Tag: Walk With God

Be Still and Listen Carefully!

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It has been my observation when pondering on the nature and range of events that occur during prayer, I have not used this tool as effectively as I could have over the years. Listening is not my strong suit, being a passive-aggressive alpha leads to the compulsive need to fill ‘dead air’ with something. The sound of my voice? Oopps…

I learned from Miles Davis, a jazz player, the melody is as much about what you do not play (silence) as it is about what you do play (sound). An improvised melody must have time for the listener to breathe, it is important to rest the listener’s mind, and gently lead the listener to the next line, the next paragraph.

This might be a bit too much ‘music speak’, but it strongly illustrates the notion of — be still and know I am God, be still and know, be still, just be… Know who you are waiting on (God), accept he will be reaching out to you (Know), get very calm (Still), open your ears (guard your heart, confirm all messaging with scripture).

When I postulate on prayer, listening is not the first thing I usually think about. But if we want to hear Him speak, we will need to stop talking long enough for God to get your attention. He wants to talk. He tells us stuff in scripture but has more. Listening patiently, trusting there will be communion, a message, a thought… Is not easy.

I learned a while back that we will do what we will do. Message or not, we will do it. Failure to get clear guidance will not impar many of us when it comes to the decision point. We will press on, try to get it right, and ask for forgiveness later.

The still small voice is not easy to hear, and perhaps, just perhaps we are not really asking for direction, we are consulting, asking for confirmation OUR plan is the right plan. Asking for confirmation is much different that asking for directions. If we have made up our mind, I think we may not hear the still small voice. Consulting for confirmation is different from dropping anchor and waiting on God before you move any direction.

Some people call this type of listening contemplative or reflective prayer. Sounds a little too much like a ‘new age’ thing to me so I just think of it as ‘getting still’ and letting God be God. Get still. Gettings still will shut out the noise, the ‘knowing I am God’ part is our clue to not empty our mind, but to focus our mind. Focus on the majesty and grandeur of God. This does require effort and practice. I find it a bit easier to do on my Walkabouts. Might not be the same for you, but that helps to keep me focused.

This ‘being still’ is active listening, it is shutting out all the things around us (I walk the same trail every day, I can walk that trail in my mind any time, any place). The trail helps me to shut out the distractions. This is key – I expect God to speak. Do not engage him — nothing is likely to happen. Engage and expect a response. We see a strong recurring theme in Psalms from David — My soul waits in silence for God only (Psalm 62:1); My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalms 42:2). I know he is God; I will be still and wait (implied Psalms 46:10)

No agenda? No prayer request to ruminate? God could say anything, God could ask me anything. Oh my. Dat is scarry. When we quietly wait on the Spirit, He may communicate extremely penetrating stuff—words of conviction, words of love, or no words at all – Just an overwhelming awareness of his presence.

David writes — You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11) Selah. I suspect I often do not stay in his presence long enough to hear his words of love; I blurt out my fears and a few thanks, then I move on — oblivious to this wonderful God, the One true living God who has slowed down and rested his hand on my head; only for me to move on. I wonder what I have missed. This is not easy. It takes a lifetime. Be patient with yourself. He is a deep pool of water.

I choose Jesus.

The Makers Mark

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It was my observation while reading Psalms — we quickly learn it is wise to talk to God about the cool stuff he has accomplished, our needs, and our struggles – then we seek insight from Him and His word. This is an intense encounter – This is meditation. Charles Spurgeon (a pastor from about 120 years ago) often said the Holy Spirit loves to illuminate the Son. For Spurgeon, this visual illumination came in the form of a prayer journal. As I recall, he would say our pencil is like a scalpel for our mind. If we take the time to write stuff down as we ruminate on something, God can and does become part of the formula. Write your internal conversation, ponder on the message, compare your thinking to the scripture you are thinking about. When we document things, we slow down our thoughts, we process more carefully, we hear more from the Holy Spirit. Try it — I suspect you will be pleased with the outcome.

Psalms 119:9-16 (paraphrased) says — How can a person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. As I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have taken the time to hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against you through ignorance. … Lord; teach me your decrees, your truth. Then, with focus, I am able to recount all the truth that comes from your heart. I rejoice in following your statutes and wisdom. … I meditate on your truth and consider your ways. I delight in your wisdom; I will not neglect the truth within your word when making decisions (NIV).

