Question Your Disappointments and Discouragement

Some say there is one god, others say there are many gods, and others say there is no god. Still, there are others of us that rightly claim there is one true God with our minds and yet we claim there are many gods with our hearts. Allow me to explain.

 

As John Calvin said, our hearts are idol factories. In other words they manufacture gods. Our hearts are naturally bent towards fashioning things on a daily basis that we depend on to supply us with what only God can ultimately provide. Unfortunately they aren't always easy to spot either. We can deceive ourselves pretty easily.

 

Occasionally when I am upset about something, I have been able to discern that it is because I am placing too much stock in something, or someone, to provide happiness for me. This doesn't mean that you can't ever be anything but happy (since that idea alone would steal your joy by expecting what is impossible in a fallen world). The hard part about this is it takes reflection. It requires people living in the world of countless entertainment opportunities and millions of things vying for our attention to slow down long enough to ask and answer the question, "Why am I feeling this way?" You might not always unveil something that you have elevated to the status of god but many times you will.

 

For example, when you pry at your heart you might sense that you are frustrated because a person did not fulfill your needs. Next you can ask, "Am I expecting them to be perfect?" If the answer is yes, then you have selected a bad god that can't provide for you perfectly like God can.

 

Perhaps you might discover that you are angry that you can't stay healthy. You take care of yourself as well as you possibly can by eating healthy and exercising. Yet you still find yourself struggling with illnesses or injuries. But a healthy body cannot provide to you the lasting joy that only God can. If this is the case, then you have selected a bad god. Your health can be taken from you at any moment. Why worship that which is not dependable?

 

It could be that you desperately want to succeed at work, have a consuming passion to be rich, have an overbearing focus on your kids, or want to be famous. All of these things (health, success, money, influence, parenting, relationships) can be great blessings. The problem comes when they are elevated to a tier in which they were never intended to sit upon. Often we don't know that we have lifted them up on the shelf until God has smashed it off the shelf and we are left to deal with our god being demolished.

 

I understand that life is not easy and that life is not so simplistic and formulaic that if you can simply keep God in his rightful place then everything will go smoothly for you. In fact, in that case, your god could be comfort or an easy life. Admittedly, the discovery alone is not going to automatically bring joy in the short-term. Nevertheless, it does help to know that you are expecting someone or something to deliver something to you that they cannot deliver. A good place to start is repenting of worshiping false gods and adjusting our expectations.

 

As the Holy Spirit tells us through Paul, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time" (1 Timothy 2:5, 6).

 

1) One God. How many gods does Paul say there are? He says there is one God, and if there is one God then all of the others are fake. They lie when they promise what they can't deliver, and Satan himself loves to make those other gods appear like chocolate chip cookies with rat poison inside. The cookie looks good so we ingest it. Then we discover that it is actually going to kill us.

 

2) One Mediator. Paul also claims that there is one mediator--Christ Jesus. The word translated mediator indicates one who intervenes or bridges the two parties that he refers to: God and men. Therefore your accomplishments, successes, relationships, parenting ability, physical health, or anything else will not mediate for you. If you think that there is any level of accomplishment that you can obtain that will impress God to the point where Jesus is unnecessary as a mediator then you are kidding yourself. There is simply nothing that you can do to impress God at this point. Only one perfect human could intervene between us and God. 

 

Again, not all disappointments can be traced back to misplaced worship. But if your heart is an idol factory, and you know that it is, then don't ignore what your disappointments and discouragements want you to see--there is one God and one mediator.

 

 

We Haven't Arrived Yet

We've now been in Colorado for almost two months! We have loved our time here. The view is better, my job is better, the humidity is better, our allergies are better, and the coffee is better (I could keep this thing going if you have time). It feels good to be planted in the place that has weighed heavy on our hearts and minds for over 5 years, and it feels good to be settled in a place in which we plan, Lord willing, to spend the rest of our lives. However, we haven't arrived yet.

Nope. In fact, the past month would be a good example to demonstrate the fact that we aren't in our perfect, eternal home quite yet. First, my kids and I got sick. We spent what seemed like three or four complete lifetimes hacking up junk in our sinuses and fighting off fevers (even though it was probably more like two weeks). Second, Colorado has had much more rain than they usually get. For multiple weeks it rained almost every day -- to the point we had to check our current location in Google Maps to make sure that we didn't move to Seattle. Third, our kids thought it would be fun to start waking up around 6 A.M. each day even though we didn't agree with them. Fourth, a serial shooter is on the loose about 15 miles North of us. Fifth, an EF-3 tornado unleashed its fury directly towards us. It was close by, and I could see the thing churning from our 3rd floor patio. Fortunately, it lifted before it arrived to our area. Sixth, our dog got sick and threw up on our carpet. We put her outside on the patio, and she threw up there. The patio has a wood floor so it fell through to our neighbors' patios (yes, somehow it hit the second floor and the first). Then, we locked her in the laundry room and she made a mess in there.

