We’ve heard ”God has a purpose” for our lives. Some days, that may seem heart to understand. In the mundane events of our everyday lives, we usually don’t look for God’s hand. The truth is, however, that God does has a plan and a purpose for us. As a matter of fact, His desire for us is that we use what He has given us right where we are. The Bible says,
“The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you” (Exodus 31:1-6, ESV, emphasis added).
As the Lord gives Moses instructions regarding the Tabernacle, He tells him of the craftsmen who will build it. God had given these men their abilities as craftsmen. He had placed them in a position to use those gifts in His service. Now, He was calling them to fulfill His plan.
In a similar fashion, it would do us well to remember that God also has gifted and equipped us. He has given us the intellect and the abilities to do what we do. Perhaps it would encourage us to know that He has placed us in our factories, offices, classrooms, and neighborhoods so we can use our giftedness to honor Him. May we then be faithful to do just that.
Emotions are a powerful thing. In the course of a given day, we hear something that prompts some sort of emotional reaction. Anger, joy, sorrow, discouragement, happiness. We read in the Scripture of a man named Nehemiah. He was far from his homeland when we heard some unpleasant news. The Bible says, “They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire. When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:3-4, NLT).
Nehemiah wept for his people and for his home. His reaction is not uncommon. Scripture tells us that men like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 9:1) and Jesus (Luke 19:41) also wept for the condition of people. These men felt a sense of burden for the men and women around them. They loved them. They wept for them. They prayed for them. One even died and rose again for them (John 3:16).
Perhaps today, rather than becoming angry or discouraged when we hear of the affairs of this world, we will feel a sense of burden for the spiritual condition of those around us. May our burden prompt us to pray for those who need their hearts restored with God. Then, may we be willing to tell someone about the One who makes that restoration possible.
Since I don’t use Twitter, I thought I would use this space to throw out some completely random thoughts today.
If Kurt Warner does retire, I’ll miss not only his skill and class, but also the way he demonstrated his faith every week.
I can’t think of any Superbowl add in recent memory that has created more controversy before it airs the way Tim Tebow’s pro-life commercial has. Let the kid have his say.
The more I read about the president’s swipe at the Supreme Court during his State of the Union address, the more I have to remind myself of 1 Timothy 2:1-4. I don’t think I pray for any of our leaders enough.
Every time we hit a cold snap like we’re in now in northern Ohio, I wonder where all the global warming is.
The media’s coverage of Haiti is really bothersome to me. They weren’t there before this crisis, and I doubt they’ll be interested in the country after the ratings begin to drop. On the other hand, I applaud the work of groups like Samaritan’s Purse, Double Harvest, and the International Mission Boardwho were in Haiti long before this catastrophe and will be there long after the cameras fade away.
From what I understand, over three hundred million people use Facebook. It’s the world’s most popular social network. If you are one of those three hundred million plus, you know what it’s like to log on and peruse what’s going on in the lives of your “friends.” You can look at their photos, read what’s happening in their lives, and then add your opinions to the mix.
That last part is where things can get a little tricky. If you are like me, more than once you’ve jumped on Facebook and starred blankly at the screen not sure what to write. We’ve all experienced that small-scale writer’s block. Nothing witty. Nothing wise. Nothing at all. So, if you’ve been there, you understand what I mean when I say it can be tough thinking of something to say. There is something tougher, however, than thinking of something to say. It is not always saying what we think.
More than once, I’ve read something someone else posted and shook my head. I’ve wanted to post some sort of witty, piercing thought of my own, and then realized that my comment might be better unheard. The Bible reminds us how important it is for us to show some restraint in what we say. James says, “You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19, NLT). To paraphrase James for our cyberage, one could say “don’t be so quick to post something online.” A few verses later, he adds, “If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless” (James 1:26, NLT). In other words, if we can’t show some restraint in what we say (or write), maybe our spirituality isn’t what we think it is.
Thinking of something to say in the age of Facebook, Twitter, and blogging can be a challenge. The bigger challenge, however, is not always saying what we think.
It doesn’t take a keen observer to realize that we are in an age dominate by electronic media. This past week, the Kaiser Foundation released a study of the impact of such media on our kids. Here are a couple of links that help interpret the data. The first is from USA Today and suggests that the more kids are online, the less happy they are. The second is from Dr. Albert Mohler and suggests some remedies to the problem. Both of these articles remind us that (like most things) too much of anything can be a bad thing.
It’s easy to miss things that are right under our noses. It happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we’re distracted. Other times it might be a matter of not paying attention. On other occasions, we may just simply miss it. For whatever reason, we often just overlook the most obvious things.
Tragically, this happens in our spiritual life too. We get busy with the daily affairs of life and we miss what God is doing in our midst. In the book of Genesis, we read of a man named Jacob. One night, he has an interesting dream. When he wakes, he realizes that something special has taken place. The Bible says, “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:16-17, ESV).
How many times in our lives could we say “the Lord is in this place and I did not know it?” God is working all around us. He is present in the mundane and in the spectacular. He is definitely in our midst. We would do well to awaken from our slumber and join Him in what He is doing. Let’s take a moment to stop and look around. How is God working around us today? Let’s join Him in His work.