The last sentence in this quote says, ‘I meditate on your truth’. This is the notion I have been talking about. This is a commitment, a focused affirmation that we will start and stick to it. It is a response to the word of God, to the one true living God – we are saying YES. I know this takes effort; I am talking to myself as much as anyone who is reading this essay. But this level of thought should not be only for pastors, theologians, monks, but us, ordinary Christians who are slugging it out in a sea of evil, looking for the right path to follow. I suspect, without this kind of focus, it is difficult to experience a vibrant relationship with the one true living God. Push into this. You will be rewarded.

So, have a seat, read a few passages, think about the message, and press on with your day. Ask yourself, what exactly did I notice, how did it affect me, how will it affect my relationships at work and at home? Joshua wrote — Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8).

Do not make this complicated, do not be too hard on yourself. God gives you grace; you should be comfortable doing the same. The outcome of this effort is simple – you will grow, become at peace with yourself, your family, and your Job. Goodness, I know scripture is not easy to read. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable. I am not saying you need to become a Rhodes Scholar. But I do want to encourage you to dig a little deeper. When God speaks, we should listen. Good stuff will happen.

This notion of meditation, focused prayer, and scripture mining can help you become more stable. I am suggesting you think about stuff you are reading in scripture, ponder on it, poke around the verses, focus on the ideas, the individual words, and parallel passages. Actively ponder on the meaning and how you can employ this new-found data in your life. Seek his wisdom. You will soon see the impact on you.

You will know that you are getting someplace when you are able to say – I have learned something from scripture and I need to make some life changes. The hardest part of failure is getting back up. Successful people know this small but particularly important difference between success and failure. Get back up. Find the right path. Move forward. Give Elohim permission to put his ‘Makers Mark’ on your heart. I choose Jesus.

We Are Neither Forgotten Nor Abandoned

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It has been my observation that most people think Jesus and the story of Christmas are unnecessary because they do not believe there is a need for Grace. They just do not accept the situation as painted by scripture.

This is what I think — The birth of Christ is an amazing declaration, an eternal statement to all of us. The arrival of Jesus clearly established — God is real; God is just; God offers grace. The heavens were opened and a completely different world came into view through Jesus. The coming of the Messiah as our Savior is confirmed by the veracity of the Old Testament message concerning the new covenant. We know that humans are isolated from God, but we are not forgotten or abandoned. If we were forgotten, no Savior would have been required. If we were abandoned, no Savior would have come. Yet, the Logos came to us in the humblest of circumstances.

So, now what? We were made to traverse this world Walking with God. The birth of that lowly child is the bridge between the old self and the new self. Psalms 111:6-10 says “He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever; holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”

Isaiah 7:10-17 says — “The Lord spoke to Ahaz, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.’  But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. The Lord will bring on you and, on your people, and on the house of your father, a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.’ “See 2 Chronicles 28:14-27 (if you are curious about the king of Assyria).

Jeremiah 31:31-34 says “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

I wonder if Isaiah and Jerimiah understood the full depth and meaning of their prophetic message when they first spoke the message aloud. It is an amazing glimpse into the future, our future.

I choose Jesus.

Live By The Spirit

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It has been my observation; after listing the fruit of the Spirit in his letter to the Galatians, Paul reminds the believers that they “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). This is his way of describing our turn from sin to Jesus.

In my house above the kitchen sink is a beautiful Christmas cactus, I have had it for a few years. I have watered it and ensured it gets light. It has graced me with growth, but none of its glorious flowers. Then a few weeks ago, I noticed that a bud had appeared, then the leaves changed color and the bud unfolded into a wondrous blossom. The transition this plant displayed was amazing. I think we are similar, the Spirit waters and gives us plenty of Light. This takes a while, but many of us do blossom into a magnificent flower with the fruit of the Spirit.

Paul says — For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin (Romans 6:5-7).

Being crucified with Jesus is the turning point – the place where we transition from death into life – the place where we start all over – the place where we experience the effect of free will for the first time. This does not mean we will never sin again, but it does mean we can move forward.

Paul says — Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:24).

I think, we are given an exceptional gift, a gift to walk forward, surrendered to God. Not so easy to surrender, goodness I know about resistance, being a rebel and all the things that go with not looking at the endgame, just looking at the pieces. Our surrender is an act of the will, our will, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Would we yield to him on our own? Not likely. Without help we just stand there, hoping no one would notice. Saying yes to God is no trivial thing.

I have noted when perusing both Romans 6 and Romans 12, putting God first is the only appropriate response to God. The only sensible response for God. The only logical response to God. If we embrace this response, we find the mercy he extends to us and the grace he created for us. If we continue to resist, well we will soon suffer a divided heart. We will have one foot centered in his will and one foot dragging behind, stuck in the world.

