Calluses of the Heart

I often ponder the question, "How would my life look different if I was sensitive to everything God wanted to do in me and through me?"  I find that God does some of the most profound things in my life with such delicate and gentle promptings that I almost missed it.  It causes me to shudder to think the number of times when I go through my day and never sense the gentle touch and leading of the Holy Spirit in my life.  Or the sheer number of days that I don't want to be bothered because I am so focused on doing important things.  Many times the things of God seem to come as interruptions even, only to see what incredible beauty I almost missed.

It is a callused heart that forever resists and doesn't want to obey or even feel the gentle promptings of the Lord.  I forever remember the story from my brother Brian's life that taught all who would hear that sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is a matter of life and death, physically and spiritually.  He had been praying for a time that the Lord would remove the flesh that hinders him sensing the prompting of the Holy Spirit in his life.  He found himself at a party with an audience telling the tales of a recent great hunt.  It was the best part of the story when an odd thought popped into his head, "Where is Bryson."  He knew it was the Lord, but he sure hated to miss delivering the most impressive part of the story.  He decided to obey even though his wife was watching their son.  Well Bryson had jumped into the swimming pool without anyone seeing it happen and was on the bottom of the pool looking up for help.  Bryan saw him and jumped in saving his life.  He was holding his breath and no harm done other than the addition of a few more grey hairs on Brian's head.

God was good and gracious that day to Brian and our entire family, but what incredible truths poured out of that encounter with God.  The Holy Spirit is God and is not to be put off, told to "Check back with me later.", or even questioned, "Are you sure Lord."  To obey the Holy Spirit's prompting is to allow God to reign as Lord of our lives and to do anything else is disobedience.  It also produces the most incredible view on life as you literally see the miraculous works of God before your eyes on a regular basis.

I recently had an encounter with the Lord that left me humbled by the goodness of God and the blinding hardness of my heart.  I continue to trust in my eyes more than I do in the Lord.  I think I see things so clearly only to be so very wrong.  Yet, again and again, I trust my eyes, my understanding, and my wisdom, instead of just trusting in the sufficiency of Christ.  Oh the calluses on this heart of mine.

I meet with a group of guys at Whataburger on Thursday mornings.  We have developed a whole group of friends that we call our Whataburger buddies.  On this occasion it was Edna and Tiffany who were showing up for their shift that would start at 6am.  Our group has prayed for each of these ladies over a dozen times when they would come by with our food or coffee.  I caught Tiffany in the parking lot finishing her cigarette just before going in.  I thought it might be a chance to encourage her to quit smoking by using the book of psalms.  Every time you have an urge to smoke, open up your bible and read whatever psalm you turn to.  Let your craving for nicotine fuel a craving for the Lord, and watch nicotine's hold diminish and God's hold on your life explode.  I also had the opportunity to ask her what she needed prayer for in addition to help quitting smoking.  She gave her usual vague answer about prayer for friends and family.  I then asked her a question that popped into my mind.  It cut through all of the smoke and vague generalities to the heart of the issue she had been struggling with so much that it startled her.  Edna walked up at that time and I prayed for both of them in the parking lot.

As we entered the restaurant Tiffany was still looking at me and asking how I could know exactly what she was dealing with.  All I could tell her was that, "God knows what her struggles are and has the answers if she would just trust in Him."  About that time I see a "big 'ol boy" sitting with a rather scowl look on his face as he sat waiting for his order.  A gentle thought brushed past me that prompted me to pray for him.  Like I had done so many times before.  But this guy was a big dude and didn't look all that happy.  I hung around the counter and drinks as I tried to convince God not to have me get totally shot down in front of my friends and whataburger buddies that I had just so impressed with my godliness.  I reasoned I was just being carried away with the moment, that God had no intention of blessing that big guy.  I thought it would just make him uncomfortable, and me along with him.

