm usually ready for a nap.

The rest of the day for me was one in which I felt quite tired, a little discouraged because I thought the point I brought up in devotions was not entirely well received, though I think some did appreciate it. So in the midst of my even more busy work, I tried to talk it over with one, though being encouraged by another who had been present. But mostly, I was just tired and feeling kind of low, or more like in a survival mode in which you're doing well, but could use a nap. Then finally getting home I felt completely uninspired and hit the couch to get a good snooze, which lasted for a few hours.

This reminds me of Elijah, whom none of us would compare ourselves too, though Scripture says he was as human the rest of us. Elijah, bold in the Lord, confronted the false prophets of Baal, and after their frantic prophesyings and prayers to their false god failed, he rebuilt the altar of the LORD in the sight of all Israel. And fire came down from heaven and comsumed the water drenched sacrifice he had made. But then because of Jezebel's threats, he fled for his life, and was despondent enough to ask God to end it there and then. We then see God's care, provision and word to him.

How much like us. We are human; we are weak. This up and down thing is just a part of our lives. We need during those down times to get our rest, and to be still before the Lord, to seek to hear his voice, to wait for him. And to never measure ourselves according to our experience, anyhow- whether up or down, but to ever trust in the goodness and faithfulness of our God to lead us in Jesus, through all the changes and conditions of life.

What would you like to share that could help us in this? Or any thoughts.

dialing down

One of our greatest enemies is pure expectation, and I mean the kind that revolves around our wish list, having to do with our perceived needs, wants and feelings. Not that these things aren't important in their place, but they're out of place in us humans, because of sin. They displace God himself: Father, Son and Spirit. And the irony is that in the end they're only really satisfied and fulfilled in God. Which means we must leave the old path of pursuing our needs, wants in accordance with our feelings, behind.

What we need, of course it begins in Jesus, and apart from him this won't happen...., but what we need to do is to "dial down." I mean we need to put our perceived needs, wants and feelings into the hands of God. As we do that, displacing them so that the Triune God through Christ becomes the center, than we'll find that our desires eventually begin to be fulfilled.

This is not easy in this life where sin is simply turning good things into idols so that those good things, no longer received as from their Creator, God, end up sending us down a long and winding dead end path. We may get what we want, but we'll have lost something of ourselves, of our true humanity, in the process. So that what is left is less satisfying to ourselves and others around us.

To dial down for me means to quit my own expectations about life, or what anything in life ought to be. Instead I need to see what is already there and present as gifts from God. And I need to give thanks to God, worshiping only him.

We can do so only in prayer. We need to give our wills over to God and embrace his will, even when we don't understand or maybe just don't like it. Dialing down will end up getting us in on the real good, while failing to do so will see the good not last forever. In God through Jesus the real good does last forever. And better still- along with that- we'll be lost in wonder, love and praise for our God.

This is a process, and like everything else in this life involves growth on our part which will involve repentance from our old ways and repeatedly so, faith open to God's ways in Jesus so that we increasingly are on that path and grow. So that we become more and more confirmed in this.

What do you think about dialing down?

God's leading of us

I am thinking of an old hymn, He Leadeth Me. God is so good in the leading of us, his children. We see this theme in Scripture, throughout.

We need to be still, seeking to be so before the Lord. We need to listen to his voice in our reading of Scripture, and try to discern what he may be saying to us as we prayerfully endeavor to hear his voice in our lives. This takes patience in faith- through grace, a persistence that won't quit until the clear, calming peace of God helps us rest assured in his way, and that we are on the right paths for his name's sake.

I must say for myself however, that if I wait on a feeling than I'd seldom move. I have to in faith press on in spite of my fears quite often, to find that perfect love that casts out fear.

God's love for us is so deep and so infinite. Why we can't trust him to lead us is a deficiency in us. We need to be those sheep that can come to have a growing and deeper trust in the goodness of our Good Shepherd. Knowing he is present for each and every one of us.

What thoughts would you like to add to this?

counting on God's faithfulness

I think oftentimes we sell God short in our own lives and in the lives of others. If we can just get hold of the truth that God is utterly faithful to us in Christ Jesus, this is how we can begin to see real change in us over time. And sometimes there will be highlights where we're gripped with something new, like being grieved over our sin, or a certain sin.

We must believe that God will never leave us, or fail to complete the good work he has begun in us in and through our Lord. There will be times when we feel utterly lost. Or that there is no hope for ourselves, or for another. This is where we must hold on and seek to draw near- in faith. In this way our soul can be anchored, in spite of everything that is hitting us in our lives. And believing this in prayer for others, that they would also be so anchored in Jesus through the storms of life.

God is utterly and completely faithful. This is true for us, no matter what we're going through. No matter how unfaithful we may have been or feel at the moment. Let's never give up, but keep steady in our faith in Jesus. Remember, we come to him just as we are, and he does the work through his blood, forgiving and cleansing us of all unrighteousness.

I have to count on this. I do so by keeping at what really matters most to us in Jesus: our time with him, and seeking to live that out through the day, meeting issues of the heart and life as they come. And refusing to give in to discouragement, but pressing on to follow and know him better, with others in him. That others might find this same faithful God through seeing Jesus in us, as they see that while we're just as human as they are, there is more to it than that in our lives.

How can we count on God's faithfulness for ourselves and for others? Or whatever thoughts you might have about this.