Struggle With a Loving God Concept

I hate getting caught up in the emotions of not being sure what to say to anyone who is wrestling with abuse and hurt while asking the question, “How could a loving God cause or allow rape, violence and evil?”  In dealing with these kind of questions, I face the problem that I’m not a theologian, but a true follower of Jesus.  In spite of that the wrestling continues.

I do know that when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God’s simple instructions; that choice made it where we are all born into a fallen world.  Not just fallen but completely fallen where we are all unable to fix it or run to a God waiting in a deistic far away throne.  Jesus said, "no one can come to Me unless Father draws them to Me!"  

With this in mind, it's great to know that God didn’t just send His Son halfway to build a halfway house, requiring me to come other half.  But because He is Rich in Grace and Mercy, He sent His Son all the way becoming completely human.  And in the process became homeless with no place to lay His head.  It wasn't until the Day of Pentecost, that He came home to all those who believed!   

It's very important we don't forget that in this fallen world, there are two kingdoms at war against each other.  In the process, we get to choose which kingdom we will join with in battle.  When evil occurs, it’s not the Kingdom of God causing it.  It’s the Kingdom of this World along with imperfect people.  God’s sovereignty doesn’t prevent us from living in an evil fallen world by taking us to a place where we pretend it doesn’t exist.  But He rescues, restores, transforms and redeems things that have been stolen or lost.  We become testimonies of Grace and Mercy invading and engaging our many mistakes, choices and acts of evil with the Holy Spirit in love and power.  

Because of His great love for us, we experience deliverance and healing empowering us with brand new descriptions of Christ in us filling us with hope and glory!  With this power we have the honor and privilege to bring hope and glory to others caught in the same traps we have been set free from.  Praise be to Jesus who suffered homelessness and ended up within us!

May this difficult conversation continue!

Paul

What's Chasing You?

John 8:36, So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

I was thinking this morning, what is the difference between being Free and being Free Indeed?

So, the Children of Israel are freed from Egypt but looking over their shoulders because Pharaoh is chasing them to the Red Sea.  They were Free but on the run!

The Red Sea parts, they cross looking back, and here comes Pharaoh!  In the mean time, God tells Moses to speak to the Sea.  He speaks and it closes with the drowning of Pharaoh and all his army!

Can you see the picture?  The sea calms with no sign of Pharaoh, and people began to sing!  Miriam, Aaron's sister, grabs a tambourine and begins to dance!  Why?  Because they discover the difference between being Free and Free Indeed!

No more looking over their shoulders.  Didn't know what was ahead but no more on the run!  No longer chased by the enemy!  Brings clarity to these words; Those that the Son declares Free are Free Indeed!

Seems many times like we can't win without a struggle!  Comes down to the question of, What's chasing you?  What needs to drown in the Red Sea?  The Children of Israel were Free from Egypt but Egypt was still in them. 

Obviously there's a journey from Free to Free Indeed.  Remember the journey to not to become perfect but Free Indeed!  Can't win without making mistakes!  But soon what used to get to us doesn't get to us anymore!  

We keep learning and growing because we are not just Free but on our way to Free Indeed!  That's why Jesus came!  Whom the Son sets Free is Free Indeed!

May Blessings Rain upon You in this hard Pilgrimage of Life to being Free Indeed!

Paul

Instinct

I’ve never heard preachers refer to the voice of the Holy Spirit as instinct until some of my favorite recently.  Hearing this has caused me to realize, many times this is the way God speaks to me.  An amazing lady prayed for me a couple years ago and told me that God showed her that my heart and mind were married so that I could hear Him.  At first I thought my mind was too busy for it to become the vehicle to hear God’s voice.  But now I believe, because I hear Him many times a day.  It’s not out loud, but it’s Instinct.  A thought will pop into my mind, “See that man over there?  Go encourage him!”  OK!  As I encourage, the man tears up realizing he is experiencing a miracle from the God who loves and adores him.  This man also knows that no person alone could come up with something so profound.  That’s why I believe.  It works and it’s Fun!

In Matt. 25, Jesus tells the story of the Master who went on a trip and before leaving he gives one man $5,000, and the second man $2,000 and the third $1,000.  When he returns he discovers that the first two men invested their money wisely and doubled what was given.  But the third man buried his out of fear that the Master would punish him if he lost it.  The Master rewarded the first two by making them partners with Him to rule over much.  The third is basically told to go to hell saying, “It’s criminal to play it safe,” and gives his money to the one who took the greatest risk.

I’ve noticed that successful people seem to have just as much fear as people who are cautious and hesitant.  The difference between the two is what you do with your fear.  You can allow your instinct to override your fear, or bury the opportunity. 