Finally, I had to step out in obedience, even if I was suddenly a big chicken.  I said, "Hi!" and introduced myself and asked him how he was doing.  Trying to figure out how to do this prayer thing that had suddenly gotten very hard to do.  That is when he asked me if we came here regularly and what church we were with.  He shared how he grew up in a small church, but was feeling lost in the very large church he was attending since coming to the area.  I then asked him the question that had kicked me out of my comfort zone in the first place.  "Well is there any way that we can pray for you this morning?"  His response, "Yeah, actually I could really use your prayers this morning!"  Standing where you would place your order, My friend Tyson and I prayed for our new friend Philip as God continued to soften this calloused heart.

An incredible update to this whole story.  It was in May when God showed Tiffany that He knew exactly what she was dealing with.  Last Thursday when she came over to our table I asked her how we could pray for her.  She didn't give the simple friends and family answer, but rather hung in thought as she struggled to answer the question.  She finally said, "Man, that is a tough question."  I don't know why I asked her it, but I just felt a nudge or quirky idea pop in my head.  I then asked her," If you were at the end of your life and stood before God and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you tell Him?"  "Oh man that's even harder to answer!  I guess I give my life to Him and ask Him for the forgiveness of my sins"  A great conversation ensued in just how to do that now and not wait til the end of her life.  She prayed to receive Christ as her Lord and Savior standing at the end of our table.

What joy God has brought to her life and each of ours when we trust and obey!

Jeremiah 3:25
Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.
Jeremiah 4:3-4
"Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns, circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts,

My prayer: "Dear Father, forgive me for being so slow of heart to trust you and so hard of heart to think I always know better than you.  Train my heart to be sensitive to your still, calm, gentle voice, and give me the grace to have the faith to trust in you above all things.  Amen!

What does it do to you?

Have you ever wondered what your life would look like if God was in complete control of ever ounce and second of your life?  This verse in Psalm 80 has really been stirring me to ponder the question: what does God actually desire to do in and through my life?  If God didn't have to worry about His blessings ruining me and distracting me, how different would my life look?  How much does God desire to pour out blessings on me, but can't because my life is still too much about me?

Psalm 80:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor.
NO GOOD THING does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

He wants to turn the crank wide open, but can't!  Does God ever have to hold back good things in my life, because I am often quick to bask in the glory from others that can come when He uses me?  To lust after His glory, basically.  There have been so many prayers that I have prayed that did not receive the answer I asked for.  Only later to see that it was for the best that I didn't receive that blessing.  I would have turned away from the giver of the blessing and focused on just the blessing. 

I recognize that Jesus lived such a power filled life, how much of that does Jesus still desire to do today?  Much of my life does not seem power filled and overflowing with Christ.  Does he desire to do more miracles in and through my life?

Do you want God to feel no restraint in pouring out blessings in your life?  Then walk uprightly!  Ouch...

Prayer: Oh Lord, it reveals that there is still much sin in my life.  I confess that I am so quick to turn away from you when things go too well.  Or that I am too quick to savor the praise of man for just a little while, when only you deserve the praise, glory, and honor.  I am slow to trust in your plan and quick to trust in my own abilities.  I fight you for control in my life and become angry often when I don't get my way.  Lord bring the holiness of Christ to my life more and more that you would be more free to show me your true heart.  I hunger and thirst for more of the righteousness of Christ in my life.

A Snowball of ....

Grace

I was recently describing Grace to a friend and used the illustration of a snowball.  Though from a distance it seems small and insignificant as it rolls in your direction.  Not sure it is even worth your attention with so many larger and more pressing issues in life to focus on.

^{Rom 5:20} The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.

But continue to look at that ball of Grace and it starts picking up more speed and size.  You begin to see the snow that it has rolled over adding to it mass with each rotation.  You see things that God has placed in your life that you once thought you were responsible for that now have a different look about them.  You begin to recognize that you didn't really deserve all of those blessings in your life, yet there they are rolling towards you.  You know about what Jesus did on the cross and you begin to meditate on the truths of scripture that cause this snowball of Grace to come closer and faster rolling down from His throne of Grace.

Rom 6:1-4 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?² Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. 

