The Truth Process Session V, Post 2

Put Your Hope in God.
My wife Fran and I were watching Fox News the other night. I’m not sure how long we had the program on, but Fran suddenly said “That’s enough of that. It’s so depressing”, and changed the channel. I have felt that way many times myself as I listen to the news – especially in regard to the direction our government (the State) is taking.
Maybe you felt depressed and discouraged after our discussion over the last couple of weeks as we discussed the role of the State (two weeks ago), and the condition of American families in the United States (last week), and the ways in which the State seems to actually oppose the Lord’s “Husband-Wife-Children” design of the family through formal and informal doctrines. When I look at the condition of our culture, recognize that we live in a post-modern world which is increasingly hostile toward those of the Christian faith, and accept the reality that the world hates us, I find myself wishing that I could just “change the channel.” Even if I could, I would find that the same program is playing on every station. The reality cannot be avoided.
When we begin to feel discouraged in the battle, it is important to remember the words of the psalmist –
Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remember you

from the land of the Jordan,

the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (Psalm 42:5-6)
We find valuable insight here regarding how we are to deal with our disturbed and downcast souls. We should do two things: 1) “Put your hope in God.” 2) “I will remember you”, meaning remember all that God has already done.
“PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD”
I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency at times to put my hope in everything BUT God. I know this is incredibly foolish, and that you would never do such a thing, but sometimes I put my hope in my strength, my will, my abilities, my knowledge – you get the picture, right? It strikes me that we, as body of believers have a similar tendency, especially when it comes to addressing the huge problems that exist within our government. We may place our hope in a certain party or political candidate. We might place our hope in getting the “right” Supreme Court justice in place. We may place our hope in getting so many “Tea Parties” organized that we bring about change.
I am not saying that we should not do these things. I believe that we have a responsibility to do all that we can within our rights as citizens. These things are however, a “vain hope for deliverance” (Psalm 33:17) if these actions are what we hope will bring about change. The believers’ hope must be in God, and Him alone.
“I WILL REMEMBER YOU”
If we will remember all that God has already done, our hearts are uplifted because of His awesome “body of work”. In an earlier post (Session IV, Post 16) I wrote these words:
When I examine my own life, I can see that the Lord had His hand on my life long before I was saved, and has continued to do so ever since. He brought me through the years of anger and bitterness after my father died. He brought an amazing woman into my life who has been my helpmate for almost 38 years. He saw my family through times of illness – some acute and severe, some chronic and long lasting. He brought blessing to me in business, and blessed us with two wonderful children who have grown to become adults whom I respect and admire. His blessing just goes on and on…
It pains me to admit how seldom I think of these things. All too often I suffer from “want of memory” and I “forget” Him, becoming unaware and oblivious.
Brothers and sisters, when we begin to feel discouraged, we need to remember the character and nature of the God we serve, and all that He has already done.
The reality is that we are more than conquerors, in spite of how things may appear in this world.
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:28-37)
We are more than conquerors. How? Through him who loved us.
This is the only way to victory.
Is your soul downcast and discouraged? Put your hope in God, and nothing else.
In Christ,
John
Soli Dei Gloria

The Truth Process Session V, Post 1

The Spiritual Business of Life

I spent about two and one half hours in Starbuck’s today. For some reason, I find that I am able to think more clearly and gain some clarity about my business when I get out of my office and dedicate a block of time to working on my business, which isn’t actually mine, but God’s. For some reason, I find the Starbuck’s atmosphere conducive to this kind of thing.

I arrived at Starbuck’s with my pen and note pad in hand, ordered a tall decaf, and sat down to think – to direct my thoughts regarding the manner in which I operate the business God has called me to run. I begin to think about how we are doing, and what we are doing. Are we doing the right things, and are we doing them well? Have we become overwhelmed by the day to day demands, causing us to lose sight of the things that matter most? Are we bringing glory to God through the conduct of the business?

I think about the strengths of the business and the people in it. I try to assess the weaknesses, the opportunities that exist in our market, and the threats to our success. By the time I left Starbuck’s, I had three full pages of handwritten notes. I also left with a nagging thought: Why don’t I pay this much attention to my “spiritual business”?

As that question has rolled over and over in my mind, I find that I do not have an acceptable answer. When it comes to business, I am very intentional about what I do. In my spiritual life – not so much. How silly.

It continues to amaze me how often this happens in my life: I get busy, often with things that aren’t really that important, and I drift away from the two things that are most critical to the spiritual business of life – God’s word and prayer. In class this week I made the point that we, as followers of Christ, must be sure that we are taking the time to really think about what is going on in the culture around us. We must examine our own hearts as well as our conduct to determine if we are being swept along by the rush of “false truth claims” so prevalent in the world. It is easy for me to say – much harder for me to do. Maybe you find this to be true as well.

There is great danger in being inattentive to the spiritual business of life. When I allow this to happen (it doesn’t happen TO me – I allow it) my thoughts, desires, actions, and worldview begin to drift along with the world. In that state, what seems right can be horribly wrong. I know from God’s word that I must be wary of what “seems” right.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

Instead of operating on the basis of what “seems” right, each of us should be very careful that we operate on the basis of what IS right – the truth claims of God.

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

Think about it…

In Christ –

John

Soli Dei Gloria