Success dominates our consciousness. It’s always on our minds. Just a quick glance at today’s headlines reveals our fascination with it. The current box office champ is big news because it’s about success. The election results from Massachusetts point to the success of one party and the lack of it for another. The coming and going of football coaches is all based on success in the form of wins. Even “pants on the ground” demonstrates success in one form or another. Success is everywhere.
For whatever reason, I have run into several biblical accounts of success this week. Joshua speaks of success being rooted in obedience to God. As the Lord encourages Joshua and the children of Israel to claim the land He promised them, He reminds them that it’s important to do the right things. The Bible says, “Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do” (Joshua 1:7-8, HCSB).
In the book of Genesis, we read of a man named Joseph. Joseph was a favored son but a despised brother. His own brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. Eventually, he winds up in Egypt. Joseph demonstrates that one can be successful even when it seems like he’s a failure (Genesis 39). How is that possible? How can a slave with nothing be a success? Yet, that’s exactly what the Bible claims about Joseph. He was successful because God was with Him (Genesis 39:2), and he honored God in all that he did.
The problem for many of us is that we define success the wrong way. We think it has to do with getting that new job or making more money. Success in our minds is all about what we have. More specifically, it’s about how much of it we have. If we have the latest gizmos and gadgets, we are succesful. If we make big money, we are successful. If nothing ever goes wrong in our lives, then we are successful. And, tragically, many in the church today embrace and promote this falsehood.
Yet, the Bible speaks very differently of success. It speaks of success as doing what God wants the way He wants it done. That was Joshua’s lesson. It was also Joseph’s life. As a matter of fact, Jesus reinforces this idea when He teaches us about prayer. Jesus teaches us that our prayers should center on doing God’s will. He models, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, HCSB). We should pray that God’s will be done with the same urgency and commitment on this earth as it is in heaven. If our lives bear that out, then we are successful.
I read an interesting study recently. It suggested that today’s youth are five times more anxious than their counterparts who lived during the Great Depression (you can read the article here). The primary reason seems to be contemporary culture’s fascination with the external (money, looks, etc).
The Bible continually reminds us about the danger of elevating the external above the internal. King Solomon bemoaned, “Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors.But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, NLT). Solomon had everything. Yet, he had nothing. Eventually, this wise king would realize the only place he could find any lasting satisfaction. He calls those who would heed his advice to remember their Creator (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8).
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul reminds us of the same thing. A fascination with the external may have some temporary benefit, but ultimately it is the inner person that counts. He writes, “the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, HCSB).
May we work diligently to develop our inner character. Rather than trust the external things in life to bring us happiness, may we turn in faith to the One who created and redeems us. May we fully surrender to Him and His ways. Our self-centered pursuits ultimately leave us empty. Let’s put some energy into spending time with God in His Word. Carve out some time today to read the Bible. Pray through what you encounter there. Ask God to help you take it to heart so that you may live it out. A truly fulfilling life doesn’t work from the outside in. Rather, it works from the inside out.
We all know what it is to go through difficult times. We lose our jobs. Our relationships fracture. Doctors give us bad reports. Our money runs short. Our furnaces quit and our car batteries die. Life is often a series of challenges. It seems like they often come one after the other. And the result of their onslaught is that we’re left scratching our heads and wondering what’s next?
If anyone ever had a reason to question some things, it was Job. In the blink of an eye, he lost his family, his wealth, and his health. To compound things, his friends questioned his integrity and character. They figured that only a scoundrel could experience such heartache and suffering. Job knew a thing or two about challenges, and the uncertainty they bring.
In the midst of his trials, Job did manage a moment of clarity. To the persistent badgering of his friends, he says, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25-27, ESV).
Even though everything else was falling apart, Job knew God is faithful. The Lord had not failed him. He had not lost His power or failed in His promise. God would come through. And, even though death might eventually claim his body, one day Job would stand resurrected in the presence of His God.
We too can draw confidence from God. He is faithful. His Word is sure. He will do what He said He will do. Even in the midst of trial and tribulation, God comes through. Our Redeemer lives. He has not forgotten or failed us. He gives us a hope that does not rest on our circumstances, but rather on His character. May we draw strength from His presence today.
On Sunday, Fox News’ Brit Hume suggested that Tiger Woods turn to Christianity in order to really find forgiveness and redemption. I was stunned when I first heard his comments. I was stunned not because I disagreed with them, but I was stunned that someone in today’s culture would have the courage to state them the way Hume did. He followed up and clarified his point with Bill O’Reilly. Again, Hume did a tremendous job of clearly and graciously stating his convictions.
We would do well to follow this type of example when communicating the hope found in Jesus.
Faith is a remarkable thing. And, we often find it in remarkable places. As the children of Israel are perched on the edge of the promise land, they send spies into the city of Jericho to gather intelligence. There, they encounter a woman by the name of Rahab. Rahab is an outsider and a prostitute. Yet, [...]
Posted by Darrell Deer 
Husband, Father, Pastor, and Christ-follower. Thankful for the life, family, and ministry that God has given to me.
