ALWAYS ANOTHER REASON TO TRUST

Our lives are constantly shifting. We wake up every day and face a new list of challenges and doubts. We navigate our own path of uncertainty with as much faith as we can muster, and the next day we wake up and do it all over again.

Maybe today your challenge involves how to pay a bill, or concerns over your health, or the health of someone you love. Maybe your uncertainty includes doubts about your faith, or doubts about whether you'll get that job, or questions that remain unanswered about relationships, or finances or your future.

Usually, these concerns involve situations that we have little to now control over. So, ultimately, all we can really do is to take our needs to Jesus and lay them down at His feet.

These are reasons to trust Him and the reality is, once those issues are resolved, there will always be another one right behind that one to take its place.

In other words, we will always need to come to Jesus with something. We will always have a problem, a concern, a worry, a prayer, a need, etc., that we cannot carry. We will always have another reason to trust Jesus and to rest in His presence.

This is God's grace for us. He wants us to know that we can trust Him. He is constantly providing us with yet another opportunity to exercise our trust. He wants us to get used to trusting Him. He wants us to know that He can be trusted - with everything and anything that may come our way.

We can trust Him because He is good.
We can trust Him because He loves us.
We can trust Him because He has proven Himself to be trustworthy, over and over again.

The good news is: There will always be another reason to trust Him.

So, you might as well start now.

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LISTEN:

[Subversive Radio Podcast] Trust: The Key To Everything by Keith Giles

If Jesus Tells Me To Do Something, Do I Have To Do It?

Seems like a simple question, and you might assume the answer is obvious, but sadly, you would be wrong about that.

I asked that exact question on social media and the responses I received were along the lines of:

"You can't."

"Even Jesus' closest followers didn't obey Him"

"I can't."

"Mountains can't be moved even though He said they could."

"I tried."

And I have been fielding those sorts of responses for years now. Every time I suggest that we who follow Jesus should actually follow Him, and put His words into practice - or even that we CAN do these things - I am constantly told that we simply cannot.

I've been through a lot of this kind of thinking the last few years and I'm at the place where I can see that Jesus does empower us to do everything He asks us to do.

That's why He can say, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I say?"

Because if we are in Him, then we can! Otherwise, Jesus is just messing with us, and I don't believe that's what's going on at all.

I think our problem is that Christians today need to move from a Romans 7 mentality into the Romans 8 reality.

Romans 7 is where Paul goes on and on about how the good he wants to do he cannot do and the evil he doesn't want to do he ends up doing anyway. Many Christians live in that chapter and never move on from there.

But Romans 7 ends with Paul asking a question:

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?"

Which he then answers triumphantly:

"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

See, Paul knows that we are all likely to focus on our weakness and less likely to embrace our ability to actually obey Jesus the way He asks us to. So, that's why he gave us Chapter 7 of Romans to sort of get that all out in the open and let it sit there for all of us to see.

Yes. We are powerless against sin. We all feel that way sometimes, don't we? Yes, sure we do.

And then...Romans 8 comes right along and blows the whole thing to smithereens.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." 

- Roman 8:1-2

That freedom is about so much more than salvation, by the way.

We are set from from the law of sin and death which keeps us pinned down in Romans 7. In Romans 8 we are set free by Christ and we are given life and the power to rise above our powerlessness to sin.

Paul then goes on in Romans 8 to talk about how we are now living "according to the Spirit" and not according to the flesh.

"You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." - Romans 8:9

See, we often tend to accept the Grace of God as being only strong enough to save us, but not strong enough to transform us into people who are like Jesus.

But the NT says otherwise:

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives IN THIS PRESENT AGE, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, " - Titus 2:11-13

And...

"His divine power has given us EVERYTHING WE NEED for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:3-4
And of course,

"If you abide in me, and I abide in you, you will bear much fruit" - Jesus, John 15:4

And my fave: 

"This is how we know we are in Him: If anyone claims to be in Him, he must live as Jesus did" - 1 John 2:5-6

Do we fall down? Yes. But so do little children learning to walk. No parent says, "Well, he'll never walk, I guess. He just keeps falling down. I guess I'll stick him in this walker forever."

We shouldn't do this to ourselves, either.

More and more we learn to walk in Christ, and we learn to stand more than we fall over time.

It's not about us trying harder. In our strength we know we can do nothing. But we also know that if we abide in Him and if He abides in us, then we will "bear much fruit" and that fruit is the working of the power of the Holy Spirit within us who empowers us to live like Christ in this present age.

It really is about daily resting in Him and learning to abide in Christ. 

It's a process, but it's possible.

If it weren't, Jesus wouldn't say to us, "Follow me" and expect us to do what He says.

-kg

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FOR FURTHER READING
Our Biggest Problem
Crazy Pills

DOING NOTHING

Jesus said that, “apart from me you can do nothing” but for once I need to disagree with him on that one.

I mean, that’s simply not true. I know from firsthand experience that there are loads of things that Christians can do apart from Jesus.

For example, Christians can do these things without any help from our Lord:

·         Start a church.
·         Hire a pastor.
·         Buy a building.
·         Create a program.
·         Launch a ministry.
·         Market the Gospel.
·         Promote themselves.
·         Attract a crowd.
·         Grow their church.
·         Sell a lot of books.
·         Host a conference.
·         Plan a church service.

See what I’m saying? There are actually a whole lot of things that we can do without Jesus.

So, maybe what Jesus meant was that we can’t do anything of any real Kingdom value without him?

Or to put it another way, the things we can do without Jesus may appear to be important, but as far as He is concerned, they are all worth nothing.

The best we can do is, of course, the best we can do. But, just imagine for a moment what it would be like to raise our expectations a bit?

What if we started praying for things that were impossible to achieve? What if we began to expect the miraculous? What if we really started acting as if Jesus was actually living and breathing within us?

If we can dream a little bigger and embrace the bigger vision for accomplishing things that we know we could never achieve apart from Jesus, then we’ve automatically put ourselves in a position where we either trust Jesus or we’ll never make it.

That way, if these things get done we will know – and everyone else will too – that it was only Jesus who made that happen.

If what we can do apart from Jesus is really “nothing” then let’s ignore all of that and start shifting over to what can be accomplished when we abide in Christ, which is unlimited and eternal.

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I WILL GIVE YOU REST.

 

Jesus makes a few radical promises to those who would take up their cross daily and follow Him. One of those promises is that he will give those people an incredible gift called “rest.”

For those who are weary, exhausted, burnt out, and frazzled, Jesus says, “I will give you rest.” For those who are ready to quit, walk away in disgust and throw in the towel Jesus says, “come find rest for your souls.”

But the fact remains that many Christians are not experiencing that rest. They are overworked, stressed out, and pushed to their limits. 

