Read Job 33:13-14
I like to listen to a local talk show on my drive home from work. The station is close to my job so when I first tune in the signal is extremely clear. The further I drive from my job, the less I can hear and understand the show. Finally, I get to a point when I’ve driven so far away I’m forced to turn the radio off.
If I told you the radio show ended because I can no longer hear it, you’d think I was crazy. The show is still on the air. I’m simply too far away to tune in. The same is true with God. He is always speaking to us, but the further we move away the less we can hear His voice. And if we move too far away, we may stop hearing from Him altogether.
The presence of sin separates us from God and causes His signal to go fuzzy. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
So how do we remain close to God and put ourselves in a position to hear His voice? We spend time with Him in prayer. We read His Word and submit all areas of lives to Him. We attend church and allow believers to share what they’ve heard from Him.
God is always speaking. We just need to be tuned in to hear His voice.
Mark 5:34: He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Everyone's Invited to the Party
Read Acts 11:1-18
Derrick always had the best birthday parties. His dad would clean out the basement and hire a DJ, and his mom would cook tons of food. When Derrick brought the invitations to school, the students chatted about the outfits they'd wear and rehearsed their dance moves. In the midst of their excitement, Janet began to cry. She was the only girl in class who had not been invited. Janet had always been a little different. She was rarely included in fun events because no one could relate to her. Janet was sad because she knew the fun the other kids were going to have that she was going to miss.
As Christians, we often treat those around us just like Derrick treated Janet. We leave out those who are different because we feel like we can’t relate. It’s easier to socialize with people who share the same background, interests and values. It would be uncomfortable to reach out to those who are different, so we don’t. But the Bible tells us in Romans 10:12-13 that “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” God desires salvation for everyone and we should, too (1Timothy 2:4).
The more we get to know God the more we learn about the abundant life He wants for us on Earth and the party we’re invited to in heaven. God has invited all men, women and children to join Him, so let’s take seriously our responsibility to deliver the invitations.
Derrick always had the best birthday parties. His dad would clean out the basement and hire a DJ, and his mom would cook tons of food. When Derrick brought the invitations to school, the students chatted about the outfits they'd wear and rehearsed their dance moves. In the midst of their excitement, Janet began to cry. She was the only girl in class who had not been invited. Janet had always been a little different. She was rarely included in fun events because no one could relate to her. Janet was sad because she knew the fun the other kids were going to have that she was going to miss.
As Christians, we often treat those around us just like Derrick treated Janet. We leave out those who are different because we feel like we can’t relate. It’s easier to socialize with people who share the same background, interests and values. It would be uncomfortable to reach out to those who are different, so we don’t. But the Bible tells us in Romans 10:12-13 that “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” God desires salvation for everyone and we should, too (1Timothy 2:4).
The more we get to know God the more we learn about the abundant life He wants for us on Earth and the party we’re invited to in heaven. God has invited all men, women and children to join Him, so let’s take seriously our responsibility to deliver the invitations.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Focus
Matthew 14:22-33
I enrolled my daughter in a gymnastics class when she was two. There was a point in class when kids were allowed to have free play and could play on any piece of equipment they chose. Children scattered to swing on the uneven bars, jump on the pommel horse and tumble on the mat. My daughter, however, would always gravitate towards the balance beam. Each week, she’d approach the beam cautiously. She wanted to get on the beam but she struggled with the fear of falling off.
Initially, she’d get on the beam and ask me to hold both of her hands as she walked. The first few times, she only made it halfway across the beam before asking me to take her down. But with some practice, she eventually made it across. Once she’d mastered walking across with me holding her hands, I felt it was time for her to master walking across alone. My daughter was terrified. It took a lot of convincing to get her to let go of my hands so I could walk to the other side of the beam. Once on the beam alone, she slowly shuffled her feet, making her way to the other side. Standing at the other end of the beam, I locked eyes with her and encouraged her to keep moving. I held out my arms and let her know she could do it. Things went well for the first five steps.
And then she looked down.
She took her eyes away from mine and looked at the floor. She was only one foot off the floor but I’m sure that felt like 50 feet to a 2 year old. Immediately she panicked, yelling, “Help me Mommy; I’m up here all alone!”
“No,” I told her, “I’m here with you. You just need to look up and see my face.” I encouraged her.
Slowly, she raised her head and looked at me. She was still shaking in fear but as I cheered her on, she was able to make it across and jump into my arms to celebrate.
As I reflect on that day, I am reminded of Matthew 14:22-33 when Peter walks on the water with Jesus. As long as he focused on Christ, Peter walked on water with no problem. But once he looked at the circumstances around him (the wind and the waves on the water), he began to sink and called out to the Lord for help.
Like Peter, there are times when we focus on our problems instead of focusing on our Savior. This can be a dangerous trap. Getting caught up in external circumstances will turn the focus away from Christ, which can cause us to sink below our problems instead of overcoming them. And the Bible tells us we will overcome this world as children of God (1 John 5:4)!
So what in your life are you focusing on instead of Christ? What is causing you to sink below your problems instead of overcoming them? I encourage you to turn your eyes above, focus on Christ and watch how your perspective changes your position.
I enrolled my daughter in a gymnastics class when she was two. There was a point in class when kids were allowed to have free play and could play on any piece of equipment they chose. Children scattered to swing on the uneven bars, jump on the pommel horse and tumble on the mat. My daughter, however, would always gravitate towards the balance beam. Each week, she’d approach the beam cautiously. She wanted to get on the beam but she struggled with the fear of falling off.
Initially, she’d get on the beam and ask me to hold both of her hands as she walked. The first few times, she only made it halfway across the beam before asking me to take her down. But with some practice, she eventually made it across. Once she’d mastered walking across with me holding her hands, I felt it was time for her to master walking across alone. My daughter was terrified. It took a lot of convincing to get her to let go of my hands so I could walk to the other side of the beam. Once on the beam alone, she slowly shuffled her feet, making her way to the other side. Standing at the other end of the beam, I locked eyes with her and encouraged her to keep moving. I held out my arms and let her know she could do it. Things went well for the first five steps.
And then she looked down.
She took her eyes away from mine and looked at the floor. She was only one foot off the floor but I’m sure that felt like 50 feet to a 2 year old. Immediately she panicked, yelling, “Help me Mommy; I’m up here all alone!”
“No,” I told her, “I’m here with you. You just need to look up and see my face.” I encouraged her.
Slowly, she raised her head and looked at me. She was still shaking in fear but as I cheered her on, she was able to make it across and jump into my arms to celebrate.
As I reflect on that day, I am reminded of Matthew 14:22-33 when Peter walks on the water with Jesus. As long as he focused on Christ, Peter walked on water with no problem. But once he looked at the circumstances around him (the wind and the waves on the water), he began to sink and called out to the Lord for help.
Like Peter, there are times when we focus on our problems instead of focusing on our Savior. This can be a dangerous trap. Getting caught up in external circumstances will turn the focus away from Christ, which can cause us to sink below our problems instead of overcoming them. And the Bible tells us we will overcome this world as children of God (1 John 5:4)!
So what in your life are you focusing on instead of Christ? What is causing you to sink below your problems instead of overcoming them? I encourage you to turn your eyes above, focus on Christ and watch how your perspective changes your position.
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