I learned a new word yesterday as I was studying from 2 Peter 3. In this chapter, Peter is warning his readers not to start believing that God’s promises were not true just because they hadn’t come about as of yet. Obviously this was in direct reference to “The Day of the Lord.” Since that time, many have joined the ranks of those who doubt and believe that “The Day of the Lord” came about with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD and from that point on, everything has just moved along routinely without the threat of God’s judgment or the hope of His return. In the study of geology this is called Uniformitarianism. It means that the same processes that have occurred in the past will continue to occur and nothing new will happen.

I know many folks who have this mindset. They are like huge rocks and don’t want to be moved. They don’t like change, they want things to be the same today as it was ten years ago (with a few exceptions like cars, microwaves, big screen TV’s, i-pods, cell phones, etc). But they don’t want their job to change, their house to change, their church to change or the disciplines needed to stay close to God.

Just as God is not the author of confusion, He is not the author of spiritual Uniformitarianism. He is the author of change. When we come to Christ, there should be a huge change. Even if we weren’t drunks, drug addicts, murderers, abusers, etc, there should be a major change in our life when we come to Him! Our desires should change, our thinking should change and who knows what else God wants to change. He wants to renew, restore, and regenerate us!

Another thought I had was that in the Old Testament, the phrase for the Holy Spirit (God) was “The Holy Wind.” In the New Testament, God the Spirit is referred to as “breath.”

Then in John 3:8 we are told that the Spirit of God works much like the wind in nature. We don’t know where it comes from or where it will blow to. It blows wherever it pleases.

Sounds to me like following after God will bring about a lot of change. So, if any two days or any two events (like church on Sunday) are ever the same perhaps we haven’t followed the Wind!

Always in Pursuit!

I was reminded of a pretty basic lesson earlier today as I was reading the Word. It was really kind of interesting. I was reading from the last few chapters of Exodus, instructions to Moses about how the Tabernacle was to be set up. Not real exciting or what some might consider "heart thumping" reading. It would be safe to say that not too many “revival sermons” were ever preached out of those chapters. But I was reminded that God has an order to the things He has designed for my life. His plan for my life was not randomly put together. There was a design. There were things that needed to come about in my life before all of His plan can be revealed. There are things to come that need the things that have been for this plan to work.

Everything about God has an order. Creation has an order. The Law has order (maybe that’s were got the phrase “Law & Order?” okay, maybe not.) The Tabernacle had an order. Even dismantling and moving the tabernacle had an order. So it only stands to reason that the God who knows my name, the God who prepared works for me to do before the beginning of time, the God who sent His one and only Son to die for me would have an order for my life's plan.

I need to relax and allow His plan to be revealed. I heard Dick Foth say a couple of weeks ago that trust doesn't happen in the daylight, it only happens in the dark.

You and I have a promise that our steps will be ordered as we seek Him with all of our hearts and strive to do the right thing. And we can trust His order for our lives.

Seeing all of the plans God has for His kids is pretty exciting. It’s going to be a great thing in our lives.


Always in Pursuit!

It’s amazing how much can be said about someone in just a few words. I discovered this to be true about a man named Matthias, the replacement for Judas.

Scripture contains very few words about him. As a matter of fact, the only place he is listed is in Acts 1 where we have the account of the disciples/apostles “electing” a replacement for Judas, the betrayer.

We know nothing of his origins and nothing definite about his death. But what we do know is impacting.

We know that he had been present with Jesus since the time of John’s baptism by water. He had stayed faithful during those three years with Christ and the other disciples. He labored in apparent anonymity for three years. He wasn’t included in the inner circles with Peter, James and John. He wasn’t singled out for any particular tasks that the writers of the Gospels recorded for us. But he was faithfully present, doing what was put before him.

Then came that day in Acts 1. He was selected by the casting of lots. Luck? I don’t think so. Proverbs 16:33 tells us that even though casting of lots is used, it is still God who controls the casting of the lots. So we have to rule out luck. It was God. It was Matthias being faithful in all the things over the previous three years.

I read a great passage this morning from the Living Bible that sums up what happened to Matthias. “If you stay away from sin, you will be like one of those dishes made of purest gold—the very best in the house—so that Christ Himself can use you for His highest purposes.” (2 Timothy 2:20-21)

Matthias was gold in a refining process for three years. Each of us is in a refining process so that we too can come out as pure gold for His purposes.

Always In Pursuit!

This is my son...........

A few days ago, our son David wrote an article and put it out on facebook. I read it and was so blessed and challenged by it that I asked him if I could put it on my blog. He agreed to let me do that.

We really didn't edit it. We fixed a couple of words that his spelling teacher would appreciate but it's pretty much the way he wrote it.

I hope it blesses you but I also hope it challenges you. Here we go:

God is still God.
This kept me up last night. I was in bed for almost an hour thinking about those 4 words.
I read my Bible (almost) every day.....when I do I get really inspired and think really deeply about the love and everlasting-ness (not a word, but live with it) of God.
The first words of the Bible might be the most powerful words I have read in my life.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"
Can we really fathom that verse? Everything we see around us...from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean to the African deserts to the lush, green pastures where leprechauns roam....God created ALL of that in ONE breath. I just breathed.....Didn't seem like a big deal....the only thing I dispensed of was my germs or my onion breath.....God, in ONE breath dispensed of all the heavens and the earth. 99.9999999% of which is STILL unknown to all humanity.
What an awesome God.
2009 will and already has brought its challenges. From death, to lost houses, jobs, friends/family. God is STILL God. He was God in Genesis 1:1 and he is still God in 2009.
The same God that sent his Son to die for us worthless human beings is still God in 2009.
The same God that BREATHED fire and power upon the Upper Room attendees in Acts is still God in 2009.
The same God that made a freaking DONKEY talk in the Old Testament is still God in 2009.

So what next....obviously God is still God....we have proved that....the next step involves you and me.
He hasn't changed; we have.
I feel like our worship is watered down to lifting our hands and spending 5 minutes (if that) in the Word of God. Is this really what the God that created the heavens and the earth deserves....He doesn't need our praise....he DESIRES it.....he craves it.
It's like Patricio and chocoloate....he doesn't need it; It will make him bloated and fat. But he CRAVES it. Can't get enough.
It's the same thing with God (without the bloated and fat part....although that would be HILARIOUS) he craves our praise and adoration.

Worshipping is the single greatest action we can take as human beings.
I hear all the time about people putting money into charities that will help with diseases or starving kids in Africa. Those are deemed as the "greatest action." Now, God calls us to give...giving is very important to seeing God's Kingdom established on the earth.
But what is greater than seeing the Name of Jesus high and exalted. THAT, my friends is the single greatest thing you can do as a human being.

Here's the challenge......
I heard a worship leader a few weeks ago challenge his church attendess....he said, "do something in your worship that you've never done before."
I want to echo that but from a slightly different angle.
Go one step further in your adoration to the Father. take one step towards God and he will LEAP at you.
Imagine if we take 1 1/2.......

From Dad: Thanks David for the reminder. May God help us!

Always in Pursuit!