What’s wrong? Is it that Jesus lied about giving us rest? Or maybe when Jesus said he would give us rest he meant after we die and go to heaven? You know, sort of like the phrase “I’ll be dead soon and then I’ll sleep.” 

Or maybe Jesus really meant what he said. Maybe Jesus is holding out peace and rest to us and we’re just not able – or willing – to reach out and take it.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt. 11:28-29)

Jesus invites everyone to come to him, especially those of us who are weary and burdened. Why? Because he wants to give us rest. If our weariness is real, then the rest he’s offering is just as literal. If our burdens are heavy, his rest is light. His offer is as real as our need.

Jesus also asks us to take his yoke upon ourselves. What does that mean? It means that he wants us to submit to his leadership in our lives. He wants us to actually surrender our will to his own on a daily basis. He wants us to listen to his voice and to obey him. He wants us to learn from him.

Learn what? How to live our lives. How to be as gentle and as humble as he is. Why? So that we can find rest for our souls.

Notice how finding rest for our souls comes after we take his yoke and learn from him. That’s the only way it works. Rest is something we have to follow Jesus into, one step at a time.

If you’re needing some relief today, I’d encourage you to go to Jesus. Ask him for his yoke. Let him teach you how to follow him and trust him daily. Then you’ll start to experience more of his promised rest as you exchange your worries for his peace of mind.

Remember, if God is in control then we are not. Real peace comes when we surrender the things we’re clenching in our fists to Jesus. Rest is received with an open hand.

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UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH #3: God Is Trustworthy

One of the hardest truths for Christians to accept is the idea that God is trustworthy. They can believe in Him – that He exists and that He created the Universe – but to surrender control of their lives to Him? Not so much.

To me this is the most tragic of all the unbelievable truths, because if we cannot trust God then who can we trust?

Our inability to trust God, I think, says more about our need to be in control, or our fear of relinquishing control, than it does about our belief that God isn’t worthy of our trust.

In other words, if we think about it, God is the most trustworthy being in the Universe. He created us. He laid aside His power to become one of us. He allowed us to have power over Him. He forgave us as we were killing Him. He loved us enough to die in our place. He rose again to ensure that we could spend eternity together. He’s preparing a place for us to be with Him forever. So, how could we ever consider someone like this to be unworthy of our trust?

I think it has to be because we just prefer to be the ones in control of our lives. We don’t like the idea of letting go of the steering wheel for anyone else, not even a God who went as far as this to demonstrate His complete and utter trustworthiness. Which is sad.

If we could actually believe this truth that God is trustworthy, and prove it by surrendering our lives to Him, then we’d experience all the sweet joys and wonderful blessings that He intends to share with us. We would rest in Him and trust that He has everything under complete control.  We would experience the sweet peace that only comes from allowing this loving Father to take us with Him on an amazing adventure of life that He has planned in advance for us to follow.

A person who truly trusted God with everything in their life would have no worries about tomorrow, no stress about finances, no concern for what will happen next, and have nothing but complete peace and joy on a daily basis. Much the same was how we imagine winning the lottery might make us feel, actually. Except that those who win the lottery seldom find actual peace and those who are wealthy and famous have just as much (if not more) angst and pain and worry in their lives.

If we believed that God was trustworthy we could obey Jesus when He says that we should “not worry about tomorrow” or about “what we will eat or drink, or about our body and what we will wear” but simply trust that “Your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things” and let go of our worry in order to “seek first the Kingdom of God”.

If only we could trust God with everything. If only we really believed that He was trustworthy.

If only.

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BUT WHY?

Earlier this week, a fourteen year old boy at my oldest son’s school collapsed. He was having a seizure. They called the ambulance. He arrived at the hospital unconscious. A few hours later the doctors discovered that he had a massive stroke. They took him off life support a few days later.

These sorts of things, while heartbreaking, are not uncommon. Worse, you and I are not exempt from them.

Last week a friend of mine had to say goodbye to his father in the hospital. Even though his dad had lived a long, full life, the pain of his loss was no less than what those parents felt as they let go of their fourteen year old son.

“In this life you will have trouble,” Jesus assured us. “But take heart, I have overcome the world.”

Still, life is full of pain. Every single one of us will have to let go of someone we love one day. It will hurt. We will not feel that it’s right, or fair, and in the midst of our suffering God will be standing there beside us, weeping alongside of us.

Yet, when we are in the middle of our suffering, we are in no mood to hear about how God works all things for the good of those who love Him, or about how we should count it all joy as we endure trials of many kinds because we know that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, or about how we should endure suffering as the Lord’s discipline because it reveals to us that He loves us and wants to make us like Jesus.

All we want is our son back, or our father back, or our life back.

These are the hard lessons of life. This is a painful place. Yes, it is also a place of wonder, and of joy, and of laughter, and goodness, but with all of that comes the darkness and the tears and the pain. We cannot escape it.

So, we have to make a choice. We will either go through this life with Jesus, or without Him. We will share our laughter and our joy with Him, and we will lean on Him in the times of sorrow, or we will leave Him out of our lives and live, and suffer, and die alone.

I wish there was another choice. But there is no other choice. The world we live in isn’t the world God intended it to be. He had something so much greater in mind. But that plan was sidetracked – by us, not by Him – and He has been consumed with restoring His creation to its original condition ever since.

It hasn’t been easy either, mind you. The process of separating part of Himself into the form of a human, being formed cell by cell in the womb of a young woman, entering the world as the child of a poor family, being laid into a manger, growing up one year at a time, going to school, burying his earthly father, taking on the family responsibilities, transitioning into the life of a travelling Rabbi, being mocked and misunderstood by his own family, opposed by the leaders of the church in His own name, betrayed by his closest friends, beaten, whipped, tortured, nailed to a Roman cross, hanging in the sky for six hours as the hot sun that he created beat down upon his naked frame, and then the last gasp of ragged breath before tasting the cold darkness of death.

Why? For you, my friend. All for you. All for me. All to bring us closer. Because He would rather die than live without you. Because loves you. He’s sincerely over the moon, head-over-heels, crazy about you. He would do anything – in fact He has already done everything – to fix what we have broken and to set in motion the eventual re-creation of the Universe into what He intended it to be all along.

So, now when someone tells you that enduring a moment of suffering here is to be considered a joy because it brings you nearer to that supremely selfless being of absolute love, hopefully you can understand how it’s even possible. Or, at least trust Him to show you how it’s possible in a quiet moment of reflection when you’re on your knees, in the dark, eyes filled with tears.

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words..” (Romans 8:26)

“He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3)

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THE POWER OF WEAKNESS [Print Edition] Now Available

I'm excited to offer the all-new print edition of my book, "The Power of Weakness", which includes two new chapters and a Foreword by author Ross Rohde (Viral Jesus) along with updated chapters.

