The Hand of the Lord

Today's reading was Ezra 7 - 10.  Ezra 7 - 10 tells of the rise of Ezra for "the hand of the Lord his God was upon him" (7:7).  Three evidences of this were that 1) Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, not just to study it but 2) to do it, and 3) to teach His statutes and rules in Israel (7:10).  Can I say this?  Can you?

These signs should follow those upon whom the hand of the Lord rests: we should 1) desire to study God's Word, 2) to obey, and 3) to teach others.

This blog is short today.  I am still wrestling with trying to find balance.  Last night I went to bed earlier than I have in a long time so I could rise early, pray, exercise, write, etc.  But then I woke up after midnight and couldn't get back to sleep for quite some time.  Yesterday is the first day I haven't eaten out at least once in quite some time.  I thank God for a wife who helped me by having breakfast and my lunch ready so I wouldn't have any excuses.  Today I did make it to the gym!  But I am feeling the weight of my sin...literally! and cut my work out short.  Please keep praying for me.

If you enjoy reading these blogs, let me know!  Facebook, email or call me.  I'll keep writing them as much for myself as for you.  It seems to be helping in holding me accountable, and God knows I need all the help I can get!

 

When Evil Works for Good

Today's reading was from Esther 6 - 10.  The King exalts Mordecai for what he had done to save the King's life, Esther reveals Haman's plot to kill the Jews, and Haman and countless enemies of the Jews lose their lives.

The Jewish people had been condemned to die but God saved them.  Steven Curtis Chapman sings a song called "Bring it On."  There is a line where it says that Satan just doesn't seem to understand that what he intends for evil God works for good.  Haman intended to kill the Jews but God, who is omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning, had already thwarted the plan before Haman was even born.  For God had spared an orphan girl named Esther, ensured she would be raised by a Godly man, and placed her in the King's palace.  In the end, the great evil that Haman intended resulted in the salvation of God's people and served to bring Him glory.

In the same way, Satan plotted to kill Jesus Christ.  But God had a plan from the beginning.  And what Satan intended for evil--indeed, the greatest sin ever committed--secured the salvation of all of God's people.  To God alone be the glory, great things He has done!

Knowing this: God is omniscient, God is sovereign, why do I feel I must always be the one to fight for the right outcome?  I spend so much energy trying to win this battle or that.  I think what God is teaching me more and more is that I am not in control.  I must entrust myself to the One who judges all things rightly, who knows the end from the beginning, who will always bring good from whatever evil I perceive--whether against me, my family or the ministry.  I must trust Him more.

What are your struggles?  Like Esther and Mordecai, you may find yourself in the middle of a battle.  The battle could be your desire to triumph over personal sin, to have a marriage of peace, to have the respect you feel you deserve, the right job.  It could be all of the above and then some.  Rest in this: The battle belongs to the Lord and He has won it before it even began.

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.

Yesterday, I did not exercise as I desired to do so.  I didn't eat exactly as I should have and I didn't get to work on time; it doesn't look I will get to work on time today either.  Please continue to pray for me.  I need to get up earlier so I can have more time for these activities.  But I am enjoying my time with the Lord and writing these blogs.  I hope you enjoy reading them.

It's Hard to See the Picture When You're in the Frame

As part of my desire to begin daily devotions, I signed up for a chronological Bible reading plan.  Yesterday's reading was in Zechariah, today I find myself in Esther.  This seems strange but I'll go with it for a while...

The first five chapters recount the deposing of Queen Vashti, the installation of Esther as Queen, the plot of Haman to destroy the Jews, and the beginning of Esther's strategy to thwart Haman's plans.  I could hardly stop reading (except that it's not my first rodeo so I kind of already know the ending).  But a few items stand out:

1) God's gracious provision for the adoption of Esther by her cousin, Mordecai, a godly man (2:7).
2) The humble obedience of Esther to Mordecai (2:10)
3) Mordecai's obedience to God manifesting itself in quiet resistance to those who would have him disobey God by worshiping another man (3:4).
4) Esther's concern for her own welfare over her people's (4:11).
5) Mordecai's trust that God would deliver His people even if she remained silent (4:14)
6) Mordecai's recognition that her rise to power was in the providence of God "for such a time as this"
7) Esther's evident repentance, no longer fearing for her own life but willing to lay it down for her people (4:16)
8) Esther's recognition of her own need for God to go with her, which was evident by her request for prayer and fasting

Paul Tripp has said that "sin causes us to shrink our lives down to the size of us."  When Mordecai first sends word to Esther this was her first reaction: fear for her own life.  Initially, she failed to recognize the sovereign hand of her God throughout her entire life, from being orphaned, a natural beauty, adopted and raised by Mordecai, to finding favor with the King and being made queen.  She could not see that her whole life was part of the grand design of God.  A friend of mine once said, "It's hard to see the picture when you're in the frame."  Esther couldn't see what is obvious to us...a few thousand years later as we read the condensed version...LOL!

