Don's Devotionals: Learning to love God

1 Kings 19:18 – “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Let’s imagine ourselves as being included in those 7,000 who were faithful to God so long ago.  Everywhere around us, the people have abandoned the truth of God’s word and abandoned Him.  On the one hand, we would have the joy of being His people – chosen by Him.  We treasure the wonders He has done.  On the other, the sorrow and pain of seeing His people sinfully deny Him.

One of the challenges that we would withstand is yielding to the cultural pressure of those around us to become Baal worshippers.  No matter what the cost, we would remain true to Yahweh!  How would we act around those who were participating in such sin – particularly when they were friends and family?  Behavior that they would think is perfectly fine is behavior that is totally unacceptable to Him.

I remember being in a meeting with Stephen Covey where he asked everyone in the audience to point in the direction they thought was north.  The theatre we were in was ‘in the round’ so he was surrounded by audience and hands were pointing in every direction.  He then lit up an overhead projector with a compass on it where the light could shine through.  The lesson?  Which way is north is not subject to opinion.  It is an absolute.

Do we relate to those 7,000 as we see what is going on around us in society today?  The cultural perversions we see in so much of society are so distressing.  Sadly much of it is in the lives of those who consider themselves Christians.  God’s people are called to be salt and light – the very evidence of His presence.  Instead, so many ‘head south’ under the belief they are going ‘north’.

Isaiah described so accurately what we see going on around us, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (5:20)

Let us live lives that glorify our Lord and Savior.  Let us lives lives that reflect His character and word.  His Word tells us how!  It’s the compass that always points to the true north.  Let us live lives that truly reflect goodness, light and sweetness.  As we celebrate the birth of Christ and begin the new year, let those be the ‘presents’ that we bring to Him as we kneel before Him!

Titus 2:11-12 ¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

Have you ever thought how important it is to be teachable?  It’s a quality that we must cultivate and protect.  It’s not a given that being teachable is an attribute that we will have or retain if we have had it.  The more we become set in our ways, the more unteachable we can become.   Often teachable moments occur when we have to change; do things differently; do them better; to quit doing things that hinder us.

Unteachableness has a way of diminishing our grasp of the obvious.  Worse, it can be a fruit of pride – we know best!  We’ve been there and done that.  Who are you to tell me?!!  We might not think these thoughts but the net result is that we don’t change much anymore.

Years ago we heard a Bible teacher share a truth that has been dear to us ever since.  He said, “The way to stay free is to be a lover of the truth.”  When we love the truth we will hear it and respond to it no matter how it comes.  God sometimes sends the truth in some very unattractive packages.  He might pick the person we know who annoys us the most to be the one to bring us a corrective word.  We then face the problem of rejecting the truth because we reject the messenger.

Remember, repentance is a way of life for us.  When we learn new things it’s not unusual for it to mean we repent and embrace a better way. Jesus will show us how to be more courteous, kinder, more thoughtful, more considerate, more giving, more compassionate, more loving, etc…  The Holy Spirit will also show us the things in our lives that stand in the way of these positive attributes developing into what they can and need to be.

The grace of God teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and “Yes” to Godliness.  It is a lifelong process because we give the Lord a lifetime supply of stuff to work on in our lives.  Praise God for His patience and His unchanging commitment to help us become like Him.  A life of godliness is the sweetest life of all.

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

I want to continue with The Hiding Place as a source of inspiration, instruction and blessing.  Today I want to focus on Corrie and her responses to the provocative situations that are recorded in her book.  All too often I think we relate more to her responses rather than to the responses Betsy had.  Betsy always seems to have an inside track on viewing things in such a redemptive way.  Corrie writes at one point after being stunned by Betsy’s response to an impossible situation, “Once again I had the feeling that this sister with whom I had spent all my life belonged somehow to another order of beings.”

Time and time again Corrie and Betsy were exposed to cruelty, violence and unspeakable horror.  Corrie struggled with all the human responses of fear, anger, hatred, resentment and wanting to strike back.  Then she would encounter Betsy’s responses and find herself provoked redemptively.  She struggled through the process of repentance and learning to embrace a response more consistent with her faith and the Lord she loved.

I am so blessed by Corrie. I cannot imagine facing the horrors she faced. But the thing that speaks so powerfully to me is how she continually embraced repentance after recognizing that her response was wrong.  The struggles she endured weren’t simple things.  They were gut wrenching, but her faith and the grace of God enabled her to overcome.  Her commitment to the Lord and her resolve to respond rightly shone brightly.

She rejected her sin and embraced Godliness.  She went through this process time and again.  Betsy continually showed her the way and Corrie followed it.  What examples they are for us.  Fortunately, Corrie was released from Ravensbruck due to a clerical error.  All the women her age were taken to the gas chambers one week after she was released.  It is not difficult at all to see God’s hand in that!

