I love “discovering” gems of truth in Scripture that I somehow skimmed over in the past. I don’t know how many times I’ve read through the “Love Chapter” in 1 Corinthians, but I know that until this most recent time, I have missed a glimpse of God’s character that I never saw before.
As Paul is concluding this portion of his letter, he discusses how spiritual gifts will one day come to an end, and how prophecy gives us, really, an incomplete picture of the Father’s heart.
Then he briefly touches on what it will be like when we no longer need these gifts: “For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.” I Cor 13:12
That last phrase causes me to stir with awe. Let’s work backwards through it.
“…as I am fully known.” Right now God knows us inside and out, and cannot know us more deeply and intimately than He does at this moment – warts, wrinkles, and all. He is fully aware of our shortcomings and our victories, our idiosyncrasies and our quirks.
Paul says in the phrase just prior, “…but then I will know fully…” When we are face to face with our Creator, He will give us the privilege of fully knowing Him in the same manner He knows us now. I am blown away that the God of the Universe, the Maker of all things, will allow us to have that kind of full access to Him. When we are made perfect, when we go to Heaven to be with Him, He will somehow give us the green light to know and grasp Someone infinite. Here on earth now, in our very best groping in the dark, we might, somehow reach out and feel His little toe. But our minds are so finite, so small, so feeble, that knowlege of the Holy seems to be an impossibility. And, for now, it really is.
When that day comes that He ushers us home to sit at His throne, somehow, someway, He will make it possible for the created to understand the Creator. What a holy and astounding blessing that will be!
The Turkish invasion, 2008. The voice on the loudspeaker announced, “Run, don’t walk, you’re lives are in danger. The Turks are overtaking the nation as we speak.” My brother and I were crouched together behind some military compound buildling, watching as chaos unfolded before our eyes. Bullets zinging by, debris flying all around, and people attempting to run for cover, but most of whom falling to their untimely deaths.
My brother and I were armed with pistols, and we were trying to protect those around us and ourselves from the approaching Turkish soldiers. I vividly recall shooting a couple of enemies, watching them topple to the ground. But just as one would fall, two more would come from behind the shadows.
The man who appeared to be a general began walking straight toward my brother and me, machine gun at the ready. I took aim and shot him in the shoulder, knocking him down. My brother and I were the only two Americans in our area who were left standing. We stood to try to escape, but the general gathered himself, arose, and continued to move toward Steve and me.
The last thing I remember is feeling a sense of sad defeat as my eyes closed for the last time.
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I don’t normally dream such bizarre, macabre dreams, but when I do, I ponder warfare, battle, and the possibility of victory and defeat. When that general got back to his feet after I had shot him, I had a sense that my weapons were useless. Although my pistol vanquished other members of the encroaching army, the general was too powerful for me.
In looking at the things that have hit me this weekend, the bullets Satan has launched at me, I need to remember who it is I’m fighting against, which weapons I’m supposed to use.
Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Also, the weapons that I often try to use to combat the enemy are useless – whether relying on my own strength, hiding from the enemy, or pretending he’s not in our camp. I’m encouraged by 2Corinthians 10:4 “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”
There is a real battle going on, and we are engaged. I’ve seen brothers fall because of not using the armor of God, the spiritual weapons God gives. I’ve seen myself nearly become a casualty of war because of not using heavenly tools of battle. I’m wounded, but I still have the ability to fight these battles with God’s resources and His strength.
While I don’t believe Turkey will be the next country to try to invade the U.S., I definitely believe Satan has launched a full-scale invasion on Christians today. He’s trying to carve us each away from the body of Christ, out of fellowship with Jesus and with our brothers and sisters in the battle. He’s trying to render our weapons useless. But he’s not invincible. My dream ended poorly, but I’m eternally grateful that the real war’s outcome is already decided. I can’t wait to stand with my Savior under the banner of victory God plans on waving for the universe to behold!
