Trials 3

Installment Three on the things that are a MUST during a trial. The next thing you need to do and this is NOT in order of importance...

Dedicate yourself to The Bible and prayer.

If you are not reading His word or praying, your actions are making a statement about what you really believe. A lack of reading the Bible and praying indicates a dedication, by you, to self-reliance. Reading God's word and prayer humble statements of our need for his sustenance and his help.

Reading God's word and prayer change us. They help us to grow in understanding of His greatness and majesty. They grow our faith and belief in God's sovereignty and his ability to save us. Prayer and study are humble admissions of our need to change.

Read Psalm 119 and look at all the benefits of pouring over God's word. It helps keep our way pure (v 9), it strengthens my soul (v 28), it is my comfort in affliction (v 50). And the list goes on.

One last argument. If God specifically wrote something to you an intended it to be a means of grace for you during trials, would you read it. Well, he has. As his beloved children, we are compelled to bathe in his Word, daily

How Dead People Do Battle with Sin

I read, I read a lot. I read C. J. Mahaney, John Piper and Al Mohler's blogs. I read Ed Welsh, Paul Tripp and David Powlison. I read F. B. Myer, John Owen and Charles Spurgeon. I am quickly coming to the conclusion that my blog is a waste of time. It would be better to read them than to read anything I write.

Here is a great example. Below is a link to a Piper article entitled,

How Dead People Do Battle with Sin:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByTopic/13/1574_How_Dead_People_Do_Battle_with_Sin/

I HIGHLY recommend it. Here is an appetizer:

How do dead people do battle with sin? They do battle with sin by trusting the Son of God. They are dead to Satan's lie, which goes like this: 'You will be happier if you trust your own ideas about how to be happy instead of trusting the counsel and the promises of Christ." Christians have died to that deceit. So the way they fight Satan is by trusting that the paths and promises of Christ are better than Satan's.

God is Good and God is Just

Totally blown away by my qt this morning.

God is good:

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God."
Deuteronomy 28:1-2

And God is just:

“But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today...The Lord will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me. The Lord will make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you off the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

Deuteronomy 28:15,20-21

Trials 3

Dead is Good...

For several years, I was Pastor Greg's accountability partner. We would get together at least once a week and share our lives, hearts and struggles. Now that much time has passed, I can confess that I always came away with more from being with him than he with me.

There is one meeting that we had that I would stack up against all the meeting combined. Greg was going thru a trial and I asked him how it was going. He seemed to be handling this trial extraordinarily well, and I was hungry for the reason. Greg then said something that I will remember as long as as I live..."you can't hurt a dead man."

Greg took the passage in Galatians 2:20 and made it come alive with that one phrase - you can't hurt a dead man.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ
who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

You see, if we are truly crucified in Christ, we no longer live. It [the trial] becomes no longer about us. The insults, the pain, the fear are no longer about us. It is all about God.

I was recently in the company of one of our more seasoned saints. I was striking up conversation and asked her how things were and she launched into a fascinating theo-philosophical discussion. Here is the crux of the conversation.

We talk about having good days and bad days, but if God is in control, they are all good days. Some of the days are comfortable - which we like because we like our comfort. Some of the days are uncomfortable (days of trail) which we don't like and we call them bad days. But if God is good and God is in control, then they are all good days.

And I can enjoy them all because, you can't hurt a dead man.

Trials 2

I said yesterday that when you are going thru a trial, that there were several steps that you needed to take. The first step was to find solid ground. Now the second step:

Step Two - Find Solid Fellowship

Now let me explain fellowship. Fellowship is NOT a shoulder to cry on, although that is valuable. It is NOT a person who will always back you up and let you completely vent, although there is some place for that.

Fellowship is sharing. You need someone who will share the trial with you, who you can share you thoughts and feelings with, who will bear your burdens with you (Galatians 6:2). Fellowship is help and support. In Exodus 17, the nation of Israel fought against the Amalekites. The battle raged fierce. When Moses held up his arms, the momentum went to Israel. When he dropped his arms, it went the other way. Aaron came along side and held up one arm and Hur came along side and held up the other (Exodus 17:12). That is a picture of sharing suffering to get thru the trial.

But fellowship is a two way street. It is more than listening. A friend will listen, dry tears but in the end, will point out areas that need to change and point you back to the cross. Those comments my hurt (Proverbs 27:6) but they will reap a harvest of righteousness.

