(Distress + Discouragement) X Decision = Deliverance?

Many times we get caught up in our stuff and we start thinking that God has left us.  We cry out to what seems like an empty ceiling or bury our heads in a tear drenched pillow and nothing seems to happen.  We strain to make sense of it all.  We ache in our distress and what seems like endless agony. It is not a fun place to be.  Those that are close to us and care about us are in agony too. They badly want us to be in a better place.  They feel our pain.

So when you get like this, what do you do?  Where do you turn when you have turned all around and around over and over again?  The best place I have found to turn to, to go to, to realize hope, is the Word of God.  The Psalmist shows us first hand what he did.  Check out the passage below:

Psalm 77

 

¹     I cried out to God for help;

I cried out to God to hear me.

²     When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;

at night I stretched out untiring hands

and my soul refused to be comforted.

³     I remembered you, O God, and I groaned;

I mused, and my spirit grew faint.     Selah

⁴     You kept my eyes from closing;

I was too troubled to speak.

⁵     I thought about the former days,

the years of long ago;

⁶     I remembered my songs in the night.

My heart mused and my spirit inquired:

⁷     “Will the Lord reject forever?

Will he never show his favor again?

⁸     Has his unfailing love vanished forever?

Has his promise failed for all time?

⁹     Has God forgotten to be merciful?

Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”     Selah

¹⁰     Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:

the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

¹¹     I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

¹²     I will meditate on all your works

and consider all your mighty deeds.

¹³     Your ways, O God, are holy.

What god is so great as our God?

¹⁴     You are the God who performs miracles;

you display your power among the peoples.

¹⁵     With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.     Selah

¹⁶     The waters saw you, O God,

the waters saw you and writhed;

the very depths were convulsed.

¹⁷     The clouds poured down water,

the skies resounded with thunder;

your arrows flashed back and forth.

¹⁸     Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,

your lightning lit up the world;

the earth trembled and quaked.

¹⁹     Your path led through the sea,

your way through the mighty waters,

though your footprints were not seen.

²⁰     You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ps 77:1-20

 

Do you see the progression?  Verses 1-9 are packed with distress and discouragement. Added together these two give a sucker punch that pretty much leaves us down and out.  The Psalmist reminds us that it doesn't have to be a knock out punch!  He shows us in verse 10, just in time...(isn't amazing that the count gets to 10 but the bell doesn't ring??) Then the decision is made. The decision to remember what God has already done.  His faithfulness shines through and the memories of what He has done saves us from being down and out.  It is as if God in all His glory knew just how much we could take, and allowed us to have hope restored just in the knick of time.  So as we deal the distress and discouragement that this life brings, we can multiply their seemingly overbearing sum with a decision to simply remember what God has already done. As we decide to remember the accomplishments of the Almighty, we become delivered from the distress and discouragement.  The Psalmist was able to remember the mighty works and deeds of God as He delivered the Israelites from Pharoah's hands.  He didn't know what we know.  Ever thought about that?  The Psalmist was delivered by just remembering the deliverance of a nation from captivity.  The Christian has been delivered from the death that comes from distress and discouragement because we have been made alive in Christ.  We are reconciled, paid for, atoned, forgiven, free and delivered.  We don't have to live with that anymore!  The deliverance is ours for the taking.  All we have to do is remember what He has already done!  Just like the Psalmist, remembering reminds us simply that we have hope.  What do you choose to remember?

The Power of a Text

Remember the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me?"  Yeah, right.  How about the words of English author Edward Bulwar-Lytton, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Yeah, sure.   So which one is right?  In one sense, words cannot hurt.   In another sense, words are capable of greater things than the swordsman in a battle. It doesn't seem to matter whether words scratched in dirt, inked with a quill, or even sent in a text.  Words do have power and the delivery does matter. 

What got me thinking about this tonight were two texts from two people tonight about five minutes  apart. One was from a very close friend thanking me for my friendship with him.  All I did was send him a text to ask him about a situation I knew that had been difficult for he and his wife, then I shared that I would be praying for them.  Then, in an unexpected turn, I was called a friend and told that it was no accident for me to land where I am.  My heart felt joy!  And then, as if God knew that I needed another reminder, my brother sends me a text saying that he was making a bed for my sister and her husband who were coming to visit him and his wife, and ran across a book that I gave him two years ago.  I remember giving him the book as a Christmas present, but I don't remember the note I wrote him as a part of that gift.  Evidently the written note reminded him, two years ago that he read the book but felt like he never thanked me for the book and the note.  So in a text, he said thank you.  Once again, my heart experienced joy.  Funny, as I am writing this right now, yet another reminder has come to mind.  Today I was handed a handwritten note from an intern that has worked in our office.  It was addressed to my wife and I.  She said that we had made a difference in her world and she took the time to say thank you by writing it out and handing it to me as she left, done with her internship. 

