When I was a kid our children's choir did a musical based on the story of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. I'll just be honest - I was the bad guy - I played King Nebuchadnezzar. But despite being cast as the villian of the story it has always been one of my favorites. The awesome faith of these three men who refuse to bow to an idol, even if it means their death - and they literally say that to the king - "even if he does not (deliver us), we want you to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up". They fully believed that God could save them - that He was completely capable - but even if He didn't - their trust was not shaken. They weren't going to bow. Of course as many of us know - God does save them. They are thrown into the fire - a fire so hot that some of the men who throw them in die from the heat. Yet when the king looks into the fire he sees not only the three men that were thrown in, but a fourth man just walking around in the flames. He calls for them to come out and not only are they unharmed, they don't even smell like smoke. Just God showing off how amazing He is.
So last year when I discovered the song "Another in the Fire" by Hillsong, it quickly became one of my favorites. There is another in the fire with us. When difficult times come, when life gets hard - like it is right now - we aren't alone. There's a cool progression in the chorus of this song. The first time we are reminded of the cross - where another died for us. The second time we get a glimpse of the grave that does not hold a body, and are reminded that the same power now lives in us. And finally - this great line - "I count the joy come every battle because I KNOW that's where You'll be." This is why people like Paul were thankful for trials and difficulties, because they knew they would meet God in the midst of those - they trusted that God would be there, that there would be another in the fire with them.
I don't know about all of you - but I'm very ready for this pandemic to be over with. I'm ready to come to church again, to see family and friends, for my kids to go to a school that is not my dining room table. But whether that happens tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year - I can trust that there is another in this fire with me. That I don't face any of it alone, and no matter what happens I can worship Him, I can trust Him, I can follow Him. In fact, I can learn to see the joy when these difficult times come because I know He will be there. That doesn't mean the difficulties go away - it just means my God is bigger than those, and being with Him is worth it no matter what is happening. So as we continue waiting for the end of this tunnel, for a return to some normalcy - just know that there is another in this fire with you, and He isn't going anywhere. Love you guys - see you soon.
Here's a video of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmNc0L7Ac5c
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Believe like a Prostitute
I have always loved Hebrews 11 and the "hall of faith" chapter. The history major in me enjoys the summary and retelling of much of the Old Testament - from Abel, through Noah, to Abraham and his sons and grandsons, then to Moses and into the Promised Land. It's cool to follow along with how God has worked among His people. But have you ever noticed who gets mentioned when it comes to entering the promised land? It talks about the people having faith as they walked around Jericho, but it doesn't mention Joshua. It does however mention Rahab in the next verse. As I read the story of that battle, of how God brought victory at Jericho, I was struck with an interesting question - what was it like for Rahab?
Think about that for a minute - she believes that God has given the Israelites this city. She tells the spies that, which is why she hides them. She has faith in their God. But she isn't given the battle plan. She is sitting, locked away in her house, with her family, and she does what the spies told her to do, and she puts that red cord out the window, and then the Israelite army gets there, all the people - but they don't attack - they just march around the city. For six days the Israelites get up and walk around the city in silence. Do you think Rahab starting having any doubts? You think she got frustrated - trying to figure out what in the world was going on? Do you think it was hard being locked in your house, just waiting and not knowing what is going on? Did that last question feel like it could describe you and me in the midst of this coronavirus mess?
I don't know what went through Rahab's mind during the battle of Jericho. I don't know what she thought of them marching around the city everyday. I do know that she left that scarlet rope in the window. I do know that the writer of Hebrews talked about her faith. I know she is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew. I know that after Jericho has fallen it says in Joshua 6 that from then on she lived among the Israelites. She became a part of the people of God - not because of her heritage, her genetics - but because of her faith. She didn't know what the plan was, she didn't know what was happening outside those walls for that week of marching. But she trusted that God was in control of it and that He would provide the victory and that He would take care of her and her family.
Sounds like what you and I need to remember today - it's not about the unknown things around us - it's about trusting the God that we do know.
Love you guys - see you soon.
Think about that for a minute - she believes that God has given the Israelites this city. She tells the spies that, which is why she hides them. She has faith in their God. But she isn't given the battle plan. She is sitting, locked away in her house, with her family, and she does what the spies told her to do, and she puts that red cord out the window, and then the Israelite army gets there, all the people - but they don't attack - they just march around the city. For six days the Israelites get up and walk around the city in silence. Do you think Rahab starting having any doubts? You think she got frustrated - trying to figure out what in the world was going on? Do you think it was hard being locked in your house, just waiting and not knowing what is going on? Did that last question feel like it could describe you and me in the midst of this coronavirus mess?
