Whose way is the best?

I was reminded again this week of a wonderful promise of God and how I am often blind to the ways of our Father. When things don't seem to be working out as I think they should, I am easily tempted to feel frustrated and disillusioned. However, God has already given us these words as wise guidance:

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Here is another way of putting this same truth.

“I don’t think the way you think.
    The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
        God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
    so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
    and the way I think is beyond the way you think. (Eugene Peterson)

My humble advice to us all is to rather trust in God's ways - they are better than our own.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

You get what you deserve

There is a saying that we all have used at some point in our conversations that goes like this: "You get what you deserve!" We may have even said it like this: "You reap what you sow!" 

Well, in today's readings from Psalm 64 we note how David reminds the Israelites that God will dish out his own punishment upon those who seek to do evil to others. 

"But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
8 He will turn their own tongues against them
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 All people will fear;
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done." - Psalm 64:7-9

This verse teaches us to be patient when evil seems to prosper. We are reminded that God is the ultimate judge and no one will escape from the works of God. This can be a little frustrating for us at times, as many of us would like to dish out our own revenge, but we are called to trust in God's ways.

What does this verse for you today?

Romans 12:19 - "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Understanding God's plans

"But they do not know the Lord’s thoughts
    or understand his plan." - Micah 4:12

Who of us can honestly say we always understand the way God works? Not many of us I think!
The people in Micah's day certainly didn't fully understand what God was doing and when we consider the birth of a tiny baby as God's idea for redemption - well, that seemed totally ridiculous. 

However, we now know a little more about how Jesus' life became the GIFT for all humanity and how God's plan ended up offering salvation to the world. This is the beauty and joy of Christmas.
Indeed, God's ways are not our ways, so we are left to trust in God's plans or to ignore them.

Revelation 15:3 - “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

When things don't go as planned

What do you do when things don't go as planned? Get upset? Feel frustrated? Get angry with someone? Resign yourself to God's bigger perspective?

The other evening we planned an event at our church where we invited a whole lot of people to watch a DVD presentation by Bear Grylls. It was going to be great and there was much excitement. We had tested the DVD in the week before and all was good and so on the night things we going to be perfect - or so we thought.

We struggled for over an hour before the start to try and get the DVD to work - it refused to work at all. Every other presentation on the DVD worked perfectly, except the one we wanted! Can you imagine our frustration?!

In the end we had to apologise to people, explain the predicament and watch the "Plan B" presentation. I was upset and deeply frustrated, but I had to resign myself to the fact that we had done all we could - perhaps God had another plan in mind.

What was rewarding in the end was to have people come up to us and say that they "just needed to hear that specific message." Our Plan B was the message that God needed to use for specific people that night. Go figure! God's ways are not my ways.

So, what do you do when things don't go to plan? Is there perhaps something else that God has in mind for you?

Job 37:5 - God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.

 

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Gog and Magog - Ezekiel 38

The names Gog and Magog seem so foreign to us in the 21st century, but they are rich in Biblical history and symbolism. These interesting names even appear alongside Alexander the Great in a legend about his power and fame. We first come across the name Magog in the book of Genesis, but then again in Ezekiel 38 and later on in Revelation 20. Here is a portion of the scripture from Ezekiel:

¹⁴ “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? ¹⁵ You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. ¹⁶ You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

What I found interesting about this vision is that God seems to use the people of Magog, under the leadership of Gog, to wage war against the people of Israel. The Lord allows them to cover Israel, like a cloud covers the land, and in doing so, bring people's attention back to God. It seems a little strange for us, but God uses an enemy nation to bring the Israelites back to himself.

In our reflections during Holy Week we are also reminded of God's unique plan of salvation. It may not make sense to non-believers, why the Lord would allow his only son to die for the sake of others, but it certainly gets our attention. If were not for this 'strange' plan, we would still be lost in our sins and in our brokenness.