Yes, I am a Lord of the Rings fan. But here in recent history I’ve been becoming a fan of something more intense, meaningful, and eternal.
Acts 2:42 should be the calling card for every body of believers, whether a church family or a small group Bible study: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
For several months I’ve been a part of a small group Bible study. We don’t have any set agenda week by week, but our leader will share a passage of Scripture, newspaper clipping, or other thought-provoking tidbit, and then we as a group will discuss the issue from as many aspects as possible. We also spend time worshipping Almighty God together, share life happenings with each other, cry together, laugh together, and pray together. We even spend time outside of our scheduled meeting, whether it’s for one of our birthdays or for an after-church hang out, complete with conversation and a game of tackle darts! In fact, we all have grown so much on each other, that not a day goes by that I don’t have a conversation with one of the 12 or so people in our group! I don’t mind being connected to these people at all!
devoted to the apostles’ teaching
I’ve never been a part of a group of people who act more like the Bereans in Acts 17:11. The Bereans “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every dayto see if what Paul said was true.” This gang of people I associate with are devoted to the Word of God. Not just for doctrinal accuracy, but to see a clearer picture of who God is, collectively and individually. It is refreshing being a part of a small body of believers who embrace the Bible as these people do!
devoted to the fellowship
The concept of fellowship has become watered down in church circles, I believe. It’s been reduced to just hanging out with other believers, doing fun stuff together. Fellowship is more of a “partnership” in scripture. I think of the Lord of the Rings. Gandalf, Frodo and the rest didn’t sit around playing checkers, drinking church coffee, and talking about the weather. They were partners together with a single mission in mind – to destroy the ring. Yes, they had a few laughs together, but their purpose was missional and dangerous.
I’ve never been a part of a small group Bible study that more closely resembled the mission-minded Tolkien crowd. No, our leader doesn’t quite look like Gandalf, but we each have a heart for ministry, to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
devoted to the breaking of bread
Well, okay, we don’t always break bread together, but we almost always have Doritos. But the point in sharing meals is to spend time together, doing life together, being deliberate in getting to know the people across the table from you in a real way. This last week I ate lunch with two couples from our group, and one of the couples was comfortable enough to ask some very personal questions about my past. And I was comfortable enough to answer. As we are growing together, I see walls falling down and biblical intimacy developing. Largely because of Doritos.
devoted to prayer
God doesn’t do anything by accident, and He’s already aware of what we need. Prayer, I believe, is a re-alligning of our hearts, a yielding of our wills to His. When we pray collectively, we become accutely aware of our need for the Father, for earthly needs but especially spiritual needs. I don’t like the phrase “the power of prayer,” or “prayer works!” I prefer to say, “the power of the One to whom we’re praying.” Prayer, words that trickle out of our mouths, has no more power than the bark of a chihuahua. BUT our God, who created the universe by uttering it into existence, has all the power we will ever need. Prayer draws us close to God, to Jehovah Jireh, not Jukebox Jesus, where, if we put in enough quarters and push the right buttons, we can hear the song we want. No, prayer is an acknowlegement of our extreme dependence on the Father.
The church in Acts worked together, ministered together, did life together, and they saw the Lord work in powerful ways. Thousands of new believers were added to their number at a time, and the spotlight was on God. I would have to imagine that their devotion to the gospel, to fellowship, to common meals, and prayer had something to do with it! They walked in unity, and I believe the Lord blessed them!
As I grow in my walk and while I am connected to a group of people devoted to these four things, I want to grow in my devotion individually to these things. I want to live a life pleasing to God, walking in His strength, doing His will on this earth. And I’m glad I have brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage me along the way!
I’ve been thirsty before. I remember the first major hike I endeavored. It was an all-day hike across Rocky Mountain National Park while I was in high school. I was in awe at the breathtaking vistas as well as the curious wildlife we saw along the way. If I had the ability to go back in time, I would have done it again. It was absolutely worth it. However, I would have changed one thing.