THE POWER OF WEAKNESS by Keith Giles

Price: $9.99

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ONLINE>

Ships in 3-5 business days

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Ever wish you could be a great man or woman of faith like you read about in the Bible? Turns out, God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. In this book, author Keith Giles explores this Kingdom principle of the power of weakness in the lives of people like Moses, Gideon, Samson, Solomon, Peter, Paul, and even Jesus, to help us understand how we can unleash the same "power of Christ" in our own lives.

BOOK RELEASE PARTY:

For my Orange County friends, I'm planning a book release party in mid-January. Details on that soon. 

WARNING: SLIPPERY

We love formulas, don’t we? Formulas make things easy. Patterns make things simple. But when it comes to Christianity this can be a serious problem. Why? Because God is not a formula. He’s a person.

Jesus is not a concept, He’s a living God.

When it comes to evangelism, we prefer the easy formulas. Give me the Roman’s Road, the Four Spiritual Laws or the King’s Way of evangelism. Even though Jesus never used any of those patterns to communicate the Gospel to anyone. Neither did the Apostles. The truth is, they never once repeated their message or their pattern. Instead, they took each person on an individual case-by-case basis and allowed the Holy Spirit to tailor-make a response based on the specific needs of that one person.

When it comes to theology we love patterns. Give me the TULIP, the Dispensations, the Apostle’s Creeds. The problem is, faith is more elastic than that, and our God isn’t a theorem to solve. He’s a living God with ideas, and plans, and emotions, and desires, and an agenda that is so far beyond yours and mine that it’s more than a little ridiculous to think for even a moment that we can figure Him out.

The real problem with patterns and formulas, however, is that once we think we’ve got everything reduced down into a formula, we don’t need God anymore. We can do everything by simply following our liturgy and our process.

But God does not work that way. He will always slip out of your box. He refuses to do things the same way every time. He is not on your leash. He is far and above every idea and concept you could possibly imagine.

How audacious to think that we can boil God down to a formula. If we’re honest, our formulas about how God works are almost always very simple. If God was ever to be expressed in a formula it wouldn’t be anything as simple as A + B = C. It would take an entire universe of chalk and an infinite blackboard beyond our comprehension to contain such a complex and unique formula like God.

Once we have a pattern we no longer need a person. Jesus is determined to slip out of our patterns because He does not want us to settle for anything less than His dynamic, constant, immediate presence and power in our lives.

How foolish we are to think that God could ever be reduced to a simple pattern. If anything, He is an enormously huge algebraic equation for whom there can never be a large enough white board to write everything down.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a relationship with a living God than with a set of formulas and predictable patterns.

Now, this doesn’t mean that God is just too complex to know and understand. The truth is, He does want us to know Him. But that ability to know Him more comes from His side of the process (revelation) not from our side of the process (formulaic faith).

Knowing God is as simple as having a conversation. Get on your knees, or take a walk in the park, or drive down by the beach, or just get alone with God and start sharing your heart with Him. Listen for His voice. Meditate on His goodness in your life. Be thankful for all you have. Trust Him with your life. And know in your heart of hearts that He loves you more than words can ever say.

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FAITHLESS

I spent last weekend in Oakland with some pretty amazing people during the Momentum Conference. One by one people came forward and shared incredible testimonies of how God radically intervened to change someone’s life, or to share the Gospel like wildfire – from one simple woman in the Bay Area to her entire family in South America where dozens of new churches were planted.

As I listened to these stories I couldn’t help but feel challenged in my faith and, at the same time, embarrassed by my lack of faith.

I couldn’t help but compare these testimonies with my own experiences in our neighborhood, or with similar situations at the motel where we’ve served for over a decade now. I started to wonder why we don’t have the same kind of testimonies that these people had. Little by little I realized that it probably had to do with my own lack of faith.

Not that I don’t believe that God can work miracles. I’ve seen and experienced some pretty incredible things in my life, from answered prayers, to healings, and words of knowledge, and visions, and prophetic dreams, even the gift of tongues. I believe that God can perform miracles today. I guess recently I’ve started to doubt that He might want to, or that He would if I asked him to.

As I reflect back over the last year I realize that there have been situations where I’ve prayed for people in various levels of poverty, bondage, addiction, despair, and hopelessness. Even though I’ve prayed for them and asked God to intervene, there are times – if I’m honest – that I’ve doubted that God would heal them, or change their situation. Not that He could do that, but that He would do it. This is my sin. My sin of unbelief.

One of the people who stood up and gave his testimony at the Momentum Conference was a man who had lost his marriage, his dignity, and fallen into drug addiction. He was far from God. He wanted to die. He overdosed multiple times and each time God saved him. One day a man came to his door and brought him groceries. He began to befriend him. He helped him to stay sober for about 3 months, but then one night the pain and despair overcame him and he overdosed again in an attempt to take his own life. Once again someone found him and called the Ambulance. He survived.

 

The day after he returned from the hospital this same man asked him why he had gone back to drugs. He said he didn’t want to live anymore. He said he only wanted to live if he could have his life back again. In that moment, I hope I would have said what this brother said to him – “Do you want God to change your life?” He said “yes”. The man asked him, “Are you willing to start right now to trust God and to get your life back?” Again, the man said “yes”. So, they took him to a rehab center that very hour and he got cleaned up, put his life into God’s hands, and experienced a remarkable transformation.

Do you know how many people I’ve sat down with who had this same struggle? I can’t count them. But I do remember some of them so clearly in my mind, and I remember doubting that God could turn things around for them. Oh, I prayed with them. I asked God to show His love and mercy to them. I even prayed for God to help them get over their addictions and overcome their poverty and kick their bad habits. But I left doubting that anything might change. I expected to see them next week in the very same place – weak, addicted, and struggling. Most of the time I was right.

Why has doubt crept into my heart? Why do I think that God doesn’t want to heal, or change, or rescue people like this? Maybe because I’ve seen too many prayers unanswered. Maybe because I watched my friend Robert Higgins die from bone cancer without being healed. Maybe because something is broken in my relationship with Jesus and I need to realign myself with his heart for people and his love for them – and for me.

One thing is certain; God still works miracles today. He’s still transforming lives and healing addictions and rescuing the lost and building His Kingdom right now. I’ve heard the testimonies with my own ears. I’ve shaken hands with the ones He’s healed. I’ve seen for myself the joy of new life in the eyes of a former heroin addict who now pours out his life for others so that they can experience this same transformative Jesus for themselves.

 My only comfort today is that Jesus knows all about my doubt. He’s not shocked. In fact, He’s even willing to work around my lack of faith and use whatever meager offering I place at His feet today for His glory.

I’m reminded of the man whose son was plagued by demons in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus’ disciples could not cast the demon out and after Jesus asked the man about the boy and how long he had been like this, the boy’s father said, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus response was quick, “’If you can’? Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

That’s me. I do believe, but I pray that Jesus would help me overcome my unbelief. I need to be healed of that so He can heal others through me.