I don't know what went through Rahab's mind during the battle of Jericho. I don't know what she thought of them marching around the city everyday. I do know that she left that scarlet rope in the window. I do know that the writer of Hebrews talked about her faith. I know she is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew. I know that after Jericho has fallen it says in Joshua 6 that from then on she lived among the Israelites. She became a part of the people of God - not because of her heritage, her genetics - but because of her faith. She didn't know what the plan was, she didn't know what was happening outside those walls for that week of marching. But she trusted that God was in control of it and that He would provide the victory and that He would take care of her and her family.
Sounds like what you and I need to remember today - it's not about the unknown things around us - it's about trusting the God that we do know.
Love you guys - see you soon.
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The Backside of a Rain Cloud
It looked like the sun wasn't going to shine anymore
But God put a rainbow in the sky
Those words are from "Rainbow in the Sky" by Cageless Birds, which is a really fun, catchy song that will be stuck in your head after you listen to it. And it's message is really simple - that during those times when things seems dark, when it looks like the sun isn't going to shine anymore - God reminds us of His goodness, of His love, of His promise to never leave us.
Rainbows are both really amazing and totally explainable. And for some people the fact that we can explain how rainbows happen takes away from their origin, from the story of Noah and God showing him a rainbow to serve as a reminder that God would never flood the earth again and destroy everything. But for me that just makes it even more amazing - because it means that when God first set the sun in the sky, when he first put water on the earth - he knew that eventually, one day the flood would come, that it would begin to rain on the earth, and that once the rain stopped and the sun shone through those clouds at just the right angle, there would be this amazing arc of color in the sky. God made all of it that way so that when storms come we could have this amazing reminder of His love. Because sometimes we start to forget about His love, we take it for granted, and sometimes it's not until those storms come that we realize how much we need it and how amazing it is. But just like rainbows can remind us of the promises of God after the rain, God has put things all around us to remind us of His love and His promises. The stars in the night sky, the flowers starting to bloom all around us, birds singing in the trees, the smile of a loved one, the laughter of a child - we could do this all day. There are so many good things around us - even in the midst of our current separation. So take some time today - listen to this fun song, let it get stuck in your head - and as you walk around singing it to yourself look for God - He's all around you - reminding you how much He loves you, reminding you of the promises He has made to never leave you, never forsake you, never abandon you. He's always there - we just aren't always looking.
Here's a link a video of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWKVmOQ-mko
Love you guys - see you soon
But God put a rainbow in the sky
Those words are from "Rainbow in the Sky" by Cageless Birds, which is a really fun, catchy song that will be stuck in your head after you listen to it. And it's message is really simple - that during those times when things seems dark, when it looks like the sun isn't going to shine anymore - God reminds us of His goodness, of His love, of His promise to never leave us.
Rainbows are both really amazing and totally explainable. And for some people the fact that we can explain how rainbows happen takes away from their origin, from the story of Noah and God showing him a rainbow to serve as a reminder that God would never flood the earth again and destroy everything. But for me that just makes it even more amazing - because it means that when God first set the sun in the sky, when he first put water on the earth - he knew that eventually, one day the flood would come, that it would begin to rain on the earth, and that once the rain stopped and the sun shone through those clouds at just the right angle, there would be this amazing arc of color in the sky. God made all of it that way so that when storms come we could have this amazing reminder of His love. Because sometimes we start to forget about His love, we take it for granted, and sometimes it's not until those storms come that we realize how much we need it and how amazing it is. But just like rainbows can remind us of the promises of God after the rain, God has put things all around us to remind us of His love and His promises. The stars in the night sky, the flowers starting to bloom all around us, birds singing in the trees, the smile of a loved one, the laughter of a child - we could do this all day. There are so many good things around us - even in the midst of our current separation. So take some time today - listen to this fun song, let it get stuck in your head - and as you walk around singing it to yourself look for God - He's all around you - reminding you how much He loves you, reminding you of the promises He has made to never leave you, never forsake you, never abandon you. He's always there - we just aren't always looking.