By the time the hike was over, I was more than parched. By all indications I was severely dehydrated. Perhaps my throbbing headache was partially from the altitude. But the previous day and early that morning, I had not consumed much water at all. I had denied my body the fluid it needed in order to handle the outdoor excursion.
I find myself gravitating toward Psalm 1 on occassion. The man who delights in the law of God is “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”
Today I’m thirsty. And I can’t continue my trek without first drinking from God’s Word. There’s so much that I try to take on with my own strength. But it is so obvious that I will fail if I try to hike one more step without satisfying my soul’s thirst first.
Proverbs 10:19 says, “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”
I recently had a chance to read some old stuff that I had written in high school – papers, and letters mostly. I understand that I have grown and matured (at least some) since then, but one thing jumped out at me as I re-read my words – I sure used lots of ‘em! It’s quite telling to see what Brandon as a 16-year old had to say. Three consistent traits appeared in the midst of my wordier ramblings: a judgmental pride, a blaring self-righteousness, and a gossipy tongue. I can see remnants of these in my life today, but by God’s grace He’s been transforming my character.
I think the principle in Proverbs 10:19 challenges me to measure my words carefully, whether in speaking, letter-writing, blogging. Even fleshly traits aside, it’s clear that 10 well-placed words (drawn out of a resevoir of communion with God) will always have more impact that 100 shoot-from-the-hip, unchecked, ungodly words.
A healthy diet of listening to Spirit, digesting the Word, and abiding in Christ is the Immodium AD for diarrhea of the mouth. I want to grow in wisdom, and that very well may begin by restraining my lips.
Today has just been a surreal day for me. I’ve been especially drawn to revisiting pieces of my past. Even just now I’m listening to old cassette tapes from high school and shortly thereafter. Band and choir concerts, as well as mix tapes for various life events, including the passing of my mom in ‘95. I’m not particularly missing her just now, just magnetized toward the last twelve years of my life. It’s the same sensation as going through my journals over the past decade – I almost feel like a peeping tom, looking at my life from the outside. The ups, the downs, the victories, the failures. All of them seem like they’re from another lifetime, from somebody else’s life. While I’m peeking at my life from afar just now, I am experiencing a coctail of emotions. Very strange mood I’m in…
The one thing I’m hanging on to just now is the thought of the Lord calling Himself the Alpha and the Omega. He’s not just the God of the Old Testament, or the New Testament, or the present, or the future, He is the God of all history, beginning through the end. He is in full command of all the universe and all time, including everything that He happens to choose to involve us in. He alone is stable, and He alone is trustworthy, He alone is good.
Even when I feel a sense of melancholy like tonight, I praise God in my heart for who He is, and what He does. Thanks, Lord.
The last several days the theme of “pleasing God” has been rattling in my mind. It started off when I read Psalm 37:23-24, “If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.” I’d like this to describe my life.
This truly is a case of changing my daily focus from what feels good to me to what delights the Lord. There is absolutely no activity that I can do in my own power that pleases Him. I have to ask, then, what kind of living does please God?
Paul answers that in his letter to the Colossians, chapter 1:9-12. He told the church, “we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way…”
An amazing prayer to pray for each other. When all is said and done, when I peel back the flaws of my character, the ugliness of my selfishness, and futility of my self-preservation, my heart yearns to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Paul prayed that prayer for the purpose of having the church live a life “worthy of the Lord,” and that they may please God in “EVERY WAY. ”
I think to myself, “that’s not possible!” And, really, in my fleshly paradigm, it is impossible. But Paul goes on in his letter to explain some specifics of what pleases the Lord, “…please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power…, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”
Fruit comes from obedient submission
Growth comes from experiencing God
Power comes from the Holy Spirit living through us
Thankfulness comes from recognizing the work of God’s grace and mercy in our lives
I don’t see these four pleasing treasures as being independent, but I think they’re interwoven. As we experience the phenomena of bearing fruit, we experiece God and grow in knowledge of Him. And we can’t bear fruit unless we’re yielding our wills to His and letting His power be our source. And when we are granted that blessing of God’s power in our lives, we can’t help but be grateful. The more thankful we are, I think the more we desire to bear fruit for God.