We must have our eyes opened to see the shortcomings inherent in our own responses to difficult trials.  Thank God for the people in our lives that He uses to help us in this regard! In my life, this person is most frequently my wife Donna and I cannot begin to express the gratitude that I have for her.  In the spirit of today’s verse, she is the most provocative person I know.

So often, Donna’s response to the Lord is richer and so convicting in comparison to my own.  My response might not be wrong; it’s just not as rich in passion for Jesus as hers. Her heart and love for Jesus provoke me!  I find myself repenting and seeking the Lord to have more of what she has.  How fortunate we are that Jesus enables us to recognize our need, repent quickly and embrace righteousness as our way of life.

1 Thessalonians 5:15-18  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.  ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I am so grateful for the powerful example of Corrie Ten Boom’s sister Betsy and her amazing faith as revealed in Corrie’s book, The Hiding Place.  For their efforts to save Jews, they were sent to concentration camps during World War II eventually winding up at Ravensbruck where 96,000 women died.  I remembere how Corrie was so frequently amazed at her sister’s remarkable faith.

In the book, I found the scene that had been stirring so within me.  It is when they move into the horrific dormitory in Ravensbruck.  This wretched dorm that was made for 400 had 1,400 crammed in with more being added weekly.  Eight acrid and overflowing toilets served the entire room.

Betsy perpetually saw things so very differently than Corrie or anyone else.  Her heart was moved with compassion instead of hate.  She wanted to bless instead of curse.  She saw positives in situations where no one else could even imagine them.  Today’s verses were the ones that particularly moved her on this occasion.

Their circumstances included fleas, nauseating smells, incredible overcrowding and the brutality of the guards for whom Betsy continually prayed.  This combined with being prisoners in such a place of death!  But Betsy continually gave thanks to God for everything about their circumstances – even the fleas!

Apparently the fleas, lice and stench kept the guards away.  They had a Bible and so many women were crowded around them, it meant that so many more would get to hear about Jesus.  No matter what happened, Betsy was consumed with a passionate love of her Lord.

What an example Betsy was for Corrie and for us!  We face nothing compared to what they faced.  But Betsy was so aware of God’s love and focused on sharing it with everyone – prisoners and guards.  She was grateful for so many things.  She didn’t get caught up in the negative.  She saw evidence of God’s presence, kindness and grace everywhere.

May our eyes be opened to see the wonder of our Lord in all the problems we have.  May our lives be dominated by Him – rather than by the problems or difficulties we face.  Betsy is such an example for us all of how rich and powerful our faith in Jesus can become.

Psalm 34:1-3  ¹ I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. ² I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. ³ Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

These verses today present a wonderful ‘picture’ of David’s heart; his reality.  He had pretended to be insane in order to escape the King of Gath – after fleeing there to get away from King Saul who was trying to kill him.  Sounds like a nice normal life doesn’t it?

Even though David had to live with the ever present threat of being killed for years, his reality was his heart for God.  It was so rich and vibrant and full.  Does this picture of his heart match a corresponding picture of our hearts – if one could be taken?  When we read these verses do they describe us?  Are we ‘captured’ by the Lord like David was?  Phrase by phrase they are absolutely extraordinary!

Another picture came to mind when I was considering these verses and how they relate to us.  It was a picture of a meal with the question, “What kind of meal is it?”  If these verses don’t describe our hearts, then we’re fasting or the meal is just breadcrumbs and water.  If they describe us a little, then the meal might be a piece of bologna on a piece of bread.  The more they describe us, the richer the meal.  Think of a dinner with our very favorite foods – where not only is the food phenomenal, but so is the setting and the loved ones we are able to enjoy it with.  That is the richness the ‘picture’ of these verses alludes to.

I think of the rehearsal dinner for our oldest son John and Fabi that occurred in Brazil at a restaurant next to the church, one block from the ocean.  The food was wonderful.  It was a balmy evening with the ocean breeze blowing in the open air restaurant.  I remember so clearly sitting back with tears in my eyes as I gazed at the sight of family and dear friends laughing together and enjoying a wonderful meal and one another.  What a rich time!

The Lord has such richness for us in our relationship with Him if we but pursue it with Him.  If these verses don’t describe us, let us pray, “Lord Jesus, make these verses describe me!  I want the picture of my reality with you; my heart for you to be accurately described by them.”  Pray it daily – for weeks, months, years – whatever it takes.  But pray it with the conviction that He will make it happen – because He will!

Proverbs 1:10  My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.

When I read this verse last night, I immediately thought of the character Fagan in the movie “Oliver!”, based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.  You’ll recall him as someone you’d suspect of being up to no good the moment you laid eyes on him.  If he suggested anything to you, you’d smell a rat.