Here's a link a video of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWKVmOQ-mko
Love you guys - see you soon
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Right on Time and Fully Stocked
The timing and provision of God are amazing. I’ve seen countless times in my life when God came through at just the right time, often when I didn’t even know I needed Him to. For quite a while now Joni and I joke every time a little extra money comes in - because it always seem that as soon as it does there is a need for it - something with the car or house needs to be repaired or last year it was our son’s trip to the ER with the flu. It can be frustrating at times because we think we have this extra money that we can pay something off or do something special with but it ends up being what we need for something we didn’t know about. And while at first it seems frustrating at first, it ends up reminding us that God takes care of us and provided at just the right time.
In the book of Joshua, chapter 5, the people are finally entering the promised land, and God shows off both his timing and his provision. In verse 10 it says that they celebrated the Passover, and then the very next day they ate the produce of the land. The Passover is that remembrance of how God delivered the people from Egypt, and here they are celebrating it again as they enter the promised land. I have trouble getting my kids up and to school on time, God perfectly times a couple million people wandering through the desert for 4 decades and ends up on the doorstep of the promised land on this exact day. That's not a happy coincidence that's God's timing. Even with some of the awful things that the people choose to do, the very fact that they wander around the desert for all that time, God still bring sit all together exactly when He wants to, exactly when He says it is time. In the midst of our current chaos, our very uncertain world - we need to remember that God is still God, and He is still doing things in His time. He knows exactly when we will all be back together. He knows exactly when things get can closer to normal. But just like He used that time in the desert to prepare Joshua and that next generation of Israelites, He can use this time to work in our lives as well. Even in the midst of crisis - God provides exactly what we need.
Speaking of God's provision, for 40 years as the people wandered he gave them manna, provided them with food to eat out in the wilderness. They enter the land and verse 12 there in Joshua 5 tells us that the day after they ate food from the land, the manna stopped. Scripture doesn't tell us anything about it, but I have to wonder how many people woke up for the next several days and went looking for manna? After 40 years of getting up every day and going out to collect what you needed for that day it probably took some adjusting, and there were probably some who were upset, that thought God was letting them down. I'm sure most of them were glad to have something else to eat, but there were probably some that wanted God to give them both the manna and what they could now enjoy in the promised land. It was probably some of the same people who tried to store up manna when God first provided that as well. They wanted to store up as much as they could and feel safe and secure as they entered this new land. But God was asking them to continue to trust Him. In the wilderness He provided them with manna, now He is giving them this new land that would give them all the food they needed. The food changed, but the source of provision was still God. Not only do we need to remember that God's timing is still perfectly intact during all this coronavirus mess, but we need to remember that God is our provider. No he doesn't always give us the abundance we think we need - we don't get the fruit of the land and the manna. He wants us to trust Him that He will continue to give to us, continue to take care of us. Doesn't mean we will get what we want - but we will always have what God knows we need.
Joshua and the people got to see and learn those things first hand - and that made it possible for them to go into battle fully trusting that God would keep His promises. We can learn the same things, we can trust and rely on the timing and provision of God in the midst of any storm. Love you guys - see you soon.
In the book of Joshua, chapter 5, the people are finally entering the promised land, and God shows off both his timing and his provision. In verse 10 it says that they celebrated the Passover, and then the very next day they ate the produce of the land. The Passover is that remembrance of how God delivered the people from Egypt, and here they are celebrating it again as they enter the promised land. I have trouble getting my kids up and to school on time, God perfectly times a couple million people wandering through the desert for 4 decades and ends up on the doorstep of the promised land on this exact day. That's not a happy coincidence that's God's timing. Even with some of the awful things that the people choose to do, the very fact that they wander around the desert for all that time, God still bring sit all together exactly when He wants to, exactly when He says it is time. In the midst of our current chaos, our very uncertain world - we need to remember that God is still God, and He is still doing things in His time. He knows exactly when we will all be back together. He knows exactly when things get can closer to normal. But just like He used that time in the desert to prepare Joshua and that next generation of Israelites, He can use this time to work in our lives as well. Even in the midst of crisis - God provides exactly what we need.