Regardless of external circumstances, I believe we’re being summoned to live out these four pleasing treasures. Actually, in several places in Scripture we’re not just asked to live a godly life, we’re commanded to keep walking in the Spirit.
Lord, tonight as I’m relaxing, help me rest in You, and help me to live a life worthy of You. Work through me that my life would be pleasing to You. And each phase of my day tomorrow -work, rest, and play- give me the strength to yield my will to Yours.
Have you ever had one of those enlightening moments, when, out of the blue, the synapses seem to fire just right in your brain and you finally connect a truth from God’s Word to real life? Well, I just had one. I believe it’s a Holy Spirit thing…
Just a couple of days ago I was reading in Exodus, where Moses had begun the pulling away from the Egyptians. The Israelites woke up to find that the Egyptian army was right on top of them! They were trapped – men with swords on one side, the Red Sea on the other. They cried out to the Lord, and complained to Moses.
Moses, in what seemed like level-headed, calming leadership, assured that the victory was going to come through the Lord. He told them that all they needed to do was to “be still.” Sounded good to me.
Well, the next verse is God talking to Moses. “Why did you cry out to me, Moses? Tell the children of Israel to move on.” God then proceded to give Moses details on how to cross the Red Sea.
I initially was bothered by God’s questioning of Moses. Moses seemed to make a smart move in comforting his frightened people. God didn’t seem to endorse those words, however. “Why did you cry out to me?” was what Moses received, instead.
After some praying and some further reading, I believe that God’s questioning of Moses was a matter of authority. God had already given Moses the authority to act and speak on God’s behalf. It was as if God was telling Moses, “I’ve already given you the green light to do the impossible in my name. You knew you were right next to the Red Sea. You had every right to step out in faith and believe that I could get you and the Israelites to safety. But you didn’t trust me for the miracle. I want to do amazing things through you, Moses. Just trust me!”
Many times God gives us the green light to do something, yet we cower in fear, hold back tentatively, or run away from God’s work. We simply don’t trust God for the big things.
I have a lot of back story that I will not share at this time, but for some time now I have been feeling like God has placed a desire in my heart to move to Colorado. I thought perhaps in the fall, or early ‘08 would be ideal. Then, just recently, events drastically changed in my life. One of those life changes came yesterday as I found out that I had a choice to be let go from my job as a technical writer, or to resign myself. My last day will be May 15th; I am resigning from my consulting firm. Instead of waiting to make a move in the fall or winter, it seems as though the Lord is asking me to lay down my cards on the table right now. “Choose now where you’re going to go, Brandon. Trust me for the details, trust me for the big picture. Just take your life out of your own hands, and let me have control.”
Tonight it dawned on me – I had an Ah-ha moment. The very thing I learned from Moses, I am now experiencing. I believe God has given me the green light to take some large steps ahead in life, yet I have been cowering in the corner, afraid to make a move, fearful of the unknown. Yet Moses obeyed God, and eventually acted in the authority God gave him, and God delivered the children of Israel out of the hands of their Egyptian enemies.
If, therefore, I believe that God has been working behind the scenes to get me to Colorado, then I must trust that He has all the details covered. I have no reason to shrink back. It’s been my temptation to succomb to fearful paralysis. But as God begins to unveil each step for me to take, I pray that the Holy Spirit would give me the strength to take each of those steps, no matter how big they are, no matter the terrain I trod.
