Category Archives: Impressions
When It All Comes Together
June 9, 2016I sat down recently to read three different devotional books that I’ve been dipping in and out of for a couple years now. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, Knowing the Heart of God by John Eldredge, and Every Day in His Presence by Charles Stanley. I highly recommend all of them if you haven’t sampled the brilliance of each or any. It’s uncanny what happened next. As I turned to each entry on the given date the parallels for me personally were breathtaking. I knew in that exact moment that God reached into my heart and sent me a personal message. One of encouragement, comfort and love. It all came together just the way I needed to hear it.
“Do not search for security in the world you inhabit. You tend to make mental check-lists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life. There is a better way to find security in this life. Instead of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My Presence with you. This continual contact with Me will keep you in My Peace. Moreover, I will help you sort out what is important and what is not. Fix your eyes not on what is seen (your circumstances), but on what is unseen (My Presence).” (Excerpt from Jesus Calling – Sarah Young)
Genius
February 15, 2016GENIUS – It’s in every one of us.
When you think about the unique nature of every human being you could conclude that we all possess the ability to think, create, change, learn, understand and be understood. It’s sort of a created geography, a confluence of inherited traits and a conglomerate of all our past and present experiences. Then there’s the DNA that exists in us from generations past; all the way back to creation. At one time we were in prefect harmony with our Creator, our God. Unique in every way, but perfect in every way. There are memories, hurts, triumphs, and untold stories yet to be lived out.
To live out our genius is to live out the intersection between what we’ve inherited and all that we’ve been influenced by since conception.
Mystery Solved
February 10, 2016Have you ever heard someone default to the mysteries of God and faith? I’m not talking about the inexplicably vast cosmic influence God has or the complexity of His omniscience, but rather the uncertainties of everyday life in Christ. If wisdom is to be found, understanding to be had, and relationship with the almighty to be sought after, is the crux of our being something that we cannot hope to comprehend? Is it really out of reach and impossible to understand? Paul in Colossians chapter 1 says that it’s not.
“Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” COLOSSIANS 1: 24-27
God’s Will
January 22, 2016“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1ST THESSALONIANS 5:16-18
It’s always fun to boil the word of God down and really focus on words, meaning and application. I’m no Bible scholar but several verses hit me the other day as I was considering and enjoying a blog written recently by my colleague and friend, Steve Adams. Unlike Steve, I’m electing not to split ‘His will’ into three categories, but rather one element – God’s will. These verses, I believe, make no such distinction, and delving into systemic theology isn’t my strong suit. The first verse (above) speaks of three things, and these three things according to Paul, are the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. These three variables, if seen through and done together, are the key to accessing God’s will for us.
- Rejoice always
- Pray continually (without ceasing)
- Give thanks in all circumstances
The striking thing(s) about this verse and these variables is that the list is short, it’s fairly hard to accomplish, and it has little or nothing to do with your daily challenges and circumstances. In fact, we’re to give thanks in ALL circumstances, not just the ones that we benefit from. That’s right, give thanks and NOT get bent out of shape. But this is God’s will for our lives, that we would constantly and consistently rejoice, that prayer would be as natural to us as breathing, and that being thankful even when things aren’t going our way would be the norm.
God’s Present Will
January 18, 2016Every time I think of the challenge of actually knowing God’s will I get excited about the possibilities but apprehensive about my experiences where I didn’t hear well, interpret what I heard well, or just flat out missed it.
As you read this know that God is speaking truth and He so wants to meet you in the place where you are. Whether in total peace or total chaos, He loves you. He has a will for you, He has a will for your family, He has a will inside of your calling and your gifting.
Books have been written on this subject. Actually volumes of work on knowing God’s will. I want to focus on three categories. God’s perfect will, His permissive will and His present will. Wait, what do I mean by present will?
I set you up. Yeah sorry. Perfect and permissive will, that’s way too complicated. Let’s just focus on present will.
In this moment God has a very specific will for you. Let me say it again – IN THIS MOMENT. How much of our lives do we live either in the past or in the future? I like to call those the “two thieves.” These are regrets of the past and the anxiety of the future. They can steal our joy in the present. Thieves they are. I liken them to the thief that hung next to Jesus on the cross. Full of self-pity, judgement and piety. If we hang out in those places we’ll miss the blessing right beside us. In this case, he missed an eternity by not seeing the present as a gift from God.
The Wisdom of God vs. Conventional Wisdom
January 12, 2016The world is sure to churn out maxim after maxim, each designed to make you feel better about yourself and promote the world’s ‘method for madness,’ but it’s always very important to consider what the Bible says about you, me, and the world for that matter. Paul in Romans 12:2 instructs the Roman church to NOT be conformed to the world and its ways. James in James chapter 4 warns his audience that ‘friendship with the world is enmity with God.’ In other words, subscribing to the world’s way makes you hostile toward God.
King Solomon – Author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & sections of Pslams
The book of James describes two types of wisdom, one from above which is pure and full of good fruit and one from the world, yielding worldliness and anti-spirituality. The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, speaks of wisdom this way: “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”