But when Mordecai reminded her that she may have been raised up just "for such a time as this," she repented of her selfishness and requested prayer and fasting to grant her favor and give her strength.

We all face struggles.  I am in the midst of a few right now.  When I think about my own background, I can see the hand of God in it from my youth, long before I knew Him.  I tell people all the time that there is so much that was beyond my control, there is no way I can take credit for any gifts I have.  I did not choose where I would be born, who my parents would be, the color of my skin, my education or my ability to learn.  Nothing.  But in the midst of the struggles I am facing, it becomes hard to remember that I am not the only one in the struggle.  God has a plan, a grand design.  I am just so small of piece in that plan.  Yet He has placed me where I am, He determines the boundaries of my dwelling, "for such a time as this."

Don't misunderstand: I see no great, heroic efforts on my horizon that could even remotely compare with what we see in Esther.  But Paul Tripp has also said, "God is in the mundane."  The struggles I am facing affect all those around me: my wife, the men God has placed in my path to mentor, my church, etc.  It would be easy to think only of myself, to think only of the impact the struggles have on me, my family, the ministry with which God has entrusted me.  But when I think of God's grand design, who knows whether I have come to my place in this life just "for such a time as this."  What might else God be doing in the lives of everyone else concerned?  How might He be moving in their lives?  Is He using me?  Is He using you?  Count on it.

It's hard to see the picture when we're in the frame, but you and I are where we are "for such a time as this."

God, please help me today to remember that you are sovereign.  You are God.  I am not.  Please give me grace to humbly entrust myself and my affairs to You who judges all men rightly.  Amen.

PS

Regarding my exercise plan, I did not mention but I did exercise after I posted this blog yesterday.  I will again today after I close.  Please continue to pray that God will give me grace to eat right and exercise daily.

O Prisoners of Hope!

Each day I will post texts from whatever I am reading that particularly convict and encourage me.  I pray they do the same for you.

From Zechariah...

8:7-8, 13 - I will save my people...I will bring them back...they will be my people, and I will be their God in faithfulness and in righteousness.  ...Just as you have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing.  Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

God, though I have been a curse among the nations, and sometimes still am...right in my own backyard, I thank you that you have saved me.  I will not fear, for you are with me, you are the strength of my hands!

9:12; 10:8-9 - Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.  I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them...  Though I scattered them...they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.

God, you have done exactly as you have promised me.  You gathered me to yourself; you redeemed me.  I remember you now and my children live with me.  I thank God that you saved Brandon and I pray for the one who does not know you; gather her in, Lord; her and her family with her!  Send forth your victorious Word, O God, and bring the stranger home!

New Blog, New Day

If a faithful time of study and prayer reflects one's recognition of their need for complete dependence upon the God who saves and sanctifies them, then, to my shame, it seems I have become quite the independent.  When I was in prison, I was in the Word almost every waking moment...I certainly wasn't on the weight pile!  I read hundreds of books and, no, that's not an exaggeration.  Since my release, although seldom has a day gone by that I have not thought about or expounded upon God's Word in some context or spoken to Him throughout the day as random thoughts and concerns crossed my mind, I have failed miserably at maintaining a time of personal devotion.  God, forgive me.

Today I want to begin again to read and pray as I once did.  A pastor once asked, "I know when you get up you pray, but do you get up to pray?"  I want to begin to set aside a time for devotion.  I need God in my life as much today as when I was in prison.  I could argue that I need Him even more; for I have ten times the concerns today I had then.  But, alas! I am busy.  I read somewhere that Luther said he had so much to do one day he had to get up an extra hour earlier to add extra time to his time of devotion.  Such should be my standard!

Each day I will post a new blog of what I am reading, learning, praying about, and an update with regard to my other struggles.  I feel like I need to make the world my accountability partner in this endeavor!  And, since sharing what God has taught me and declaring His faithfulness to a wretch like me has become so much a part of who I am today and what I want to be doing with the rest of my life, who knows whether someone will be blessed by what they read.  If I miss a blog, could I ask that you write and inquire whether I have "fallen off the wagon" once more...LOL!  If you read a blog and are encouraged, could I ask that you write and encourage me to keep going!

I would ask all who read this and perhaps begin to follow it to begin praying for each of the following areas in my life:

1)      I need to become more disciplined in my schedule:

a.       I need to become more purposeful in my daily prayer and devotions.  A day never goes by that I am not looking at or discussing Scripture in some context but that is not the same as setting aside disciplined time for these activities.  I long to do this more.

 

b.      I need to be more disciplined in making regular time with my wife, trying to figure out more ways I can serve her.

c.       I need to be more rigid in my work schedule.  It’s easy to find a million other things to do than go to my job on time because I have the flexibility not to do so, and because I long to be doing something else.  I need contentment where God has me.

d.      I need to make time for some type of physical activity and stop making excuses.

2)      I need stability in my wages and health benefits for my family.

3)      Obviously my weight is a concern.

a.      I need to find some type of cardio workout I can do at home that is not stressful on my knees

b.     I need to be more disciplined in taking food to work instead of eating out, and in taking the right things.