Henry Blackaby said in Experiencing God that we Christians tend to ask God about His plan for OUR lives. Instead, Blackaby suggests that we ask God where He’s working, and join Him there. The focus shifts from my life (me, me, me) to God’s master plan. My encouragement to you, then, is to ask God to reveal what He’s doing in your life, and to trust Him no matter what is before you. He does have a plan, and He’s busy at work bringing that plan to completion.
About a month ago, I was able to catch up with an old friend from junior and senior high. It had been years since we had spoken, and there was (still is!) much to talk about. She was always like an additional big sister to me. She told me about her 9-month old son, her husband, and her life on the other side of the country. She also told me she wanted to send something to me.
Today I got in the mail a note and some family pictures, but the main thing she sent to me was a card of encouragement that my mom had sent her years ago. My mom died on March 26, 1995. This card was dated just two months prior, and was newsy (about my brother and me in college), upbeat, and above all, encouraging. My friend told me that on an occassional basis she would receive similar notes or cards from my mom.
Over the years some memories fade, others hang on for dear life. I knew that my mother was a letter-writer by nature, but I had forgotten how she used that medium to reach out and encourage those in her life. My mom had never written an e-mail, blogged, or chatted online. Bette Miller wrote in a more personalized way, with time, pen, paper, and postage. She felt compelled by her Lord to reach out. Her sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, looking back, was a very beautiful thing.
We’ll all be remembered for certain aspects of our lives, whether we were funny, talented, friendly, grumpy, dumpy, or jumpy. Or encouraging. We have a day-by-day decision to make now while we’re living how we’ll be remembered when we’re gone. My mom made the deliberate choice to leave behind a legacy of encouragement, the effects of which are still being felt 12 years later.
Where’s that leave us? Not everyone is a letter-writer. Not everyone can sing. But every believer has the invitation to walk in God’s Spirit. Yielding to God’s leading lends itself to the building of a godly legacy here on this earth.
Thanks, Lord, for my mom’s heart for encouragement. Please create in me the legacy you want me to leave. Amen.
Ottawa really only has one decent coffee shop, Jeremiah Joe’s. Great place, wireless internet, pretty good drinks, and wonderful atmosphere for studying, socializing, or checking out the local musical talent on the weekends.
Over the course of the last handful of months, I couldn’t help but notice another regular at JJ’s. Although I’ve never seen him purchase a drink, I began observing the strange bahavior of an obese man, maybe in his early 40s, who was clearly mentally retarded. His routine is simple – enter the shop, find an available chair as close to other patrons as possible, and repeat, parrot-like, “Hi,” until either they acknowledge his existence or just plain ignore him for an extended amount of time. Even if he’s on the opposite end of the shop, if someone enters the front door, he’ll stare at them and persistently repeat his greeting from across the room.
Most people ignore him. Others will offer a brief “hi” back. A few younger people, mainly junior-high girls, actually are very pointed in their response to him: “Don’t sit here! Our friend is sitting in that seat! Go away!” Except when there’s harshness, this visitor will continue saying “hi,” even if he got an earlier response.
Whenever I see this guy, my heart wants to break. He doesn’t know the finer points of interpersonal communication. But I get the distinct impression that he’s lonely. Very lonely. I’ve watched him sit in Jeremiah Joe’s for hours on end, just wanting to get a reciprocated greeting from someone.
I believe the Lord, a few weeks back, put a level of compassion in my heart for our coffee shop greeter. One evening, while I was reading in a corner, he passed by and our eyes met. With genuine interest, I asked him how he was doing. He froze. Perhaps no one had asked him that in a long time. He looked at me with a puzzled look, and said, “Fine. But do you know me?” I explained that I had seen him there before, but that we had never met.
So, I made it a point, whenever we happened to be in that downtown shop together, to look him in the eye and tell him “hi” back. Occassionally I’ll ask him how his day is going.
Well, today was an interesting day at Jeremiah Joe’s. I wanted to try to finish my book on the life of Peter. Then in walked the man, in his usual disheveled clothes and untidy hair. He made his way toward the customer service counter and found the nearest chair. He planted himself there, and, as business started to pick up, so did the incessant output of “hi.”