Many people today are afraid that if more Christians hear the message of Grace that they will run and act wild only to expect Grace to take away any guilt.  We are afraid that Grace will disconnect the consequences of sin from the sinner.  First of all this is Mercy-not receiving the consequences that we do deserve.  Second, when we think our sin is small and the consequences are also we only need a little mercy to be on our way again.  He who is forgiven little, loves little.  But Grace is receiving a gift that we didn't deserve.  This is why grace is multiplied, layer upon layer, super abounding!  It is not that we are forgiven to go walk again in our old way of life, but that Christ lives in us and through us.  We get to walk in a "New Way of Life"!  By the time this little snowball gets to us there is no way that I think I can take advantage of it, push it where I want it, or presume to pull it out whenever I want.

Brace for impact!  Incoming!  Those are the terms we should use for God's Grace.  God is infinite in His Graciousness.  When our eyes open to see ALL that I have, has been given to me from my gracious Father in Heaven it starts to press in on us.  You think I've gone too far?  What part did you play in whether or not you were even born, how 'bout how your brain is wired.  Are you a logical left brained thinker, I guess you can take credit for that....NO.  How about when someone is a gifted athlete.  Look at the words we use.  "Gifted" because we know Shaq had nothing to do with his height  or Johnny Football's incredibly "gifted" hand eye coordination.  We marvel at them instead of the God who formed them!

The things of this life become little compared to what Christ has done for us.  Things that will leave you humbled for eternity!  No, Grace is no small thing to take advantage of.  It rolls over all in its path and leaves them mashed into it going forward into life as an instrument of His Grace in the lives of others.  We feel compelled to lay down our lives for Christ, because He has done so much for us that we could never have earned or deserved.

How much of an impact has God's Grace left on your life?

4D movies

How do you take movie watching to the next level? Something beyond the millions of dollars spent on salaries for the best actors, something even beyond the mega millions spent on special effects, or hiring the best writers to create story lines that blow your mind. I will tell you what Lego Land came up with. They put water sprayers, big fans, and bubble blowers in the ceiling. When the Monster growls and has spit fly out of his mouth, they turn on the sprayers. When the helicopter flies by it blows air over you, then when it snows, they blow tiny pieces of bubbles on you. You haven't had your date clinging to you in the movie theater until she gets sprayed down repeatedly and then has fans blowing over her each time as well. It got me thinking that it was a lot like reading the bible. Many times we mistakenly assume that the bible is boring, or the bible is humdrum reading. We think it is a 2D duty that we have to press through. But what is often the amazing part about it is that there are times it spits on you, times it sends a chill down your spine. There are many times that it comforts you, calms you, and settles you.  Here's to having a not so quiet time in God's word today.

Step Number 136,428,629....

Job 31:4  Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?


Interesting fact:  The average person takes 7,500 steps and day and 216,262,500 steps in their lifetime. An average person, with an average stride, living to the age of 80 will walk about 108,131 miles.  Have you lost count?



I spent several hours down at the Med Center in Houston.  I entered through the Emergency Room at Ben Taub and encountered grieving families seemingly every where I turned.  I passed a lady slumped over outside weeping, and trying to smoke a cigarette while crying into the phone.  My heart tugged at me to not just walk past, but turn around and pray that I might be used by God to bring comfort.  "Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted."  Here's the story she shared.

She is a mother of 5 children and loves her husband.  Last Monday he woke up early and talked her into riding their motorcycle to Galveston so they could watch the sunrise together.  Then they could come back home and take the kids to IHOP for pancakes.  "Things were going so good!" she wept.  Then she woke up in a hospital in Lake Jackson only to find out her husband was in a coma downtown.  "He was always my rock and there for me, now I don't have him when I need him most!  He was such a good dad to my older kids that I don't know how to tell my younger two kids they may not even have a dad."

She was angry at God for the growing injustice in her mind, that he was a good man and didn't deserve this.  Maybe her, but not him!  She felt God wasn't listening to her pleas and that He was distant when she most needed Him.  She sobbed, "What was a life of faith if He is of no help when you need Him most."