Unfortunately, the enemy of our souls is much more subtle in many of his ‘offerings’.  They can have the appearance of acceptability but to the discerning eye the truth is apparent.  Have you ever given thought to how you know what is evil and what is good?  How do we know that we are being enticed?  How do we appropriately recognize sinful men?

Think of commercials on TV and much of the programming.  How do we recognize what is appropriate and what entices us to evil.  Often the problem is not the product, but the content and nature of its ‘packaging’. What is the advertiser (enticer) using to get us to watch the commercial and hopefully buy the product?

Fortunately, God provides the answers and the plan for us to become discerning and wise in this everyday issue.  A couple of days ago I wrote about the importance of the growth process in our faith.  We must recognize that this is another area we must grow in.  It is significantly wrapped up in God’s word.  In Hebrews 5:12-14 the writer powerfully addresses this problem:

¹²In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

We must become thoroughly acquainted with God’s word and its teachings on righteousness.  This not only leads us to maturity in our faith, but it prepares us to intentionally and constantly train ourselves to distinguish good from evil.  It doesn’t happen by accident.  Nor does it happen with a cursory (the opposite of thorough) knowledge and application of His word.  We will miss too many things that will cause harm both to us and those we are responsible for.  Even worse is how poorly our lives will present our faith and reflect upon our God if we do not embrace and live out this process.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Tasting fruit and a packet of seeds! 

Over the years we have heard many marvelous testimonies.  What a blessing it is to hear how God is working in other Christians’ lives.  Many times God will use these testimonies to inspire and motivate us to pursue things He has for us – to draw closer to Him.  Years ago we heard a valuable illustration that helped us understand the important role that growth plays in our own faith.

When we hear testimonies of Christians who are walking in faith in a powerful and challenging way, think of it as though they are allowing us to sample their ‘fruit’ – the ‘fruit’ of their lives.  Think of being in a group listening, and instead of words, the speaker is walking among us handing out tomatoes or plums or peaches – (whichever one sounds good to you).  As s/he speaks, we are biting into the fruit – savoring the sweetness and richness.

The same lesson applies to reading about the saints who have gone before us.  At times we are moved to tears when reading of the marvelous things they did or the difficulties they faithfully endured.  ‘Tasting’ those precious experiences are intended to draw us closer to God.  The more we taste, the more we want.  But we must remember, we are ‘tasting’ the ‘fruit’ of their faith walk with Jesus.  When we leave the meeting, or lay down the book we are reading, we do not walk away with a basket of our own fruit.  We walk away with a priceless packet of seeds – to grow our own; to make it ours!

The testimonies we hear or read about are intended to produce faith within us but that process takes time and obedience.  We need to recognize that trying to walk in someone else’s faith can be like trying to do a downhill slalom on skis when we’ve only been on the beginner slopes.  Typically such attempts lead to needless crashes.  Allow these times to push us into the Lord; expressing our desire to grow and walk in such faith.   He will lead us on His path through the ‘School of the Spirit’ to get us there.

Psalm 34:19  The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

What if…?  Have you ever noticed how these two words have a tendency to lead us down a trail that leads to a place we really don’t want to go to?  We get there by ignoring God’s big “Do Not Enter” warnings!  What if I lose my job?  What if finances don’t come through?  What if something bad happens?  What if I make a mistake?  What if I fail?  What if things don’t work out?

Such thoughts when unchecked, will lead to behavior that is inconsistent with our faith.  Troubles or difficulties in our lives are all opportunities to respond in faith.  When we become preoccupied with ’what if’, small issues that might be real can become ‘giants in the land’ that cause us to want to back away in fear rather than walk in faith.  To use The Wizard of Oz as an example, even legitimate concerns responded to wrongly can begin as a little old man behind the curtain that become like the ogre on the screen that intimidates us.

Troubles and difficulties are a fact of life.  The key becomes who or what dominates our view of such things.  Do we focus on the troubles?  Or do we view them as reminders to look to our Lord who delivers us from them?  Typically, He doesn’t simply take them away, but he enables us to be delivered from them by overcoming them.  Even in those times when the troubles seem to overcome us (think about Joseph in Egypt) we have the opportunity to respond in faith and find our joy and security in Him.

God wants us to experience the joy of experiencing His presence with us, sustaining us as we contend with the troubles of life.  We’re never alone.  This is reality not just theology.  All of the difficulties or troubles we have are opportunities to walk faithfully with Him and glorify Him in how we respond.

It might be stormy around us but He provides peaceful hearts to those who look to Him.  Think of having a friend or co-worker come up and ask, “How can you be so calm with everything going on?”  What an opportunity to talk about the reality of Jesus, evident in your life!