So when you hit that trial, pour your heart out in honest fellowship. But be ready - no - desire the encouragement of a friend (Colossians 4:8).

Because...God can change the trial at anytime. What he wants to do is change you.

Trials 1

When the earth is quaking underneath you and a trial engulfs you, there are a few important steps that you NEED to take:

Step One - Find Solid Ground

Even if you don't see any solid ground, find the only solid ground possible. That solid ground is in God, hid yourself in God (Matthew 7:24-27, Psalm 91:1-2).

No matter what is going on in our lives, there is a comfort and peace that we can gain from God because of his immense love for us (Romans 8:32).

We need to spend time with God in prayer and meditation, in intervals measured in seconds, minutes and if possible, hours. We need to get our orders, our instructions and our direction from him. We need a vision from him that will allow us to walk by faith. Is he pulling away the control that you crave? Is he taking away the love or money that you have been relying on? Is there an idol between you and him that he wants to pull down. It will be painful during the time, but so valuable. Get faith from vision (Proverbs 29:18, Romans 10:14).

You will also notice that I have included scripture references throughout the post. There are two things that cannot be over emphasized: prayer and the Word. Talking to God and listening to God. I have a practice that has served me well. Each trial has a emphasis of focus to it. I look for a successful Biblical character and read with him thru my trial. I have spent many hours with Joseph, Elijah, Jeremiah and Paul. Their trials have comforted me and inspired me. Other wonderful saints to follow are Hannah, Abigail and Sari/Sarah.

Snow Day

The city is covered in a gorgeous blanket of white. A reminder of the purity that God promised he would bring us through the washing of his son (Is 1:18). The problem is, now church is cancelled. So what is next?

Well, we sleep late, to rest from the shoveling -this is, after all, a day of rest! But then after breakfast, we will all join together and pick three songs to worship to (I am flexible, if we get into it, we could spend the morning in worshiping thru song).

Next, prayer. We will go around the family and ask what we want to give thanks for, like exams over, God's kindness that we have electricity and heat, love and each other. We will also pray about the things we are concerned about and ask for God's intervention.

Finally, i will use the blessings of the internet and choose one of the wonderful messages that are on the world-wide-web and listen as a family. There are TONS that I have already downloaded and listen to. I will pick one that is of general interest/benefit to the family.

Wow, this is going to be hard. Here are some of my options:
Ken Sande, the Worst of Sinners makes the Best of Peacemakers
Bob Kauflin, Praying against Temptation
Mark Mullery, In My Place - For Your Joy
Jerry Brudges - Humility in Action
Craig Cabiness - Overcoming the Fear of Man
Mike Bullmore - Cultivating a Fruitful Life in the Word
(okay, this is getting ridiculous. I'm like a kid in the candy shop. HOW DO I PICK JUST ONE?!?!)

Then I will carve out time later in the week to discuss how God spoke to each member of the family in the message and ask for application follow-ups. All I need is one.

Then - LUNCH!!!

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,
" Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.
" My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I
can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

December 16

December 16

The Boston Tea Party (1773), the Battle of the Bulge (1944), Sgt. Joe Friday said for the first time, "This is the city..." as Dragnet debuts. The Battle of Nashville ends (1864), Benjamin Edwards declared himself the ruler of a free Texas, but calls it the Republic of Fredonia (1826) and in 1973 on a cold day in New England, O. J Simpson closes out the season as the first running back to rush for over 2,000 yards. In 1914 the Germans bombed my family namesake the North Sea port of Scarborough and Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England (1653).

Auto maker Saab is born (1949), as was Beethoven (1770), Jane Austin (1775), reformed pastor George Whitefield (1714), sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke, (1917), Margaret Meade (1901) and playwright Noel Coward (1899), Baltimore's own Billy Ripken (1964), Chariots of Fire actor Ben Cross (1947), NYPD Blues Producer Steven Bochco ('43).

Deuteronomy 8

Just finished reading Deuteronomy 8 for devotions. What an encouraging and challanging passage. I can hear the Father's voice. "son, do this please do this, there is blessings over here." But there is another side, "but if you don't there is righteous judgement"

Read, sin not and be blessed!

I want...