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.” – (1 Tim.2:11-13)

Thank you, Jesus, for making room for my unbelief and for being faithful, even when I am faithless.

Help my unbelief.

-kg

 

Guest Post: Wendy Giles

Lessons Learned from Tiger

 

We have a cat named Tiger who must have gotten into a fight. On a Sunday afternoon we realized he had a huge, gaping wound, and we were concerned that it needed immediate medical attention. It's important to note that this is not an indoor cat. His mother was abandoned when she was quite young, and pregnant. She had her kittens in our neighbors yard, but brought them to our yard as our neighbors have a sprinkler system which kept getting them wet. At any rate, Tiger is her kitten, and although he has been showered with love and attention from our boys since he was about six weeks old, he is still mostly feral. We had him neutered and we love him and feed him, so in that sense he is our cat.

 

We took Tiger to the hospital and found out he needed surgery, and two weeks of indoor living. This has been hard on him- and us as well. I felt like God wanted me to take note of a few things that I was witnessing about Tiger's behavior because the Lord was wanting me to see some insights into either myself or my relationships with others. At first I felt like I needed to go point by point and explain each one, but I think I'll leave it open to the reader's consideration. The main points that make this understandable is that Tiger must wear a cone. We had to clean his drains twice a day to prevent infection, and he had to be shut in the bathroom at night to keep him from getting into things in the house or failing to use the litter box. Also, because of his strange smell and appearance, his own mother has not recognized him yet as her own son, and continues to hiss at him- very sad!

 

 

Lesson I've learned from Tiger:

• Feeling trapped can make you destructive.
• Sometimes help can look a lot like punishment.
• We can mistake family for strangers because of smell/appearance.
• It's hard to eat and drink on your own when you're wearing the "cone of shame".
• That's when you step in and feed them by hand.
• Medicine that's hidden in food goes down more easily.
• The treatment against infection is sometimes painful.
• The one stuck outside wants desperately to be inside. The one inside desperately wants to be outside.
• We can't always see the big picture.
• Two weeks seems like an eternity.
• It's awful to not be able to scratch your own itch, and such a relief when someone comes to help.
• It's easier when you don't fight it.
• Wounds require a great deal of care to heal properly.
• Fighting can be quite costly and painful.

 

I have to admit that I have been reminded of a couple other things which are much more touching and beautiful:

 

• God didn't set a limit on how much He was willing to pay for my sake. 
• He understands the groaning of my heart which are much too deep for words. 
• He is patient and attentive to detail in caring for my needs which continue throughout my entire life, and not just two weeks.
• He is compassionate even when I am frustrating.

 

I know this list could go on a lot longer, but I will end it for now. I'm sure many others have been put in similar situations, and also have learned valuable lessons.

Wendy

 

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WINNING GOD'S LOTTERY

It’s not hard to understand why people long to be financially secure and dream of winning the Lottery. People can’t help but dream of a life where every need is taken care of in advance and all fears of the unknown tomorrow are laid to rest. But money does not perform that work in us.

We have convinced ourselves that money will take away our anxiety about tomorrow. We believe that with enough money we will never need to worry about anything again. But one can plainly see that the Millionaires in our world are not the most peaceful, content and worry-free among us.

Having money usually brings more anxiety along with it. Keeping money and protecting it and finding ways to earn more of it is a never-ending process that consumes the human mind and poisons the heart. Money does not bring us peace, or happiness, or joy. A recent study by the University of Rochester confirms this fact. In the study, one of the researchers, Edward Deci, a professor of psychology, concluded that, "even though our culture puts a strong emphasis on attaining wealth and fame, pursuing these goals does not contribute to having a satisfying life.”

In fact, according to the results of this study, being rich, famous, well-respected, or beautiful can actually have the opposite effect. It can actually make you miserable.

Want proof? Just watch a half hour entertainment news program on television and you’ll see the evidence: Drug abuse, infidelity, diva tantrums, criminal acts, psychological meltdowns, and other assorted examples of self-destructive behavior. It’s no different for politicians, CEO’s or lottery winners either.

The secret to real happiness and contentment is not found in the things of this world. It’s not found in our circumstance. I’ve met people who are dirt poor and yet full of joy. I’ve met people who are rich beyond belief and yet still empty inside.

In Matthew 6, Jesus confidently assures us that, if we will change our perspective to align with the Kingdom of God, we can enjoy the peaceful, stress free sort of life we’ve always dreamed of. According to Jesus we already have all we need for our life today. God has already provided each of us with our daily bread. Just as God cares for the daily needs of sparrows, He cares even more for us.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" - Matthew 6:25-26

Jesus also tells us that we do not need to worry about tomorrow. Why? Because God has everything - absolutely everything - under complete and perfect control.

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:31-34

Of course, if God is in control, that means that you and I are not. This is what most of us really struggle with. But we can't have it both ways. If God is in control, we are not. That's why trusting God is so important. Without trust, we are filled with anxiety and strife. But if we can let go of everything and trust that God is good, that He really loves us, and that He really only wants what’s best for us, then trusting Him is the only response that makes sense.

So, who is truly rich? Isn't it the person who has all they need right now and who has no fear or anxiety about tomorrow? Jesus urges us to live that way right now. As citizens of the Kingdom of God, our daily bread is secure and Jesus has tomorrow under complete control.

If you have eyes to see the Kingdom, you have already won the greatest Lottery of all. You are a child of the Creator of the Universe. You’ve been adopted into His family. He loves you. Everything is going to be alright.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:11-13

-kg

The Power of Doubt

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:2-3)

In the dark of his dungeon, John the Baptist was not only expressing his doubts about Jesus, he was experiencing profound doubts about his own calling and purpose. Had he blown it? Did he anoint the right person as the Messiah? If so, why was he wasting away in Herod’s prison awaiting execution? Did he waste his life?

From the womb John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit. Rather than follow his inherited position as a priest serving in the Temple, he went out into the desert to preach repentance of sins and to announce the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. People responded to his message. They came in droves and lined up to be baptized and make themselves ready for this coming Messiah. Even the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law made the journey into the wilderness to hear him and to be baptized. John’s entire life was spent in anticipation of the Messiah, “preparing the way of the Lord”, pointing people to Jesus and saying, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He must increase, and I must decrease.”

But, now, in the cold, dark prison cell he begins to doubt himself. “Did I do the right thing? Did I really hear God’s voice saying that Jesus, my cousin, was the Messiah to come? What if I blew it? What if my entire life was a mistake, a joke, a failure?”

Have you ever felt that way? Ever doubted yourself? Ever doubted God? If not, I encourage you to brace yourself for this doubt. I’ve never met anyone who was a true follower of Jesus who didn’t have regular seasons of doubt and a crisis of faith or a “dark night of the soul.”

