Walking without a Map

I am slowly reading a book about life and those times when it "goes off the rails." The book is titled "Off Script" and is written by Pastor Cary Schmidt. It is a biographical work that recounts lessons learned during his bout with cancer.

All of us encounter those periods of life when things do not go as planned, or at least not the way we expected. Some questions to consider include "What is God trying to accomplish" and "How will I react and respond."

Here are the main points from the first four chapters.

1. Love God, Trust God, Live for God
2. Be of good cheer
• See Jesus
• Be cheerful
• Be not afraid
• Come
3. Be the clay
• Sit still
• Stay soft
• Let God work
4. Cherish the secret places
• Walk with God in the private moments
• Cherish the treasure of His presence in the darkness of life

When we encounter those times when life "throws you a curve-ball," we have need to keep a close focus on Christ and develop a stronger relationship with Him. The difficult times have a purpose; sometimes it is to push us to the place where we should have been all along. In many instances, we need more than a nudge and so God uses the "Off Script" times to cause us to refocus. What can I learn and how do I put those lessons into practice? 

Those "Off Script" moments could be in any facet of life. Perhaps they are the result of physical problems, such as health issues. Maybe they come from financial upheaval due to job loss or change. Sometimes it is social change, like the loss of a close friend or a move to a new area. Whatever the cause of the life change, we need to live with the understanding that regardless of what we face/endure, God is still God. He is still sovereign and worthy of our trust and worship.

Walking through (so-called) Upheaval

Well, election night has come and gone and there is so much to reflect on. First and foremost, we are reminded that our trust is in the Lord and not in man. We know that with man, we shall be disappointed, either sooner or later -- if not both. We do have a high calling to pray for our leaders, whether of our political persuasion or not. We need to pray that the president-elect will choose wise advisers and not only choose them, but listen to them. The country is in need of healing, but the healing needed cannot be accomplished through politics or policies. There is so much in the media about "dealing with the results of the election" and how to manage the disappointment. The only way that we will see real healing is when Christians get real with God and allow Him to work in and through them. Then and only then, we will see healing begin. The general populace is divided, but the greatest cause of the division is spiritual, not financial nor cultural. Natural man wants nothing to do with a God that convicts of sin and carnal Christians want the love and grace of God without the holiness and justice. When I see God for who He is, then I will have opportunity and desire to minister to my neighbors. I also need to present myself in a way that is appealing to them; they will never be impacted by my message if they find me strange. I do not need to be like the world, but I do need to be liked if I am to impact their lives.

Now, back to the election (results). It is obvious that there is a divide in America. We are divided on so many fronts that some would say we are fractured, if not even shattered. The only way to heal such a problem is to address it honestly and present Christ to the lost. Our purpose in sharing the gospel is not to solve our political problems, but to solve the genuine problems that afflict our land. Only when we love God and live for Him will He bless our land.

So, let us pray for our leaders and and live for God as we seek to spread the gospel to the lost world, especially those across the street, down the block, or across the fence.

Walking with Contentment

This will not be a daily occurrence, but I put forth another devotional thought, this time from Philippians 4.

Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Often we spend an excessive amount of time worrying about things that we cannot change or control. We claim that we trust God and that He is able to do whatever He wills, but then we try to do His job for Him. When we worry, we are actually demonstrating that we do not really trust God completely. We want think that we can manipulate the factors to accomplish a prescribed outcome, yet through it all, God wants our complete dependence and trust. He is good at His job. All of our concerns need to be taken to God, but remember, prayer is not simply for telling God what we want Him to do. We need to make sure that we regularly tell God why we love and trust Him.

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Philippians 4:9

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

This to me is an amazing statement. Paul was confident that he had lived in such a way that he could use his life and teaching as a standard for others to follow. He know that he was not perfect, as evidenced by other statements he made. However, he knew that he was passionately devoted to his God and that others needed to be devoted in the same way. We need to put into practice the lessons that God has for us to learn. When we practice the biblical principles we are taught, we can have true, God-given peace.

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Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

We often pray and ask God to meet our needs and then we try to find a way to solve our problems with no regard to what He wants to accomplish and how He wants to accomplish it. Contentment is something that people rarely experience. The world we live in pushes us to want more and more and more. Whether we have peace or persecution, plenty or nothing, God wants us to be content with what we have. Contentment shows that we trust that God knows what is best and is doing what He deems best. A lack of contentment reveals that we believe our plan is better than God’s. If I believe that God's plan is perfect and that He will accomplish His plan, then I need to be content with my situation, whatever it is.

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Walking through Trials

2 Corinthians 4:8-18 (KJV)

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

As I was reading for devotions this morning, I came to this passage. It struck a chord with all that my family, both immediate and extended, is going through. So, I went about a quick study and then put down some thoughts.

