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"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Tag: Anchor

“Dependence” Isaiah 41:13

July 2, 2017 /

“For I the Lord your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord], Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’

In this world, we are usually discouraged from being or becoming dependent on anything or anyone. Dependence on someone is—more often than not, seen as a sign of weakness—of immaturity. Particularly when a person is of sufficient age, in the natural, that being independent should be a thing celebrated and actively pursued. And, while this is true—and necessary in our natural evolution into adulthood and its subsequent responsibilities, there is one area in every believer’s life in which we should never—must never, seek to become independent.

That being , in our relationship with God—and our sole reliance on Him.

There is a well-known Christian song entitled, ” Cornerstone.”  Part of its lyrics are as follows:

When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil

I rest on His unchanging grace. Said differently, I depend, solely rely on, completely trust in, God.

So, the question then becomes, in a world where dependence is discouraged and individualism touted, “Who do you, can you, depend on?”

Before we go further, before you answer that, please, allow me pause here to urge you: If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, please, ask Him into your heart, now, today, without delay, as your Lord and Savior. Pray this simple prayer: Dear Jesus, come into my heart, I surrender it to you. I believe you died for me and resurrected on the third day. Have your way in my life. I choose to depend on you. Romans 10:9-10 says this to us: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Notice, however, that you must both confess and believe. Lip service will not do! So, If you prayed that prayer for the first time, I now encourage you to ask God to lead you into a solid Christ centered church so that you will learn to grow in Him and His Word, and find your place, your part, His will for your life…

Welcome Home my brother or sister in Christ! I look forward to meeting you in Our Father’ s House!

Now, let’s dig in, shall we?…

A recent quote I read said this: In the world, dependency is seen as immaturity. But in my Kingdom, dependence on Me is a prime measure of maturity.

It is well-known, factually established—that what is said in the Word of God, what we are taught about what is right, and good, and true, what is best for us, is, characteristically, the polar opposite of what we are taught in the world in which we live. For example, God’s Word teaches: We must die to live, forgive everyone—no exceptions, love our enemies, give away that we may receive, be humble so that He may lift us up. I could list many other examples of how living according to God’s Word—His will,  is the exact opposite of the self-sufficient ways in which the world encourages us to live.

And who is this world?

John 2:15-16 explains that:  “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” The world, that is the ways of it, as opposed to God’s ways is, as one Theologian describes it: an evil (rebellious) organized system under Satan, which operates through unbelieving people who are opposed to God.

Now hold up! I can hear the rants and visceral disapproval. The, how-dare-you!

And I understand, I do. I too, at one time, would have ranted right along with you. Probably the loudest! Rebelled against those stinging words with like vehemence. With the same indignant outrage. Why? I was very much a part of, steeped in, the world. In doing life my way. And, if truth be told, there are still remnants of that same thinking and its subsequent actions that still linger with me today, like a foul odor. Those sins I still struggle with daily. This is not about being holier than though. But it is about the strength, the surety to forgive those sins, my sins, your sins,  that lives in the Blood of Jesus Christ alone…

It’s also about the choices we must make. And then live by.

I’m sure you’d agree that we are surrounded by choices. From the moment we open our eyes until the time we close them, we are in choice-making mode. Stating with five more minutes or get up now? What will I eat? What to wear? Which route to take to work? Will I go to work? Time for coffee or maybe it’s tea today? you get the idea…

Choices.

And so, along that line, is our choice to follow—rely, depend on, set our hope on, God. That too, though obviously a far greater and consequential, to say nothing of, eternal choice, is also our’s to make. We are free to, must in fact, say yes to God. To His calling us to Himself. Or, by default, in saying nothing, in continuing on, eyes-closed, things as they are, we are effectively saying—no, nope, not now. I’m good on my own God. Maybe later…

However, unlike the above daily chore list of choices we robotically make, choosing God is, must be, intentional. As it is the only eternally life changing choice we will ever make. Let me explain. John 3:16, often familiar, even, to those who are not yet students of God’s Word tells us: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” When we say yes to God’s calling us to Himself we are not only making a right-now choice, we’re not just given a new life here on earth—but, as if that were not enough, we will have, are promised, an eternal home with God in Heaven.