Life isn't easy. It could be worse. However, it could be better. A lot better. I've heard it said that the Christian doctrine of sin is the only doctrine that can be irrefutably proved. Really, all you have to do is point. Turn on the news and you see heartache. Talk to your neighbors and suffering is present. Some may push back and say, "Where is God in all of this?"

Admittedly, at times I wish God restrained evil to a greater degree, but we must also consider the fact that we don't know how much evil he is restraining. Additionally, we must remember that God is not silent on the reason that we are in this predicament. Ultimately, we are in this situation because of us -- our own sinfulness. The world is groaning to be made right. Yet, God can still be seen even in the midst of it. I myself have witnessed quite a few miraculous events that are unexplainable without the Triune God of Scripture. But even consider basic things. For example, as I was listening to the story about the serial shooter on the loose I couldn't help but think of the fact that he was committing these horrendous acts of violence less than 10 miles from the Rocky Mountains that are so tall that many of the mountains still have snow on them right now in June. They are so majestic and large that it is mind-boggling to imagine a god powerful enough to create them. Scripture explains that as well.

Evil, suffering, and hard days are unavoidable. They are here. I'm glad that Christianity has an explanation for them that makes sense and has a resolution. Not all worldviews have a satisfying answer. Therefore, in light of this fact, the questions are, "Will they end?" and "Is there any meaning in the midst of them?" I thank God that through Jesus this life is not all there is even with all of the great things that come with it.

God Can Speak To You Everyday

The opening lines in Psalm 1 seem like common sense, but they are challenging to live out. They read, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night" (Psa 1:1-2 ESV). 

Yes each phrase can be challenging to carry out at one time or another. But what really struck me, and brought conviction, was the last phrase-"on his law he meditates day and night." Through the sheer busyness in life this is hard to achieve. Consistent rhythms of Bible reading, dwelling, memorization, and responding are hard to come by. It is especially difficult when, like the psalmist says, "his delight is in the law of the LORD." Your heart might even desperately desire to read Scripture, but life never seems to slow down. I can relate. 


Still we live in a time in history where there have never been more options to hear God's word. For example, the Bible is on CD and free apps so that you can listen to Scripture. The Bible is available in print in a variety of forms, and it is available to read on apps as well. There are many great programs that you can put on your computer although they can get pretty expensive. Instead I have found certain websites useful. I have prioritized them in the order that I have found them useful: 
1) blueletterbible.org  (Really good for word studies, cross referencing, original language study, and they have other tools such as commentaries and dictionaries).In Holy Scripture, God has spoken. It is amazing that he has given us so many pages of his words to us. Do you believe it is God's very words? Have you become so accustomed to the fact that the Bible exists that you've lost the amazement that it is actually here? If you believe it is God's words to you, then the only logical response is to read it! 



2) net.bible.org  (Really good for comparing translations, translation notes, and original languages)
2) biblehub.com (Probably the best commentary section from any sites that I've found)
3) studylight.org (I haven't figured out how to use the new version, but the old version has a parallel Bible that highlights the variations in different translations which is pretty helpful).

The Spirit leads us to Obey

The work of the Spirit is incredible. His work encompasses so many tasks and produces so many results in believers. He works regeneration applying redemption to our hearts, he distributes gifts, energizes the working of miraculous and residential gifts for the kingdom, produces fruit, empowers, and gives boldness (and so much more!). Here in Ezek. 36 we are told that God will put his Spirit within his people and cause them to abide in his word and by his rules. In Ezekiel it reads, 

[Eze 36:27 ESV] "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Amazingly he claims that putting his Spirit in you will "cause you" to abide by his rules. This of course means that he accomplishes this feat. This is a huge stress reliever!

Grace helps us when we say "Yes" and trains us to say "No"

I remember when I was in high school, my Dad told me not to go to a certain movie with my friends. I thought that I knew better and I didn't want to let my friends down, so I stupidly snuck into the movie with some friends. Sorry Dad!

It is frightening to think of all of the times that I have done the same thing with God. It is terrifying when I think about the times that the LORD has spoken to me or impressed something on my heart, and I have not responded favorably. 

The following verse arrested me today,
Now we know why in verse 2 it says, "The LORD was very angry with your fathers." Yes he was angry because of their disobedience. But even more than that, he was angry because they would not stop, listen, and turn to God. The second part of the verse says that "they did not hear or pay attention" to God. He was desperately crying out to them through the prophets (see the first part of the verse). He was seeking to get their attention so that they would turn to him and away from the other things that they elevated above God.
So grace helps us when we say "Yes" and disobey. But it also trains us to say "No" so that we won't disobey. May we trust Christ today for grace in our disobedience and allow his grace to train us so that we won't disobey.


[Zec 1:4 ESV] "Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD."


I know that no one can obey perfectly and I am infinitely thankful that Christ has obeyed and died for me. However we are still called to obey. In fact grace teaches or trains us to say no. In Titus 2:11-14 Paul writes, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." In verse eleven Paul claims that grace is from God, has now come, and brings salvation for all people. But he continues in verse twelve when he says that this grace trains us to "renounce ungodliness and worldly passions."