Where was Jesus in your worst moment?

How do I get what is in my heart into words? I have been pondering a question that I have heard posed by many for decades, believers and skeptics alike, and somewhere inside of me, the Lord is turning the tables on a huge lie that has derailed many a faith-walk. The question in question: Where was God? 

When I was hurting, where was God?
When I was abused, where was God?
When all my friends left me, where was God?
When my heart was breaking, where was God?

Have you ever thought any of these things? You are not alone! Are you one of the many who read the “Footprints” poem and think ‘Yeah, Right?’ Hey, don’t get me wrong, I love that, but I am not sure that everyone who has walked through the worst of circumstances felt ‘carried’ through those times when there was only one set of footprints. Sometimes you just feel alone!
I am not sure that my words here will be any better. But there are a few red letters that come to mind as I ponder those ‘one set of footstep moments.’ There are a couple things that Jesus said that I want you to consider next time you are wondering where God was in your darkest moment.

Imagine Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, going around doing amazing things, looking a lot like Jesus. He stands up to preach, and just when he is about to give an alter call, the first rock hits him. One after another, the men he was trying to persuade are hurling fist size stones in his direction. Where is Jesus? (Acts 7)

Imagine James, out there preaching on the street corner with one of his best friends and old fishing buddy Peter. They get arrested, thrown in prison, and Herod has a great idea. Let me make an example of this guy. Where was Jesus? (Acts 12:1-2)

The answer lies in what Jesus said to Paul on the road to Damascus and what He said to the multitudes in Matthew 25. Jesus asked Paul (whose Hebrew name was Saul) “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4) Jesus takes the abuse we suffer very seriously. In fact as He said in Matthew 25 “whatever you did (or did not do) for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matt 25:40 & 45) Paul thought he was killing people who hated God, and Jesus reveals Himself and lets Paul know he was actually persecuting the Lord Himself.

I think we read, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:20) and think that He will always come between me and trouble when His point is actually that He is suffering right there with you. He promised us trouble in this life. He tells us in John 16:2 people will think they're doing God a favor when the kill you.

So understand this, when you were betrayed or abused, He was betrayed and abused with you. He may not have been carrying you like the poem said – He may have been left bleeding and dying on the Jericho road with you as He watched the good folks walk by you BOTH.

My hope is that these red letters will dispel a lie that is keeping you stuck. If it helps, let me know. If it doesn’t, you can tell me that too. I certainly don’t want to make things worse.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to ponder this with me.

Ben

Why this blog... 

It's a Two Way Street!

Four times in Matthews telling of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us we can expect to be treated in direct relationship to the way we treat others.

The first shows up in the beatitudes. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." (Matthew 5:7 NASB)

The next is in the Lord’s prayer

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:12-15 NASB)

In the next chapter Jesus tells us: “Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2 NASB)

Finally Jesus tells us to live our lives by one simple rule: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 NIV)

Oh and by the way, just for the record, in Luke's gospel it happens that this same principle is true with your time, talent and treasure. "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." Luke 6:38 NASB

What would happen if you actually treated your wife, sister, brother, husband, boss, neighbor, pastor, enemy… the way you want to be treated? What if when someone hurts you, you gave them the same amount of mercy you give yourself when you mess up? Did you get that question? If you are like me, when you screw up you cut yourself a lot of slack. You rationalize a thousand mitigations  and totally excuse yourself. But when others hurt you, will you even listen to their apology?

Many times we find ourselves with no mercy, no forgiveness, and full of judgment especially toward  those closest to us. Those who have paid the highest price of relational time with us get the least consideration and mercy.

God’s kingdom is upside-down, isn't it?

The lengths to which God expects us to go to protect relationships amazes me. But on the other hand God crucified His only son to restore His relationship with us! If I am ever to look like Jesus, I am going to have to put a much higher value on relationship.

What could you do today to improve a relationship that is not where you want it to be? Ask the Lord for some ideas, if you don’t already know where to start. Even if it is only a baby step toward reconciliation, it will be worth it. Take a deep breath and go for it.

 

Thanks for reading!

Ben

Why this blog... 