Speaking of God's provision, for 40 years as the people wandered he gave them manna, provided them with food to eat out in the wilderness. They enter the land and verse 12 there in Joshua 5 tells us that the day after they ate food from the land, the manna stopped. Scripture doesn't tell us anything about it, but I have to wonder how many people woke up for the next several days and went looking for manna? After 40 years of getting up every day and going out to collect what you needed for that day it probably took some adjusting, and there were probably some who were upset, that thought God was letting them down. I'm sure most of them were glad to have something else to eat, but there were probably some that wanted God to give them both the manna and what they could now enjoy in the promised land. It was probably some of the same people who tried to store up manna when God first provided that as well. They wanted to store up as much as they could and feel safe and secure as they entered this new land. But God was asking them to continue to trust Him. In the wilderness He provided them with manna, now He is giving them this new land that would give them all the food they needed. The food changed, but the source of provision was still God. Not only do we need to remember that God's timing is still perfectly intact during all this coronavirus mess, but we need to remember that God is our provider. No he doesn't always give us the abundance we think we need - we don't get the fruit of the land and the manna. He wants us to trust Him that He will continue to give to us, continue to take care of us. Doesn't mean we will get what we want - but we will always have what God knows we need.
Joshua and the people got to see and learn those things first hand - and that made it possible for them to go into battle fully trusting that God would keep His promises. We can learn the same things, we can trust and rely on the timing and provision of God in the midst of any storm. Love you guys - see you soon.
Monday, April 13, 2020
Dancing in the rain
When I feel my hope about to break
I will cling to Your unchanging grace
Let the waters come and the earth give way
I'll be dancing in the rain!My feet are on the rock
Those words from the chorus of My Feet are on the Rock by I Am They feel so needed as we enter another week of social distancing. I am sure there are a lot of people who feel like their hope is about to break. They are sick and tired of staying home, of staying away from people. We are all getting a little stir crazy by now. But I love the response in these words. When our hope seems to be fading - we cling to God’s unchanging grace. We grab onto it and hold on tight. And then no matter what happens - if the waters rise, if the earth gives way - we will be just fine. We have that unchanging grace. And so in the midst of the storm we can dance in the rain. Our feet are on the rock and so nothing can shake us.
Psalm 18:2 says “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
This week as we face another week of uncertainty, another week of wondering when we might be able to start getting back to normal - take refuge in our amazing God. Let Him be your stronghold, the one you place your trust in and the one you find joy in. Then no matter what the next days, weeks or even months bring - you can be dancing in the rain. You just need to plant your feet on The Rock - he won’t change no matter what happens around you and He can hold you up when everything else seems to be caving in.
Love you guys - see you soon.
Enjoy the LEGO version of the song: https://youtu.be/_XevDJ0h9PI
I will cling to Your unchanging grace
Let the waters come and the earth give way
I'll be dancing in the rain!My feet are on the rock
Those words from the chorus of My Feet are on the Rock by I Am They feel so needed as we enter another week of social distancing. I am sure there are a lot of people who feel like their hope is about to break. They are sick and tired of staying home, of staying away from people. We are all getting a little stir crazy by now. But I love the response in these words. When our hope seems to be fading - we cling to God’s unchanging grace. We grab onto it and hold on tight. And then no matter what happens - if the waters rise, if the earth gives way - we will be just fine. We have that unchanging grace. And so in the midst of the storm we can dance in the rain. Our feet are on the rock and so nothing can shake us.
Psalm 18:2 says “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
This week as we face another week of uncertainty, another week of wondering when we might be able to start getting back to normal - take refuge in our amazing God. Let Him be your stronghold, the one you place your trust in and the one you find joy in. Then no matter what the next days, weeks or even months bring - you can be dancing in the rain. You just need to plant your feet on The Rock - he won’t change no matter what happens around you and He can hold you up when everything else seems to be caving in.
Love you guys - see you soon.
Enjoy the LEGO version of the song: https://youtu.be/_XevDJ0h9PI
Saved because Lazarus Died
The story of Lazarus is one that is familiar to many of us. I mean even in the Bible someone being raised from the dead is pretty rare and astonishing, not to mention that the shortest verse in the Bible - one quoted often by smart alecks around the world - Jesus wept - is from this passage. But I want you to think about a couple of things that you might not have noticed before. First, in John 11:15 Jesus says to his disciples that for their sake he is glad that he wasn’t there before Lazarus died, so that they may believe. It goes well beyond just the disciples that benefit from Jesus waiting. But many of those blessings come with some difficulty and pain, but if you asked Mary, Martha or even Lazarus if it was worth it - I think they would tell you it absolutely was. Yes it’s awesome anytime Jesus heals someone - but it’s even more amazing when he brings someone back from the grave. Verse 45 reveals how powerful this moment was when it tells us that many of the people who had come to visit the family after the tragic death of Lazarus became believers after seeing what Jesus did. Think about that for a moment - these people believed in Jesus - they gained eternal life because Lazarus died.