This family of three – a mom, a dad, and a teenage girl – walked up to the counter to order their drinks. They were not exempt from the barrage of greeting. The mom even responded about four times to this guy, each time expressing a little less patience than before. Once the drinks were made and paid for, the family found an out-of-the-way cranny near the front of the shop. Our unofficial greeter seemed to feel he had found some new friends. He got up and slowly followed them to the narrow corner where they were seated. The tension in the air was palpable. He stood about five feet away from their table, saying, “hi.” He also began saying, “I’m a good boy, I’m a good boy.” I felt so sorry for this man, because he was oblivious to the discomfort this family was feeling. He was just so focused on being with someone, that he didn’t notice how it made them feel. I also felt empathy for the family, too, because of how awkward the scene was.
A couple of times, the greeter walked away, only to return a few moments later. During one of his return trips to the family’s table, I felt compelled to somehow intervene. I had just read a passage in my book about how compassionate Peter and John were to the crippled man near the temple, in the book of Acts. Then, as I was observing the coffee shop scene unfold in front of me, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ teaching about taking care of “the least of these.”
As the greeter passed by me, our eyes met and I asked him how he was doing. “Fine.” I asked him, “Do you like to drink coffee?” He paused for a moment, and he mumbled, then said, “I like chocolate milk.” I then said, “You like saying ‘hi’ to people, don’t you?” “Yeah.” “Well, that’s great. Just be careful not to say it too many times, because it makes people feel really uncomfortable.” As he began walking back toward the family’s table, he looked back at me and said, “Okay.”
I decided I’d try to get to know him a little bit better, so he didn’t just feel like someone being a bother. I went to the front counter and ordered a large chocolate milk for my friend. As I came back to my table, he saw me carrying the chocolate milk, and he left the presence of the family and walked toward me. I told him, “I bought a chocolate milk for you, if you’d like it. It’s right over here.” He came nearer, and I handed it to him. The puzzled look on his face returned. Very sincerely he thanked me for the drink. He stood near my table, removed the lid to his drink, and began guzzling. I felt bad for him as he dribbled on his crumpled, white tee-shirt. I said, “Oh, there are some napkins right over there. You might want to wipe that up a little bit.” He zipped up his coat instead, and continued drinking, savoring the sweet drink. I asked him what he usually did when he wasn’t at Jeremiah Joe’s, and all he said was, “Home.”"Oh, so you live near here?” “Yeah. You?” “I live on the south side of town, over the bridge. By the way, what’s your name?” “Ba.” “Ba?” “Yeah, Ba.” He then proceeded to thank me several more times for buying him the chocolate milk, and pronounced that it was good. After a few more sips, he made his way over to the napkins, stood there drinking, then exited the shop without another word and without cleaning up his shirt.
A little while later, the family of three got up to leave. As they passed by, the parents both thanked me for helping take care of the awkward situation, and for the kindness I showed Ba. The dad told me, “You know, most people probably aren’t kind to him at all like that, so thank you.”
I think the reason why it wasn’t hard to take action today in talking with Ba was that I am in some ways a lot like him. I can be naive, simple, and repetitive. And I sometimes let my loneliness dictate my actions. I wish I knew more of Ba’s story – what his life has been like, who he lives with, if he knows about Jesus.
I know that Jesus’ compassion toward a sometimes emotionally and spiritually disheveled guy like me far surpasses the act of buying chocolate milk. I am so thankful for the Lord’s willingness to meet me where I’m at, although sometimes the best I can do is mumble. I’m grateful for His desire to be with me, although my inner self is a mess a lot of times. The kindness, goodness, and greatness of Jesus has given me the desire to love the people around me the best I know how. Thanks, Lord, for the lesson I learned today in getting to know Ba.