One choice—eternal consequence. And to not choose Christ is your choice. Literally…

As a believer in Christ Jesus we must live our lives in absolute reliance, dependence, on Him. Something that one will never—can never do, without faith in—complete belief in, Him being exactly who He says He is, and that He will do all that He says He will do. Period. That is the basis of our faith. Numbers 23:19 says it like this: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

If you look at the photo image attached to this post you will notice that the climber is reliant—dependent, literally, on her chosen ropes for safety—for her life. To complete her journey, unencumbered by worry, she cannot waste precious time and valuable energy constantly checking to make certain her rope is secured and her connection to it solid. She must choose,both her equipment and,what she will anchor herself to, wisely. As Christians,

 

our faith and reliance, our dependence, on God must also be like that also.  Notice that she is leaning back confidently, being mindful,surely,of what is around her, but confidently nonetheless—enjoying this adventure she’s on! She knows—is certain, that what she is connected to—dependent on, is solid—fixed, reliable. Therefore, she is confident to climb or to descend without trepidation. If we will trust our very lives to a piece of rope—how much more to God? To Him who is dependable, sure, fixed, unchanging. To the God who calls us to anchor our life to His. To depend solely on Him for safety, guidance, provision, Truth, and life?  Just a this climber has anchored her ropes into rock.

As I said in the beginning, dependence, according to the world, is seen as a sign of weakness. But, as I also said in the beginning, the Bible often teaches us the polar-opposite of what the world teaches…

Listen to yet another example: “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” 2 Corinthians 12:10, emphasis my own.

The world will ultimately fail us. Its rope will fray and we will fall—perhaps to our deaths, as many climbers have. Only when we rely—depend, put our life into the All-Powerful Hands of Jesus—can we be assured we will never fall to our deaths.

On that we can depend…

The more mature in the faith we are, the bigger God will be for us. As our vision of God becomes clearer and we understand His enormity, we learn to rest in him. We grow in our ability to depend completely on him and know that with a God as competent as the God we find in the pages of Scripture, the universe in which we find ourselves is truly a safe place for us. The surety of God’s promise is God Himself.

Said Scripturally: “He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber” Psalm 121:3

Depend on The Rock of Ages. Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone. Our only sure foundation…

“A Voice In the Storm” Lk. 8:24-25

January 29, 2017 /

 

And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him” (Lk. 24-25)?

It’s the last line of our verse that gives us the answer about why Jesus rebuked His disciples…

Their faith had wavered.

I can relate. There have been moments in my life that my normal “mountain moving” faith wasn’t strong enough to move my own doubts out of the way…

How about you? Have you ever experienced moments of weak faith? Days that even though you know that you know God is Sovereign you panic when a storm comes your way…?

They had been with Him. They believed He was the Messiah—these twelve, His hand chosen. They had read the Holy Scriptures or at least they’d heard the oral traditions told and retold them by their elders. They knew of the accounts spoken of during the time of the Exodus of their people. When Jehovah God delivered His first-born son, Israel, from under the ruthless oppression of Pharaoh—and his taskmaster’s flesh-splitting whips (Exodus 13).

God intervened and showed Himself the Sovereign Ruler over all men, believer, and unbeliever alike. He demonstrated just how all-powerful He is by taking charge over the elements…

They knew, these twelve, that God had split the sea in two so that His people could cross over on dry land and then with the same ease—folded this sea back over the Egyptian’s who were in hot pursuit of His people. Sending them all to a watery grave (Ex. 14:21-30).

And the disciples believed in this God of their Father’s…

But now their Master—their Rabbi, the One Peter had called the Messiah—God’s own Son (Matt.16:16), is sleeping in their boat.  While this sudden storm has arisen, and is raging!  And they panicked. Some were seasoned fisherman familiar with the sea. Accustomed to sudden, violent, stormy, weather.

Yet they panicked nonetheless…

So, what is it that caused them to be filled with this gripping fear? To doubt that Jesus, God’s Son, could save them from a certain watery death? Was it the sheer size of the storm that raged about them?

Or was it a deeper issue that swirled unanswered within them…?

Let’s talk about faith. Theirs’s, yours, and mine…

The Scriptures tell us that without it, this faith, it is impossible to please God: “But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him” (Heb.11:6).