Back in 2003 our family was told we had to move out of our duplex apartment and find another place to live. With only two weeks left to find a new home, we had nowhere to go. My desperation and fear drove me to the breaking point. I remember driving around alone in my car and ranting at God, “Don’t you care that our family is about to be homeless? Are you listening at all? Where are you God? Why don’t you answer our prayers?” Eventually I pulled over and parked the car. With tears in my eyes I screamed at God. I cursed. I pounded the steering wheel in disgust.

Once I let it all out I took a deep breath. Wiped my tears. Apologized to God for my tantrum and waited in silence for an answer that did not come.

Ever been there? Ever had God take your life on a sudden detour? Or waited for God to answer and receive only silence?

If so, I’m fairly certain that you’ve also taken a lot of comfort from the Psalms. Nearly everyone I know who has read the entire Bible from cover to cover has told me that this is one of their favorite books in Scripture. Why? Because it’s so brutally honest. Over and over again, David cries out to God saying, “Where are you, oh God?” “Why do I cry out to you day and night and you will not answer?”.

I think one of the all-time darkest Psalms has to be the 88th one. After seventeen verses of anguish, David ends by saying, “You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend.”

Wow. Imagine singing that one on Sunday morning.

But David’s Psalms are real. The pain is real. The doubt is real. And it’s ok.

Not that any of us should camp out in the land of doubt, but God isn’t intimidated by our doubt. He isn’t surprised by our lack of faith. He isn’t shocked by our frustration or anger or pain.

I love the verse where Jesus says, “If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children…” (Matthew 7:11). He’s not fooled about who we are. He knows us, and yet he still loves us.

As David reminds us, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”(Psalm 103:13-14)

Notice in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 the way God deals with our faithlessness:

“For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

See that? If we lose our faith, God will not let go of us. He will continue to hold on tight and never let us go.

There's a great story about the great evangelist Charles Finney who would regularly tell his converts that they were not truly converted to Christ. Imagine that. A famous evangelist urging his newly converted to doubt their faith in Christ.

The story goes that he would cast doubt upon their faith in Christ and send them away saying, "I don't think you really are a follower of Jesus yet". After a few weeks the person would invariably return and declare that they were now a true follower of Jesus. Finney would then find a reason to doubt them once more and send them on their way again. Eventually the person would return, declaring with fire in their eyes that they "knew" they were a follower of Jesus. When Finney could no longer dissuade them he would let them go with a nod, "You might actually be a follower of Jesus after all".

If anything, Finney employed doubt to test the faith of those who claimed to be genuine disciples of Christ.

Whether or not you agree with Finney's tactics, please don’t miss this important point- God uses your doubt to test the depths of your faith too.

In our opening passage, John, the Baptist, had a moment of doubt. He begins to wonder if he screwed up his life or if he missed God’s ultimate purpose for his life. In response, Jesus asks him to consider all that was going on around him:

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:4-6)

I love how Jesus answers John’s question by simply pointing out the fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures concerning the Messiah and the Kingdom from the prophet Isaiah. In this way, Jesus is saying to John, “You did it. You were faithful. The work you started is still going on. Your life was not a waste. Your work is complete.”

As the disciples of John leave with this encouragement, Jesus then affirms the ministry and character of John the Baptist to the crowd saying, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:7-11)

Do you get it? John doubts. Jesus affirms. Then he praises John, the doubter, as a great prophet of God and he wraps it up by saying that if we are the least in the Kingdom – maybe even bigger doubters than John – we will still have an opportunity to be considered even greater in the Kingdom of God.

Doubt is not the end of our faith. Sometimes it can actually be a lever to lift our faith out of the depths.

“You do not want to leave me too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Peter replied, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life.” (John 6:67-68)

For Richer or Poorer?

Why is it that we put so much hope in money? We dream about winning the lottery. We fantasize about how we would spend our sudden fortune to make our lives more comfortable, or even how we would bless the people we love if we only had vast riches at our disposal.

But ask yourself this question, "What is the quality of life that we dream of having if we only had such great wealth?" Obviously, if you or I had millions of dollars in the bank we would have all that we need right now. We would have no fears about tomorrow. We would be able to rest comfortably and enjoy our lives completely. Such is the fantasy we imagine enjoying "if only" we had great wealth.

However, Jesus confidently assures us that, if we will change our perspective, we can enjoy exactly the same sort of life right this very minute. He tells us that we already have all that we need for our life today. God has already provided each of us with our daily bread. Just as God cares for the daily needs of sparrows, He cares even more for us.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" - Matthew 6:25-26

Jesus also tells us that we do not need to worry about tomorrow. Why? Because God has everything - absolutely everything - under complete and perfect control.

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:31-34

Of course, if God is in control, that means that you and I are not. This is what most of us really struggle with. We're not too concerned about God being in control, but we don't like it when we're totally out of control. But we can't have it both ways. If God is in control, we are not. That's why trusting God is so important. Without trust, we are filled with anxiety and strife. But if we can let go of everything and trust that God is good, that He really loves us, and that He really only wants us best for us, then trusting Him is the only response that makes sense.

So, who is the truly rich person? Isn't it the person who has all they need right now and who has no fear or anxiety about tomorrow?

If you and I are true disciples of Jesus, then we have all that we need for today, and we have no cause for worry or anxiety about tomorrow. Our Heavenly Father has given you all you need for today, and He has tomorrow under complete control too.

According to Jesus, the wealth of this world does not compare to the "true riches" of the Kingdom of God. Seek first His Kingdom and do whatever you have to do to obtain it, because the Kingdom of God is worth more than anything - and everything - you currently possess.

"So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" - Jesus (Luke 16:11)

Thank you, Lord, that I have all I need for today and tomorrow is under control.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:11-13

-kg

GOD IS NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING YOU BELIEVE IN HIM

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - Jesus (John 3:16)

If there's one word I could remove from the Christian Lexicon, it's the word "believe". Why? Because we've mangled it so badly it's hardly recognizable from the original meaning the writers of the New Testament intended.

We have reduced "believing in Christ" down to the level of believing in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus or Sasquatch. We've told people, and each other, that all we have to do to be "born again" is to simply "believe" that Jesus was real, or that he was the Messiah, or that he was God's son.

However, the verses we base this misunderstanding on suggest otherwise. The most famous one being John 3:16. In context, Jesus is having a conversation about the Kingdom of God with a pharisee named Nicodemus. The pharisee wants to know how he can enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus explains to him that he cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God unless he is first transformed from within. This is when Jesus says, "...whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life" and he doesn't mean, "whoever thinks I'm real" or even "whoever thinks I'm God."

First of all, since the verse is in the middle of a conversation, we know that Nicodemus wasn't having trouble accepting Jesus as a real-life person. They were in the middle of a conversation! So "believe in" here does not mean "to accept that Jesus is/was real."