But there is even better news for us. Those people aren’t the only ones who gained eternal life because of Lazarus death - so did we. I don’t mean that Lazarus death saved us, but right after John talks about those who believed because of what happened, he mentions some others who weren’t so happy. Instead of believing in Jesus they run to the Pharisees to tattle on Jesus. That becomes the straw that breaks the camel’s back for the Pharisees. They wanted to kill Jesus before this but now they must kill Him. They don’t see any other choice - Jesus must die. And as we celebrated this weekend - that is what gives us life. That death is what saves us. That sacrifice is what allows us to be reconciled to the Father.
This weekend we celebrated how Jesus died to bring us new life - but Lazarus death played a part in that as well, and God can use our current suffering to show off His goodness as well. Love you guys - see you soon.
But there is even better news for us. Those people aren’t the only ones who gained eternal life because of Lazarus death - so did we. I don’t mean that Lazarus death saved us, but right after John talks about those who believed because of what happened, he mentions some others who weren’t so happy. Instead of believing in Jesus they run to the Pharisees to tattle on Jesus. That becomes the straw that breaks the camel’s back for the Pharisees. They wanted to kill Jesus before this but now they must kill Him. They don’t see any other choice - Jesus must die. And as we celebrated this weekend - that is what gives us life. That death is what saves us. That sacrifice is what allows us to be reconciled to the Father.
This weekend we celebrated how Jesus died to bring us new life - but Lazarus death played a part in that as well, and God can use our current suffering to show off His goodness as well. Love you guys - see you soon.
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Uh Oh Another Character Building Experience
Have you ever driven around in the eastern part of the country? There's all this green stuff everywhere, trees all over that make the road feel almost like a tunnel. Several years ago we went to see Joni's grandparents in Virginia, and just like at home, as you drive along the interstate the signs tell you what towns the exits will take you to. But do you want to know what was very different - you couldn't ever see the towns, not until you took the exit ramp at least. It was a strange feeling - we would be driving along, often right next to a town or a city, and yet I could never tell - all I saw were trees and greenery. I've spent basically my entire life in New Mexico. Nothing ever sneaks up on you here, you can see towns coming for miles. I mean you can see an old abandoned gas station coming for miles between here and Vaughn. There's not that same since of the unknown that I had there.
Sometimes our life is like that too. There are times when things seem pretty clear, where we know where we are headed, we can see things coming from a long way off. And then there are times like right now, times with a lot of uncertainty, when very few things seem so clear. That can be a difficult place, a painful place even at times. But it can also be a really great place for us spiritually. In Romans 5 Paul says:
We also glory in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Putting out hope in Jesus in the midst of suffering or uncertainty not only helps us get through that moment, but it also helps to grow us. Every time that we persevere, that we keep our eyes on Jesus through the midst of a storm, we get closer to him and it grows our character. We learn to trust him more and more. We see our faith validated and we find even more hope in Jesus because we trust Him more and more. Not saying that perseverance is easy, or even that it's pleasant - suffering and uncertainty never are. But we can find the good in the midst of our uncertainty. We can see the opportunity to persevere, for God to grow our character, and for our hope in Him to grow even more. Because as Romans says that hope is never put to shame, it will never be a disappointment, God always comes through.
As we face the uncertainty around us follow the wise words of a great philosopher - Dory - and just keep swimming. Your perseverance will lead to good things. Love you guys - see you soon.
Sometimes our life is like that too. There are times when things seem pretty clear, where we know where we are headed, we can see things coming from a long way off. And then there are times like right now, times with a lot of uncertainty, when very few things seem so clear. That can be a difficult place, a painful place even at times. But it can also be a really great place for us spiritually. In Romans 5 Paul says:
We also glory in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Putting out hope in Jesus in the midst of suffering or uncertainty not only helps us get through that moment, but it also helps to grow us. Every time that we persevere, that we keep our eyes on Jesus through the midst of a storm, we get closer to him and it grows our character. We learn to trust him more and more. We see our faith validated and we find even more hope in Jesus because we trust Him more and more. Not saying that perseverance is easy, or even that it's pleasant - suffering and uncertainty never are. But we can find the good in the midst of our uncertainty. We can see the opportunity to persevere, for God to grow our character, and for our hope in Him to grow even more. Because as Romans says that hope is never put to shame, it will never be a disappointment, God always comes through.
As we face the uncertainty around us follow the wise words of a great philosopher - Dory - and just keep swimming. Your perseverance will lead to good things. Love you guys - see you soon.
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