Friday, April 24, 2009

Your faith

As we close out this week on Extraordinary faith, I wanted to share with you one last passage that Tim shared with me. It is a story we looked at a couple of weeks ago during the RESET series; but I invite you to read and “listen” again. I am always amazed by the new insights I receive when I reread familiar passages.


Luke 18:35-42
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road.
36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening.
37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by.
38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him,
41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”
42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight!
Your faith has healed you.”


Your faith. I have to be honest. I used to struggle with the phrase, “Your faith has healed you.” To me, it somehow insinuated that anyone that hasn’t been healed, despite countless requests, didn’t have faith or didn’t have enough faith. I decided to look at other passages where Jesus made a similar comment (check out Matthew 9:29, Matthew 15:28, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52 or Luke 17:19). I found something very interesting ... they all occurred when people were engaging Jesus for the first time. It was as if He was reminding them (in that moment of healing, that moment of joy) what was most important ... our faith in Him. Jesus knew there would be times when the response wasn’t going to be “All right, receive ...” Jesus knew there would be times when their “soul is crushed with grief”, times when they would plead “if it is possible”, times when they would beg for an illness or a sorrow or a hurt to “be taken away”, times when their faith would ultimately need to be strong enough to say “I want (God’s) will to be done, not mine.” If your faith needs some encouragement, please read Matthew 26:36-44 and be reminded of when Jesus provided us with an example of extraordinary faith.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

With

This week, we are talking about experiencing and expressing Extraordinary faith. Yesterday, we looked at a part of Isaiah 40 where God, through Isaiah, was assuring the people of Jerusalem and Judah that He could restore them from the impending consequences. Today, we are going to look at a part of Isaiah 41 where God, through Isaiah, assures the people of Jerusalem and Judah that He will restore them by explaining what is going to happen.


Isaiah 41:1-20
1 “Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.
2 Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God’s service? Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot? With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind.
3 He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.
4 Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”
5 The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.
6 The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!”
7 The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.” Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.
8 “But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,
9 I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
11 “See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing.
12 You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing.
13 For I hold you by your right hand - I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.


With. The “king from the east” that Isaiah was talking about was a Persian ruler known as Cyrus the Great (check out Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1). Seventy or so years after Isaiah’s death, the Babylonians would conquer Judah and take the people of Jerusalem into exile (2 Kings 24:1-14). Seventy years after that, Cyrus would conquer the Babylonians and allow the people of Jerusalem to return and begin rebuilding the Temple (check out Ezra 1:1-7). It must have been so much easier for them to experience extraordinary faith. They knew exactly what was going to happen. Okay, it may have taken 140 or so years to be fulfilled; but everything worked the way God said it would. If only we had a heads up on the difficulties we would face (check out John 16:33) or some assurance that someone would be with us through those difficulties (check out John 14:15-20), then our faith could be extraordinary.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Incomparable

This week, we are talking about how we can express extraordinary faith by reading through some of the passages Tim meditated on during the more challenging parts of his journey. Over the next two days, we are going to look at two passages from Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet that lived and ministered in Jerusalem from 740-690 B.C. He tried to help the nation of Judah remain dependent on God and to trust God despite the political changes happening on all around them ... first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians. The first 39 chapters expound on the consequences they will face for turning against God. Chapter 40 is the turning point where Isaiah begins to talk about what God will do after the consequences ... the restoration and deliverance He will provide. In this section, Isaiah poses a series of rhetorical questions meant to challenge the people of Judah ... can God save them? As you read, consider these questions in comparison to the struggle or challenge or decision you face.


Isaiah 40:12-31
12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
14 Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice?
15 No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.
16 All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing - mere emptiness and froth.
18 To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?
19 Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?
20 Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down!
21 Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God - the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant?
22 God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.
23 He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing.
24 They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff.
25 “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.
27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
28 Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.


Incomparable. It is easy to have faith in God when life is good. It is harder to have faith in God when life is overwhelming or unfair. Extraordinary faith is developed in those seasons of life. That is why I love the word incomparable in this passage. It’s almost as if Isaiah is daring you to compare your circumstances to God ... His knowledge, His justice, His worthiness, His power, His strength, His understanding, His endurance. Don’t take my word for it. Don’t take Isaiah’s word for it. Compare for yourself. I think you will find that God is incomparable.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Remember

This past weekend, Tim Stanken shared with us his amazing story of what God has done in his life and challenged us to pray this simple prayer, “God, what do I need to yield to you and stop doing so that I can trust you more?” (Yield God Stop Stop). This week, we are going to look at a series of passages Tim shared with me that he has leaned on throughout his journey.

At the end of his message this weekend, Tim read a passage from Psalm 77. I thought we should begin the week by reading through that passage and some of its context. This particular “song of praise” was written by a guy named Asaph (check out 1 Chronicles 16:4-5). He wrote a total of 12 Psalms (50 and 73-83).



Psalm 77
1 I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!
2 When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help.
4 You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray!
5 I think of the good old days, long since ended,
6 when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now.
7 Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me?
8 Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion?
10 And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.”
11 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
12 They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
13 O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you?
14 You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.


Remember. My mom used to say that I was “making a mountain out of a molehill”. In other words, I was focusing so much on the problem that it had become overwhelming. Asaph’s advice was to focus on something else ... God. Tim mentioned in his story that, over a particularly difficult weekend, he wrote down everything he could think of that God had done for him. Then, Tim did what Asaph did, he meditated on that list ... “your wonderful deeds ... are constantly in my thoughts.” I would echo Tim’s advice. As a matter of fact, let’s make it the challenge for the week. Make a list and then read through it every single day this week. My prayer is that your focus would change so much that even your questions would change ... from Why? What? How?, to “Is there any God as mighty as You?”