Secondly, if belief were enough in itself, then what about what we do with the rest of our lives? Isn't it possible to believe in God and still having almost nothing to do with Him? As the Apostle James says,

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." (James 2:19)


See, the demons "believe" in God the way that we sometimes think we should believe in God. In fact, as James points out, they not only know that Jesus is real, they've seen Him with their eyes, and they tremble with fear! But is that kind of belief enough to save the demons? No, of course not. The demons "believe" in God but they do not put their trust in God. They will not submit their lives to Jesus and allow Him to transform them into beings who are just like Him.

God is not interested in having you and I believe in Him. He already has legions of demons who do that just fine. No, what God is searching for is a human being made in His likeness who willingly surrenders their life to Him and trusts Him enough to say, "I will submit my whole life to you and receive your amazing love for me."

God wants our love, and our complete trust in His wisdom, power and goodness. Believing is only the first step. We have to go all in.

-kg

Trust: The Key To Everything [Part 3 of 3]

Here are some possible barriers we might face when it comes to fully trusting God:

*We don't really know God.
*We have a fear of letting go.
*We think we know what's really best.
*We don't want Gods intervention in our lives.

Let's briefly examine these four barriers to trusting God.

*We don't really know God.
If we really knew God, we would have no problem trusting Him. I believe this is why God sends trouble and difficulty into our lives. When things are going well we tend to ignore God, but when we are in financial difficulty or walking through uncertainty, we are suddenly desperate for God to rescue us. Whereas our goal during these trials may be to coerce God into making the pain go away, I believe God's goal during this time is simply to teach us that He can be trusted.

Time and again my family has been through crisis after crisis. Each time God has come through miraculously, and yet this fact is lost on me when that "next crisis" occurs. I still find myself wondering, "Will God rescue us this time? What if this time is different?" I believe that God wants us to come to a place where we immediately trust Him whenever we face trials. For now I still find myself freaking out first and then remembering to trust Him later.

*We have a fear of letting go.
I spent most of last year as an unemployed "temporary" worker. This made our financial future quite uncertain and called for us to daily trust God with everything. I can remember clearly the epiphany I had a few months into this ordeal- "If God is in control, that means that I am not." I needed to learn to be ok with being out of control so that God could be in control. This takes courage. It's not easy.

One of my favorite books of all time is "Let Go" by Fenelon. It's only a 99 page book, but the wisdom and spiritual insight found inside is solid gold. The overall theme, as you might guess from the title, is to remind us to let go of our lives and surrender fully to Christ. God knows that we need to develop a deeper sense of trust with Him and He is patient with us as we slowly learn that loving Him means trusting Him.

*We think we know what's really best.
Sometimes I believe we find it hard to trust God simply because we're pretty sure we already know what we want with our lives. God's ideas might not line up with our plans and letting go, trusting Him completely, will probably mean laying that dream (or that plan or hope, etc.) on the altar.

*We don't want Gods intervention in our lives.
Some of us aren't entirely comfortable with the idea of God running our lives as He sees fit, however this is what the Gospel of Jesus is all about. We're called to surrender our lives to Christ. We are expected to die to ourselves daily and put the words and teachings of Jesus into practice. The idea of living life "our way" and ignoring the clear instruction of Jesus is anti-Christian. God does not want to be your Co-Pilot. He is either "Lord" or you are living your life your own way. For many of us, our biggest problem is that we've not understood the "death to self" portion of the Gospel.

THE KEY TO TRUST IS COMPLETE SURRENDER
I know you probably believe in God and the Bible. You've probably received Jesus into your heart. But the Gospel is about giving up your life and allowing God to have His perfect will, even if it goes against your beautiful plans.

Do you feel like God is really calling the shots in your life right now? Is Jesus really your Lord or is He just your Savior? If you want to call yourself a follower of Jesus, you have to let go of your life, your way of living, and surrender everything to Him.

"Then (Jesus) said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." - Luke 9:23-24

REMEMBER THIS
As long as you are in the drivers seat of your life, you will always be miserable.

God isn't interested in having you believe in Him. He wants you to trust Him to make the decisions in your life. He wants to have your permission to allow Him to change your behavior.

God wants to be God, which should come as little surprise. He designed your life (and my life) to work best that way. I know in my life I've learned that it doesn't work when "Keith is Lord". That's when things get really screwed up.

But, if we can let go and trust God with our entire life, if we can make a total surrender to God and let Him lead us, that's what The Gospel is all about. That's when He can really transform us into something amazing.

This is why Jesus urges us to pray by saying, "Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On Earth (right now) as it is in Heaven..."

Its all about depending completely on God.

To fully trust God we must first fully surrender to Him. It's crucial for us to raise the white flag and let go of our way of doing life.

God is trustworthy. Isn't it time to really trust Him?

-kg
[END OF PART 3]

Trust: The Key To Everything [Part 2 of 3]

"I believe in God, but it's so hard to trust Him sometimes."

This is a phrase I've heard more than once from my friends as we've shared together. Heck, I'm sure at one time or the other I've said the same thing myself, but as I analyze this statement I realize that we don't really understand the meaning of the phrase "I believe in God."

In fact, if I could outlaw one word in the Christianese language it would be "Believe" because so many of us really have no idea what the word really means in the context of faith in God.

Biblically, the concepts of belief, trust, and faith are one and the same. So, for us to say, "I believe in God but I don't trust Him" is like saying, "I trust in God, but I really don't trust Him."

A "Believer" is by default also a "Truster" of God. The concept of trusting in God is imbedded in the definition of "Believer". Why then is trusting God, in our minds, a separate concept from believing in Him?

I think it is partly due to our misunderstanding, and therefore our misuse, of the term "Believe." I think most of us use the term belief to refer to an idea we think is true. So, when we say, "I believe in God" we're saying, "I think God is real" but we don't necessarily mean, "I trust in God."

It's also fascinating to me that people who identify themselves as follower of God, or as Believers, find trusting God difficult. Imagine the headline: "Study shows that 90% of Christians don't trust God" or "People of Faith Find Trusting God Difficult." I mean, shouldn't it be the other way around? It would make sense to me to read that the majority of unbelievers find trusting God difficult, that would explain why they remain in their unbelief. But, for Christians to find trusting God to be a problem seems more than strange- it seems wrong.

In the amazing New Testament book of James this concept is explored in full, which means that our modern misunderstanding of the term "Believe" is nothing new. In his book, James demonstrates the uselessness of leaning on belief in God, as opposed to really trusting, or having faith, in God, when he says, "You believe in God? Good! Even the demons believe and they shudder." (see James 2:19)

James, in this passage, wants to illustrate to us the impotency of belief alone. If we think that believing God is real means anything at all, let us consider the demons who don't just believe God is real- they know it! Not only do the demons know it, they quake in fear. But does this knowledge of God's realness save the demons? Of course not. What the demons lack is trust in God. They know God is real, they even shake in fear of Him, but they refuse to trust in God. They refuse to have faith in God.