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Clay and Potter

We often question whether God actually knows best. We don't see things working out as we hoped they would and we begin to worry. If you can relate to this, then know that we stand in a long line of believers who have wrestled with God's will. In the end, we have to trust in God as our 'Potter' - we are the clay and God wants to make something awesome out of our lives.

"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him." - Jeremiah 18:4

"Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." - Isaiah 64:8

Have a blessed Freedom Day, if you are in South Africa.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Faith or sight?

If I asked you all to raise your hands if you knew the following Scripture, most of you would be sheepishly raising a hand right now. This is the verse...

"We live by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7

The trouble with me is, is that I seem to be set to the default setting of 'faith by sight.' I may go to sleep living by faith, but somehow I wake up ready to operate by sight. In other words, I have to remind myself that God is calling me (on a daily basis) to renew my faith in Him. That means that whatever I need to tackle today will require an attitude of faith. If I can 'see' how something will end up, before I trust God in it, then I have not walked by faith. I have then put my trust in things I can see and know, instead of the person of God.

What about you - walking by sight or faith?

Just asking...

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

Promises

We have all been let down before - someone promises to do something and then they never keep to their word. It can be frustrating, hurtful and even disappointing. But, if I think about it, I realise that I have done the same thing ... more times than I care to admit. Mostly it has been pure forgetfulness, but there have been times when I was just being irresponsible. What about you? When last did you break a promise? When someone lets you down what do you do and who do you turn to?

Remember that if God hasn't answered your prayers, he will still get to it - trust him.

"The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think..." - 2 Peter 3:9

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Cat-o-pillow

As much as I have tried to explain otherwise, Josh still thinks that a caterpillar is called a 'cat-o-pillow!' It is tough being 3 years old and knowing everything:)

Sometimes I am convinced that I know better, but God slowly shows me that His way is always best. I am often slow to learn, but I am grateful God doesn't always tell me, "I told you so!"

What about you?

Living in Grace,

D3LM3

P.S. I hope you like the photo of the cat on the pillow?

What is success?

We often struggle to identify what success means in our modern context. Is it only about collecting the most 'toys', degrees, money or facebook friends?

Someone reminded me of this poem from Ralph Waldo Emerson the other day. It is entitled What is Success?

"To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived;

This is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

What does success mean for you?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Which one?

Referring again to the parable of the sower (Matthew 13), I wonder which category we would fall into today? If the seed of God's truth fell onto our lives, where would it land? Perhaps it's worth a read and then a quick self-diagnosis...

These are the options:
1. On the footpath
2. On the rocky soil
3. Among the thorns
4. On the good soil

Each has a consequence. What do you think?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

God is watching us

God is watching us - but not in the way many of us think. God is watching us, so that he may strengthen us and uphold us. That's what the Bible teaches anyway:

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." - 2 Chronicles 16:9

May you know God's strength today.

Living in God's grace and strength,
D3LM3

Paths

In a surge of adrenaline it is great to blaze new trails and to set new trends. It is exhilarating to go where others haven't gone before and I encourage you to dream outrageous dreams.

However, there are times when it is prudent to walk on ancient paths, to step where others have walked safely for generations. God has laid out guidelines and 'paths' for us to follow - and these will lead us in a Godly direction. Never be too proud to walk these roads. There will still be plenty of action, excitement and new opportunities along God's Paths, but we need to trust Him along the journey.

Psalm 25:4 - "Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths."

Jeremiah 6:16 - "This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

Walking in His Grace,
D3LM3

God, be my Vision

I haven't made any resolutions for 2011 yet. I plan to spend a few days praying about what God wants from me this year, but what I truly seek is to honour God in all I do. I hope that the words of this powerful 6th Century Irish song will be my starting place.

"Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light."

May God be your Vision and focus in 2011.

Living in His Grace,
D3LM3

Look beyond the impossible

God is clear on this...
"With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

So what does this mean for you?

If you are facing the impossible this week, then you are in the best place for God to reveal his POSSIBLE! Look beyond the impossible - you will see the hand of God busy at work.

