Reflections on 9/11

Years ago I joined a good friend on several Sunday afternoons debating doctrine with some Jehovah’s Witnesses.  The interesting thing I gained from it was that we both used some of the same scriptures to make our differing points.  I sought the Lord about it afterward because I didn’t understand how the Bible could be interpreted so differently.  The response I got from Him was that we have to approach forming our doctrine with an attitude that we want to believe whatever is true even if it disagrees with what we’ve always believed.  I had to decide to search out the truth (Phil 2:12), and formulate my belief system accordingly.  It’s too easy to study the Word just to prove our own point or support what we already believe, and that will inevitably lead to error.

We, as Christians, can learn from the events that have become so personal to us all since Sept. 11, 2001.  Those who perpetrate terror attacks in the name of religion are deceived and are acting on doctrinal error.  If we are to avoid the same kind of error we need to develop a passion for the truth to the point that we will do whatever it takes to obtain it.  We need to have a passion for knowing the true God and developing a true relationship with Him and be willing to change our belief system to match the truth.  We need to realize that we can be passionate about what we believe, and be very wrong.  We can also know the truth and have no passion.  Most Christians believe the right things for the most part but have no idea why they believe it.  Knowing how misguided passion can damage our own lives and the lives of those around us should serve to motivate us to develop our passion to know the truth.  To know what we believe and why we believe it. Proverbs 4:7 says “Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [Therefore] get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding”.

Here are other scriptures from Proverbs that mention both wisdom and understanding.

Pr 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding,

 Pr 2:2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, [And] apply your heart to understanding;

 Pr 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding;

 Pr 3:13 ¶ Happy [is] the man [who] finds wisdom, And the man [who] gains understanding;

 Pr 3:19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;

 Pr 4:5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

Pr 5:1 ¶ My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding,

 Pr 7:4 Say to wisdom, "You [are] my sister," And call understanding [your] nearest kin,

 Pr 8:1 ¶ Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?

 Pr 8:14 Counsel [is] mine, and sound wisdom; I [am] understanding, I have strength.

 Pr 9:10 "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One [is] understanding.

 Pr 10:13 ¶ Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, But a rod [is] for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.

 Pr 10:23 ¶ To do evil [is] like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.

 Pr 11:12 ¶ He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.

 Pr 14:33 ¶ Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But [what is] in the heart of fools is made known.

 Pr 16:16 ¶ How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

 Pr 17:24 ¶ Wisdom [is] in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool [are] on the ends of the earth.

 Pr 19:8 ¶ He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.

 Pr 21:30 ¶ [There is] no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.

 Pr 23:23 Buy the truth, and do not sell [it, Also] wisdom and instruction and understanding.

 Pr 24:3 ¶ Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;

(NKJV)

It would serve us well to meditate on these scriptures and memorize them so we can recall them every day of our lives.  If we will dedicate ourselves to knowing and living the truth, we will find it.  God will lead us to it.  If we don’t we will fall into error.

As we reflect on the 9-year anniversary of the murder of over 3000 innocent people on our soil, let’s make a commitment to the truth, and the God of truth.  Let’s make a commitment to fight terrorism at its core.  The lie that brings people to a passion for murder and destruction can be defeated by the word of truth that brings grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

We pray for the families of all those lost on 9/11, and for our nation, still wounded after these years.  We offer the healing power of Jesus Christ to those hurt directly and indirectly by terror attacks and the wars that have ensued.  We offer our heartfelt appreciation for those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect and serve us and pray for their protection.  Finally, we vow that we will never forget the evil that was brought upon us through the devilish lie, and that it is defeated soundly by the Word of the living God, Jehovah.

Hope for your Gifting

From time to time, it's easy to begin feeling hopeless, and useless.


Chris Rice wrote...
I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah
                               "Clumsy" from Deep Enough to Dream  Copyright 1986 Clumsy Fly Music  

I think it's interesting that a guy who is obviously fulfilling the call of God on his life would, like the rest of us, feel useless at times.  The good news is, just as the song says, God still loves and cherishes us regardless of how clumsy, foolish, or stupid we are, and, even though we feel useless, He does not consider that we are.  

Maybe you are in that place right now.  Perhaps you feel like you are useless to God or your time has passed.  Sometimes we take a turn in life that requires stepping back a bit from actively using our giftings and then it can begin to seem like they just don't exist anymore, or worse yet, we actually never had them in the first place.  I have to admit, I don't feel like I ever hit my stride.  When considering the "typically" latter phase of my life I can't help but look back from time to time and wonder if I ever did anything with it.  That's not healthy.  The truth is, if we endeavor to live in God's will, be a doer of the Word (James 1), and seek Him before all else (Matt 6:33), the worth of our life will be a given.  God, who makes miracles out of nothing, gives us hope when we are hopeless.  Not only should we not discount the influence we have had through our lives and giftings in the past we should never discount the possibilities that exist in what God can do with us in the future.  