Mercy not Sacrifice

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7 NASB)

Oh how we need to hear this! After taking a big step up this stairway to heaven and stirring up a hunger and thirst for righteousness, what do you know, my spirit gets all, well, judgmental! I am a wreck. The more I see Jesus, the more I am amazed. Here is the one who never – ever – no never darkened a commandment with the slightest nod, but does he get all stirred up about sinners and their sin? Nope! He has lunch with harlots, and protects the virtue of adulteresses. He goes out to dinner with the drunkards, and hangs out with the worst vermin of all, tax collectors.

We have to get this. Have you ever used the line – I love the sinner but hate their sin? Are you aware that there is no chapter and verse for that? I have heard this used as an excuse for hate on more occasions that you can image.

If I am brutally honest with myself I wonder if I would have been the Pharisee in Jesus’ day. Is He talking to me when He says: “go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matt 9:13)

Have you read in 2 Corinthians 5:19 where Paul tells us: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” Do you read this the way I have for decades, “God is not counting Christian’s sins against them?” That’s not what it says. If it did we are all without hope. God is not counting anyone’s sins against them today! Today is the day of mercy and the day that grace is available! A quick comment about the difference; Mercy is the fact that God is not counting your sin against you. This is currently true for all men. You will have to give account in the last day, but today, there is nothing keeping you from approaching God. Grace on the other hand is the free offer of righteousness that is extended to everyman. It must be accepted or received.

So here is the deal, and it’s pretty straight up here. If you expect to receive mercy on any level, give it in the same measure you are expecting it. In this moment of grace, don’t impose condemnation where God is not doing it. In the mean time we must keep up our pursuit of integrity, our submission to God’s voice, our honesty with God about our failings, and our humble spirit. WOW these beatitudes are not just kid stuff, are they!

Hey – thanks for reading this. Tell me what you think. Is this sloppy grace? What am I missing here? Together we can press into the mind of Christ.

Ben

Why this blog... 

Satisfy Your Deepest Longings!

 “for they shall be completely satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6 AMP)

I love that the Amplified Bible has it this way “completely satisfied.” Not just, satisfied, not just, they will get what they are hungering after and thirsting for, but they will be completely satisfied. The world preaches that satisfaction comes from evil hungers and desires, but Jesus says, if you hunger for righteousness, you will be satisfied in every area of your life. It is funny how hard we try to hold onto some of our old stuff, habits, sins etc. Many a man has stayed away from God for a time, because they did not want to give up some secret sin, and knew that God would never allow it. But the truth is that God invented pleasure, and really knows how to make it work.

David says this in Psalm 16:11, “Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.” Heaven is a place of complete pleasure, like you have never experienced. God completely gets you, and knows exactly how to satisfy your desires.

During a study of the Song of Solomon we looked at 7 longings of the human heart as identified by Mike Bickle and Deborah Hiebert. You can get his book on the subject here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Seven-Longings-Human-Heart/dp/0977673847 These longings are not sin and are not to be repented of. They are not even part of our sin nature. These are all God designed longings and appetites that each of us must manage and discover God's intended fulfillment. Bickle details these 7 longings, which he says every human has.

A longing to be fascinated

A longing to possess and feel beautiful

A longing to be great and successful

A longing to know intimacy without shame

A longing for assurance of being enjoyed

A longing to be wholehearted and passionate

A longing to make deep and lasting impact

These longings are often satisfied in unholy ways causing guilt and separation from God and from one another. These unholy actions need to be dealt with specifically in repentance. (2 Cor 7:10-11 holds the process of repentance in detail – see blog post June 13^th: God's Upside-down Kingdom Step 2 )

However, because there are so many ways to fulfill these longings that are not glorifying to God, it is easy for us to despise the very longings themselves. Rather than managing them, and directing them with godly wisdom and the Word of God try to get free from them or to suppress them. A longing to be great can be look upon as pride, and we could try to suppress that drive for greatness that God has put in our soul. Instead we should look to the Lord for instruction. When the disciples were arguing over which was the greatest, Jesus did not rebuke them, but rather pointed them in the right direction (humility - classic upside-down strategy for greatness.)

See if this question for God works for you: Father, am I feeling guilt for passions You gave me?

Thanks for reading!

Ben

Why this blog... 

Completely Satisfied!

