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Hey God … Where Are You?

July 19, 2010 in Faith with 1 Comment

  

A burning bush. Chariots of fire. Tongues like fire. Walking on water. When I think of how God revealed himself in The Bible, it seems like he made things so much more clear. He thundered from the mountain in Exodus. Angels appeared literally to so many people. 

Why don’t we hear more of this type of revelation today? I’m sure miracles do happen but they are miracles – not “ordinaries”! I have no doubt that angels can and probably do appear on Earth on occasion. We certainly couldn’t rule out any of these things. But I don’t think they are the norm.

I don’t think those were the norm in Biblical times either. When we read The Bible, we are not reading every second of recorded history during mankind. We are only reading the high points. 

“Jesus did many other things as well,” writes John in the last paragraph of the Gospel of John. “If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

But I think God works a bit differently now that he has his church established. Here’s how I think God reveals himself today:

1. Through the life and work of Jesus. In Hebrews, it says: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son ….” We don’t need Jesus to come back and do it all over again. What he did and said in The Bible is available so we can hear from God directly.

2. Through the Christian Church. After reinstating Peter, Jesus says: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The church is how God moves and speaks to people. Paul in Corinthians likens the church to a body. We are Jesus’ hands and feet, so to speak.

3. Through Godly People. The Apostles were “unschooled, ordinary men.” We don’t necessary have to have revelation from scholars, kings, or famous preachers. Sometimes, the Godly man or women in your Sunday school class might have a word from God to you. (Of course, you can have false preachers and teachers. Test what anyone says with Scripture.)

You might be surprised to learn that sometimes God comes not in thunder, fire or power but in a gentle whisper, as Elijah learned. But you may never get that revelation if you don’t seek God.

And you must pursue God. I often walk in a wood park area near my house and love to catch sight of deer or other wildlife. We sometimes walk 20 times or more before I see a deer. It’s the same way with God — seek and you shall find!

5 Suggestions for Getting Through Tough Times

July 7, 2010 in Faith with 0 Comments

Last year, I had to face the toughest battle of my life: I was diagnosed with cancer and completed six rounds of chemotherapy. It turned my world upside down in every way imaginable. My cancer was declared in remission in September. This year, I had to battle kidney stones, then the cancer came back and so I had to have surgery.

Needless to say, I can offer you some advice on how to make it through tough times:

1. Read The Bible. This book is the spiritual road map to make it through. I can't imagine what I would have done had I not been able to read The Bible. Though I had read it for years, this book took on special significance during my trials. God will reveal to you what you need when you need it. For example this verse was literally an epiphany for me during my struggle.

2. Gather Friends and Family. You can't go through a crisis alone. Bring friends and family in to help. You also need one advocate to help you get information, ask questions and help you think because when you are in the crisis, you are dealing with emotions more than you are rational thinking. Get people to pray with you — this is a powerful weapon in your struggle.

3. Conquer Your Fears. Fear is not what God wants for you. The Bible speaks a lot about not fearing anything. Perfect love drives out fear, The Bible says in 1 John. This is hard to do and I still struggle with it but it's about giving up control. Put the situation in God's hands. If you believe in Jesus, then you have eternal life despite the challenges you face. Talk to others who can help you with your specific fears. It might take time but you can at least put fear in a corner so that it doesn't control you.

4. Information is King. With the Internet, you can find out a lot of information that can help you get through your crisis. You can find medical, legal and other information that previously wasn't available. Again, get an advocate who can help you sift through the facts. I also found great sermons and other articles that helped me.

5. Stay Positive. Everything has a beginning and an end and your trials or crisis will end. It's hard to see the end when you are in the thick of it but it's helpful to picture the end. See yourself coming out of this and envision the end. It will help you get through.

My prayer is that this post finds its way to someone who needs it.

Mission Statements: How to Succeed and Stay Focused

April 14, 2010 in Faith, Other with 2 Comments

 

I was speaking to a pastor friend once, and he was talking about “identity,” as in, “What’s your identity?” I thought that was an interesting question.

He continued by saying that some people find their identity in their job. They are managers, sales people, teachers, etc. Their job defines who they are.

Some people don’t identifies themselves with their job. Instead, they may identity themselves with a hobby or interest. Some people may identify themselves with their families or heritage or maybe how much money they have.

The more I started thinking about identity, the more I realized you have to know who you are before you are going to succeed in life.

Then a few weeks later, while reading Jim Camp’s book Start with No, an excellent book on negotiations, he writes a chapter about something similar: “Success Comes from This Foundation: Developing Your Mission and Purpose.” Here’s what Camp says:

“I teach and preach that mission and purpose is the very essence of success.”

For me, I started putting the two together like this: Who are you and what are you here for? (Very similar to Purpose Driven Life, the best-selling hardcover book of all time.)

Then I started developing mission statements related to my life as a whole and my career. My personal mission statement goes something like this:

“I want to love God with all my heart, mind and soul so that it spills out into all areas of my life in helping/loving others so that they want to know why I have so much faith and they desire to seek God to get the same peace of mind.”

I’m still working on it but the more the weeks pass by, I keep referring to this statement and it really helps clarify things for me. I’m still working on one for my job at work. It helps me stay on track and not get distracted.

You can always change your mission but I don’t think you’ll ever achieve success if you can’t define it for yourself.

I really like Camp’s further explanation in the chapter when he says money and power are not valid mission statements. Very insightful for a book that is about negotiations!

So do you find mission statements useful or have you developed one? What’s your mission and purpose in life? Can you write it out?

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How to Get Closer to God

April 13, 2010 in Faith with 0 Comments

Before I stepped into the creek, I checked my cell phone. No signal. I looked around and stepped in the water. Cows to the left. Tree cover to the right. I was alone. (Well, if you didn’t count the beaver a few feet from me, busy building and concerned not one bit about me.)

Sometimes I think we get surrounded by man-made things and we forget that God didn’t build the office you sit in. God didn’t build the car you drive in. God didn’t build a lot of the things we live and work in.

If you think about it, we live in air conditioned houses, drive air conditioned cars and work in air conditioned offices, for the most part. Where’s the real world?

When I fly fish or escape civilization in some way and surround myself with nature, I sense God more often than not. Here are four ways to get closer to God that involve more than just closing your eyes.

1. Get Immersed in Nature. Like I mentioned, take a walk in the woods or drift in a canoe down a river. Listen and see what God directly created and you’ll find it a lot more spiritual than the city streets. Find a park or some place where you can be surrounded by nature.

2. Enjoy the Sound of Silence. Sometimes it’s good to turn off the iPod or other music player and listen to the sounds God made, such as birds, wind or whatever. Lately, I’ve started sitting on my backyard porch at night, listening to the sounds – even the sounds of silence.

3. Be a People Person. Don’t get lost in Facebook, Twitter or text messages. Try calling and talking to real people! Humans are God’s greatest creation so don’t lose personal interaction with family and friends. How many people have you seen that are lost in their cell phones? Turn it off for awhile and interact with the real world.

4. Don’t go Overboard. If you read Romans chapter one, you’ll see that many people start worshiping created things rather than the Creator. Don’t flip-flop the two. God comes before nature. He deserves the first and highest worship.

On the other hand, do you find that same worship in the city streets, among the skyscrapers?

Jesus: Can You Really Believe?

April 4, 2010 in Faith with 0 Comments

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