God's Progressive Lesson Plan

In the economy of God's kingdom, difficult concepts are best "laid hold of" by our heart and intellect through the generous application of life difficulties. God will, in His kindness, lead us through dark valleys with overcast skies. Yet even there He can and does deliver His messages in the wind driven rain. Temporary grief is a catalyst towards greater understanding and increasing love of Him. (And for His children, all grief is temporary!) Our insight is built up, by the Savior, into an edifice of righteousness in consecutive stages. He turns our tear streaked countenance in His direction with a gentle hand. That way we will see the reality that our mourning is what begins the radical blessings from Him! As glory is placed upon glory, we become more like Him! We can be "confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6) So all the honor will go to Him for the excellent things He has done!

In Romans, Paul gives a basic outline of the way our God builds us up into His glorious likeness. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Rom 5:1-5)

In my own journey, I started with a believing faith, through which God granted me His grace and the peace that comes with it. The first thing I realized, after my conversion at the tender age of nine, was that christians have to live like,....... well........Christians! The name says it all, in that we are to be a reflection of the character of our Lord. (Phil 1:27) Sounds great, right? We're supposed to make a decision to keep our "body under subjection". Right? (1 Cor 9:27) In reality, an incredible amount of anger will build up if we just "keep a lid on it"! That's where patience comes in, (The lifetime achievement award!) for it's difficult to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:16) when "truth" and "love" just don't want to work together!

Consistent application of self discipline (read patience) is what eventually allowed me to see God's hand working through the turmoil. Seeing God's hand at work and hearing His voice proves to us in a very visceral way that He is real, He is faithful and just, and that HIS will is what WILL prevail. We EXPERIENCE Him! That is the hope God has given me that no one can take away! I have SEEN His love at work in me and through me so that I KNOW He is with me and that all He has told me is true!

Now if I can just manage to communicate this love to others..............?

What Work is Worth Doing?

This question put me in mind of a song. "When Nothing's Sacred" by Billy Sprague (http://new.music.yahoo.com/billy-sprague/tracks/when-nothings-sacred--217703094) is an expose' on the state of our souls, absorbed as they are in superficial things. One of the stanzas states that "People need a destiny, but settle for careers."

Whatever has captured our heart is where we invest our time, and time is one of God's more democratic of gifts. Everyone has their alloted time. We choose where it is to be invested by what is most important to us. If we choose not to trust God, where we spend our time will be a waste of this precious resource. Our efforts will not carry over into eternity.

One of the most superficial and unrewarding of activities that can engage our time is worry, usually for inconsequential or unlikely things. Sooner or later, everyone will attempt to make a career of it. We try to cover every contingency, so we ourselves control the outcome. We're telling God to move over, that we want His job. We want it done our way. This is arrogance on our part. Just who is supposed to be in charge here, anyway? Jesus said, "But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy (time) seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you." (John 6:27 NLT)

There are far better and more eternally rewarding uses for our time. Our true employment and final destiny is best expressed by what we do when we "do it all for the glory of God" (I Cor 10:31) We do our best work when we have an attitude of faith and gratitude. No matter what our task, we do work worthy of a being created in the image of God when we do it to give honor to Him.

The Ultimate Birthday Party

A beloved prodigal son is coming home. Broken and disillusioned, he's bowed down under the weight of the consequences of his choices in life. He thought he was strong, but now realizes physical strength is but a delusion. Humbly he throws himself at the feet of the Love he once scorned as weak. He no longer wants the life he once lived without Love. His yearning is to break the chains of the cycle of destruction so he can be free!

How will the Father receive the one who has been contemptuous? Who now regrets? "Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37) He turns no one away that comes to Him! What is God's emotional reaction to overseeing a new birth into His fellowship? What is His first reaction? "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10) Can't you just picture how God dances and whoops it up in exuberant joy? Not only does He take all comers, but He goes out looking for His soon to be adopted children, in the most traveled and least traveled ways of the world. (Luke 14:23) He runs to meet them where they are when He knows that they are coming. (Luke 15:20) Then it's time for the celebration! The father calls for a party to rejoice over the newest child who "was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. " (Luke 15:32)

Suprised by Love

Expectations. A sense of impending failure. That sinking feeling of despair. Expectations can be imposed on us by others, or can be those we've internalized so that we become our own worst critic. Either way, there are rules. None can claim ignorance of the rules. We all know what's right.

There is good reason why God has left such a strong impression of His laws in the minds of men. He has left a testimony of Himself. Our spirits confess to us of His ultimate power and holiness.

He leaves the witness to be a confrontation to our conscience: A wakeup call to our wayward souls. None are exempt, and we are supposed to be afraid, initially. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." The demands of His law must be met. Justice must be served. A death sentence has been handed down. All of the race of man must die.

If it all seems pretty dreadful, it is meant to be. God's impending judgement, His dispensing of justice, is a warning call to repentance. When we change our minds and decide not to destroy ourselves, we have someone who advocates for us. This same advocate is our proxy in the serving of our sentence. When we decide we want out of our inevitable ending, we can adopt His instead. When we accept His Lordship, we identify with His death, so our death to sin and it's consequences is accomplished.

This whole drama is akin to the child who creates a large debt against the parent. When the child comes crying to the parent, in anguish and fear, he is told the "good news". IT"S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF! (But please don't do it again).

From what circumstances does God choose to adopt His helpless children? From out of the bitterest slavery, the harshest bondage, He has paid the ransom price! Only these are truly cognizant of their overwhelming debt, and will turn to Him in desperation. Only these have no hope but Him.

He has gone out into the highways and alleys to search them out, these lost who wish for a better way. When we hear the "good news", we know He is right there with us and will be with us forever. He has traded our poverty for His own riches. Assured destruction has been exchanged for an inheritance of priestly authority.

Anyone who the Lord takes this far will be feeling a great deal of astonishment and wonder. To our surprise, He greatly values us! He has given everything of Himself just so we can be with Him forever! It's the greatest love story ever told.