Archive for March, 2009

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During the Delay . . .

Friday, March 13th, 2009

There are few things that annoy me more than a person not keeping an appointment, but failing to call to let me know he or she is delayed or is not going to make the meeting. Being kept waiting is not a pleasant experience. I wonder if Simeon was frustrated as he waited for Messiah to come.

During this time in history, religious, political, and social life was at an all time low. Israel was under harsh Roman rule and the promise of Messiah seemed to be a fading dream. Most people had given up on integrity. Yet, there was one who represented true religious faithfulness during this time of spiritual dearth – Simeon. Luke said he was a righteous and devout man. These seem like old and lofty words. Simply put, his external walk was congruent with his internal witness. He obeyed what God commanded. While others lived at a distance, Simeon enjoyed a close relationship with God. While others gave up on waiting for the fulfillment of the promise of Messiah, Simeon’s life was characterized by waiting for God to come along side his people to cheer them up through the coming of Messiah. Because Simeon walked closely with God, he waited expectantly for God. Ultimately, God blessed him to see the Messiah, Jesus.
If you are in the midst of a delay, remember when God makes a promise, he will keep it. Though years may pass, God will keep his promises. Though the spiritual horizon looks dark, God will keep his promises. The fulfillment of God’s promises is sweeter than anything we can imagine. While you are waiting for God, walk closely with God. Represent God in the middle of a spiritually, socially and economically anemic culture, and in so doing, you will communicate to the world that God still speaks in hopeless times.
During the delay, trust and obey!
How have you seen God fulfill his promises in your life recently?

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Surviving a Family Crisis

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

Surviving a Family Crisis

What are some major causes of stress in your family right now? How does your family normally respond to a crisis? Every family, at some point in time, goes through a "family crisis," right? 

What is a family crisis? A family crisis can be defined as any event which changes or challenges the way a family has to cope. There are at least four categories of crises:

Internal - Depression, loneliness, isolation, addiction 
External – Job loss, racism, abuse, tragedy, illness, death 
Interpersonal – relational/marital conflict, sibling rivalry, conflict with employer/employees
Transitional – moving to a new city, starting a new job, adolescence, mid-life, senior parents    

When we are faced with a crisis, we tend to respond with hysteria, emotional breakdowns, panic attacks, and acting out old habits. Also, we experience loss of sleep, loss of weight, isolation, and even depression. I am convinced that this does not have to be the case. I believe every family going through a family crisis can have victory by taking some bold steps found in the story of Elisha and the widow (2 Kings 4:1-7):

Turn to the right source. The woman turned to someone outside her crisis. Elisha was not only the prophet of God, but he represented God. This broken woman was looking for help from God through the man of God. When we are going through a family crisis, our first move should be toward the loving and safe arms of our heavenly Father, through prayer. Also, turning to our spiritual leaders, who represent God, can be most helpful. Their job is not to take the place of God, but point you to God. 

Explain your problem thoroughly. The woman explained her crisis and articulated to Elisha what the needs were. She wasn't too proud to reveal her problems. She explained her crisis to the prophet of God calmly, thoroughly and passionately. 

Acknowledge the limits of your own resources. This woman admitted the limitations of her own resources to solve her crisis. This is significant because when we admit that we have exhausted our resources, it indicates to God that his help is, not just nice, but absolutely necessary. God is looking for total dependance from his children.  

Lean on others for assistance. Elisha encouraged the woman to ask her neighbors for assistance. We must never go through a family crisis alone. Our pride convinces us that we can make it on our own and as a result, we suffer in silence. If we are going to make it through our family crisis, we need help from other people. Seek help from godly friends, mature believers and even professional counselors. The key to leaning on others is recognizing that the assistance should be temporary and not become an addiction.

Follow God's specific instructions.  The anchor in a family crisis is obedience and trust in the specific directions and timeless principles from the word of God. Obey what you already know. Be willing to be an answer to your own prayers. Sometimes God's plan for your deliverance and peace comes in strange ways. We must be willing to trust God even when we can't trace God.  

I hope these principles have assisted in some way. What other principles has God used to help your family through a crisis?  

                           

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I Exam

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

I Exam

Several weeks ago, I went to the ophthalmologist to get an eye exam. I had been having some blurred vision in the eye that my daughter accidentally scratched a couple years earlier. The nurse and doctor gave me a battery of tests – drops, reading charts, looking through tunnels, and looking for bright and faint lights. These tests were not fun at all. The end result, however, was that I would need reading glasses. I hate eye exams, but I love that I am able to see words on the pages clearly. Not only do I hate eye exams, but I am not crazy about "I Exams" either.  

An I Exam (self examination) is the reflection on one's own character, motives and actions, in order to judge whether they are truly aligned with God's values. Self-examination is the key to change and progress in our lives, ministries and businesses. When I have failed to do the hard work of self-examination, it has led me to pride and self-delusion. It is difficult internal work (which is always the most painful) because our hearts are deceitfully and desperately evil, and we are afraid of what is going to be revealed. However, I Exams help us to bring the page of our life into focus, so we can see where we are headed  in our lives.

The good news is that God is willing to help us in our I Exams. But, he will not cross the picket line of our unwillingness, but awaits to be invited into the deepest places of our hearts so that he can cross- examine us. In this cross examination, he tests our motives and affections. 

I Exams are not fun, but the purpose of them is to lead people to God and to align their lives with his value system. Moreover, the purpose of I Exams is to, with confidence and integrity, make a great impact on the world. Socrates said, "He that would move the world, must first move himself." 

How often do you get an I Exam? How has God used self-examination to help you change your life?

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