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The trials of life are often incredibly weighty. The burdens that we bear, though differing from one person to another, can cause us to stumble under the load. Often, while under the burden of the moment, we lose focus and look to ourselves and not to God. Instead of looking up to see Him, we look to our path to see what is before us or to our feet to see where we should step next. Yet, our understanding of our situation is flawed, as we can see only the very moment in time that we are in. We cannot see the future and, indeed, our view of the past is flawed -- remember the “good old days” that were not really so good.

We have two promises (and many others) from our God that go well with these verses.

1. God has promised to never leave us nor to forsake us.
2. He has declared that He will never put more on us than we can bear.

So, when we are called on to bear great trials, tests, and/or burdens, we can have 100% certainty that our great and loving God is with us all of the time. He will empower us to accomplish what He wants to see done. Romans 8:28 is still a true declaration; a conditional promise, but true nonetheless. He has stated “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” we may not see how the pieces fit together, but when it is over (perhaps in eternity), we will see the completed puzzle and marvel at the omniscience of God as He knew the beginning from the end and marvel in His omnipotence as He was able to accomplish what we thought impossible.

We may be knocked down, but He is still working. We may be in the midst of impossible circumstances, but God is still God. We can trust Him. We may not be able to see our way our, but He has a plan. He can be trusted to do right by His children. Our role is to trust and obey. Regardless of what we face and are called to endure, He will see us through to the other side and He wants to be glorified in us and through us as we follow the path He has put us on.

Psalm 129:2

Walking through another Year

Incredibly, my little girl turned three this weekend. It seems like she has been here forever and for only a few months at the same time. That she is three seems unreal. She understands enough to know that she had a birthday, but still doesn't understand that the birthday was only one day thought the change in age continues.

Meanwhile, the older daughter attended her final week of summer camp. Summer camp is important in our home and has been. Both of the older kids attended camp every year that they were old enough. Camp is a place where they have, I trust, learned much about themselves and much about their God while meeting new friends and having a good time. It will be a while before I have to deal with summer camp again (see sentence #1).

Walking through Life's Stages

The Baccalaureate service for child #2's high school graduation was tonight. In just a few days, graduation will be upon us. In the meantime, there are exams and other activities that require attention. Family will be coming into town, schedules need to be merged, and activities need to be arranged. 

Pastor Jonathan Tillman was the special speaker for the Baccalaureate service. He preached from the text of III John 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." It is my desire and my prayer for my kids that they do indeed walk in truth. They have been greatly blessed of God, but they need to understand that He is more than the one who gives to them and learn that He is the God who meets each and every need -- even those needs that we do not realize are needs. In the fall, as I have two kids in college, it is my desire that their knowledge and understanding of God develop and their love for Him become more genuine as they walk in truth.

And so now summer is before us. Jobs, summer classes, family activities.... As we continue to grow as a family, it becomes more and more difficult to do things together. Work schedules seldom match up and if they do, summer jobs do not offer vacation time. When there are weekend activities, often one or more have something that demands their attention. In the midst of such hectic, busy time, we still see God at work as He meets the needs of the family. Those jobs that "interfere" with the schedule are themselves answers to prayer. We have jobs to help meet the needs that we have. The kids are both enrolled for the coming semester of college and while we do not know how God will provide, we are confident that He will because we have seen Him provide in the past.

All of which brings us back to today (graduation events). It has been a wonderful journey to see Brie grow to be the young lady she has become. She has been actively involved in athletics; she is involved in the arts, particularly clay sculpting; she has been involved in any/every athletic opportunity afforded to her. She worked at a bakery until it closed its doors. As busy as she has been, she was and is a great student. It has been my privilege and honor to be her dad and her coach, teacher, principal, etc.

As I sit here and reminisce, it is my desire that she and her brother both continue to learn more about their God and develop a greater love for Him that leads to more zealous service for Him. I want to hear that my children walk in truth, both today and for years to come.

Walking with No Tracks

Well, it has been a year and a couple of days since I last posted anything here and much has happened, hence the title, "Walking with No Tracks." Just because I have not posted, that doesn't mean that life has been nonexistent, boring, or stagnant. No, it has been a busy time indeed -- much of that thanks to Josie. Seriously, the past year has been busy, but it has been a time in which God has been at work. Justin has basically completed his junior year of college and Brie is almost done with high school. Josie is 2 1/2 and in to everything, and yes, I mean everything. She lives by the mantra, what you can do, I can do. She loves to build, play with Play-Doh, and watch videos on her tablet. of, an did I mention that she loves to hide the dog toys. We find them in cabinets, in her toybox, and even in the fridge.

I had the opportunity to visit both BJU and PCC this year and had to opportunity to visit dear friends, some whom I have not seen in many years. I was even able to visit with some former students from TX. It was wonderful to visit with them.

I guess that the greatest lesson of the last year was the reminder that whether life is peaceful or hectic, slow or breakneck, smooth or bumpy, God is still in control. I may not always understand what He is doing, not why He is doing it, but I can trust that what He does is for my good and His glory.