I want to go to church every Sunday and cry. I want to cry because I see all to clearly my sin and I want to cry in confusion because I just can't understand why He died for me.

I want to go to church and be joined by other imperfect, sinning hypocrites who are in desperate need of the grace of God. I want to encourage them and be encouraged by them.

I want, in the dark night of my soul, to remember that while problems may seem insurmountable, I am going to worship the God who spoke the universe into existence, who parted the Red Sea, stopped the earth from spinning... and rose from the dead.

I want to hold the hand of my wife while we worship together. I want to sing, but at some point, get quiet, bend my ear and listen to her lovely voice lost in worship.

I want to come with a psalm, a hymn or a spiritual song, or a word of prophesy that will bless my brothers and sisters and challenge the lost.

I want, with an single-minded focus, to make Him the center of my attention for 90 minutes.

...unless Matt preaches and then I better make it another 15 minutes ;)

Racism

There were a couple of news items that made me think:

The German magazine Spiegel reported this morning that racism is prevalent across the EU countries and "and discrimination is a sad fact of day-to-day life".

The President of Dartmouth apologized to the President of Harvard for some racially tinged heckling that the Dartmouth soccer team shouted during a Dartmouth-Harvard Squash match. The Dartmouth soccer team apparently "pelted Harvard’s men and women players with obscenity-laced insults that some witnesses described as misogynistic, homophobic, and anti-Semitic" (AP).

Racism is not an American problem. Racism cannot be solved with more education. Racism is a heart issue, it is borne out of my desire to belittle another so that, in my arrogance, I feel superior. If it is not skin color, it will be religion, gender, weight, education level, sports team - whatever my heart can find to differentiate myself from another solely so that i can feel superior.

Here is racism in a nutshell:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
James 4:1-2

- I get angry when I don't get what I want, or feel the way I want to feel about myself
- so I tear you down
- because I don't look to Christ, for he has all that I need

Christmas 1

Christmas!

Do you love it or hate it? Christmas carries with it all the warm carry-over feelings of our childhood. It also is a great reminder of the wonderful gift that God gave us in his Son and our salvation.

But Christmas can also bring with it pressures. Time pressures for gatherings, shopping, getting that right gift. Did I spent too much, did I spend enough? I can't invite Aunt Agnes and Grandma to dinner because they are fighting. Did I mention traffic at the malls?

So what to do?

Here is what I am trying to do [operative word, trying]. Take 15 minutes and ask yourself one question: When I look back on 50 Christmas's, or more, what will I want to say about everyone of those Christmas's.

What is your answer to that question?

Merry Christmas, My Friend


Twas the night before christmas, he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give,
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand,
on the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen,
This was the home of a u.s. marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
not how I pictured a u.s. marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the nation, the children would play,
and grown-ups would celebrate on a bright christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold christmas eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice.
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more,
my life is my God, my country, my corps."



With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still,
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his t-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.


And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was marine corps deep inside.
I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.

But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "carry on, santa, it's christmas day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas My Friend, semper fi and goodnight.




LCPL James M. Schmidt, USMC, 1986

Trials, and lots of them.

Finals, new babies and fatigue, doubt, anger hurt. And that is only the start. The furnace is so hot right now. So I put on my happy face and go to church? No, I jump in the car and I flee to church. I flee to that place where i am surrounded by my brothers and sisters, where I can serve and be served.

I flee to that place where corporate worship is happening and I throw myself on the mercy of God and sing with all my heart. I sing with all my heart and remember how He has rescued before an will rescue again. I throw myself at the feet on the only One who is truly faithful.

I flee to that place where the preached Word will remind me of the cross. No matter the trial, no matter the landscape of my heart, the cross has fully paid for my sin. The cross has instructed me, beyond a shadow of a doubt of God's love for me, of his grace towards me, of his unending mercy for me.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

He is Holy

"...because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy..."
Numbers 27:14

The people rebelled against God and his Word. They didn't like the food, they were thirsty, they grumbled. If i did that in my home, someone would ask me, "did you have a bad day?" or why are you complaining.

But God sees it, and rightly so, as questioning his holiness.

God is my friend, my savior, my gentle shepherd. But He is also holy, He makes the earth tremble, he created the stars, the flowers and he sustains life. And he is Holy.

Let the earth (and me) tremble.