What are you doing with your fear?  The energy of fear can either fuel and push you to excellence, or tempt you to drum up excuses and miss the moment. 

I love when the master says, “Enter into Joy, Come Share your Master’s happiness!”

Have you become boring, dull and flat line from fear?  The wrong response to fear produces; anxiety, stress and bad health.  I believe the Holy Spirit is telling you to allow your fear to drive you to instinct.  The Holy Spirit is the one who gives instinct.  It’s not spooky!  It’s real and available because you are so loved by Father!  On the Day of Pentecost, you were left the Holy Spirit to dwell within you, empowering you to create wonder and miraculous surprises!  I hear many times a week the Holy Spirit saying, “This is the Moment, Jump on it!”

 

Jesus saw ten lepers and told them to go show themselves to the priest. On the way, one of them noticed he was healed, and had instinct.  He turned around and went back to thank Jesus.  He thanks Him and Jesus asks, “Where are the other 9?”  Seems that not only obedience is measured, but also instinct!

You have the opportunity to follow instinct, which will lead you into the next dimension of increase!  Trust your instincts because God wants to open up the windows of heaven, and pour out blessings you won't have room enough to receive or contain.  Blessing will flow into your life because you stop hesitating and questioning instinct!  Step into this arena. 

In this present culture, I meet many who have a huge amount of information but no instinct.  Instinct is that inner push of the Holy Spirit to understand the power of this moment!

All ten lepers were healed but the 1 was made whole!!  The nine followed the path and the 1 followed his instinct. 

Instinct to increase!

May you by faith follow your instincts and create change!

paul

Testing the System

We know that God does not tempt us, but He definitely lets us be tested.  Deut. 8:2 says, “I tested you so you would know what was in your heart.”  That makes me think about the systems that have been shaped in our lives by so many influences how we think, develop opinions, form passions and make decisions through.  Possibly the reason God has for showing us our hearts and the systems we live life through is because we may be paralyzed in certain areas that hold us to a childish state of being.

When I think of virtue, I think of the Love Chapter, 1 Cor. 13.  It seems that Love should be a starting point, but love includes more than being nice.  Tests show us where we are on our journey of life in caring, serving and being servant leaders.

Think with me through this system in v. 11, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 

The system being tested in our lives is even plainer in 2 Peter 1:3-9, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

There’s even a better picture of a generous, loving and caring Father that would love to upgrade our systems.

 It is apparent that a life built upon Love is a huge playing field.  So God allows our systems to be tested so we know where we are. 

Three words: speaking, understanding and thinking.  When I was a child, I lived through a system of how I spoke, understood and thought.  So one of the many problems we face as followers of Jesus is having our systems of words, understanding and thinking tested.  Is there a system where you got stuck, that has held you captive functioning as a child that you need to be freed from? 

Relationships?

One of the components of health and wholeness comes down many times to relationships.  There is evidence that true relationships contribute to a longer happier life.  It has also been proven that bad relationships contribute to depression, immune deficiency and high blood pressure.  So why would we run from relationships.  Could it be from the wounds and hurts from those we have trusted?

I love this present youth culture.  They seem to be willing to risk everything secure for a life filled with relationships and spirituality.  Connection to them must be something bigger than themselves.  Could it be because the pursuit of relationships and spirituality, have become a passion and longing to possibly surpass the doldrums of the ordinary?

I’ve discovered in watching people that there is a deceptive trap set up for them which leaves them with the danger of ending life all alone.  But this trap is more than leaving you lonely.  Without vulnerable, true connection, it may leave your life with small thinking, unworthy distractions, and missed opportunities that more than likely would bring growth and inspiration.   I’ve also seen busy people, who run from relationships be left bent on giving with a difficulty of receiving.  The problem with not receiving, listening and taking time to be brought into some else’s world, could steal new revelation, vision and inspiration.  That may make you old before your time with not much left to give.

When Jesus said to the disciples, Follow Me and I'll make you fishers of men.  This was more than drop your nets and follow Me from town to town.  Jesus was calling them into a new dimension, a new space.  Calling them from merely an experience with Him, but inviting them into a relationship. 

I’ve discovered how easy it is to get stuck in what I believe is an addiction to experience.  An experience can be a one time event but usually driven to desire more than the previous experience gave.  I’ve watched people run from family and true connection because a new experience was valued more than working out a conflict or just going deeper which always comes from stepping into unfamiliar territory.