Three separate occasions of the use of words have in one day given my heart leaps of joy.  I have been reminded from each of these instances that I matter.  I am very grateful for those reminders, but what has stirred me the most has been the feeling I have received and it is what I have felt that I wish for others to feel.  I have been encouraged.  There's a concept:  encouraging another person with my words.  That is what I need to do.  That is what I want others to feel.  Therefore, I am going to work harder to make my words more affirming to those that come across my path.  By the way, this ah-ha moment in my life was written by the Apostle Paul several thousand years ago in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.  Funny thing, it is still a great thing to do now!  I have been reminded today!   Thank you Scott, Danny, and Sarah!  Your encouragement made a difference for me!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Th 5:11

A Hill Far Away, Moved Closer

Yesterday at sunrise, I stood on a hill at the foot of a cross with 300-400 early risers.  We sang, prayed, and proclaimed the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  It was a celebration that was full of excitement and opportunity.  The weather was perfect with a gentle breeze blowing as the sun rose over Hanging Rock.  I held the tiny hands of two little girls and watched them take in the excitement of this great gathering of believers.  Just like the old hymn, I stood amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazerene.  Yes, Jesus was there.  I heard Him in the chirping of the birds.  I saw Him in the faces of brothers and sisters who know Him personally and obviously weren't ashamed to show it.  I felt Him as the breeze blew and as I snuggled with two of my daughters and my wife. In just a few minutes, I experienced all of these things.  Then I looked at the cross.  Even though I knew this hill on a Christmas Tree farm in Avery County, North Carolina was not Golgotha, just for a moment in time that "hill far away" was suddenly very close.  I was there and that cross was real, but what I experienced in the greatest of ways was its emptiness!  The cross extended towards the beautiful sky and the cross beam pointed toward the ends of the earth; the symbol of all the pain of humanity becoming reconciled with the Holiness of God.  The reconciliation was complete, the price was paid in full, and forever more the cross would remain empty.  This particular Easter morning, I was able to be reminded of a powerful truth that the Psalmist wrote about thousands of years ago: 

 

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

                              Psalm 57:10 (NIV)

How did he know, centuries before this happened, that God's love could be so great?  How did he know that it would reach to the heavens and God's faithfulness reaches the skies?  Obviously, the Psalmist experienced this great love and knew of His faithfulness first hand.  I wonder though, could the Psalmist have pictured the height of the cross as God's great love reaching to the heavens?  And could he have pictured the width of the cross as God's faithfulness reaching across the skies?  Works for me!  How about you?

 

A History Lesson

We have heard with our ears, O God;

our fathers have told us

what you did in their days,

in days long ago.

The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ps 44:1

 

Have you ever had the privilege of sitting at the foot of a grandparent or great-grandparent telling stories about how God worked in their lives?  I was fortunate to have two sets of grandparents that loved the Lord and were faithful church members as long as they were able to do so.  I remember my Pa-pa Marlowe sharing with me how he found Christ in an old saw-dust arbor one hot August night during the annual revival at Hebron Baptist Church.  His life was changed forever because of that Hot August Night.  I was able to serve that church many years later for two summers as a Youth Minister and I experienced first hand those revivals in that arbor.  I remember hearing from Pa-pa Mitchell the struggles they experienced in building Harmony Baptist Church but yet how God continued to provide.  I can still hear him talk about tithing when they had absolutely nothing because they knew and had experienced the faithfulness of God and wanted to thank Him through their tithes and offerings.  I remember looking at my Granny Mitchell's Bible and asking her why she had all those check marks on each chapter throughout that well used copy.  She would smile and answer "Every time I read a chapter I would check it."  There were multiple check marks on chapter indicating to me that she spent a great deal of time reading God's word and had read the Bible completely over and over.  My Granny Marlowe taught the primary Sunday School every Sunday as long as she was able.  I can't help but wonder how many lives were changed over the many years she planted seeds of God's word on those young hearts.  One day I just may see the glorious fruit of her telling the great stories of the Bible and see just how many lives were changed as a result.

 

This verse certainly reminds me of the benefits of sharing God's word and the stories of His faithfulness over the years.  It certainly seems to be an art that is not prevalent today.  Perhaps we are too busy to sit and listen.  Perhaps we are too much in a hurry to even ask.  The amazing thing is that God still is faithful.  His stories are still changing lives.  There are stories to be told.  Maybe we need to just ask.  Father, help me to hear the stories from your faithful servants who have seen first hand Your glory.  Help me make the time to ask, then to sit and listen!

What are you waiting on?