Now we know that to please God we must have faith, so the next logical question follows, “What is this faith?”

“Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]” (Heb.11:1).

So, now that we know we need faith and we know what this faith is, wouldn’t it seem reasonable to think that these twelve men who had walked with Jesus for such a long while would have it in abundance?

Particularly if they truly understood—more, believed that Jesus was truly The Son of God—One with Father. God in the Flesh…

They’d heard Him say as much to the Jews who asked Him for a plain accounting of Himself back at the colonnade of Solomon during the feast of dedication (John. 14:22-38).

And they were His witnesses to so many of the signs and miraculous healings He performed…

There was the man with the withered hand that He fully restored (Luke 6:10). The cleansing of the leaper, (Luke 5:12-13). The healing of a paralytic, (Luke 5:18-20). The powerful teaching we’ve come to know as, “The Beatitudes” (Matt.5:1-12). And even raising a widow’s only son at his own funeral (Luke 7:13-15)!

They—these twelve, and all the Jews, had been waiting for Messiah to come and deliver them from the Romans and their cruel oppression, much like He did with their forefathers in Egypt. And they knew He would, just as He had during the days of Moses and Aaron.

So why was He sleeping at the bow of the boat while this powerful storm was threatening to tear them apart?

That was their question…

But perhaps what they should have asked, what we should be asking is: What was the Voice who spoke to the storm trying to teach that day? What was the lesson He needed them to understand—us too? What is it that He wanted them, and us, to be confident in? No room for doubts?

Let’s go back to our Scripture verses for that answer. He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

Faith…

Jesus was allowing their faith to be built up while simultaneously reminding them that He was the One who had complete control over all things, ALL things—always.

Jesus knew what His disciples would face shortly—how their faith would be tested repeatedly. He knew they believed Him to be the Messiah. But He needed them to continue to grow. To be stretched. He knew also, that He would only be with them for a short time. And He needed them solid—rock solid, unwavering in their faith.

He need them to understand that He was God. And what that soon would entail…

The future of His Church depended on it… (Acts 2:39-40).

In a moment of unbelief, the disciples implored Jesus for deliverance from the raging sea.  Much like when Moses called on God for deliverance as he and God’s people stood trapped at the mouth of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army closing in, threatening to annihilate them…

He needed His disciples to know—have faith in, that He was the same God who demonstrated His power to deliver and save the Israelite’s. That it was He who commanded the elements then and it was He who would do it now, and for all time. “And the sea became as wall on their left and on their right” (Ex. 14:22).

He continues to demonstrate His mercy and His unfathomable power to save His chosen ones—His children. And, since this same Jesus cannot change, is it possible that the storm that is raging about you has been allowed?

Was it sent as a reminder that you must stay firmly anchored to Jesus? The One who will never allow the storms in your life to overtake you. Regardless of what things may look like. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Pet. 4:12).

Did your storm come to strengthen you? To build you up? To enable you to push through life’s situations and circumstances that clamor for your attention—the endless distractions? Those situations that frighten you and cause you to freeze drawing your focus away from Jesus? That negative doctor’s report, the loss of a job or spouse? Past hurts and disappointments?

That runaway child or addicted parent?

Did the storm in your life arise to strengthen your faith?  Or perhaps to expose your hidden doubt? Maybe it came to increase your understanding? Or to show you how to still yourself, and listen to the One whose Word commands all storms to end?

Jesus needed to remind His disciples that He was Sovereign over all His creation. That He was so much more than their narrow understanding of who Messiah was and the role He would play in His people’s lives…

He needed them to know that not one detail of their life, not one of their trials escaped Him—and we too, as witnesses, are remind, that if we will but anchor our faith to Him, listen for His voice to guide us, no storm will ever overtake us, nor separate us from Him…

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Rom.8:37-39).

Jesus is just as aware of what’s threatening to end you as He was of the storm that frightened His disciples. And the sea that needed to part for His children to cross over safely…

Allow me to remind you that Jesus is with you today. And anything that looks threatening around you cannot overtake you unless the Sovereign God of the Universe allows it to be…

“The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Psalm 135:6).

 

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