Obviously, relationships come from making hard commitments, enduring hardship, willingness to pay whatever the price may demand.  But even more running from the addiction of experiences.  We all love experiences, and most of them are inspiring and needed.  But to grow beyond a shallow thinking and a driven person with a short list; we must jump out of the boat of security and familiar.

I love Peter’s life three years after being called from fishing for fish to fishing for men.  He is drowning in the sea of failure.  He goes back to his experience of fishing for fish.  But it’s a set up!  He has gone all night with no fish.  Jesus shows up on the shore and yells out telling him how to fish.  Throw your nets on the other side!  He responds and Boom, the nets are full. 

Peter jumps out of the boat, leaving the fish on one side of the boat, to truly follow the Jesus.  By the way, that is true love when you leave something huge behind to run after Jesus’ calling.  He swims to shore only to sit with Jesus by a charcoal fire to never be the same again.  A relationship is born where Peter never questions again the value of an experience with Jesus versus a relationship with Him.

Peter truly leaped from one dimension to the next.  He is never on that boat again.  On the Day of Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit and Power, he comes out preaching Jesus.  3,000 saved with thousands to follow.  The net of his calling has moved from the boat to his mouth.  A mouth fulfilled with his purpose from a relationship that has the promise that he will never be alone again!  Never alone facing failure, strife and crisis alone again! 

Because he leaped into this scary new called dimension of fishing for men, he is left with the promise that Jesus loves him so much that he need never be embarrassed by his weaknesses, because he is now in relationship, with One who loves being strong in his vulnerable, weak space.

Experiences will come and go, but don’t allow them to become addictions!  Why?  Jesus is saying to You, Trust in Me!  I'm here with You to blow you into your destiny so you don't wallow in your history.

Paul

I Don’t Know!

I remember our first youth pastorate position, in Kansas City in1979.  An official from that denomination we were a part of, came to teach us the ethics of being a pastor.  The main point was, Never Admit you don’t know the answer or show weakness!  If someone asks a question that you don’t know the answer, affirm them that their question is a great one, then instruct them to research until we meet again next week.  In the mean time this gives you the time to find the answer.  This was a tough one for me to swallow because I felt dishonesty and taking a position of superiority was wrong.

Being my first pastoral position, there was a ton I did not know.  So my insecurity of not knowing much along with the pressure to pretend exhausted me. 

I’ve always been driven to learn more and discover answers, and am constantly pushed to stretch and grow to be more capable of serving people.  But more importantly, within this scary space of honesty and choosing to pretend, lies the chance of missing a divine moment.  In this terrorizing moment, I now believe it’s a set up for the miraculous.

In my life I’ve always wondered if I could find a Scripture that gives me guidance and direction to hear the whisper, feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit?  Is there a Scripture telling me what to do to cover my blind spots and experience something glorious?

I’ve gained great insights from Romans 8 on this subject.  Paul says that we know that all of creation is frustrated by its’ bondage and decay, and groans for the sons of God to discover their redemptive and restorative calling to be agents of freedom, wholeness and change.

Later Paul says, and we know that all things work together for the good to those who love Him and are called to His purposes.

But wedged in between all of this knowing, Paul says, but I don’t know how to pray!  Then he goes on to say, but the Holy Spirit knows the prayers of the Father and anxiously waits to pray them for us and through us!  Reading this I am trying to put myself in Paul’s shoes and grasp how this new found truth must be bouncing around the edges of his mind?

Do you see this in between spot of Not Knowing Something, and Admitting It? Paul discovered the potential of stepping into this insecure place that would become the very spot of God’s Glory, just from honestly admitting you Don’t Know!

Imagine a desperate, low moment becoming a magic moment from simply and openly stepping into this in-between place!  Paul knows much about his past, present and future; but in this very honest, vulnerable place, he refuses to pretend and admits, I Don’t Know!

Imagine never allowing yourself to go to this in-between place with no frame of reference of the Glory of God sweeping you off of your feet, taking your breath away, where the miraculous encounters that embarrassing place of insecurity.  It has to be from experience that Paul says, “In my weakness He is made strong!”

So, Paul doesn’t know how to pray, verbalizes his dilemma, pauses, takes the leap, and here comes the Holy Spirit with a prayer purely from Father. 

Reminds me of the time Brennan Manning put his hands softly on each side of Carol’s face, during a hurtful stuck place in her life.  As he looked into her eyes he said, “The Father is so very fond of You!”  These wondrous, surprising words became the marker that propelled her forward in her journey of healing, wholeness and hope.

What do you think keeps you from going to that place of, I Don’t Know?

Have you ever had trouble hearing God’s voice in seeking direction or making a major decision? 

Don’t let self ever keep you from admitting, I Don’t Know!