“for they shall be completely satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6 AMP)

Wait – Wait – Wait This can’t be right. Do you believe this? Is it true? Or is Jesus telling us a little white lie to try to motivate us to be good. Does true satisfaction really come from the pursuit of righteousness?

All our lives we are told that the best way to enjoy life is to live on the edge, to walk the fine line between good and bad. This is nothing new either. Generation after generation, it takes different forms, but we live surrounded by the message that a little compromise and a touch of naughty will bring a little joy into our lives.

The American culture teaches us that when someone is stressed, or grumpy, they just need a little sex and they will relax a bit. When someone has a hard day they need a drink to take the edge off. If you have to meat a budget, a little lying or cheating will go a long way to solving your problems. Satisfaction is just a compromise away.

It’s a lie! And it has worked for thousands of years. In fact the serpent used this same lie to trick Eve in the garden. God is keeping the best away from you. He wants you to go through life missing out on all the fun, and always frustrated.

This same serpent is the thief that Jesus tells us has come to “steal and kill and destroy.” His lies have separated us from satisfaction and in fact have left us unsatisfied and distracted from the source of true happiness. How could we be so foolish as to believe this liar! Jesus promised us “abundant life,” not average, boring, prudish or disappointing life.

Here is the thing. As I sit here writing this, God is bringing to my mind stuff that needs to be done with more integrity in my life. He is asking me if I believe Him, or if I am going to keep on living a compromised, unsatisfied life.

Now you decide, is Jesus telling us the truth? Is it true that complete satisfaction comes from pursuing righteousness? Or is this religious speak intended to manipulate the masses into obedience. Is there actually blessing, happiness and joy in living your life for God? If what Jesus says is true, aren't we effectively robbing God of that which He purchased when we live in compromise? 

Can you quiet yourself and listen for the voice of God as you read this. If you don’t have time right now, plan some time to mull, to consider. If you are like me, right now you are saying, oh, sister so-and-so could use this, or brother what’s-his-name could sure use some integrity. Yep, I thought about brother what’s-his-name, I admit it. But you need God’s voice in your life today, and so do I. Get quiet and ask Him this: Am I stealing myself back from You by my lack of integrity? (ouch)

Hey, thanks for reading today. Please let me know if this is making a difference in your life.

Ben

Why this blog... 

Hungry?

God’s Upside-down Kingdom - Step 4

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” Matt 5:6

The next step in God’s 8 step program is to pursue righteousness with the same intensity as a hungry man pursues food, or as one who is parched goes after water. Hear this. It does not promise this blessed life to someone who tries to be good, who pulls themselves up by their boot straps, who just grits their teeth and does what is right.

Rather this one who is hungry to do the right thing. To the hungry, there is no priority higher than food. We all get hungry sometimes. I walked in the house the other day after a long day at the office, and I was starving. I had not had a bite to eat since – oh – it had to be like 2 hours!!!!! [Read More...]

Lord, I have a Question.

I have never been a fan of people giving me prayers to pray. You probably know what I mean. The devotional that gives you something to read and then suggests you "pray this prayer". It just does not feel right to me. I was never even crazy about telling someone to “pray this prayer” in my evangelism endeavors. It never felt authentic to me. Not my words, not my thoughts. Prayer aught flow from out own passions, my own needs, my heart.

Right there on the other hand, I do see that God took the time to publish a good number of prayers for us, and I have been helped at times reading the prayers of saints of the past.

But I was thinking today about this blog and pondering what to do to make it more impactful. What if I suggested a question to ask God. We know God is the author of all knowledge, and will liberally give wisdom to anyone who asks.  Perhaps a suggested question to ask God would not be exactly like telling people to pray a prayer. And then we could collaborate on what the Lord puts on our hearts. 

I am actually getting a bit excited about the idea of a group of random folks approaching the Father in search of wisdom, or direction. We are all in different places, and have different perspectives. It would be a really great exercise for us to compare notes.

One final thought about this collaborative idea. Paul tells us that we collectively are the body of Christ. We do not get to ignore our brothers and sisters and live alone in this thing called the kingdom of heaven. Listening together will stretch us and grow us. I am convinced of that.

Let’s give is a whirl eh? I actually put out my first question in yesterday’s post. Let me know what you hear. Click here to see yesterday's question.

Thanks for reading!
Ben

Why this blog...