There are some people in the Bible that bring out some real frustration and real and honest feelings about things before God . I think of Moses and Hannah and David and Jesus Himself. Each of them had deep connection with God. Each of them had real needs and they did not hold back from letting God know what was up. (Numbers 11:11, 1 Samuel 1:10, Psalm 27:9, Mark 15:34)
Have you ever been able to identify with some of these real-life Bible characters? (Read those passages first.)
I get into situations like that sometimes where I may feel a real hurt or sense an important need, at least in my own estimation, and I know that I should be bringing it before God. However, sometimes the exact opposite occurs. I’m held back from allowing my true emotions and feelings about it to be known to Him. But why? I am convinced that He cares for me and that He wants me to pray to Him. I am familiar and convinced in that fact that Jesus wants me to give my concerns over to Him in prayer, because He tells me to “by prayer and petition present your requests to God.” The problem that I think that I face sometimes is that it doesn’t seem right for me to vent – to thrust all my frustration on Him. Mostly because I am pretty sure that what I’m feeling isn’t always right. I know in the back of my mind that there is something that I may be fundamentally wrong about, or at least in part wrong about. But I think that this is unhealthy. Some people may not struggle with being brutally honest before God, but I think that I tend to be. And this I think is actually unbiblical. Because it doesn’t meet the prescription that God gives to His children.
David gives the example in Psalm 62, “Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” This “pour out of your heart” is really a mystery to me so I can’t fully explain it. However, I do think that it means more than making a mere request before God. I think it means being real with Him – being honest about the state of your heart before Him. I think that sometimes I want to treat God like we treat other people when they frustrate me. Wisely, I give myself time. I cool off. I sleep on it. Generally, I’m a pretty even-keeled guy emotionally, so this doesn’t occur much. But if I am frustrated, I still want to remain for the most part, non-confrontational. Sometimes I think that I need some kind of a cool-off or processing time with my thoughts and feelings before I go to God. But handling a relationship with God like this is not the most beneficial thing to do. God wants us – all of us. He wants to bring to Him a whole heart and a heart that is laid bare before Him – a heart of sincerity.
Now, a sincere heart does not mean that our hearts are perfect and clean. It means that our hearts are imperfect and dirty and that we acknowledge that before God. If you pour your heart out before God, within an hour you’ll be asking for forgiveness because of this kind of honesty that you’ve had with Him. When we verbalize what we feel before God we are able to lay out what is on top as well as what is deep within our hearts. Sometimes what is deep within our hearts is not so beautiful and not so nice, but I think that it is overly-necessary to bring it before Him. Pour out your heart before Him.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Most Important Thing in the World
Here are some questions that I want to explore:
These are not exactly rhetorical questions. I'm actually in prayer about some of these things.
1. Why is an authentic relationship with God so central? What makes it important?
2. What is the centrality of a relationship with God characterized by?
What does it look like practically?
3. What makes authentic relationship with God possible? How does it begin?
4. What makes authentic relationship with God grow? How does it grow?
5. What makes authentic relationship with God endure? How will it endure?
These are not exactly rhetorical questions. I'm actually in prayer about some of these things.
1. Why is an authentic relationship with God so central? What makes it important?
2. What is the centrality of a relationship with God characterized by?
What does it look like practically?
3. What makes authentic relationship with God possible? How does it begin?
4. What makes authentic relationship with God grow? How does it grow?
5. What makes authentic relationship with God endure? How will it endure?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Paul's Example of Obedience
Paul understood who he had to answer to. He understood who he had been sent by and that He was his judge. He called himself a slave – and this was not a form of false humility, which he used as a way to earn an audience. He know that he was a slave to God, a slave to righteousness and that the only one that he could seek to please was God Himself.
He was not duty driven, as though he was held by Christ against his own will, yet could serve from his heart. He was driven by hope. As he was on trial before Felix, the governor of Palestine, Paul said, “But this I admit to you, that according to the way which the Jews called a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that which is written in the Prophets, having a hope in God,” (Acts 23:13-16)
He makes very plain the reason for his ministry and his obedience – he was committed to serve God. However, he did not commit purely for commitment’s sake and not for the prestige and honor from anyone. Paul tells the Galatians, “Do you think that I am now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Am I striving to please men? I tell you, if I were still trying to please men, I would NOT be a bond-servant, a slave, of Jesus Christ.” H makes it very clear that there was a fundamental reason for this service to Christ. He says that he believed the truth of the Law and he believed the promise of God that He made known in the Scriptures. And that because of this belief he had hope – a driving motivation of hope.
He goes on to say to Felix, “having a hope in God … that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked,” Paul knew that God promised life to him, that he would raise him up on the last day, just as He had raised Christ. He know that there would be a judgment of both the righteous and the wicked, and his hope was certain that God would grant him mercy on that day, and not only to him, but to all those who had loved Christ’s appearing (2 Tim 4:9). And because of that promise he freely and eagerly proclaimed the message of grace to all who would hear him.
Paul also knew the importance of his own integrity as well as his obedience. He knew that it was not enough to merely listen to God’s call but to also accept it. He knew also that his attitude and behavior before man was a testimony to the about God and a testimony to God Himself about his character. He says, “In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.”
Paul knew who his judge was, and it wasn’t Felix. Nor was it the Jews. Nor was it the other apostles. God was his Judge and his Master. He had saved him and called him to a life of humble obedience but also a life of joyful willing slavery to the righteous Master.
He was not duty driven, as though he was held by Christ against his own will, yet could serve from his heart. He was driven by hope. As he was on trial before Felix, the governor of Palestine, Paul said, “But this I admit to you, that according to the way which the Jews called a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that which is written in the Prophets, having a hope in God,” (Acts 23:13-16)
He makes very plain the reason for his ministry and his obedience – he was committed to serve God. However, he did not commit purely for commitment’s sake and not for the prestige and honor from anyone. Paul tells the Galatians, “Do you think that I am now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Am I striving to please men? I tell you, if I were still trying to please men, I would NOT be a bond-servant, a slave, of Jesus Christ.” H makes it very clear that there was a fundamental reason for this service to Christ. He says that he believed the truth of the Law and he believed the promise of God that He made known in the Scriptures. And that because of this belief he had hope – a driving motivation of hope.
He goes on to say to Felix, “having a hope in God … that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked,” Paul knew that God promised life to him, that he would raise him up on the last day, just as He had raised Christ. He know that there would be a judgment of both the righteous and the wicked, and his hope was certain that God would grant him mercy on that day, and not only to him, but to all those who had loved Christ’s appearing (2 Tim 4:9). And because of that promise he freely and eagerly proclaimed the message of grace to all who would hear him.
Paul also knew the importance of his own integrity as well as his obedience. He knew that it was not enough to merely listen to God’s call but to also accept it. He knew also that his attitude and behavior before man was a testimony to the about God and a testimony to God Himself about his character. He says, “In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.”
Paul knew who his judge was, and it wasn’t Felix. Nor was it the Jews. Nor was it the other apostles. God was his Judge and his Master. He had saved him and called him to a life of humble obedience but also a life of joyful willing slavery to the righteous Master.
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