Have a blessed day.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Managing the Universe

This story may be for you this week. Read it and see what God might be saying to you:

George McCauslin was a director of the YMCA. Some years ago, he was serving at a YMCA that was losing members, it had financial difficulties and terrible staff problems. George found himself working 85 hours a week. He was getting little sleep at night, and he took little time off. When he was off, he was worrying and fretting about the problems of this YMCA.

A counsellor told George that he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He had to learn somehow to let go and somehow to let God into his problems. He didn’t know quite how to do that.

So George took an afternoon off, took a pad and paper, and took a walk in the woods. As he walked through the cool woods, he could just feel his tight body and his tight neck start to relax. He sat down under a tree and sighed. For the first time in months he relaxed.

He got out his pad and paper, and he decided that he would let them go, the burdens of his life. He wrote God a letter. He said, "Dear God, today I hereby resign as general manager of the universe. Love, George."

He then said, smiling, "And wonder of wonders, God accepted my resignation."

Let’s quit managing the Universe and let God do what God does best. Have a little faith in God to make a plan!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

"If only" God?

Is God an "if only" kind of God?

If only we behave, God will love us?
If only we don't sin, God will smile upon us?

Scriptures like 2 Chronicles 7:14 allude to this sentiment, but where does this leave us? I can never do enough to win God's approval, so all of my "if only" attempts will always fall short of God's measurements. Or does it imply that God wants to see us try our best, at the very least?

I am not 100% sure...I guess that's why I love Romans 5:8 so much - it takes away my efforts and highlights the grace of Jesus.

What are you thinking?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. I have intentionally left out the Scripture verses today, hoping that you will look them up. If you are rushing through this post then simply go to www.biblegateway.com - they will help you with the verses.

Deus Vult

During our early morning devotion at 'MacCafe' today, we got onto the topic of 'Deus Vult.' This term means 'God wills it' and, in all kinds of ways, has been in our church lingo for centuries. Interestingly it had it's origins in being a battle cry for the first Crusade, where Christians were convinced that it was God's will to defend Jerusalem from the Muslims.

Sometimes we use this slogan as a sign of resignation - "It is God's will that this should happen." (We usually do this when we can't explain 'why' something happened & so we pin it onto the Will of God.)

Or sometimes people will proclaim after horrific events such as September 11 or Genocide in Rwanda or flooding in Pakistan, that these are part of 'God's Will!" Wow, I struggle with that. I understand what the comment is saying, but I still struggle with it.

I think we would be better off to use it in the context that James mentions it. Read his words...

"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." - James 4:13-15

If I have surrendered my life to Christ, then I can safely say that I surrendered to His Will and purpose. This is when I am happy to say, 'Deus Vult.'
That's me - what about you?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Give me sense

Somethings just make sense. For example, when you buy a steaming hot cup of coffee from a take-away and the lid says, "Be careful. Hot Coffee!" That makes sense to most of us, but clearly someone has got 'burnt' before, hence the need for the warning.

God's word and commands also make sense and they are given to us to prevent us from getting 'burnt.' Sadly, many people think they know better and have chosen to ignore God's direction. That doesn't make sense to me, but then again, people are people!

Listen to what Psalm 119:73 says,
"You made me; you created me.
Now give me the sense to follow your commands."

Just like the message on the hot coffee is to protect us, so it is the same for God's word. God wants to lead us into a life that is 'best for us.'

May we have the sense to follow God's commands.
Living in Grace,
D3LM3

What God looks for.

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7

This is such a timely reminder for us all. Thankfully God looks at our hearts and not our outward appearance. This is why God choose people like Gideon, David, Daniel, Moses and even Paul. On paper, they weren't the wisest choices, but God had already seen their credentials 'on their hearts.'

"Living for God's approval is better than living for man's applause." - Daily Bread

Have a Spirit filled week,
Go with God.
D3LM3