In this state, One could say that we are of two minds, we want God’s sheltering protection but we are not so interested in living within his circle of influence. We are willing to walk away from sin when it is convenient, but we do not walk away from sin when it is not convenient. I can rationalize and make ‘excellent logical reasons’ why my decision is ok, but in the end, God is not impressed, and he waits. He patiently waits. How about you? Do you find yourself rationalizing?

CS Lewis says – If we let God – for we can prevent him if we choose – He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a … dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine a bright, stainless mirror which reflects aback to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness.

So, what does this mean? This essay is about His amazing power to transform us, the Holy Spirit will lift our heart and carry to completion the journey of transformation for you and for me – The transformation leads to the renewing of our mind. First comes conviction, then conversion and filling. Then comes transformation. The final step is the renewing of the mind. This ‘thing’ works from the inside out. We can collect scripture about proper behavior and feel good, basking in the sunlight. Or we can allow the word to transform our heart and then allow the Holy Spirit to renew the source of our behavior – our mind. Please do not lose sight of Proverbs 23:7 – as a man thinks, a man is.

Hanging with God, at the deepest level, our heart and mind begins to crave God’s grace and mercy, rejecting the old ways that seem so comfortable in the past… What do we do? How do we respond to the craving? As a man thinks, a man is.

I choose Jesus.

Declare What Is Right.

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It has been my observation that we see a recurring message in scripture that Elohim is to be trusted above all else in this universe.  Idols are man’s creation – they have zero power, they are inert, lifeless, useless. Elohim reveals himself when it is necessary to accomplish a goal or we are in trouble. When our free will gets us into mischief then God intervenes as necessary to be sure we do not get too far into the weeds.

Isaiah 45:15-19 says — All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgrace together. But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, for the ages everlasting. For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty but formed it to be inhabited— he says: I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, Seek me in vain. I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. (NIV)

Isaiah mentions the everlasting salvation to be sure we are not discouraged too much.  Yet, Elohim must be true to his own sense of fair play and justice, if we make mistakes and fail to repent then we can expect issues. Sometimes, if training is required, even with repentance, issues come our way. Our job?  Stay focused. Keep our eye on God. The growth of God’s people is delivered in layers of grace and training. We learn, we get better, but we still seem to stumble. Fortunately, Elohim is longsuffering and patient with us. He knows how timid and helpless we are when faced with huge obstacles. Elohim knows we charge ahead foolishly and get ourselves all tangled up in the brambles. He smiles, then at the right time Elohim pulls us out of trouble, every time. The Spirit of the Lord is always working on our heart (implied in Zechariah 4:6), therefore the accidental troubles we encounter are mere speedbumps.

Isaiah 57:14-16 says – Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people. For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry for then they would faint away because of me—the very people I have created. (NIV)

The people who make our distractions (graven objects) sometimes create public personalities that we aspire to be like (worship).  They are makers of Idols (chaff).  Then they say — you need this thing or you need to hear this or you need to see this event if you want to live life to the fullest.  They quietly place a fence about our life — we find ourselves generating loads of activity as we aspire to emulate the public personalities or accomplish the specified objectives. We are trapped.

The deeper truth — It is God’s hope that we get still, listen to the Holy Spirit, and reassign our adulation to the one true living God. The makers of the public personas and distractions often see the emptiness themselves and they pull away from the façade as they get a bit older. They become more honest in their messaging and we all benefit. Consider the transition of some aging rock stars as they settle down, abandon drugs, and start leading godly lives.  Usually, something occurred in their life (an uncomfortable event) that helped them to see their sin and yield to the one true living God. It is amazing to see this happen with people– we all need Jesus – it does not matter what we do or how we live – we all need the one true living God.  In this transformation – we are able to declare what is right and live for God.

I choose Jesus.

Being at Rest

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It was my observation while reading the book of Ecclesiastes, in a mere two sentences Solomon summarizes his findings for all the wisdom present in the twelve chapters of his opus.

Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 — Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (NIV)

Now, let us reduce the two sentences to six words. Fear God and keep his commandments. There we have it. Jesus said — love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Then came the second thing – love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. That was simple to express. But what about the commandment – Fear God? I think it is helpful to look at Isaiah 29. For me, this entire chapter helps define the notion of fearing God. The three verses below focus our thoughts.

Isaiah 29:13-16 — These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Therefore, … I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? (NIV)

These are strong words; they describe someone who does not fear Elohim. This passage can be reduced to a single phrase – Respect Me, I am the one who made the heavens and earth. Respect Me, if not for what I did, then for what I Am. Respect Me, Obey my commandments. Respect Me, Love your neighbor. Respect Me, Love my Son. Respect for Elohim leads to blessings and our contentment that all is right in the world. Resistance melts away and becomes peace. We feel happy in our place.