My question is, are we more like the demons than we are like disciples? Do we believe that God exists but refuse to trust in Him? Do we resist putting the words of Jesus into practice? Do we refuse to surrender our will, our plans, our ideas, our dreams to God and crown Him as the King of our lives? If so, we are more like demons who believe in God but have not yet trusted Him with our lives.

WHY DO WE FIND IT HARD TO TRUST GOD?
Here are some possible barriers we might face when it comes to fully trusting God:

*We don't really know God
*We have a fear of letting go.
*We think we know what's really best
*We don't want God's intervention in our lives

-kg
[END PART 2]

Trust: The Key To Everything [Part 1 of 3]

The other day a friend of mine made the comment that trusting God seems to be the hardest thing for us to do, even as followers of Jesus who should find it easy...or at least fundamental to our daily practice.

Several thoughts splinter outward from the impact of this statement. First, I wonder why it is that we find it so hard to trust God. Second, I wonder if this isn't the central key to everything.

WHY IS IT HARD FOR US TO TRUST GOD?
There are several possible reasons for this. One being that we may have a problem with trust in general. Meaning, all of us have been manipulated by the media, society, politicians, teachers, lovers, parents, etc. all of our lives. After a while we simply lose the ability to completely trust anyone or anything 100%.

There is no logical reason not to trust God. After all, if you could name only one being in the entire known Universe whom you should be able to trust with absolute certainty, it is God.

Author Jan David Hettinga suggests that the issue of trust is a big part of what God was doing on the cross in the first place. Even though God had all power and all authority at His disposal, including the ability to force us to do whatever He wanted us to do, God instead chose to lay it all down (see Philipians 2) and embrace a posture of servanthood and humility.

When Jesus laid down his life on the cross he was demonstrating that his intentions for us were good, that he only considered what was best for us, and that therefore we can trust him completely.

Not only did God not abuse his power over us, he allowed us to have the power of abuse over him! He took the punishment and refused to lash out. He forgave us for the nails and excused our ignorance.

When we look at Jesus, God in the flesh, hanging upon the cross, enduring the shame meant for us, we look into the eyes of a God who says, "Look at me. I will not trick you. I will not manipulate you. I will not lie to you. I love you."

If we cannot trust Jesus, we have no hope of ever trusting anyone, or anything, ever.

IMPERATIVE TRUST
The author of Hebrews reminds us that "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (see Hebrews 11:6) and the more I meditate on this concept of trusting God the more I realize that "Faith", "Belief", "Trust" and "Obedience" are practically synonyms.

If we believe God, we will obey His commands. Jesus says that if we love him we will obey his teachings. To trust someone is to believe them. To have faith in someone is to believe, and to trust them.

I now also realize that our joy in Christ, our ability to enjoy peace, or contentment in this life, is tied directly to our ability to trust God.

If we can trust God, completely, with everything in our life, we can experience peace because we know He is in control. If we really believe that God loves us then we can trust that He knows what is best for us.

The question then becomes, if we can't fully trust God with our everyday life, why not? What is it that prevents us from trusting God? Why is it so hard? What can we do that will make us more capable of trusting God with everything?

-kg
[END PART 1]

The Secret Formula of the Kingdom

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." – (Proverbs 16:9)

As human beings we crave security and gravitate towards areas of greater comfort. We are not content with unanswered questions or unresolved mysteries. We attempt to understand our lives by planning for the future and mapping out goals for tomorrow. None of this is necessarily bad, but it does prevent us from acclimating ourselves to life in the Kingdom of God.

In the Kingdom of God, there are no short answers. Sound bites are inadequate. Formulas do not exist. Your comfort zone is irrelevant. Tension is the new status quo for a citizen of the Kingdom of God, not resolution.

Most of us have a voracious appetite for knowledge. We prefer things to be predictable and if God did something a certain way yesterday, we expect Him to do it the same way again today. God does not play this game.

Instead, God operates under the rules of the Kingdom, and these rules are not formulaic. The Scriptures give us a snapshot of the many different ways that God has worked in people's lives in the past, but this variety of methods is meant, in part, to illustrate to us that God does not follow any predetermined script.

He is the Living God. He is the One in whom we live and move and have our being. He is always at work, even to this very day. His agenda is eternal. He has an individual plan for every specific person and He is weaving everything together to work for the good of those who seek Him.

The key to following such an unpredictable God is to come to Him each and every day with a blank slate. "What are you doing today, God?" we should ask. And then we should listen. And wait. And only do what the Father is doing.

"Yet those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not become tired."– (Isaiah 40:31)

Waiting is the key. Trust is the singular currency of the Kingdom. This is why Solomon encourages us to "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." – (Proverbs 3:5-6)

As our example for how to live the Kingdom life, Jesus exemplifies this beautifully. He is not afraid of unanswered questions. He only does what He sees the Father doing. He doesn't mind being the servant. He isn't afraid to offend the religious elite. He takes the time to give every person an individualized response to the question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" without once repeating Himself to anyone.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus who, being equal with God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant." – (Philippians 2:5-7)

We long for control. Even though control is only an illusion. God is the One who is really in control of everything. Admitting this to ourselves and relaxing our grip on the steering wheel helps us to see that the wheel we were holding was only an illusion.

In time, our lack of control will become a source of relief to us. At first it causes us to fear and to worry. But, in time, as we learn to trust Him more. We begin to experience a peace within us which flows out of the realization that we are not in control. He is. And that is enough for us.

In the Kingdom of God, we are called to trust God in everything. We are to put all of our hope in Him. He is the One who provides for us. Our jobs are only temporary sources of income. God is our source. He can take care of us with or without a career, or a spouse, or a 401(k).

This is why Jesus teaches us to pray for "daily bread" (Matt. 6:11) and to take up our cross and die to ourselves daily (Luke 9: 23). Why? Because it doesn't work any other way. Unless we are daily seeking to lean on Him for everything, we will invariably lean on our own ability.

This is why it says that God's mercies are "new every morning." (Lamentations 3:22-23) It's also part of the secret that Paul spoke of when he said, "I have learned the secret of being content in every situation. Whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." – (Philippians 4:12)

Formulas have no place in God’s Kingdom. Why? Because if we have a formula we will trust in that pattern and not in God Himself. However, if we continually come to God with an open hand and a sense of expectation it keeps us in a place of faith and humility and dependence upon Him alone.

Simply put, if we can do it ourselves and have God help us, we will. Most of us would rather live the Christian life this way. But God has another plan. It is not an optional plan. It is the only plan. His plan is to be the One we look to each and every day for life, for hope, and for truth. He knows us inside and out. He set aside a cross for you, and one for me, to carry one day at a time.