There are country songs that I can't relate to, but there are also lots to which I can relate well!  For example, Brad Paisley's song "Waitin' on a Woman" is definitely one that I can relate too well!  In case you have stumbled on this blog for the first time, I have four daughters, a wife, two sisters, a mom, and a female dog.  So, I am always "waitin' on a woman" it seems!  Of course, there are other things I seem to wait on these days.  I have become Mr. Impatient in drive thru's, waiting for ATM's, and then there is the check-out line at Walmart.  Oh yea, this writing is about waiting not anger!  I am sure that there are many other areas in where I grow impatient waiting.  I admit, I do have a tough time waiting and perhaps you do as well.  When I read Psalm 37:34, these visions of waiting popped into my mind.  However, I am not so sure that this waiting is such a bad thing.  I will tell you that in my experience it is a hard thing, but the rewards are heavenly! 

Wait for the Lord

and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

(The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ps 37:34)

See how it works?  You wait and keep His way,  He will exalt you.  Did you catch that?  He will exalt you!  He will exalt you!  HE WILL EXALT YOU!!

Remember the words of Jesus? 

     “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

(The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jn 14:1-4)
See the punchline?  Trust and Wait are synonymous!  In this passage, trusting and waiting also hold a promise:  Jesus is coming back for us!!  In the BIG PICTURE, the waiting is just for a little while!  So hold on!  Stay true!  Keep on keeping on!

Life, Love and the Pursuit of Happiness

Why do you exist? Seriously....why are you here? Many of us have pondered that question at some time or another. Perhaps you have asked, "What on earth am I doing? What is life all about?  What does it mean to live, love and be happy?  Is it possible to be happy?"  Many in this world would say a resounding no...that it is not possible to be happy.  Others would emphatically say, "Yes....it is very possible to always be happy!"  Somewhere in the middle, there is a place where we can rest and do so quite comfortably. 

Life, love and the pursuit of happiness is found only through a restored relationship with Christ.  If you go any other way, you will find yourself falling short, being incomplete, and essentially empty.  So why do we exist?
God has designed you and I to Glorify Him! All that we do, all that we are, should exist to Glorify Him. It is interesting to note that even those that claim to not know God are used by Him to Glorify His Name! Take Pharaoh of Exodus as an example. In Exodus 9:16, God specifically told Moses to tell Pharoah that "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." With good folks and even with bad folks, God desires that He is glorified.  Somehow, some way, He is going to make that happen.  We can be for Him, or against Him.  Pharoah chose to be against Him, yet God used Moses to tell Pharoah that "you are here so that I can show my power and my name proclaimed!"  Can you imagine what Pharoah was thinking?  I bet he was livid!  I am certain that he was furious and wanted to punch Moses in the face!  I must admit that there have been too many times when I have developed Pharoah-like thinking.  Sometimes I feel that I know what is best and it is my way or the highway.  It is funny when I do that!  I am like a big dog whose bark is worse than his bite.  I make noise but run with my tail tucked between my legs when something jumps out of the bushes of my life.  I have come to realize that God is bigger.  God is better.  His way is perfect.  His way is marvelous!  His plans for me are much more than I could ever dream of doing on my own.  He has created me to glorify Him by showing me His power and proclaiming His name in all the earth.  Guess what?  He has created you for that very same reason!  Whatcha gonna do about it?  

Dealing With Regrets

I have used this phrase made popular by Dandy Don Meredith on Monday Night Football in the 1970's many times. Dandy Don, known for his wit and his heavy Texan accent, stated "If if's and but's were candies and nuts, we would all have a Merry Christmas!" Obviously, whether Dandy Don originated this statement or it came from someone else, I am certain the reason it was stated first was all about regrets. Something happened and someone responded, "If only I had done this" or "But what if I had gone down this path?" I could spend hours perhaps even days thinking about poor decisions I have had in my life. Some have been life changing. Some have changed the lives of others. Some were good. Some were bad. Some have made me say, "whew!" Some have made me shout with joy. Some have made me cry. All however, have made me into the person I am right now. Am I the best I could possibly be? I am far from perfection. To assume so would mean that God is finished with me. If (there goes that word again!) I believe in the Word of God, it tells me that I continue to be a work in progress. So shall I live with regrets or shall I anticipate rewards? If scripture in verses like Philippians 1:3-6 are true, then the best is yet to come! Verse 6 in this great passage states, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." This presupposes a good work has been started, in spite of my misgivings, shortcomings, and regrets. So we have to press onward and upward! The Philippian theme of a greater future continues in chapter 3 with verses 12-14. Here is my paraphrase: "Forget the past. There is nothing you can do about it both good and bad. But you can keep going. You can have hope. You can know that God has a purpose and a plan for your life! So press on! Don't stop! You have a huge plan from a huge God because of a huge sacrifice made by His Son." Therefore, when I allow myself to begin to regret, I shall strive to become more like Paul who has determined that in all states...yes even the most regrettable, I will be content and I will rejoice. Why? Because living with regrets stinks! Been there. Done that and I have several of those t-shirts! My prayer is this: Lord help me to live in your will, your way, your wisdom and with no regrets.