The fear (respect) for the things of God starts when the King of Kings occupies our heart. We quickly develop a reverence and appreciation for his majesty, we yield to his authority, and we pull away from things that displease him. We see and embrace his wisdom. We freely embrace him and worship with all the honor due to his name and actions. This becomes true devotion, fledgling at first, but soon becomes a comfortable stride, a power walk with God.

Scripture becomes much more personal. We become aware that God is talking to us, revealing himself to us in the same way that Martin Luther, or Augustine learned about the things of God. One moment of insight after another. We gain understanding and knowledge. Then, as we experience the application of God’s plan for us, we become wise. We learn this respect by absorbing his statutes and precepts from scripture. We know that what we think quickly becomes how we act and how we relate to others.

This acquisition of insight is the process of the Spirit of God writing the word upon our heart. The more dominant this respect becomes the more careful we are with the application of His word in our life. We know that this is no game, it matters how we process and relate to the message. If we are not settled on the inside, our actions will be bumpy, inconsistent – the internal war will be played out in our actions with others. This idea of respect is the whole of man’s relationship with God. It requires care and feeding. It requires alone time, wrestling with the word of God. It requires regular visits with God. It requires interaction with others of similar mind. It brings peace. It brings contentment. It brings rest.

I choose Jesus.

The Path Forward

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It was my observation while browsing Psalms, that David and Asaph often spoke of the need to meditate on the truth of God, the works of God, and the nature of God. Psalms 77:10-12 tells us – I will remember the deeds of the Lord, yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago, I will consider all your works and meditate on your mighty deeds (NIV).  This is a clear mandate for meditation. But how do we meditate from a biblical viewpoint? Let me be clear, meditation is not sitting still and emptying your mind of all thoughts. It is not a ship drifting aimlessly in a still ocean, with no anchor or no sail. Rather, meditation is focused, contemplation on a theme from scripture, which includes giving ample space for God’s word to breathe life into you, for the Spirit of the living God to teach you. Psalms 119:15 tells us – I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways (NIV).

So, what do we do? We step away from busyness and noise, internal and external. Get still, find a place that is quiet. Find a time that is quiet. Get alone with God. Just as you moved the dial on a radio to a specific channel, do the same with God – focus your mind on him. This takes time to learn, time to engage in intentional meditation. It is easy to read a few scriptures, it is not so easy to really ponder on the word, and patiently wait in quietness for the message from God to arrive. Psalms 49:3-4 implies — My mouth will speak your words of wisdom; meditation from my heart brings understanding (NIV).

Start simple, focused, with modest objectives. Work at getting 5 minutes of focus on the essence of God. If you drift, do not be too hard on yourself. Keep trying. God will respect the effort and deliver. Find a regular time. Put this time on your calendar if needed. Time is not found, it is scheduled. Make a plan. Stick to it. Select the right time and the right location. In time you can and will meditate anyplace. You will learn to shut out the outside din and inside self-talk to get focused on God. But, at first it is wise to meditate in the same place at a regular time.  Psalms 1:2 implies we are to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on his law — day and night.

Isaac found it helpful to meditate in his field in the evening, someplace where others did not disturb him, where he was surrounded by the splendor of God’s creation (implied in Gen. 24:63).  Develop a standard plan of action. This is directed thought, not mindlessness. Build a list of topics, keep them on your phone, build a list of verses you want to ponder on, keep them on your phone (edit the list as needed). Get the topic or verse in your head – get started. This is God’s thing – give him space to work. Let him teach. Work the scripture, over and over. Let the Spirit do his job. Absorb.

If you are struggling with something, this is a good time to ponder on how to leverage God’s word to resolve the issue. This is a time for honesty and ownership of our part in the situation. This is a time to hear God’s plan and then learn from the master. Focus on the word, let God speak through his word. Find a path forward. Finding internal peace is the goal, getting quiet is the method, embracing rest is the outcome (see Psalm 77 for a template). In my view, meditating involves us having an open heart, a slow contemplation of God. We should be much more interested in what God has to say about the passage we are meditating upon than what we think about that passage. Be still and know he is God. Major on listening, minor on talking.

I know this topic is a big ‘ask.’ Give it a little thought. I do not meditate all day, but I do set down and focus my thoughts on God often each week. When I am swimming in the noise of the day, I turn to him.

I choose Jesus.