She blamed herself for not saying "No" to the early morning ride, like she had done so many times before.  She also shared of all the people who had come by or called to offer support and told stories of all of the kind things her husband had done for them.  Many things she didn't even know.  She was left thinking she should have loved him more and not found as many opportunities to be less than a loving wife to him.  She had avoided seeing her own children for a week and a half because she couldn't hold it together to be strong for them.  She didn't even know what or how to tell her children the news of their father.  She knew the family business needed attention also and that her kids needed her, but didn't feel she could help hold anyone else up.  There was a mountain of grief, fear, regrets that engulfed her like a tsunami.

I was reminded of the quote that, "Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ in the midst of the storm."  All I could do is help carry her to the cross of Christ.  I shared with her Job 31 and asked her what step number she was on.  She had no idea.  I told her that God knew even the number of steps she had taken in her life that led her right here.  If He knew and cared about her to that level of detail, then He could be trusted when He tells her, "Step here and I will hold you up."

I asked her if she thought her husbands accident was a greater injustice than when God allowed Christ to die on the cross at the hands of evil men for our sins.  She said, "no".  I reminded her that we call that Friday, Good Friday, not Injustice Friday.  She smiled and said a less strained breath, "Yeahhhhhh"  I reminded her again that if God does love you and your children and your husband more perfectly than you do.  If he even knows what step number each of you are on.  The words in Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  That God can bring the very best good in her life, her kids life, and her husbands life.  Their good and His glory!  She sighed again able to breath a whole breath.  

"But what do I tell my kids?"  I encouraged her to unashamedly rely on, look to, and rest in Jesus, and even help her children to do the same.  Rest in His goodness and in the fact He knows all your ways, even the step number each of us are one.  The presence of Christ changed this lady right before my eyes.  She was comforted by Christ, she was strengthened when she looked to Him.  She did know the He loved her and her family, but needed reminding again.  As hard as God's sovereignty is to comprehend in these moments, she also needed reminding that there is an absence of guilt for the shoulda, coulda, wouldas that come from the barrage of attacks by Satan when we rest in the sovereignty of God and His goodness and love for us.

Pray for this family that God would carry them through this storm knowing the presence of Christ and his lovingkindness in the midst of these difficult days ahead. 
 

The Glory of God in the Love of a Wife

As Alicia fell asleep with her head on my shoulder last night, I couldn't help but turn and thank God for the precious gift of my beautiful wife and her love for me.  It is a fascinating thing to see and consider.  The God who created all of the universe in its magnitude and splendor, also made my wife to be His instrument of love towards me.  The love of my wife is suppose to reflect and reveal the love that God has for me.  While lying there listening to her soft contented breathing, it hit me and humbled me that God would desire that deep of connectedness and intimacy with me.  That we would have the invitation, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." is an wonderful thing to consider.

Truth Revealed:
One of the ways I know of God's love for me.. is the way He shows His love through my wife.
Out of all of His creation He makes a big deal out of being deeply connected to us.
A man who loves His wife truly is loving himself as it comes back to him 10 fold.
Jesus at the last supper rested his head on the chest of the disciple whom he loved.
The greatest way to love my wife is to love Christ more, that I might reflect more and more of Christ's love back to her.

Washed Clean

The Power to restore and make new again.  It is always way much harder to restore something than just start over.  I was amazed this weekend by the reality that God is able to take away all of the sin of the world and if we will trust in His work on the cross, completely remove our sin and shame.  He can make us new in an instant.  The worst and most wretched person is completely made new and clothed not in shame and guilt, but in the righteousness of Christ.  He doesn't just send us to the scrap yard, or land fill, He makes us new!  

Lord thank you that you pursued us when we were your enemies.  Thank you that you have taken my sin and shame of everything that I have ever done and removed it from me.  Washing me clean through the power of your blood.  Thank you how being washed clean enables us to feel the slightest breeze of your spirit over our lives.  Thank you for loving us enough to wash us clean and make us a new creation!