This is how we follow Jesus. This is how we live the life of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is no secret formula. There is only a daily trust in Him alone.

-kg
**

"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment." (Isaiah 50:10-11)

THE MIRACLE OF TODAY

Of all of the teachings of Jesus, there's one in particular I find myself turning to again and again. It's in Matthew chapter 6 where Jesus teaches his disciples not to worry about tomorrow, but to seek first the Kingdom of God and trust Him for everything.

On Saturday I received a mysterious package in the mail. It was an unexpected gift from my friend Tim Price. The envelope contained a book by Ray Mayhew called "And Joy Begins to Flower".

In this book I found a section which unpacked some of what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 6 regarding living one day at a time and trusting God with our whole life.

"Even creation itself unfolded one day at a time. Man was created on day six, only to find that his first full day, the seventh, was a day off. He was to begin life by learning that it is to be enjoyed, one day at a time."

I find it interesting to examine the order of creation and man's place in this order. We show up near the end and immediately learn to rest because God has already done everything in advance. Of course, we do know that God did eventually get around to assigning a few tasks to mankind, but that came later. Our first thought should be to rest in Him and only do what He asks us to do - and allow God to do His part.

"One of the keys to maintaining an inner life free from anxiety and stress is to live life in the same units as God gives it to us - one day at a time."

Again, I agree with this bit of practical wisdom from Mayhew's book. At my work I find myself getting stressed out by all of the various projects that are thrown at me on a constant basis. Even though that giant 25 page website needs to be done by Friday, I start to hyperventilate on Monday. Usually I get it done by Wednesday, but the damage is done. I've wasted time worrying and I've endured unnecessary stress.

The words of Jesus are especially comforting:

"Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself." - Matt 6:34

Of course, hearing these things and actually putting them into practice are two entirely different things.

Living every day one at a time is how we were created to live. I've often wondered why this is so hard. Why do I wallow in nostalgia? Why do I spend hours dreaming of the future? Why is it so hard for me to confine my imagination to the present? Maybe because the present isn't as exciting as the past or the future? We tend to glorify the past and idealize the future, forgetting that at one time our past was the present and our future will be experienced in the now.

Mayhew points this out when he observes:

"Today is a big enough chunk of time to do something with, but not so big as to overwhelm us with responsibilities. Yesterday has gone. It's irretrievable. Tomorrow is only conceptual - when it arrives it will be today."

And

"The temptation of the old is to live in the past - the "good old days". The temptation of the young is to live in the future - "things will be better after graduation, after marriage, after promotion. The danger of both is that we fail to grasp and redeem what lies in our hand - today.

I once had a job working as the Director of Sales and Distribution for Vineyard Music Group. At the time, it was the best job I had ever had in my life. I had a large, private office with a couch, a refrigerator, and a door that locked. I was being paid more money than I had ever earned in my life. I had a title, and I had the power to hire and fire and train a combined team of 20 people. It was the best job I ever had. In fact, I had myself convinced that this job was the reason I had been born and that my career would continue in this trajectory towards infinity.

I was wrong.

After about 3 years I lost that job due to a series of company-wide layoffs after the death of our GM, Chris Wimber. Instead of returning to that lofty place of power and prestige I ended up doing temporary work for a year and a half.

During that time I did everything in my power to get back to that office, and that job, and to return to that career path. God wouldn't open the door.

I can remember attending a church service during that time where the message was about living in the now and not attempting to return to the "good old days" or to always dream of tomorrow. Up until that sermon, I hadn't even admitted to myself that I was living in the past and I had to repent.

I've also listened to people talk about how one day they want to go to China or to Africa to be a missionary and give their lives for the Gospel and serve the poor in India. But often these people end up doing nothing in the here and now to serve the poor or to reach the lost because they are still waiting for the door to open one day when they can do those things "over there". This is an example of how we can live in the hope of tomorrow and totally miss what God wants to do in our lives today.

As Mayhew points out, "Today is the container into which He ladles the grace we need. Today is the platform on which He wants us to demonstrate His adequacy. When tomorrow becomes today the miracle will be repeated."

Don't get so entangled with yesterday, or so enamored with tomorrow, that you miss what God wants to do in our life right now.

Where do you live? Who are your neighbors? Who are your co-workers? This is your mission field. This is where God has sovreignly placed you today. Be a servant where you are now. Touch the people in front of you. Bloom where you are planted.

Peace,
kg

RECEIVERS WANTED

A few months ago I had a few friends over to my house to talk about poverty in Orange County, and to learn more about how God has called us to love the poor and serve others. One of my friends, Tommy Nixon, was with us that day. He and his family have become incarnational missionaries to a community in Fullerton. As Tommy began to share how he and his family were walking out their faith in their community he said something that helped me grasp more of life in the Kingom.

Tommy talked about how his home-based church had identified four key values which they practiced daily. The first two were familiar, but the second two were what intrigued me. These values, which drive their daily practice of faith together, involve examining every situation, and their own lives, to ask, "How can I use this experience to love God, and to love others?"

What Tommy said next has lingered in my mind every since. He said that he and his church family have also started to look at every situation to find ways that they can receive love from God and to receive love from others.

I think, maybe, this second statement captured my imagine because I'm not always sure how to receive love from others.

Learning to Be Loved
One Sunday morning our house church family had a similar conversation. We had been on a very long journey to explore "concentric circles of love" in our Body. Our hope was to identify our need start obeying the command of Jesus to love by beginning close to home. We start with our own family, then outward to our friends, then to our neighbors, then to our co-workers, and then finally outward to the community and the stranger in need.

So, on this particular morning we found ourselves going around the room and asking each other, "How can I show you that I love you?"

Most of us had a hard time answering that question. Others flat out refused to discuss the subject at all. It was a sensitive topic for some of us, and it touched on a nerve that made it clear that we're not very comfortable allowing people to love us deeply.

Over time I've become convinced that Trust is one of the most essential elements in our relationship with God. To "believe in" Jesus is to trust in Him. Faith is about taking your entire life and pushing all of your chips into the middle - to go all in so to speak - and to trust God with everything.

But what can we do if, at a basic level, many of us - myself included - have a hard time trusting our hearts to others? How can we love others as we love ourselves if, deep inside, we really don't love ourselves very much at all?

Maybe this fear we have of being loved is connected to our struggle with trusting God too? At the core, we had to admit that our "truster" was broken - or at least in need of an overhaul.

I think sometimes this concept of completing the circle is what holds me back. I tend to focus so much on loving God and loving others that I forget I need to soak up some of His love in order to splash it around on the people we're serving. If my sponge is dry, how can I refresh someone else?

So, we're still on this journey to discover how to love in these concentric circles. I know that I am only just beginning to learn how to allow God to love me, and to allow others to love me, as I follow Jesus daily.

-kg