Numbers 23:19 says that "The gifts and callings of God are without repentence".  Otherwise, what God has gifted you with He will never take away.  Many years ago, a man who was a good friend and a spiritual father to me, related how God had given him the gift of healing.  He said one day he had an opportunity, and leading from the Spirit, to pray for a child who was sick or had some malady, and he didn't.  He said he felt from that time, because he refused to respond to God's call to use that gift, it was taken away, and he never operated in it again.  I think that's sad.  Whether it's a spiritual gift like healing, or a spiritual gift like helps.  Whether evangelism, or encouragement.  Whether giving or guiding.  The gifts and callings of God are without repentence, He will never take them away.  If we refuse to use them, we just cheat ourselves, and others, out of opportunity for blessing and growth.  If we start thinking that because we messed up and didn't respond to the leading of the Spirit, God isn't going to use us that way again, we will never respond again.  It isn't that God won't use us, it's that we've convinced ourselves that He won't.  We're no longer listening, and He's not going to force us (I Kings 19:12).  

So what do we do now?  We go back to God.  

Mark 4:2 - 20 tells us that if we are to understand how the Kingdom of God works we must understand the principle of seedtime and harvest.  In verses 30 - 32 He says that the Kingdom of God operates like a seed, in that, you plant it, it grows, although you really can't see it, and it matures, ready for harvest.  We need to put that principle into operation in our own lives.  Planting, watering, caring for, and then harvesting the gift of God in us.  In many ways, that's what  this blog is for me.  I am planting my gifting, not storing it up or hiding it.  I'm expecting that God will do His part in the growth process, facilitating my growth, and perhaps others as well.  As has been said so many times, if you keep doing what you've always done, you aren't likely to see a change.  So I encourage you today, whatever your gifting is, plant a seed.  Just a small one.  No one else can plant that particular seed.  It's only yours to give.  It may not seem like much, but it's more than you think. 

Kenneth Copeland quoted his hairdresser recently saying that you can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples in a seed.  That is profound!  think about the little things you can do to affect the lives of those around you as opposed to the things you didn't do in the past.  Avoid the old "what if".  Embrace God's "WHAT IF!"  

A strait betwixt two....

Navigating through life always brings twists, turns, ups and downs.  Some days are better than others but all in all, we hope to have more ups than downs.  The apostle Paul was no stranger to challenge and change.  He actually had it rougher than most of us, but sometimes when we're in the throws of whatever today's challenge is, it doesn't feel like it.

Paul had a keen sense of purpose.  More so than most of us.  The price he paid for that purpose was also far higher than most of us pay.  He gave up position, family, home, freedom, everything to fulfill what he considered the call of God on his life.  Now, God made that call pretty obvious to him on the road to Damascus, but even before that he was a driven individual.  He gave his all to his purpose.  He went after the Christians with a vengeance, not withholding anything.

Considering all that Paul endured, it is not unimaginable that he would consider this life to be less than ideal, and that he might be happier in heaven.  In Phil. 1:21-25 he states his feelings pretty openly.  "I don't really want to stay here, it's better for me to go home with God, but for you it's better if I stay."  Just as Jesus accepted His place on the cross for the joy of the harvest, Paul accepted his position, suffering for Christ, as the price necessary for the harvest.

How often we face crisis or difficult circumstances and fail to see the coming harvest.  Life's potholes are unavoidable whether you're serving God or not, but if you are in the center of God's will, as Paul was, the joy of the harvest gives you purpose, and peace.  As parents we endure great sacrifice and difficulty without always seeing the fruit, but we try to accept that the effort is worth it, and it will pay off in children who become productive, significant adults.  Whether as parents, children, siblings, friends, or associates of those around us, we are influencers.  Remember that your position in someone else's life is important.  If you share the love and truth of God to those around you it makes more difference than you can ever imagine.  A kind word, or a small prayer can make a giant difference in someone's life.  Encouragement is unbelievably powerful so remember that even if you don't see the harvest, or you're not sure you ever stepped into your true purpose, you are making a difference in those around you that will have lasting impact.

Paul was confident that he was significant to those around him.  Confident enough that the sacrifice of staying with them was more important to him than his own comfort and happiness.  I also find myself in a strait betwixt two.  Making a choice.  To live is Christ, to die is gain, yet having this confidence that I will stay here and continue with you all for your furtherance of joy and faith. (vs. 25) 

Join me in this journey won't you.  Let's navigate life with our eyes on the harvest, making our decision to live in joy and victory to bring others the truth.  I am confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  (Phil. 1:6)